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Unit 1
Happiness
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I You Can't Buy Happiness
Everyone wants to be happy, but exactly what is happiness and how can one obtain it? Philosophers have been arguing about the matter for centuries and have not been able to reach an agreement; yet everyone knows happiness when they experience it or when it is denied to them. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines happiness as a state of contentment, but we know that different people experience contentment in different ways. Many people have felt that if they were rich they could buy happiness for themselves; however, many stories from history tell us that this is probably not true, including the famous King Midas story.
According to Greek mythology, King Midas was a ruler who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. When this wish was granted, to his dismay, he found that his beloved young daughter turned to gold at his touch and he had lost his source of greatest happiness in life.[1] A golden statue could not give him the love that he had so enjoyed from his daughter.
Neither wealth nor status nor privilege nor family power nor prestige can guarantee happiness. A prime example of this is the true story of Queen Victoria's daughters. Victoria, Queen of England for 64 years during the 19th century, had five daughters. They grew up with the kinds of luxuries that other people only dream about, including jewels, silk gowns, and handsome princes for husbands. Each daughter grew up with a unique personality and with a very different future awaiting her.[2] Yet, although each had a happy childhood, none lived a happy life as an adult.
The eldest daughter, Princess Victoria (called "Vicky" by her family), was the most intelligent of the children. By the time she was four years old, she spoke German and French fluently. Her virtues were a painful contrast to the many defects her parents saw in her brother, the Prince of Wales, who would become king after Queen Victoria's death.[3] When Vicky became a young lady, her parents chose a husband for her, Prince Frederick, a tall and handsome soldier who would become King of Prussia, a part of Germany. Although she loved her husband deeply until he died, she was never happy in Prussia. Her liberal political beliefs were not liked by the Prussians and the Prussian chancellor managed to turn her eldest son, Wilhelm, against her. Two other sons died in childhood. Vicky was Queen of Prussia and Empress of Germany for only 99 days because by the time her husband became king he was dying. For the last thirteen years of her life she was a widow in a land where she was not liked, ruled by a son who hated her. She tried to find some happiness by spending her final years working for the advancement of German women.
The second daughter, Alice, was known as the lovable, peaceful sister. For a husband, her parents chose a German Duke. As a duchess, Alice was known for her good works.[4] She was especially interested in the training of nurses. During the times of war, she worked in the hospitals that she had established. She helped poor women by arranging for their needlework to be sold. Her seven children included five daughters, one of whom became the last Czarina of Russia, who was killed along with her family. Alice did not live long enough to know of that horrible event because in 1878, her children became ill, one after another, with diphtheria, and Alice nursed them all. Shortly after her youngest child died of the disease, Alice fell ill with it too and died at the age of 35.
Helena, the middle daughter, was the least attractive daughter. She also was the one that the family paid the least attention to as she was growing up. Queen Victoria decided that she needed one daughter to live close to her as she grew older, so she chose a prince who no longer had a country to rule as Helena's husband. Helena and her husband lived in a house near the Queen and her house became a second home for Alice's motherless children. Helena spent her life taking care of her mother's needs, as well as of Alice's children and her own four children. She was never asked what she wanted from life but was always at the beck and call of others, whether she liked it or not.
Princess Louise, the fourth daughter, was the opposite of Helena. She was beautiful, talented, and willful. She insisted on studying art at London's art college and even chose her own husband, a nobleman from Scotland. Her family did not want her to marry him but finally allowed her to do so. In 1877 her husband became Governor General of Canada. At first her life there was happy. Louise gave parties and dances. She also traveled to western Canada. However, during a sleigh ride, she was thrown out of the sleigh and dragged along the ground by her long hair, losing an ear. She went home to England to get well but never returned to Canada. Her marriage was really over by then because she had discovered that her husband romantically preferred men rather than women. However, she couldn't divorce him because that was not allowed for a princess at that time. She stayed at the royal palace in London, an unhappy and bitter woman, until she died at the age of 91.
Queen Victoria decided that her youngest daughter, Beatrice, should never marry and should be her companion during her older years. Beatrice acted as her mother's secretary and went with her to royal events. They were hardly ever apart. When Beatrice was 28 years old, Victoria allowed her to go to Germany to attend the wedding of a niece. There she met a German Prince, Liko, who immediately fell in love with her. When they asked Victoria for permission to marry, Victoria agreed only if they would live in the palace with her. Even after her marriage, Beatrice was required to accompany her mother everywhere and had very little time to be with her husband and children. Prince Liko, who had once been a soldier and was bored with the kind of life he was leading, volunteered to help put down a revolt in an African nation in 1896. He soon fell ill with a fever and died. "The life has gone out of me," Beatrice said when she learned of his death. She was 39 years old at the time. Even after Queen Victoria died in 1901, Beatrice remained in her shadow.[5] She spent the rest of her life copying and editing Victoria's journals.
