现代大学英语精读2Lesson9QuickFixSociety

1. Warm-up Activity

1) What is the meaning of “Quick Fix”?

(fix: n. solution to a problem, esp. an easy and temporary one.

fix: v. to arrange sth. e.g. fix a meeting/ supper)

2) If you want to read a novel, which one would you like to read, a complete one or a compressed one? How do you understand the concept of “quick fix society”?

Those who prefer to read a complete novel rather than a compressed one, or prefer to have a prepared family dinner rather than a fast meal may have problems or doubts about the fast paced society.

 transportation and communication  eating habits and consumption habits  entertainment

 reading habits, learning habits  working style

3) Do you think there is something wrong with the modern society? Do you want a fast paced life or slow paced one?

2. Preview Check

1) What kind of problem with the modern society does the author address through the

article? There is a general impatience in our attitudes towards life. 2) What is the structure of the text?

a. Introduction (1-3): The writer compares her ride on fast roads to West Virginia and

her return trip by a different route. The contrast set her thinking whether there was something wrong with American’s quick-fix lifestyle. The last sentence of this section serves as a transition from the introduction to the body.

b. Body (4-6): The author lists three ways Americans seek a quick fix.

c. Conclusion (7-8): The three rhetorical questions in Paragraph 7 prepare the reader

for what the writer summarizes in the last sentence of the paragraph. The thesis/

central idea is stated in the last two sentences of Paragraph 8: “Let’s slow down and enjoy what nature offers us and what mankind has left us, and rediscover life.”

3. Word Building

advocate //—advocacy—advocator (advocate) // advocation ╳ civil—civilize—civilized—civilization compress—compression condense—condensation

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convenient—convenience—inconvenient

e.g. (a) convenience food/ shop 方便食品，便利店 You can phone me at your convenience. 方便的时候 An order form is enclosed for your convenience. 为了……的方便 defer—1. deference

2. deferment

deferment

We’ll defer (making the) decision. (delay, postpone, put off) We’ll defer to your opinion. (accept) deference digest—digestion

gorgeous—gorgeousness gratify—gratification

I am gratified with (at, by) the result. (The news gratifies me.) satisfied

pleased gratifying=satisfying=pleasing=content

infect—infection—infectious

e.g. an infectious disease

lung infection

The wound was infected with germs. (The flu virus infected everyone in the class. ) The captain’s courage infected the soldiers. 感染 refresh—refreshment—refreshed—refreshing

He felt refreshed after the bath. (revive, restore, give strength/ energy)

refresh one’s memory (remind sb. of sth.)

revitalize—revitalization

formation: re + vital + ize

word root: viv-: vital, revive, survive, vivid, vitamin e.g. vital energy 生命力, a vital wound 致命伤 subtle—subtlety

collocations:

a subtle distinction: a distinction that is not immediately obvious or noticeable 细微差别

a subtle strategy: a strategy organized in a clever and complex way, a cunning strategy 巧妙计策 a subtle mind: sensitive, able to see delicate differences 敏锐头脑

a subtle person: a ~ person cleverly uses indirect methods to achieve something 狡诈的人

4. Vocabulary

advocate 1) compare recommend support

advocate (formally support or recommend) 2) find the mistaken sentences He advocates for reform. ╳ He advocates a change of policy.

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He advocates changing the policy. He advocates to change the policy. ╳

He advocates (suggest) that attention be paid to reform. 很少用 He is an advocate of free trade. 提倡者

amusement

1) compare

amuse—amusement (stress the engagement of one’s attention; doesn’t necessarily imply play or sport)愉快 entertain—entertainment (fml. imply the activity of others to provide amusement) 娱乐 recreate—recreation (imply a change of occupation for the relaxation of body or mind) 消遣 entertainment guide amusement park

my country recreations 1) translate 1

I did this for amusement. 为了消遣

I watched him with amusement. 带着兴趣

He looked at me in amusement. 饶有兴趣的看着

My uncle finds amusement in fishing. 从……中找到乐趣

To everyone’s amusement, the actor fell off the stage. 让大家觉得有趣的是…… 3) translate 2

A clown’s job is to amuse the spectators. 小丑的工作是逗观众乐 His answer amused me. 他的回答让我觉得有趣

Your singing amuses me. (你走调了)让我发笑/ *你歌唱得真好 Your idea amuses me. 你的主意真好笑（具侮辱性）

antique 1) compare old (new, young) ancient (modern) antique

antiquated, obsolete, archaic 2) parts of speech

an antique car/ manners (过时的俗套)/ lovers ① adj. a genuine/ fake antique 真（假）古董 ② n.

bicentennial 1) compare decade century

2) root

3) expansion

centennial

bicentennial/ bicentenary tricentennial/ tercentennial

bicentennial bilingual bicycle binocular

millennium

brief

1) compare

3

He gave a brief summary/ speech. (short, concise) The scout briefed the general on the enemy’s strength.

