2023年21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解1　　1.InthefamoustaleThroughtheLooking-Glass,Alicefindsherwaythroughamirrorto下面是小编为大家整理的2023年21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇,供大家参考。

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解1

　　1. In the famous tale Through the Looking-Glass, Alice finds her way through a mirror to a very strange land. In the scene you"re about to hear, Alice has been sitting under a tree and talking with the Red Queen. Listen to the passage twice and fill in the missing words from the text below.

　　Suddenly they began to run.

　　Alice never could quite understand how they began: All she remembers is that they were running hand in hand, and the Queen went so fast that Alice could hardly manage to keep up with her. The Queen kept crying " _____! _____!" But Alice couldn"t go faster, though she had no breath left to say so. She felt as if she would never be able to talk again, she was getting so out of breath. And still the Queen cried "_____! _____!" and dragged her along.

　　" _____?" Alice managed to gasp.

　　" _____?!" the Queen repeated. "Why, _____ten minutes ago! _____!" And they ran on, with the wind whistling in Alice"s ears and almost blowing her hair off her head, she imagined. They went so fast that at last they seemed to hardly touch the ground with their feet. And then suddenly, just as Alice was getting quite exhausted, they stopped, and she found herself sitting on the ground.

　　Alice looked around in great surprise. "Why, I do believe _____!"

　　"Of course we have," said the Queen. "What would you expect?"

　　"Well, in my country," said Alice, "you"d generally _____."

　　"_____!" said the Queen. "Here it takes _____."

　　2. The Queen"s final statement is very often quoted(引用)as a comment on modern society. What aspects of life does it make you think of?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解2

　　Johanne Mednick

　　I have a wonderful bicycle. My family refers to it as "that piece of junk" —an ancient piece of metal, the likes of which can be found in the dump or, if you"re lucky, at garage sales. But I have confidence in my bike. It gives me power, and I cherish its simplicity.

　　What intrigues me, in this age of technological innovation (which is nowhere more apparent than in the bicycle world), is the number of people who stop me and comment on my bike. It"s a real conversation piece. "Where did you get that thing?" "I haven"t seen one of those in ages." "What a great bike." I get all kinds of comments — the best one being from a motorcycle gang who cornered me while I was locking it up. They politely suggested that I should wear gloves while riding to protect my hands. Maybe I should also put on a leather jacket.

　　But really, what is it that people are admiring? Are they admiring me for resisting the lure of mass bicycle consumerism? I must look like an eyesore pedaling behind my family, who all ride the latest model of mountain bike. (To them, I"m some sort of odd person, an embarrassment not fit to be on the road.) On the other hand, maybe people are just genuinely curious, as they would be if confronted with a dinosaur bone. I never get the feeling that they think I"m crazy for riding something so old when I could be fussing with gears and having a presumably easier time of things. My bike seems to touch a sensitive chord in people, and I"m not quite sure what or why that is.

　　Perhaps my bike is representative of a world gone by: the world before gimmicks and gadgets, accessories and attachments. A time when people thought in terms of settling into a cushioned seat, stopping the movement with their heel and travelling a bit slower than we are travelling now. My bike is certainly not built for speed, but who needs speed when I can coast along the streets, hold my head high and deliciously feel the wind on my face? My bike is built for taking time. It makes people feel relaxed.

　　When I"m riding my bike, I feel as though I have control. And I don"t feel that way about most things these days. I don"t deny that my com*r and my microwave make my life a lot easier. I use these things, but they also make me feel rather small and, in a strange way, inadequate. What if I press the wrong button? What if something goes wrong? Maybe if I learned to understand these appliances I"d feel better — more secure about my relationship with technology. But frankly, I"m not comforted by manuals and how-to courses. Of course there are always "experts" I could go to who seem to know everything about anything. Relatives, friends, salespeople — people who seem at ease with all the latest inventions and who delight in ingenuity.

　　I just don"t get excited over the idea of yet another thing I could do if I pulled the right lever or set the right program. Nervous and unsure in the beginning, I eventually adapt to these so-called conveniences and accept them as a part of life, but I"m not entirely convinced of their merit. I hunger for simplicity and I have a sneaking suspicion that many people feel the same way. That"s why they admire my bike. It comforts them and gives them a sense of something manageable, not too complicated.

　　I"m not suggesting that we all go back to a pioneer-village attitude. But I do think it"s important to respect that which is simple and manageable — no doubt difficult in a time when more means better and new means best. I"m proud that my "piece of junk" makes me and others feel good. It allows me the opportunity to relax and, when I"m heading down the road, to escape what I don"t understand.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解3

　　garage sale

　　宅前出售(在出售人住所进行的清宅旧货出售)

　　* intrigue

　　vt. excite interest or curiosity 激起…的兴趣

　　* innovation

　　n. the creation or introduction of new ideas, methods, etc.; a new invention, idea or method 革新;新方法

　　nowhere

　　ad. not anywhere; in/at/to no place 无处

　　conversation piece

　　sth. that stimulates conversation between people 话题;可作话题的东西

　　motorcycle

　　n. 摩托车

　　gang

　　n. a group of people associated together in some (often criminal) way 群;帮

　　glove

　　n. 手套

　　* lure

　　n. attraction; temptation 诱惑

　　vt. attract, tempt 引诱;诱惑

　　consumerism

　　n. the consumption of goods and services 消费

　　eyesore

　　n. something ugly to look at 刺眼的东西

　　* pedal

　　v. 骑(自行车);踩动踏板

　　n. 踏板

　　genuinely

　　ad. authentically; truly 真地;确实地

　　genuine

　　a. authentic; real, not pretended 真的;真心的

　　fuss

　　vi. behave in an unnecessarily anxious or excited way over small * 忙乱;小题大做

　　n. unnecessary, useless expression of excitement, anxiety, anger, etc. 忙乱;大惊小怪

　　gear

　　n. 齿轮;排档

　　* chord

　　n. two or more musical notes played at the same time; a feeling or emotion thought of as being played on like a musical instrument 和弦;心弦

　　representative

　　a. typical; being an example of 典型的;代表的

　　n. a person acting on behalf of another person or a group of people 代表;代理人

　　gimmick

　　n. an unusual action, object or device which is intended to attract attention or publicity (为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明;巧妙的小玩意儿