Neither wealth, status, nor family prominence gave happiness to Victoria's so daughters. Their lives were filled with disappointment and loss. Their stories support the concept that happiness results only when people are permitted to plan their own lives, to pursue their goals in the way they see most appropriate and to base them on something other than a desire for wealth, prominence or status. (1175 words)
Proper Names
Alice
（女子名）艾丽斯
Beatrice
（女子名）比阿特丽斯
Frederick
（男子名）弗雷德里克
Governor General
总督
Helena
（女子名）海伦娜
Liko
（男子名）利科
Louise
（女子名）露易丝
Midas
（希腊神话）迈达斯（Phrygia国王，贪恋财富，能点物成金）
Prussia
普鲁土（位于北欧的原古普鲁土族居地，1701年起成为王国，1871年以其为中心建立了统一的德意志帝国）
Prussian
adj. 普鲁士的
Queen Victoria
维多利亚女王 (1819－1901，英国女王及印度女王，即位后英国加紧向外扩张，建立庞大殖民地，工商业亦迅猛发展，一些英国史家称“维多利亚时代”为英国历史上的“黄金时代”)
Scotland
苏格兰（英国的一部分，在大不列颠岛北部）
Vicky
（女子名）维姬（Victoria的昵称）
Victoria
（女子名）维多利亚
Wales
威尔士（英国的一部分，在大不列颠岛西南部）
Webster Collegiate Dictionary
《韦伯斯特大学词典》或《韦氏大学词典》
Wilhelm
（男子名）威廉（William的德语形式）
New Words
beck
n. a gesture requesting attention, such as a nod or wave 点头，招手
chancellor
n. the title of the head of government in Germany, Austria, etc. (德国、奥地利等国的)总理
collegiate
adj. Of or belonging to a college or its students 大学的，大学生的
czarina
n. the wife of a czar or the female Russian ruler 沙皇皇后，女沙皇
defect
n. a fault or imperfection in a person or thing 缺点，缺陷，毛病
e.g. I) A defect in the aircraft caused the crash.
II) I bought these shoes cheaply because they have slight defects in them.
diphtheria
n. a dangerous infectious disease which causes fever and difficulty in breathing and swallowing 白喉
dismay
n. 1) a strong feeling of fear or worry 惊恐，惊愕
e.g. I) To the soldiers' astonishment and dismay, he ordered them to throw away their weapons and flee with him.
II) She discovered, to her dismay, that her exam was a whole month earlier than she had expected.
2) sudden or complete loss of courage 失望，气馁
e.g. I) A sigh of dismay ran through her, for she was not very good at reading.
II) The supporters watched in dismay as their team lost 6-0.
duchess
n. a woman who is a duke's wife or widow, or who has the same rank as a duke 公爵夫人，公爵遗孀，女公爵
duke
n. a man of very high rank in a country, or the ruler of a small independent country 公爵，（欧洲公国的）君主
empress
n. the wife of a male ruler of an empire, or a female ruler of an empire 皇后，女皇
fluently
adv. easily, well and quickly 流利地，流畅地
e.g. I) I'd like to speak English fluently.
II) All students must be able to type fluently before they start the course.
governor
n. a ruler or chief magistrate appointed to govern a province, town or the like 地方长官，州长
e.g. After the independence ceremony, the former governor left the colony.
liberal
adj.
1) favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs 赞成进步或改革的
e.g. They favor liberal free-market policies.
2) free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc., open-minded 不受传统和准则等约束的，开明的
e.g. They have more liberal views towards marriage and divorce than some people.
mythology
n. myths in general [总称] 神话
needlework*
n. things made by sewing, or the activity or art of sewing 针线活， 缝纫手艺
nobleman
n. (plural noblemen) a man of noble birth or rank 出身或地位高贵的人，贵族
princess
n. a female member of a royal family, usually the daughter of a king or the wife of a prince 公主，王妃
e.g. the Prince and Princess of Wales 威尔士亲王和王妃（英国太子和太子妃的称号）
prominence*
n. the fact of being important and well-known 显著，杰出
e.g. He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.
revolt
n. an illegal and often violent attempt by a group of people to change their country's political system 反叛，起义
e.g. Troops were called in to put down the revolt.
willful
adj. stubborn and determined to have your own way 任性的，固执的
e.g. She can be very willful when she sets her mind to something, just like her father.
