新编英语教程第一册Unit16

Unit 16

DIALOGUE I

Word Study

A: You're reading a dictionary, aren't you?
B: Yes, I read three pages of this dictionary every day, and I try to memorize as many words as I can.
A: What do you do that for?
B: To increase my vocabulary so that I can read better. I'm very fond of English literature, but my limited vocabulary keeps me from reading English short stories easily.
A: May I give you some suggestions?
B: Please do. I know you're an efficient reader.
A: Efficient reading requires the use of various problem-solving skills. For example, it's impossible for you to know the exact meaning of every word you read, but by developing your guessing ability, you'll be able to understand enough to arrive at the complete meaning of a sentence, a paragraph, or a passage. I don't think dictionary reading can help you do that.
B: Guessing ability? What does that mean? And how do I develop my guessing ability?
A: You just guess the meaning of a word intelligently. I have a book with exercises designed to help English learners improve their reading proficiency¹. I'd suggest you should read it. Do you want to take a look at it?
B: Sure. I'd like to own one if it will work wonders.
A: Don't expect it to be a magic book, You'll have to exercise your mind.
B: I see. Does it mean that there are formulas which I can memorize to improve my ability to guess the meanings of unfamiliar² words?
A: No, there aren't such formulas. One of the things you can do is use the meanings of the other words in the sentence or paragraph to get the meaning of the word that you don't know.
B: Do you mean using context clues to discover the meaning of an unfamiliar word?
A: Yes. Using context clues is one way. Another way is word analysis, that is, looking at the meanings of parts of a word.
B: I don't get it.
A: Many English words have been formed by combining parts of older English, Greek, and Latin words. If you know the meanings of some of these word parts, you can often guess the meaning of an unfamiliar English word easily.
B: Can you give me an example?
A: Yes, for example, the word inspector³, meaning "one who examines closely", is formed from in, which means "into", spect which means "look at", and or, which means "one who". Let me give you another example. The word predict, meaning "tell beforehand", is derived⁴ from pre, which means "before", and dict, which means "say" or "tell".
B: Word analysis really helps.
A: Yes, though it is not always enough to give you the precise definition of a word you come across in a reading passage. But it often helps you understand the general meaning of the word so that you can continue reading without stopping to use a dictionary.
B: You're indeed a reading specialist.
A: I learned all this from that book.

DIALOGUE II

Dialogue:
Xiao Lu, a Chinese student, had arranged to have an English lesson with her English teacher, Frank, at 6 p.m., but Xiao Lu did not show up. Next day, they meet at the university.
F: Have you got a minute, Xiao Lu? I'd like to have a word with you, please.
X: Yes, of course.
F: ... I thought we arranged to have an English lesson last night at 6. It was last night, wasn't it?
X: Er... well, yes, it was. I'm really sorry about it. I was just coming to see you to explain.
F: Well, I hope you've got a good explanation, Xiao Lu, because I had another important appointment last night and if I'd known you weren't coming, I'd have gone out!
X: I'm ever so sorry, but it wasn't really my fault!
F: Not your fault! What about the other times? This isn't the first time it's happened, is it?
X: No, but I couldn't help it, there was very little I could do about it...
F: You could have telephoned me and cancelled the lesson. You know my number, don't you? I remember giving it to you last week — last time when you didn't turn up for your lesson.
X: I'm awfully⁵ sorry, but just before I left the house, a neighbour came to our house to tell us that my brother had been involved in an accident.
F: Oh, I see.
X: My mother was terribly upset and didn't want me to leave her. So I had to stay with her until my elder brother got home. I was so worried that I completely forgot about our lesson.
F: Oh, well, don't worry about it. I didn't realize it was so serious. Is your brother all right?
X: Yes, he's still in hospital, but they are sending him home tomorrow; just a few cuts and bruises⁶.
F: I'm sorry for the way I snapped at you, Xiao Lu.
X: Oh, that's all right. I understand. I'd have been just as angry in your place.
F: But, please, try and telephone me next time, all right?


READING I

Procrastination⁷

The verb "procrastinate⁸" comes from the Latin procrastinate, which means "to postpone⁹ until tomorrow". To procrastinate, then, is to delay doing something until some future time, and a procrastinator¹⁰ is someone who is always putting off what he or she should be doing right now.
Those of us who have a tendency toward procrastination know that it is a terrible habit. Every day we tell ourselves that we must start doing things immediately, and each day we postpone our work, are late for deadlines, and put off keeping our promises to other people. Because we are always in the process of procrastinating¹¹, we are also always trying to catch up. We are always doing yesterday's jobs today, and tomorrow we will be doing today's unfinished work.
There are people who rarely procrastinate. They are highly efficient and well organized, and they seem to get everything done on time. I suspect that they never leave home in the morning before they make the bad, never go to sleep at night before they finish their work, always answer their mail promptly¹², and are never late for appointments. As a result, they are probably always one step ahead of you and me!
Maybe the way to overcome procrastination is to change our habits gradually. We can start with a daily schedule of the things we want or need to accomplish. But let's be reasonable. We shouldn't crowd the list with too many tasks, and we should be realistic about what we can do. Especially in the beginning we should be lenient¹³ with ourselves. After all, if we get discouraged at the start, we will go right back to our old habits.
Finally, if we begin to follow our own schedule for each day, we will stop postponing¹⁴ the chores that face us. Life will become far less complicated and each day will be easier to face. We will undoubtedly¹⁵ feel better about ourselves, too, because we will know that we can overcome our weakness and improve ourselves.

1 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

2 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

3 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

4 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

6 bruises   

n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was covered with bruises after falling off his bicycle. 他从自行车上摔了下来，摔得浑身伤痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pear had bruises of dark spots. 这个梨子有碰伤的黑斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 procrastination   

n.拖延，耽搁

参考例句：

• Procrastination is the father of failure. 因循是失败的根源。
• Procrastination is the thief of time. 拖延就是浪费时间。

8 procrastinate   

v.耽搁，拖延

参考例句：

• Most often we procrastinate when faced with something we do not want to do.面对不想做的事情，我们经常拖延。
• It's easy to procrastinate when the deadline seems infinitely far away.当最终期限总是遥遥无期时是很容易延期的。

9 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

10 procrastinator   

n. 拖延者, 拖拉者, 因循者

参考例句：

• General Peckem's communications about cleanliness and procrastination made Major Major feel like a filthy procrastinator. 佩克姆将军谈到清洁和拖延的那些简报，使梅杰少校感到自己象一个邋遢的、作风拖拉的家伙。
• This is also a great help if you are a procrastinator. 如果你是一个拖拉的人，这样会对你很有帮助。

11 procrastinating   

拖延，耽搁( procrastinate的现在分词 )； 拖拉

参考例句：

• Begin while others are procrastinating. Save while others are wasting. 当别人拖延时你开始。当别人浪费时你节约。
• Before adjourning, councillors must stop procrastinating and revisit this controversial issue. 在休会之前，参议员必须停止拖延，重新讨论这个引起争议的问题。

12 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

13 lenient   

adj.宽大的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• The judge was lenient with him.法官对他很宽大。
• It's a question of finding the means between too lenient treatment and too severe punishment.问题是要找出处理过宽和处罚过严的折中办法。

14 postponing   

v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He tried to gain time by postponing his decision. 他想以迟迟不作决定的手段来争取时间。 来自辞典例句
• I don't hold with the idea of postponing further discussion of the matter. 我不赞成推迟进一步讨论这件事的想法。 来自辞典例句

15 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。