　　* accessory

　　n. (oft. pl) an extra part which makes sth. more effective or beautiful 附属物;附件

　　attachment

　　n. something that is fixed to something else 附属物

　　cushion

　　n. a soft pillow or pad to rest on; protection from harm, esp. from impact 软垫;缓冲

　　vt. reduce the force of; protect from hardship or sudden change 缓和…的冲击;使免受打击

　　deliciously

　　ad. very pleasantly 美美地;怡人地

　　deny

　　vt. 1. declare as untrue; refuse to accept as true 否认

　　2. refuse to give or allow 拒绝给予

　　appliance

　　n. a machine for use in the home 器具;装置

　　ingenuity

　　n. skill and cleverness in arranging things, solving problems, etc. 灵巧;精巧

　　* ingenious

　　a. having or showing cleverness at making or inventing things 灵巧的，善于创造发明的

　　* lever

　　n. 杠杆;控制杆

　　convenience

　　n. the quality of being convenient; something that makes sth. easier, quicker, more efficient, etc. 方便;提供方便的用具

　　convenient

　　a. 1. (for) near; easy to reach 近处的，近便的

　　2. suited to one"s needs 方便的;合适的`

　　merit

　　n. value; worth 价值，优点

　　suspicion

　　n. belief or feeling (usually) that sth. is wrong, or that sb. has done wrong, etc. 怀疑;疑心

　　manageable

　　a. easy to control or deal with 易操纵的;易处理的

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解4

　　refer to... as

　　speak about sb./sth. as...; call sb. something 把…称为…;把…叫做…

　　the likes of which/whom

　　sth./sb. of the same kind 诸如此类的人或物

　　corner sb.

　　get sb. into a place or situation difficult to escape 缠住某人;将某人逼入困境

　　lock sth. up

　　fasten sth. with a lock 锁住

　　fuss with sth.

　　concern oneself with sth. unimportant (因小事而)惴惴不安

　　touch a chord

　　call up one"s feelings about sth. 触动(人的)心弦

　　be representative of

　　be an example or type of (a certain class or kind of thing) 代表…的

　　think in terms of sth./doing sth.

　　give primary consideration to sth./doing sth.; emphasize sth./doing sth. in one"s thinking; have sth./doing sth. as one"s priority 首先考虑(做)某事;认为(做)某事是最首要的

　　go wrong

　　turn out badly; make a mistake 坏掉;出错

　　be at ease with sth./sb.

　　feel confident and comfortable with sth./sb. 自在，不拘束

　　hunger for sth.

　　want sth. very much 渴望得到

　　have a sneaking suspicion

　　暗自认为;暗中怀疑

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇扩展阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展1）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解1

　　A common misconception among youngsters attending school is that their teachers were child prodigies. Who else but a bookworm, with none of the normal kid"s tendency to play rather than study, would grow up to be a teacher anyway?

　　I"ve tried desperately to explain to my students that the image they have of me as an enthusiastic devotee of books and homework during my adolescence was a bit out of focus. On the contrary, I hated compulsory education with a passion. I could never quite accept the notion of having to go to school while the fish were biting.

　　But in my sophomore year, something beautiful and exciting happened. Cupid aimed his arrow and struck me right in the heart. All at once, I enjoyed going to school, if only to gaze at the lovely face in English II.

　　My princess sat near the pencil sharpener, and that year I ground up enough pencils to fuel a campfire. Alas, Debbie was far beyond my wildest dreams. We were separated not only by five rows of desks, but by about 50 I.Q. points. She was the top student in English II, the apple of Mrs. Larrivee"s eye.

　　Occasionally, Debbie would catch me staring at her, and she would flash a smile that radiated intelligence and quickened my heartbeat. It was a smile that signaled hope and made me temporarily forget the intellectual gulf that separated us.

　　I schemed desperately to bridge that gulf. And one day, as I was passing the supermarket, an idea came to me. A sign in the window announced that the store was offering the first volume of a set of encyclopedias at the special price of 29 cents. The remaining volumes would cost $2.49 each.

　　I purchased Volume I — Aardvark to Asteroid — and began my venture into the world of knowledge. I would henceforth become a seeker of facts. I would become Chief Brain in English II and sweep my princess off her feet with a surge of erudition. I had it all planned.

　　My first opportunity came one day in the cafeteria line. I looked behind me and there she was.

　　"Hi," she said.

　　After a pause, I wet my lips and said, "Know where anchovies come from?"

　　She seemed surprised. "No, I don"t."

　　I breathed a sigh of relief. "The anchovy lives in salt water and is rarely found in fresh water." I had to talk fast, so that I could get all the facts in before we reached the cash register. "Fishermen catch anchovies in the Mediterranean Sea and along the Atlantic coast near Spain and Portugal."

　　"How fascinating," said Debbie, shaking her head in disbelief. It was obvious that I had made quite an impression.

　　A few days later, during a fire drill, I casually went up to her and asked, "Ever been to the Aleutian Islands?"

　　"Never have," she replied.

　　"Might be a nice place to visit, but I certainly wouldn"t want to live there," I said.

　　"Why not?" said Debbie, playing right into my hands.

　　"Well, the climate is forbidding. There are no trees on any of the 100 or more islands in the group. The ground is rocky and very little plant life can grow on it."

　　"I don"t think I"d even care to visit," she said.

　　The fire drill was over and we began to file into the building, so I had to step it up to get the natives in. "The Aleuts are short and sturdy and have dark skin and black hair. They live on fish, and they trap blue foxes and seals for their valuable fur."

　　Debbie"s eyes widened in amazement.

　　One day I was browsing through the library. I spotted Debbie sitting at a table, absorbed in a crossword puzzle. She was frowning, apparently stumped on a word. I leaned over and asked if I could help.

　　"Four-letter word for Oriental female servant," Debbie said.

　　"Try amah," I said, quick as a flash.

　　Debbie filled in the blanks, then turned to stare at me in amazement. "I don"t believe it," she said. "I just don"t believe it."

　　And so it went, that glorious, joyous, romantic sophomore year. Debbie seemed to relish our little conversations and hung on my every word. Naturally, the more I read, the more my confidence grew.

　　In the classroom, too, I was gradually making my presence felt. One day, during a discussion of Coleridge"s "The Ancient Mariner", we came across the word albatross.

　　"Can anyone tell us what an albatross is?" asked Mrs. Larrivee.

　　My hand shot up. "The albatross is a large bird that lives mostly in the ocean regions below the equator, but may be found in the north Pacific as well. The albatross measures as long as four feet and has the greatest wingspread of any bird. It feeds on fish and shellfish. The albatross has an enormous appetite, and when it"s full it has trouble getting into the air again."