Phrases and Expressions
be at someone's beck and call
always be ready to do what someone wants 听候......的吩咐
e.g. Go and get it yourself! I'm not at your beck and call.
deny something to someone/deny someone something
refuse to allow someone to have or do something 拒绝给予
e.g. I) I would have liked to have learned French, but opportunity was denied (to) me at school.
II) If you regularly take snacks instead of eating properly, you will deny yourself the important nutrients that your body requires.
fall ill
("fall" is a link-verb in this case) become ill 得病
e.g. She fell ill suddenly and was dead within a week.
pot down
1) stop by using force
e.g. Police used tear gas to put the riot (骚乱) down.
2) write or type 记下，写下
e.g. I had prepared for the meeting by putting down what I wanted from them.
reach an agreement
come to or arrive at an agreement usually after a discussion 取得一致意见，达成协议
e.g. The two sides have reached an agreement to divide the money into two equal parts.
turn someone against someone else
decide or make someone decide not to like someone any more 使......转而反对......,使......对......有偏见
e.g. A boy I used to be friends with was turned against me after being told that I had been insulting him.
PASSAGE II A Simple Truth about Happiness
If you're waiting for it, you've missed the point.
After I gave a talk on the subject of happiness, a woman in the audience stood up and said, "I wish my husband had come." Much as she loved him, she explained, it wasn't easy being married to someone so unhappy.[1]
This woman enabled me to put into words what I had been searching for-the altruistic, as well as the personal, reasons for taking happiness seriously.[2] I told her that each of us owes it to our spouse, our children, our friends to be as happy as we can be. And if you don't believe me, ask a child what it's like to grow up with an unhappy parent, or ask parents what pain they suffer if they have an unhappy child.
I was not a particularly happy child, and like most teenagers, I took pleasure in my anguish. One day, however, it occurred to me that I was taking the easy way out. Anyone could be unhappy; it took no courage or effort. True achievement lay in struggling to be happy.
The notion that we have to work at happiness comes as news to many people.[3] We assume it's a feeling that comes as a result of good things that just happen to us, things over which we have little or no control.
But the opposite is true: happiness is largely under our control. It is a battle to be fought and not a feeling to be awaited.
To achieve a happier life, it's necessary to overcome some stumbling blocks, three of which are:
Comparison with Others
Most of us compare ourselves with anyone we think is happier-a relative, an acquaintance or, often, someone we barely know. I once met a young man who struck me as particularly successful and happy. He spoke of his love for his beautiful wife and their daughters, and of his joy at being a radio talk-show host[4] in a city he loved. I remember thinking that he was one of those lucky few for whom everything goes effortlessly right.
Then we started talking about the Internet. He blessed its existence, he told me, because he could look up information on multiple sclerosis[5]-the terrible disease afflicting his wife. I felt like a fool for assuming nothing unhappy existed in his life.
Images of Perfection
Almost all of us have images of how life should be. The problem, of course, is that only rarely do people's jobs, spouses and children live up to these imagined ideals.
Here's a personal example: No one in my family had ever divorced. I assumed that marriage was for life.[6] So when my wife and I divorced after five years of marriage and three years after the birth of our son, my world collapsed. I was a failure in my own eyes.
I later remarried but confided to my wife that I couldn't shake the feeling that my family life had failed.[7] She asked me what was wrong with our family now (which included her daughter from a previous marriage and my son). I had to admit that, aside from the pain of being with my son only half the time (my ex-wife and I shared custody), our family life was wonderful.
"Then why don't you celebrate it?" she asked.
That's what I decided to do. But first I had to get rid of the image of a "perfect" family.
"Missing Tile" Syndrome
One effective way of destroying happiness is to look at something and focus on even the smallest flaw. It's like looking up at a tiled ceiling and concentrating on the space where one tile is missing. As a bald man told me, "Whenever I enter a room, all I see is hair."
Once you've determined what your missing tile is, explore whether acquiring it will really make you happy. Then do one of the three things: get it, replace it with a different tile, or forget about it and focus on the tiles in your life that are not missing.