(give sb. information or instructions in advance)

The Prime Minister was fully briefed before the meeting. 在会前详细了解了情况 2) briefing: information or instruction you get before you have to do sth.; news in brief The chairman gave us a briefing before the meeting. 简要介绍一下情况 They are holding a press briefing tomorrow. 新闻发布会

cabinet

1) compare

cupboard (碗柜，食品柜) wardrobe (衣橱)

board（董事会，委员会） cabinet内阁（单/复）

a body of advisers to the president (archaic: a small room)

cabinet (陈列柜，酒柜，电视柜，文件柜) chest of drawers (五斗橱)

2) checkerboard/ drought-board (check—checker—checkerboard )

check: patterns of crossed lines forming squares (check shirt, check tablecloth) 方格

compress 1) compare

compress: applies to increased compactness brought about by pressing or squeezing; the term

implies reduction in volume and change of form or shape压紧、压缩 condense: Condense refers to a reduction in volume and an increase in compactness浓缩、凝结 contract (v.): To contract is to draw together, especially by an internal force, with a resultant

reduction in size, extent, or volume金属、肌肉收缩

c.f. shrink 受潮、受冷收缩

2) Examine the following sentences, trying to understand how the words above are used. She compressed the newspaper into a small ball. 揉压成

If steam touches cold surfaces, it condenses into water. 凝结

When water is taken out of milk, the milk becomes condensed.浓缩(condensed milk?炼乳) Would you compress/ condense your speech into a few minutes? 缩短 Metal contracts in cold weather. 收缩

The present tense has the contracted forms: I’m, he’s, etc. 缩略形式 3) Can you learn sth from the word root? com- 一起 compound, complex, compose

press- 压 oppression, repression (、压制), impression, depression con- 加强语气 conclude, confirm, confront, consolidate, contribute

tract- 拉、抽、引 e.g. tractor, attract, distract, abstract (摘要，抽象), extract (抽出) , protract (延

长), retract (收回、抽回)

diet 1) compare

food diet: the food that a person/ animal eats every day/ a special course of food 日常食物/ 特殊食物 provisions: supplied food 供应的食物

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staple: the basic everyday food 主食

2) use

A balanced diet is necessary for good health. 日常饮食 She is on a diet. 控制饮食

The doctor put him on a vegetable diet. (按医嘱) 规定的饮食 e.g. diet coke, a rich diet, a poor diet, a Japanese diet

digest ① 消化 ② 吸收领悟 (absorb/ understand) ③ 文摘 Readers’ Digest 1) compare chew swallow digest e.g. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. 一些书需浅尝辄止，另外一些适合一口气读完，而极少数则需要细细咀嚼消化。

guarantee 1) compare assure ensure reassure

guarantee n. a written promise ≈ guaranty

v. promise sth. with certainty

2) use

guarantee the watch for three years. 保修三年

guarantee a job to you. (guarantee you a job) 确保你得到一份工作 guarantee to see him. 保证能见到他 guarantee that he will come. 保证他回来

guarantee him against/ from all loss. 保障他不受损失 3) structure It is guaranteed to rain when you want to go out.

certain sure

herd

1) a group of animals

a herd of elephants, cattle, sheep (land animals which live feed together, animals bred in a farm) a flock of birds, sheep, goats (a group of sheep, goats or birds) a pack of dogs, wolves (a group of dogs, wolves) a swarm of bees a shoal of fish ex. shepherd

linger

He lingered about / outside the school/ in the garden. (stay for a long time)

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The old custom lingered on. (exist for a long time)

route

1) compare path way lane

route 2) blank-filling

Which route do I take to Shanghai? We came home by an indirect route.

scenery 1) compare

scenery (U): The general appearance of the country, considered for its beauty. 从美的角度出发，

乡村的整个外貌。 view (U): the part of the scenery that can be seen from one place. 从某个地方可以看到的景色 scene (C): Scene can mean the same as view, but a scene is more likely to include people and

movement.

landscape (C): Everything you can see when you look across an area of land. 陆地上的景色 sight (C): Something that is seen. 眼前看到的景象

2) examples: the beautiful scenery of the English Lakes.

There is a fine view of the mountains form our hotel window. a happy scene of children playing in the garden landscape painting 山水/ 风景画 It was a terrible sight.

skim

1) meanings

skim milk/ skim cream from the milk 撇去(牛奶上的奶油) skimmed milk 脱脂奶 (of a bird) skim over the lake掠过，擦过 skim over/ through the passage/ list略读，浏览 2) The techniques in fast reading?