　　There was a long silence in the room. Mrs. Larrivee couldn"t quite believe what she had just heard. I sneaked a look at Debbie and gave her a big wink. She beamed proudly and winked back.

　　What I failed to perceive was that Debbie all this while was going steady with a junior from a neighboring school — a basketball player with a C+ average. The revelation hit me hard, and for a while I felt like forgetting everything I had learned. I had saved enough money to buy Volume II — Asthma to Bullfinch — but was strongly tempted to invest in a basketball instead.

　　I felt not only hurt, but betrayed. Like Agamemnon, but with less drastic consequences, thank God.

　　In time I recovered from my wounds. The next year Debbie moved from the neighborhood and transferred to another school. Soon she became no more than a memory.

　　Although the original incentive was gone, I continued poring over the encyclopedias, as well as an increasing number of other books. Having tasted of the wine of knowledge, I could not now alter my course. For:

　　"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing:

　　Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."

　　So wrote Alexander Pope, Volume XIV — Paprika to Pterodactyl.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解2

　　prodigy

　　n. a person who has unusual and very noticeable abilities, usually at an early age 奇才;天才

　　child prodigy

　　an unusually clever child 神童

　　bookworm

　　n. a person devoted to reading 极爱读书者;书呆子

　　devotee

　　n. a person strongly devoted to sth. or sb. 热爱…者;献身于…的人

　　adolescence

　　n. 青春期

　　* compulsory

　　a. required by law or a rule 义务的;强制的

　　compel

　　vt. oblige or force (sb.) to do sth. 强迫;强求

　　passion

　　n. a strong, deep, often uncontrollable feeling 热情;激情

　　gaze

　　vi. look fixedly 注视;凝视

　　princess

　　n. 1. 理想中的女友;心目中追求的女友

　　2. (oft, cap.) a female member of the royal family, usually the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince [常大写]公主;王妃

　　prince

　　n. 1. 少女理想中的未婚者，白马王子

　　2. a male member of the royal family, especially the son of a king or queen 王子;亲王

　　3. (usu. sing.) (among, of) a very great, successful or powerful man of some stated kind [常单数](喻)大王;巨头;名家

　　sharpener

　　n. 卷笔刀;卷笔器

　　campfire

　　n. a wood fire made in the open air by campers 营火，冓火

　　quicken

　　v. (cause to) speed up 加快

　　scheme

　　v. make plans (for); plan in a deceitful way 计划;谋划

　　n. 1. a formal, official or business plan 计划;规划

　　2. a clever, dishonest plan 阴谋，诡计

　　volume

　　n. 1. one of a set of books of the same kind (一套书的)一册;一卷

　　2. (of) 体积;容积

　　encyclop(a)edia

　　n. a book or set of books dealing with a wide range of information presented in alphabetical order 百科全书

　　aardvark

　　n. 土豚，非洲食蚁兽

　　asteroid

　　n. 小行星;海星

　　* henceforth

　　ad. from this time onwards 自此以后

　　hence

　　ad. 1. for this reason, therefore 因此，所以

　　2. from this time on 今后，从此

　　erudition

　　n. learning acquired by reading and study 博学;学问

　　* cafeteria

　　n. a self-service restaurant 自助餐厅

　　anchovy

　　n. 凤尾鱼

　　sigh

　　n. the act or sound of sighing 叹息(声);叹气(声)

　　reliefn. feeling of comfort at the end of anxiety, fear, or pain (焦虑等的)解除;宽慰

　　casually

　　ad. in a relaxed way 随便地;漫不经心地

　　casual

　　a. relaxed; not formal 随便的;漫不经心的;非正式的

　　* sturdy

　　a. physically strong 强壮的

　　seal

　　n. 1. 海豹

　　2. 印记，印章

　　vt. 1. 盖章于

　　2. 封，密封

　　widen

　　v. make or become wider 加宽;变宽

　　* browse

　　v. casually look or search, e.g. in a shop, in a library, at a book, etc., with no specific aim or object in mind 浏览

　　crossword

　　n. (= crossword puzzle) 纵横字谜，纵横填字游戏

　　frown

　　vi. contract the brows, as in displeasure or deep thought 皱眉头

　　* stump

　　vt. put an unanswerable question to; puzzle 把…难住;使为难

　　* oriental

　　a. of, from or concerning Asia 东方的

　　amah

　　n. 阿妈(印度等一些东方国家的奶妈、女佣或保姆)

　　glorious

　　a. having or deserving glory; very delightful and enjoyable 荣耀的;令人愉快的

　　joyous

　　a. full of or causing joy 充满欢乐的;令人高兴的

　　romantic

　　a. 1. (of sth.) beautiful in a way that strongly affects one"s feelings 有浪漫色彩的

　　2. (of sb.) showing strong feelings of love 多情的;浪漫的

　　3. being unrealistic or unpractical 不切实际的

　　* relish

　　vt. get pleasure out of; enjoy greatly 从…获得乐趣;很喜爱

　　confidence

　　n. belief in one"s own or another"s ability 信心

　　mariner

　　n. (obsolete) a sailor 〈废〉水手

　　marine

　　a. 1. of ships and their goods and trade at sea 航海的;海事的

　　2. of, near, living in, or obtained from the sea 海洋的.;海生的;海产的

　　n. 水兵

　　albatross

　　n. 信天翁

　　wingspread

　　n. the distance between the tips of a pair of fully spread wings 翼幅

　　shellfish

　　n. 贝壳类动物

　　shell

　　n. 1. the hard covering of a sea creature, egg, fruit, seed, etc. 动物的壳(如贝壳、蛹壳等)，蛋壳;果壳;荚