I've spent years studying happiness, and one of the most significant conclusions I've drawn is this: there is little correlation between the circumstances of people's lives and how happy they are. A moment's reflection should make this obvious. We all know people who have had a relatively easy life yet are essentially unhappy. And we know people who have suffered a great deal but generally remain happy.
The first secret is gratitude. All happy people are grateful. Ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that being unhappy leads people to complain, but it's truer to say that complaining leads to people becoming unhappy.
The second secret is realizing that happiness is a byproduct of something else. The most obvious sources are those pursuits that give our lives purpose-anything from studying insects to playing baseball. The more passions we have, the more happiness we're likely to experience.
Finally, the belief that something permanent transcends us and that our existence has some larger meaning can help us be happier. We need a spiritual or religious faith, or a philosophy of life.
Whatever your philosophy, it should include this truism: if you choose to find the positive in virtually every situation, you will be blessed, and if you choose to find the awful, you will be cursed. As with happiness itself, this is largely your decision to make. (895 words)
New Words
afflict
v. cause distress or great trouble with mental or bodily pain 折磨，使苦恼
e.g. I) He is afflicted with severe rheumatism (风湿病).
II) The same social problems continue to afflict them-poverty, crime, homelessness, environmental destruction, to name a few.
altruistic
adj. willing to do things which benefit other people, even if it results in disadvantage for yourself 利他主义的，无私的
bald
adj. having little or no hair on the head 秃顶的
e.g. At twenty he was already going bald.
custody
n. the legal right to keep and look after a child, especially the right given to a child's mother or father when they get divorced 监管，监护
e.g. He was trying to get custody of their child.
effortlessly*
adv. with no or little difficulty or exertion 毫不费力地，轻易地
e.g. She runs so effortlessly as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
essentially
adv. in a way of being fundamental or central to the nature of something or someone 本质上地，实质上地
e.g. He was two when his family left his birthplace to Australia, and he is, essentially, Australian.
ex-wife
n. someone's former wife 前妻
Internet
n. [the-] an international computer network providing electronic mail and information from computers in educational institutions, government agencies, and industry, accessible to the general public via modem links 国际互联网，因特网
e.g. On my business trip, I used the Internet to receive a note from my boss and send a birthday message to my daughter.
multiple
adj. including or involving many things, people, events, etc. 多重的，复合的，多种多样的
e.g. I) The 10-month-old baby died of multiple injuries.
II) There have been several multiple collisions in fog this winter.
remarry*
v. marry again 再婚
e.g. Her mother had never remarried.
sclerosis
n. a medical condition in which the tissue in a part of your body becomes abnormally hard 硬化（症）
spiritual
adj. relating to people's thoughts and beliefs, rather than to their bodies and physical surroundings 精神上的，心灵上的
e.g. I) She lived entirely by spiritual values, in a world of poetry and imagination.
II) His music is a bridge between East and West, a fusion（融合） of spiritual experiences from two cultural realms.
truism
n. a statement which is so obviously true that it is not worth mentioning 自明之理，众所周知的道理
e.g. If it is a truism that the Scots take their whisky seriously, the other thing they famously take seriously is education.
virtually
adv. almost, nearly, in effect 几乎，实际上
e.g. I) Their twins are virtually identical.
II) This opinion was held by virtually all the experts.
Phrases and Expressions
aside from
apart from, except for 除......之外
e.g. I) Aside from that one little problem, the day was perfect.
II) Aside from a few minor mistakes, this is a very good paper.
draw/come to/reach a conclusion
determine by reasoning, arrive at an opinion, judgment, or decision 得出结论，作出推论
e.g. I have tried to give some idea of how I feel-other people will no doubt draw their own conclusions.
for life
for the rest of one's life 终身，一辈子
e.g. I) He was jailed for life in 1966 for the murder of three policemen.
II) Training helps you develop skills and talents which will remain with you for life.
live up to
achieve what is expected or desired 不辜负（期望），达到（预期的标准）
e.g. I) The concert was brilliant-it lived up to our expectations.
II) The president lived up to his promise to set America swiftly on a new path.
look up
1) search for in a dictionary or reference book, or on a computer 查找，查阅
e.g. I) You'd better look up the word in a dictionary.
II) Keep a list of all the relevant numbers (gas, water, electricity, etc.) handy-otherwise look up the number in the phone book yourself.
2) raise one's head, turn up one's head 抬头看
e.g. I) She looked up from her book and smiled at me.