Skimming means to get a quick, general view of the passage. We skim to gain a general idea. Scanning means to look over a passage very quickly to find specific information. We scan to locate particular information and data. slide

1) compare

slide: move over a smooth surface在光滑面上滑动。可比喻为不自主地陷入某种习惯 slip: accidentally slide or move out of position接触面更滑，指突然的或短暂的滑动，如滑倒 skid: (vehicle) slide sideways (when it tries to stop on a slippery surface.) 打滑，侧滑

glide: move with a smooth continuous motion指像slide那样持续地滑，但不一定像slide那样

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以面接触进行滑动。鸟在天空中翱翔，小船在水面荡漾，都可以用glide表示, 运动看似毫不费力

2) examples

slide on the ice 在滑冰上滑行 slip on the ice 滑倒

skid into the ditch 滑到沟里

(boat) glide over the river/ (bird) in the sky 荡漾/ 翱翔

Fast roads in America

highways: connect cities 城际公路

superhighways: a road with six or more lanes 超级高速公路 interstate highways: connect cities in different states 洲际公路 freeways: roads within a city （城内）免费高速公路

expressways: fast roads in or near cities 高速公路（有立交交叉的） turnpike: pay money before you use it. 收费公路

version 1) compare

an English version/ simplified version 版本 the 2 / paperback/ hardcover edition 版本 I can’t afford a new copy of the book. 一册 the latest issue of the magazine 期

2) blank-filling

Do you believe his version of the accident?

(a person’s account of an event as compared with that of another) 描述，说法

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5. Expressions and Paraphrase

▲ We can’t/ can hardly wait to get there. We wanted very much to get there. We are eager/ keen to get there.

▲ The pastoral scenery slid by us at 55 mph.

…move quickly past us… ▲ a sleepy town

a quiet, inactive town (where nothing much happens) ▲ crowd the horses and horse carriages

to cause the horses and horse carriages to move close together to make way for us ▲ an all-you-can-eat farmhouse restaurant

the I-hate-to-wait attitude

our we-want-it-all-and-we-want-it-now lifestyle

(These expressions are used as adjectives modifying nouns. Linking a phrase or even a short sentence with hyphens is a way of making new words.) ▲ stuff ourselves with…

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…eat until our stomachs are full/ eat as much as possible

▲Deferred gratification or delayed gratification is the ability to wait in order to obtain something that one wants.

This ability is usually considered to be a personality trait which is important for life success. Daniel Goleman has suggested that it is an important component of emotional intelligence. People who lack this trait are said to need instant gratification (及时行乐) and may suffer from poor impulse control (冲动控制). ▲ put (money) away for: save money for future use

save (up) for: keep and add to an amount of money for a particular purpose ▲ a rainy day

a future time when money might be needed ▲ help sb

help sb out: to help sb. esp. in a difficult situation/ to give sb. help at a time of need ▲ wait for the scale to drop

wait for the marks on the weighing making to move towards the zero side ▲ a pound at a time

a bit/ one/ two… at a time

▲ thin/ slim/ slender/ lean/ skinny/ bony/ underweight

Thin is a general word to describe people who have little or no fat on their bodies. If someone is thin in a pleasant way, we say they are slim or (less common) slender, esp. for women. We could also use lean (= thin in a strong and healthy way, esp. for men.) If they are too thin, they are skinny (informal) or underweight. ▲ take out

obtain officially

▲ ready-made clothes/ meal: sth that you can use immediately (because the work you would

normally haveto do has already been done) 现成的，预制的

off-the-rack clothes: clothes that are made in large numbers rather than being made specially for a particular person ▲ pick up some fast food

buy sth. cheaply or by chance

▲ If the meal doesn’t agree with us…

If the meal makes us ill/ sick

▲ condensed version: shortened version which includes the most important parts

predigested articles: articles that have been condensed by editor ▲ save sb. the trouble of doing sth

help sb. avoid extra effort or work

▲ pick out=choose carefully from a group of people or a number of things ▲ devote time to sb/sth

give an amount of time/attention to sth/sth ▲ quality time

a period of time people spend together for relaxing or doing things that they both enjoy and not worrying about work or other responsibilities ▲ more often than not

usually, frequently, more than half of the time, most of the time

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▲ rush sth = do sth in a hurry (without much care)

▲ get it over with = get it done (complete sth. unpleasant but necessary) ▲ skim the surface of sth

deal with sth superficially not going deeper ▲ get sb. wrong = misunderstand what sb. means get sth. wrong = misunderstand a situation ▲ put the brake on sth = stop, change, reduce

▲ Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory: After the publication of his last major work, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway explained his “iceberg” theory of fiction writing. Ernest Hemingway’s “iceberg theory” suggests that the writer include in the text only a small portion of what he knows, leaving about ninety percent of the content a mystery that grows beneath the surface of the writing. (文字和形象是所谓的”八分之一”，而情感和思想是所谓的“八分之七”。前两者是具体可见的，后两者是寓于前两者之中的。)

Freud believed that the psyche, or “soul”, of an individual was shaped like an iceberg. The small part that remained above the surface for all to see was the ego (自我), the individual’s self image that he projected to the world. Below the surface, much larger, the pleasure-principle (快乐原则), the id (本我), remained away from public view. Lining this iceberg was the superego (超我), representing parental influences. Between the conscious mind (the ego) and the unconscious mind (the id), at the “waterline” of the iceberg, was a line separating the two parts of the individual. Occasionally, the id would poke through that line, but, in most psychologically well-adjusted people, this barrier was a strong one.

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