　　2. the outside frame of a building (房屋的)框架;骨架

　　appetite

　　n. 1. one"s desire to eat and one"s feeling about how much to eat 食欲，胃口

　　2. (for) a strong desire 欲望;爱好

　　beam

　　vi. shine brightly; smile warmly 照耀;(面)露喜色;满脸堆笑

　　n. 1. 微笑;喜色

　　2. 光束

　　perceive

　　vt. notice; be conscious of 注意到;感觉;察觉

　　* revelation

　　n. the act of revealing sth., usually of great significance 揭示;暴露

　　asthma

　　n. 气喘，哮喘

　　bullfinch

　　n. 红腹灰雀

　　invest

　　vi. put money into sth. with the expectation of profit or other advantage 投资

　　investment

　　n. 1. 投资;投资额

　　2. the spending of (time, energy, etc.) to make sth. successful (时间、精力等的)投入

　　* betray

　　vt. be disloyal or unfaithful to 出卖，背叛

　　* drastic

　　a. strong, violent or severe 激烈的;迅猛的

　　consequence

　　n. (usu. pi.) the result or effect of an action or condition [常复数]结果;后果

　　* incentive

　　n. encouragement to greater activity; motivating factor; stimulus 鼓励;刺激

　　paprika

　　n. 红灯笼辣椒

　　pterodactyl

　　n. 翼手龙

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解3

　　out of focus

　　not shar* defined 焦点没对准;模糊的

　　beyond one"s wildest dreams

　　(in a way that is) better than what one expected or hoped for 超过某人所期望的(地);出乎某人意料的(地)

　　the apple of sb."s eye

　　a person or thing that is the main object of sb."s love and attention 某人的掌上明珠;宝贝

　　sweep sb. off his/her feet

　　make sb. feel suddenly and strongly attracted to you in a romantic way 使某人倾心

　　get sth. in

　　manage to say sth. about a subject 设法说完

　　play into sb."s hands

　　do something which gives sb. an advantage 干对某人有利的事

　　file into

　　enter in a single line 鱼贯进入

　　step up

　　(infml) increase the size or speed of 〈口〉加快;增加

　　hang on sb."s words

　　listen very carefully to 倾听;注意地听

　　feed on

　　eat habitually 以…为食物;靠…为生

　　go steady with

　　date sb. regularly and exclusively 仅与(同一异性)经常约会

　　invest in

　　1. buy (sth.) with the expectation of profit or some other kind of advantage 投资于

　　2. (infml) 〈口〉买

　　in time

　　1. eventually 经过一段时间后;最终

　　2. at or before the right or necessary time 及时

　　pore over

　　study or give close attention to 钻研;专心阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展2）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析1

　　1. As you listen to the passage, write down the idioms and expressions that match each definition below. Warning: One of the definitions fits two expressions that you"ll hear.

　　______ a) a child who learns to survive by observing life on city streets

　　______ b) competitive strategies used in business

　　______ c) 100% American

　　______ d) unhealthy food

　　______ e) a popular American dessert

　　______ f) an activity, decision, problem, etc., that concerns only family members

　　2. How would you answer Li"s last question?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析2

　　Michael Dobbs

　　America can be a strange experience for a foreigner. My wife and I arrived in the United States in January after seven years overseas — four in France, three in Poland. From the jumble of first impressions, we compiled an A-to-Z explanation of why America can be such a foreign country to those who arrive here from Europe.

　　I should explain at the outset that I am from Britain, but my Florida-born wife Lisa is as American as apple pie. In our list, however, A doesn"t stand for apple pie. It stands for:

　　Ambition. In the Old World, people are taught to hide it. Here it"s quite proper to announce that you"re after the boss"s job or want to make a million dollars by the age of 30.

　　Breakfast. The American habit of conducting business at breakfast has reached Europe, but I doubt it will ever really catch on. In France and Britain, breakfast is a family affair. Here, it"s become part of the power game.

　　Credit Cards. You really can"t leave home without them. It"s interesting, and somewhat frustrating, to discover that bad credit is better than no credit at all: I was refused a VISA card on the grounds that I didn"t have a credit profile.

　　Dreams. The American Dream is still very much alive. Dreaming great dreams is what keeps American society going — from the waitress who wants to become a car dealer to the street kid who wants to become a basketball star. Europeans dream dreams too, but don"t seem to believe in them so much.

　　Exercise. A couple of years ago I came to Washington with some French journalists. As our bus passed a health club on the way to the hotel, the French visitors cheered at the sight of body-conscious Americans bending, stretching and leaping around. America"s obsession with physical fitness really amuses — and puzzles — Europeans.

　　First names. In Europe, people progress in a natural and orderly way from the use of last names to the use of first names. Here, it"s first names at first sight. This can cause confusion for Europeans. With everyone on a first-name basis, how can you tell your acquaintances from your friends?

　　Gadgets. These can be addictive. It"s difficult to imagine now how we survived for so long without automatic ice machines and microwave ovens.

　　Hardware Stores. If I were in charge of arranging the programs of visiting delegations from lessdeveloped countries, I"d include a compulsory visit to a hardware store. These temples of American capitalism reveal a whole range of American values, from the do-it-yourself pioneer spirit through a love of comfort that absolutely astonishes most foreigners.

　　Insurance. Americans have policies to cover every possible risk, no matter how remote. So far, we"ve refused supplementary insurance for our car radio, death insurance for our mortgage and accident insurance for our cat. It gives us a feeling of living dangerously.

　　Junk food. Anyone who wants to understand why Americans suffer from higher rates of cancer and heart disease only has to look at what they eat.

　　Ketchup. I had to come to America to discover that it can be eaten with anything — from French fries to French cheese.

　　Lines. American lines — beginning with the yellow line at immigration control — are the most orderly in the world. The British queue, once internationally renowned, has begun to decay in recent years. The French queue was never very impressive, and the Italian line is sim* a mob.

　　Money. In Europe, everybody likes money, but no one shows it off. Unless it"s been in the family for several generations, there"s often an assumption that it was acquired dishonestly. In America, no one cares how you got it.

　　No smoking. No longer just a polite request in America, this phrase has become the law. Nobody would dare ask a Frenchman to put out his Galoise in a restaurant.

　　Oliver North. What other major Western democracy lets army officers take over foreign policy? A hero for some, a traitor for others, Ollie (see First Names) is an example of an American recklessness that awes and alarms Europeans.

　　Patriots. They exist everywhere, of course, but the American version is louder and more self-conscious than the European. In Britain, it"s taken for granted that politicians love their country. Here, they"re expected to prove it.

　　Quiet. American cities are quieter than European cities — thanks to noise controls on automobiles and to recent environmental legislation. This was a major surprise for someone brought up to assume that America was a noisy place.

　　Religion. The idea of putting preachers on TV is alarming to Europeans. It"s even more alarming to see them in action.

　　Sales. Ever since arriving in Washington, we"ve been hurrying to take advantage of this week"s unrepeatable offer, only to discover that it"s usually repeated next week. We"re just catching on that there"s always an excuse for a sale.

　　Television. That grown-ups can watch game shows and sitcoms at 11 AM amazes me — but the national habit, day or night, is contagious. I recently found myself nodding in agreement with a professor who was saying that American kids watch too much television. Then I realized that I was watching him say this on television.

　　Ulcers. See Work.