II) When on tour, don't forget to look up, back, around the corner, on the ceiling--there's always going to be something to surprise and delight you.
miss the point
fail to understand the meaning or appreciate the importance of something 没抓住要领，没领会含义
e.g. I) What you say is true, but you've missed the point of my argument.
II) Your leader's comment again missed the point by erroneous linking of legitimate shooting activities and criminal use of guns.
owe it to someone to do something
feel you should do something for someone 认为自己有必要为某人做......
e.g. I) You owe it to your supporters not to give up now.
II) "We owe it to our fans to put on a performance," he said.
stumbling block
a problem which stops you from achieving something 绊脚石，障碍物
e.g. Lack of willingness to compromise (妥协) on both sides is the major stumbling block to reaching a settlement (和解)
take pleasure in
be pleased about or proud of something 以......为乐，以......为荣
e.g. Everybody takes pleasure in eating.
take the easy way out
escape from a difficult or an awkward situation in a way that seems easy, but is not the best or most sensible way 以省事的，但非最好的做法来回避困难或尴尬的处境
e.g. I) As soon as things got difficult he took the easy way out-he blamed others for his failure.
II) You can take the easy way out of the difficulty by leaving the city, and no one will know.
PASSAGE III Optimism
I suppose it's in the nature of science to be optimistic. One of the unspoken assumptions of scientific inquiry[1] is that there are answers to every question. The answers may take years or decades or centuries to find, but for every question about the observable world, a scientist will tell you that there is an answer.
A scientist believes in cause and effect. There is a reason or reasons for everything that happens. The optimistic belief that all problems can be solved and all questions answered is common in technologically advanced and scientifically oriented societies.[2] Rather than being suspicious of change, these societies believe their lives will benefit from it.[3]
I am one of those people whose life knows only change. The one certainty I am aware of is death. All other things are subject to change. I have known changes for the better and changes for the worse (we now have the means to destroy our own planet), but I have never questioned the fact that whether I liked it or not, change was unavoidable. How, you ask, with our infinite capacity for evil, can I remain optimistic about change?[4]
The answer, I suppose, is similar to the one I would give if you asked me how the knowledge of death affects my life. I know that I'm going to die. Everything that lives eventually dies. But I can't live as if every hour were my last. If I did, I would be inactive. I wouldn't go to work; I wouldn't bother reading the daily paper or going to school.[5] In short, I wouldn't have time for all those little joys-a good meal, a walk in a garden, a chat with an old friend-that make life worth living. Instead, I would spend my life between fear and tears.
In the same way, I can't live in fear of what some new technological horror might do. I can't live in fear of the possibility that as the earth's population grows and we use up more and more of our nonrenewable resources, our children may have to lead poorer lives. I can't live in despair about increases in crime, nuclear weapons, and environmental pollution.
I am not saying that these problems are not serious. They are. What I am saying is that fear and despair can't solve them. If we are going to solve them, we have to believe that we can. And this is where a sense of optimism is important. Consider the alternative. If we believe that nothing can be done to save us from ourselves, we aren't going to try. It we try, but do not really believe in what we are doing, we will fail. As I see it, the only way we can make the future succeed for us is to believe that it is possible to make it succeed. The great pyramids of Egypt, the Roman aqueducts, the Gothic cathedrals of Europe, and the Great Wall of China were not built by people who said it couldn't be done.
Problems in human relations are obviously much more difficult. And I'm not foolish enough to equate technological problems, which have solutions, with human questions, which don't always have simple right or wrong answers. What I am suggesting, however, is that if we believe that human questions have solutions, we may, given patience, reason, and compromise, actually find some. If we don't believe solutions are possible, we will never find any. Or to put it another way, you will never find what you don't look for.[6]
Optimism takes energy. It is much easier to be a pessimist. You just sit back and let it-whatever it is-happen. It is an emotionally lazy position. Optimism, on the other hand, requires commitment. If a person believes that something can be done, he or she is responsible in some way for doing it or helping to do it. For example, once a person believes that it is dangerous to drink too much liquor, he or she is almost required to drink less. If that person doesn't, he or she is committing a form of suicide.