　　Visas. Americans don"t need visas to visit Britain (or most European countries, for that matter). To enter the United States, I had to sign a document promising that I would not overthrow the government by force and had no criminal record. One wonders if many terrorists and criminals answer "yes" on these questionnaires.

　　Work. People in less developed countries often imagine that they can become rich sim* by emigrating to America. But America became a wealthy society through work, work and more work. It"s still true.

　　X-rated movies. We have them in Europe too, but not on motel-room TVs.

　　Yuppies. The European counterpart remains a pale shadow of the all-American original. The animal seems more ambitious, and more common, on this side of the Atlantic.

　　Zillion. What other nation would invent a number that"s infinitely more than a billion? America may not always be the best, but it certainly thinks big.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析3

　　jumble

　　n. a confused or untidy group of things 杂乱的一堆

　　* compile

　　vt. produce by putting together many pieces (e.g., of information) 汇编;编制

　　outset

　　n. beginning 开始;起始

　　ambition

　　n. strong desire for success, power, money, etc. 对(成功、权力、金钱等的)强烈欲望，野心;雄心

　　profile

　　n. 1. a short article or programme which describes a person"s life and character 传略，人物简介

　　2. a side view, esp. of sb."s head; a shape of sth. seen against a background 侧面，侧影;轮廓

　　vt. 1. 写…的传略

　　2. 给…画侧面像;描…的轮廓

　　* dealer

　　n. a person whose business involves buying and selling 商人;证券经纪人

　　journalist

　　n. a person who works on a newspaper or magazine and writes articles for it 新闻记者;报纸撰稿人

　　journal

　　n. 1. a magazine for people with a particular interest 杂志，期刊

　　2. an account which one writes of one"s daily activities 日志;日记

　　leap (leapt or leaped)

　　vi. jump high in the air or jump a long distance 跳跃

　　n. a sudden jump or movement; a sudden increase in number, amount, etc. 跳跃;激增

　　* obsession

　　n. a fixed idea from which the mind cannot be freed 着迷;困扰

　　physical fitness

　　healthy body conditions 身体健康

　　amuse

　　vt. make (sb.) laugh; cause to spend time in a pleasant way 逗乐;给…提供娱乐或消遣

　　amusing

　　a. (of sth.) that makes people laugh 有趣的;逗笑的

　　orderly

　　a. well arranged or organized 有条理的;整齐的

　　confusion

　　n. 1. the state of being mixed up, more difficult to understand 辨别不清;混淆

　　2. disorder 骚乱;混乱

　　confuse

　　vt. make more difficult to understand; cause to be mistaken; mix up 使模糊不清;混淆;使混乱

　　acquaintance

　　n. 1. a person you know, but who is not a close friend 相识的人;熟人

　　2. knowledge of or familiarity with sb./sth. 了解;认识

　　gadget

　　n. (infml) a small machine or device 小巧的机械;精巧的装置

　　addictive

　　a. (使人)入迷的;(使人)上瘾的

　　microwave

　　n. 微波;微波炉

　　oven

　　n. 烤炉，烤箱

　　microwave oven

　　n. 微波炉

　　delegation

　　n. 代表团

　　delegate

　　n. 代表;会议代表

　　vt. 1. appoint as one"s representative 委派…为代表

　　2. entrust (duties, rights, etc. to sb.) 授权;把…委托给(某人)

　　* capitalism

　　n. 资本主义(制度)

　　do-it-yourself

　　n. & a. (the activity of) making or repairing things oneself 自己动手(的)，自行维修(的)

　　* supplementary

　　a. additional 补充的，增补的

　　* mortgage

　　n. 抵押;抵押贷款

　　vt. use (one"s land or house) as a guarantee to the lending institution in order to borrow money from it 抵押

　　ketchup

　　n. (= catchup) 调味番茄酱

　　fry

　　n. (see French fry)

　　v. cook (food) in hot fat or oil 油煎，油炸

　　French fries

　　(美)法式炸薯条

　　immigration

　　n. the coming of people into a country in order to work or settle there 移居;移民

　　queue

　　n. a line of people waiting (for a bus, to be served, to enter a place, etc.) (排队等候的)一队人

　　vi. form or join a line 排队(等候)

　　* renowned

　　a. famous; well-known 有名的;享有声誉的

　　impressive

　　a. 给人以深刻印象的;感人的`

　　* mob

　　n. (often derog.) a large, disorganized and often violent crowd of people [贬]人群;乌合之众

　　assumption

　　n. 1. sth. that is taken as true without proof 假定;臆断

　　2. the taking (of power or responsibility) 夺取;篡夺

　　democracy

　　n. a country or a system of government in which the people choose their government or make important decisions by voting 民主;民主国家;民主政治

　　traitor

　　n. a person who is disloyal, esp. to his country 卖*，叛徒

　　recklessness

　　n. 不顾后果，鲁莽

　　* reckless

　　a. (of a person or one"s behaviour) not caring about danger or the result of one"s actions 不顾后果的，鲁莽的

　　* patriot

　　n. a person who shows love for and loyalty to his or her country *

　　patriotic

　　a. having or expressing the quality of a patriot 爱国的;有爱国心的

　　legislation

　　n. l. laws 法律，法规

　　2. the act of making laws 立法，法律的制定

　　preacher

　　n. 传道士，牧师

　　* preach

　　v. 1. make known (a particular religion) by speaking in public 布道

　　2. advise or urge others to accept (a thing or course of behaviour) 竭力劝说;说教

　　grown-up

　　n. 成年人

　　sitcom

　　n. (infml) situation comedy 情景喜剧

　　contagious

　　a. 1. (of a feeling or attitude) spreading quickly from person to person (情绪等)感染性的

　　2. (of a disease) that can spread from person to person (疾病)传染的

　　ulcer

　　n. 溃疡

　　* visa

　　n. 签证

　　document

　　n. a paper that gives information, proof or support of sth. 文件

　　vt. 1. 为…提供文件(或证据等)

　　2. (在影片、小说中)纪实性地描述

　　* overthrow

　　vt. defeat; remove from official power 推翻;打倒

　　criminal

　　a. of or related to crime 犯罪的;犯法的

　　n. a person who is guilty of a crime 罪犯

　　* questionnaire

　　n. a written list of questions to be answered by a number of people in order to get information for a survey, etc. 调查表，问题单

　　* emigrate

　　vi. leave one"s own country to live in another one 移居国外

　　X-rated

　　a. (电影等)X级的，禁止(十六岁以下)儿童观看的

　　* motel

　　n. hotel specially built for people traveling by car 汽车旅馆

　　yuppie

　　n. 雅皮士(Young Urban Professional的缩写，即城市职业阶层中的年轻人士)