The twentieth century has not been kind to optimists.[7] We have, in this century, witnessed murder, barbarism, war and genocide of a scale unknown in previous human history.[8] Sometimes, it seems that for every technological advance, we have suffered from the misuse of that very advance. Atomic power both lightens and darkens our lives. Still, we have no alternative but to keep trying. Every person saved from mistreatment, starvation, or genocide is a feather in the cap of humanity.[9] If we sit back and just let things happen, we are less than human. From this point of view, optimism is essential to preserving our humanity in these difficult times. (797 words)
Proper Name
Egypt
埃及
New Words
aqueduct
n. a bridge, pipe, or canal that carries a water supply, especially one that is built higher than .the land around it or that goes across a valley 高架渠，渡槽，导水管，渠道
e.g. Water has been brought from distant sources by aqueducts, channeled into reservoirs.
barbarism
n. extremely cruel and unpleasant behavior 残暴行为，暴行
e.g. War is barbarism, and I'm tired and sick of war.
cathedral
n. a very large, beautifully decorated stone building for Christian worship 大教堂，教区总教堂
e.g. In the afternoon, you'll have time to explore the ancient regional capital dominated by its twin towered Gothic cathedral.
compromise
1) n. an agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions, an intermediate state between conflicting opinions or actions 妥协，折衷办法
e.g. I) It was necessary for members to make compromises to ensure party unity.
II) Encourage your child to reach a compromise between what he wants and what you want.
2) v. settle a dispute by mutual concession(妥协，折衷)
e.g. I) In the end we compromised and put off the decision.
II) Well, you want $ 400 and I say $ 300, so let's compromise at $ 350.
genocide
n. the deliberate murder of a whole group of people, especially a whole nation, race, religious group, etc. 种族灭绝，灭绝种族的大屠杀
e.g. The English-language newspaper said memories of the Second World War genocide against Jews would never fade.
Gothic
adj. of a style of architecture that is distinguished by tall pillars, high vaulted ceilings, and pointed I arches 哥特式的，尖拱式的，哥特风格的
e.g. He wanted to visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral in the ancient walled city of York.
inactive*
adj. not engaging in or involving any or much physical activity 不活动的，消极的
e.g. It's bad for your health to be physically inactive.
inquiry
n.
1) the process of asking about or investigating something in order to find out more about it 调查，探究
e.g. They have made a scientific inquiry into the origin of language.
2) a question which you ask in order to get some information 打听，询问
e.g. After a brief inquiry about the Christmas holiday, he returned to the subject of music.
lighten*
v. become brighter or less dark, or make something brighter 变得明亮，使 ...... 明亮
e.g. I) The sky began to lighten in the east.
II) He attempted to lighten the large room with a pale green carpet and yellow curtains.
liquor
n. (AmE) a strong alcoholic drink 酒，烈性酒
e.g. Liquor includes drinks like whisky and gin (杜松子酒)，but not beer or wine.
mistreatment*
n. the behavior of treating a person or an animal badly, cruelly or unfairly 虐待
nonrenewable*
adj. (of natural resources) that can not be replaced by natural processes after they have been used up 不可再生的
e.g. nonrenewable resources 不可再生的资源
pyramid
n. a large ancient stone building over the tombs of kings and queens, especially in Egypt 金字塔
unavoidable*
adj. that cannot be avoided or prevented 无法避免的
e.g. I) Managers said that the job losses were unavoidable.
II) True relaxation must be mental and physical to counteract the unavoidable pressures of modern living.
unspoken*
adj. not said aloud 未说出口的
e.g. She smiled and patted the seat beside her in unspoken invitation.
Phrases and Expressions
a feather in someone's cap
an achievement that one can be proud of
e.g. Harry's appointment to this important post was a feather in his cap.
be subject (adj.) to
be affected by or be likely to be affected 易受......,常遭......
e.g. I ) Prices may be subject to alteration (变化).
II ) The storms of 1987 and 1990 have reminded us that the natural world is subject to constant change.
equate something with/to something else
consider something to be equal or equivalent to something else 把......和......等同起来
e.g. I ) You can't equate the education system of Britain with that of Germany.
II ) More expensive does not necessarily equate with more effective.
for the better
in a way that improves the situation 向好的广大，好转
e.g. I ) He dreamed of changing the world for the better.
II ) There's been a change for the better in his health.
for the worse
in a way that changes the situation and makes it worse 向坏的方面，恶化
e.g. I ) It looks like the weather is changing for the worse.
II ) He bought a new car, but it turned out to be for the worse.
have no alternative but to do something
have no choice but to do something 除......外别无选择，只好
e.g. I ) Caught in the act, he had no alternative but to confess.
II ) I'm afraid we have no alternative but to ask you to leave.
sit back
relax and do not become actively involved 袖手旁观，不采取行动
e.g. I ) We should not sit back and let him do it by himself.
II ) You can't just sit back and watch while they ruin our country.
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