　　* ambitious

　　a. having a strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 有野心的，有抱负的

　　zillion

　　n. (sl.) 无限大的数目，无法计算的大数目

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析4

　　the ABCs

　　the most basic facts about a subject (学科等的)基本知识;入门

　　at the outset

　　at the beginning 首先，一开始

　　stand for

　　represent; mean 代表;意味着

　　be after sth.

　　in search of sth.; with a desire for sth. 追求

　　catch on

　　1. become popular 流行起来

　　2. understand 懂得，理解

　　on (the) ground(s) that

　　because 根据，以…为理由

　　at the sight of

　　as soon as seeing (sth. or sb.) 一见之下;立即

　　leap around

　　jump about 跳来跳去

　　at first sight

　　when seen or examined for the first time 乍一看，一见之下

　　be on a first-name basis [with sb.]

　　call (sb.) by his or her first name (因关系亲密而)相互直呼其名

　　tell A from B

　　distinguish A from B 辨别，分辨

　　be in charge of sth.

　　be responsible for 管理，负责

　　so far

　　up to the present 迄今为止

　　put out

　　cause (sth.) to stop burning 熄灭

　　bring up

　　nurture and educate (a child) 养育;教育

　　take advantage of

　　make use of; profit from 利用

　　in agreement with

　　赞同，同意

　　by force

　　by fierce or violent means 用武力或强迫手段

　　think big

　　have ambitious ideas 野心勃勃，好高骛远

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展3）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解 (菁选3篇)

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解1

　　Johanne Mednick

　　I have a wonderful bicycle. My family refers to it as "that piece of junk" —an ancient piece of metal, the likes of which can be found in the dump or, if you"re lucky, at garage sales. But I have confidence in my bike. It gives me power, and I cherish its simplicity.

　　What intrigues me, in this age of technological innovation (which is nowhere more apparent than in the bicycle world), is the number of people who stop me and comment on my bike. It"s a real conversation piece. "Where did you get that thing?" "I haven"t seen one of those in ages." "What a great bike." I get all kinds of comments — the best one being from a motorcycle gang who cornered me while I was locking it up. They politely suggested that I should wear gloves while riding to protect my hands. Maybe I should also put on a leather jacket.

　　But really, what is it that people are admiring? Are they admiring me for resisting the lure of mass bicycle consumerism? I must look like an eyesore pedaling behind my family, who all ride the latest model of mountain bike. (To them, I"m some sort of odd person, an embarrassment not fit to be on the road.) On the other hand, maybe people are just genuinely curious, as they would be if confronted with a dinosaur bone. I never get the feeling that they think I"m crazy for riding something so old when I could be fussing with gears and having a presumably easier time of things. My bike seems to touch a sensitive chord in people, and I"m not quite sure what or why that is.

　　Perhaps my bike is representative of a world gone by: the world before gimmicks and gadgets, accessories and attachments. A time when people thought in terms of settling into a cushioned seat, stopping the movement with their heel and travelling a bit slower than we are travelling now. My bike is certainly not built for speed, but who needs speed when I can coast along the streets, hold my head high and deliciously feel the wind on my face? My bike is built for taking time. It makes people feel relaxed.

　　When I"m riding my bike, I feel as though I have control. And I don"t feel that way about most things these days. I don"t deny that my computer and my microwave make my life a lot easier. I use these things, but they also make me feel rather small and, in a strange way, inadequate. What if I press the wrong button? What if something goes wrong? Maybe if I learned to understand these appliances I"d feel better — more secure about my relationship with technology. But frankly, I"m not comforted by manuals and how-to courses. Of course there are always "experts" I could go to who seem to know everything about anything. Relatives, friends, salespeople — people who seem at ease with all the latest inventions and who delight in ingenuity.

　　I just don"t get excited over the idea of yet another thing I could do if I pulled the right lever or set the right program. Nervous and unsure in the beginning, I eventually adapt to these so-called conveniences and accept them as a part of life, but I"m not entirely convinced of their merit. I hunger for simplicity and I have a sneaking suspicion that many people feel the same way. That"s why they admire my bike. It comforts them and gives them a sense of something manageable, not too complicated.

　　I"m not suggesting that we all go back to a pioneer-village attitude. But I do think it"s important to respect that which is simple and manageable — no doubt difficult in a time when more means better and new means best. I"m proud that my "piece of junk" makes me and others feel good. It allows me the opportunity to relax and, when I"m heading down the road, to escape what I don"t understand.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解2

　　garage sale

　　宅前出售(在出售人住所进行的清宅旧货出售)

　　* intrigue

　　vt. excite interest or curiosity 激起…的兴趣

　　* innovation

　　n. the creation or introduction of new ideas, methods, etc.; a new invention, idea or method 革新;新方法

　　nowhere

　　ad. not anywhere; in/at/to no place 无处

　　conversation piece

　　sth. that stimulates conversation between people 话题;可作话题的东西

　　motorcycle

　　n. 摩托车

　　gang

　　n. a group of people associated together in some (often criminal) way 群;帮

　　glove

　　n. 手套

　　* lure

　　n. attraction; temptation 诱惑

　　vt. attract, tempt 引诱;诱惑

　　consumerism

　　n. the consumption of goods and services 消费

　　eyesore

　　n. something ugly to look at 刺眼的东西

　　* pedal

　　v. 骑(自行车);踩动踏板

　　n. 踏板

　　genuinely

　　ad. authentically; truly 真地;确实地

　　genuine

　　a. authentic; real, not pretended 真的;真心的

　　fuss

　　vi. behave in an unnecessarily anxious or excited way over small * 忙乱;小题大做

　　n. unnecessary, useless expression of excitement, anxiety, anger, etc. 忙乱;大惊小怪

　　gear

　　n. 齿轮;排档

　　* chord

　　n. two or more musical notes played at the same time; a feeling or emotion thought of as being played on like a musical instrument 和弦;心弦

　　representative

　　a. typical; being an example of 典型的;代表的

　　n. a person acting on behalf of another person or a group of people 代表;代理人

　　gimmick

　　n. an unusual action, object or device which is intended to attract attention or publicity (为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明;巧妙的小玩意儿

　　* accessory

　　n. (oft. pl) an extra part which makes sth. more effective or beautiful 附属物;附件

　　attachment

　　n. something that is fixed to something else 附属物

　　cushion

　　n. a soft pillow or pad to rest on; protection from harm, esp. from impact 软垫;缓冲

　　vt. reduce the force of; protect from hardship or sudden change 缓和…的冲击;使免受打击

　　deliciously

　　ad. very pleasantly 美美地;怡人地

　　deny

　　vt. 1. declare as untrue; refuse to accept as true 否认

　　2. refuse to give or allow 拒绝给予

　　appliance

　　n. a machine for use in the home 器具;装置

　　ingenuity

　　n. skill and cleverness in arranging things, solving problems, etc. 灵巧;精巧

　　* ingenious

　　a. having or showing cleverness at making or inventing things 灵巧的，善于创造发明的

　　* lever

　　n. 杠杆;控制杆

　　convenience

　　n. the quality of being convenient; something that makes sth. easier, quicker, more efficient, etc. 方便;提供方便的用具

　　convenient

　　a. 1. (for) near; easy to reach 近处的，近便的

　　2. suited to one"s needs 方便的;合适的`

　　merit

　　n. value; worth 价值，优点

　　suspicion

　　n. belief or feeling (usually) that sth. is wrong, or that sb. has done wrong, etc. 怀疑;疑心

　　manageable

　　a. easy to control or deal with 易操纵的;易处理的

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解3

　　refer to... as

　　speak about sb./sth. as...; call sb. something 把…称为…;把…叫做…

　　the likes of which/whom

　　sth./sb. of the same kind 诸如此类的人或物

　　corner sb.

　　get sb. into a place or situation difficult to escape 缠住某人;将某人逼入困境

　　lock sth. up

　　fasten sth. with a lock 锁住

　　fuss with sth.

　　concern oneself with sth. unimportant (因小事而)惴惴不安

　　touch a chord

　　call up one"s feelings about sth. 触动(人的)心弦

　　be representative of

　　be an example or type of (a certain class or kind of thing) 代表…的

　　think in terms of sth./doing sth.

　　give primary consideration to sth./doing sth.; emphasize sth./doing sth. in one"s thinking; have sth./doing sth. as one"s priority 首先考虑(做)某事;认为(做)某事是最首要的

　　go wrong

　　turn out badly; make a mistake 坏掉;出错

　　be at ease with sth./sb.

　　feel confident and comfortable with sth./sb. 自在，不拘束

　　hunger for sth.

　　want sth. very much 渴望得到

　　have a sneaking suspicion

　　暗自认为;暗中怀疑

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展4）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第3课内容讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第3课内容讲解1

　　When Stevie Morris was born, on May 13, 1950, the doctors shook their heads and told the mother that her son was born blind and likely would always be that way. She broke into tears.

　　Blind and black and poor — what kind of life could this new infant have? In her wildest dreams, Mrs. Morris could never have imagined that her new baby would become a famous musician called Stevie Wonder. At the time, all she could do was pray — and worry.

　　Stevie himself didn"t worry at all. Life was too full. He was brought up among church-going people whose faith helped them bear the poverty. He loved music and would pound spoons or forks on any surface that faintly resembled a drum.

　　He even ran and played with sighted children. "I didn"t realize I was blind until I was about four," he says. That might sound strange. To a small child just learning about the world, it wasn"t strange at all. Stevie heard and smelled and touched. As far as he knew, that was all anyone could do. That was life.

　　When Stevie"s mother got tired of her tables being used for drums, she bought him a toy set. He played so hard that he had actually worn the toy out within a few weeks. Other toy sets followed; then an uncle added a toy harmonica, and Stevie learned to play it so quickly that everyone was amazed.

　　Stevie taught himself to play the piano as quickly as he had once learned the harmonica. With friends, he began playing rock and roll music. They performed on the front porch of Stevie"s apartment building, drawing crowds of neighbors to watch and listen and clap time to the beat.

　　"I loved that beat," Stevie says. He not only loved the beat, he was very good at making it.

　　Ronnie White, of the Miracles singing group, heard Stevie and promptly took him down to his recording company, Motown Records.

　　"Give him an audition," Ronnie said. They did. All the top people at Motown got together to hear a little blind boy who wasn"t even ten years old yet. At first, they were being nice. Poor kid. They didn"t want to hurt his feelings.

　　Then they heard Stevie sing and play, and nobody said "poor kid" anymore. They were too busy congratulating themselves on finding a youngster who could be the musical talent of the decade. "He"s a wonder boy," somebody said as they watched little Stevie dart from one instrument to the next, playing each one with ease.

　　"Wonder," somebody else said, "Little Stevie Wonder."

　　The new name stuck and Stevie Morris became Little Stevie Wonder. He had his first hit when he was twelve years old. It was called "Fingertips" and it was a smash.

　　Over the following years, Little Stevie Wonder became one of the top recording artists at Motown, producing one hit after another. But as he grew into *hood, Stevie began to get tired of the way the Motown company controlled all aspects of his career. He wanted to write and produce his own songs, but the Motown company thought it was unwise to change a winning formula.

　　When he turned 21, Stevie finally got his freedom. Against Motown"s wishes he started exploring: he made records that combined gospel, rock and roll, and jazz and which used African and Latin American rhythms. To the record company"s surprise, Stevie"s new albums such as "Music of My Mind" and "Innervisions" were even more popular than his early ones. Stevie Wonder had become a mature man and an independent musical artist.

　　Just after this success, however, tragedy struck. In August of 1973, Stevie was involved in a serious car accident. For nearly a week he lay in a coma, unable to speak or walk. "We don"t know when he"ll be out of danger," the doctor said. Everyone waited and prayed. Suddenly, it didn"t matter that Stevie was a musical genius or that he had conquered blindness and poverty. All he had left was his faith and strong will.

　　That turned out to be enough. Stevie fought back from the shadow of death as he had once fought out from the shadow of blindness. He went on to give more performances, make more hit records.

　　The car accident changed Stevie by making him reevaluate his goals in life. He still loved to make music, but he also started to pay more attention to the world outside. He worked to create a national holiday to honor the civil rights leader Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.. He recorded songs urging racial harmony and raised money to end world hunger. Recently, Stevie was honored by South African president Nelson Mandela for his work against that country"s system of racial apartheid.

　　Stevie Wonder has faith and fame, wealth and love. He has not only conquered his own darkness, but through his music and his social activities he has been able to bring sunshine to the shadow of many other lives.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第3课内容讲解2

　　sunshine

　　n. the light and heat of the sun 阳光

　　infant

　　n. a very young child 婴儿

　　musician

　　n. a person who performs on a musical instrument, or who writes music 乐师，作曲家

　　pray

　　vi. (for, to) speak to God in order to give thanks or to ask for help 祈祷，祈求

　　spoon

　　n. 匙，调羹

　　faintlh

　　ad. slightly; mildly 轻微地;微弱地

　　resemble

　　vt. look or be like 像，类似

　　drum

　　n. 鼓

　　tire

　　v. (使)感到疲劳;(使)厌倦，(使)厌烦

　　harmonica

　　n. 口琴

　　amaze

　　vt. fill with great surprise; cause wonder in 使惊奇;使惊羡

　　*porch

　　n. (建筑物前有顶的)门廊，入口处

　　apartment

　　n. 公寓大楼;一套公寓房间

　　clap

　　vi. applaud 拍手

　　miracle

　　n. 奇迹

　　promptly

　　ad. immediately and without any delay 迅速地，及时地

　　audition

　　n. (对志愿艺人等的.)面试(指试读、试唱、试奏等)

　　kid

　　n. a child 小孩

　　congratulate

　　vt. speak to (a person) with praise and admiration for a happy event or sth. successfully done 祝贺

　　youngster

　　n. a young person, esp. a boy 年轻人;男孩

　　talent

　　n. 1. a special ability or skill 天才，天资;超常智能

　　2. people of such ability 人才

　　decade

　　n. a period of 10 years 十年(期)

　　*dart

　　vi. move suddenly and quickly 猛冲，飞奔

　　instrument

　　n. 乐器;仪器;器具;器械

　　ease

　　n. 1. freedom from difficulty 容易

　　2. freedom from discomfort, pain or worry 安适;悠闲;无痛苦;无忧虑

　　fingertip

　　n. the end of a finger 指尖

　　smash

　　n. 轰动的演出，巨大的成功

　　v. (cause to) break into pieces violently 打碎，粉碎

　　*hood

　　n. 成年

　　aspect

　　n. a particular part or feature of sth. being considered 方面

　　career

　　n. a profession or occupation with opportunities for advancement or promotion 职业;生涯

　　formula

　　n. 公式，程式;准则，方案

　　explore

　　v. 探索;探测;勘探

　　gospel

　　n. (= gospel music) 福音音乐(美国黑人的一种宗教音乐，具有爵士音乐和美国黑人伤感歌曲色彩)

　　jazz

　　n. 爵士音乐

　　rhythm

　　n. 节奏;韵律

　　*album

　　n. 1. a long-playing record with several items by the same performer (同一表演者的)集锦密纹唱片

　　2. a book with blank pages for stamps, photographs, etc. 集邮册，相册

　　mature

　　a. fully grown or developed mentally or physically 充分发育的;(智力或体力)成熟的

　　independent

　　a. 独立的，自主的

　　tragedy

　　n. 1. a terrible event that causes great sadness 惨事，灾变

　　2. a serious play with a sad ending 悲剧

　　involve

　　vt. 使陷入，使卷入;牵扯，连累

　　coma

　　n. 昏迷

　　musical

　　a. of or for music 音乐的

　　genius

　　n. 天才;创造能力;天才人物

　　conquer

　　vt. gain control over (sth. unfriendly or difficult) 征服;克服(困难等)

　　performance

　　n. the acting of a play, the playing of a piece of music, the doing of a dance, etc., in front of an audience 演出，表演，演奏

　　reevaluate

　　vt. 重新评价

　　goal

　　n. 1. an end; objective 目的;目标

　　2.(足球等的)球门;得分进球

　　hunger

　　n. state of not having enough to eat; lack of food 饥饿

　　urge

　　vt. 力劝;恳求;敦促

　　racial

　　a. characteristic of race; due to or resulting from race 种族的;由种族引起的

　　harmony

　　n. agreement (of feelings, interests, opinions, etc.) 和睦，融洽，一致

　　apartheid

　　n. (南非的)种族隔离

　　fame

　　n. the condition of being known or talked about a lot 名声，名望

　　activity

　　n. 活动;行动

　　Phrases and Exgressions

　　break into

　　begin suddenly (to cry, sing, laugh, etc.) 突然(哭、唱、笑)起来

　　bring up

　　take care of during infancy and childhood; nurse and educate 抚养;养育

　　as far as

　　to the degree that 就…;尽…;至于

　　get tired of

　　be no longer interested in 厌倦，厌烦

　　wear out

　　make useless by use 把…用坏;把…穿破

　　with ease

　　without difficulty 容易地，无困难地

　　grow into

　　become gradually with the passage of time 成长的

　　congratulate oneself on /that ...

　　因…而暗自庆幸

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第3课内容讲解3

　　When Stevie Morris was born, on May 13, 1950, the doctors shook their heads and told the mother that her son was born blind and likely would always be that way. She broke into tears.

　　Blind and black and poor — what kind of life could this new infant have? In her wildest dreams, Mrs. Morris could never have imagined that her new baby would become a famous musician called Stevie Wonder. At the time, all she could do was pray — and worry.

　　Stevie himself didn"t worry at all. Life was too full. He was brought up among church-going people whose faith helped them bear the poverty. He loved music and would pound spoons or forks on any surface that faintly resembled a drum.

　　He even ran and played with sighted children. "I didn"t realize I was blind until I was about four," he says. That might sound strange. To a small child just learning about the world, it wasn"t strange at all. Stevie heard and smelled and touched. As far as he knew, that was all anyone could do. That was life.

　　When Stevie"s mother got tired of her tables being used for drums, she bought him a toy set. He played so hard that he had actually worn the toy out within a few weeks. Other toy sets followed; then an uncle added a toy harmonica, and Stevie learned to play it so quickly that everyone was amazed.

　　Stevie taught himself to play the piano as quickly as he had once learned the harmonica. With friends, he began playing rock and roll music. They performed on the front porch of Stevie"s apartment building, drawing crowds of neighbors to watch and listen and clap time to the beat.

　　"I loved that beat," Stevie says. He not only loved the beat, he was very good at making it.

　　Ronnie White, of the Miracles singing group, heard Stevie and promptly took him down to his recording company, Motown Records.

　　"Give him an audition," Ronnie said. They did. All the top people at Motown got together to hear a little blind boy who wasn"t even ten years old yet. At first, they were being nice. Poor kid. They didn"t want to hurt his feelings.

　　Then they heard Stevie sing and play, and nobody said "poor kid" anymore. They were too busy congratulating themselves on finding a youngster who could be the musical talent of the decade. "He"s a wonder boy," somebody said as they watched little Stevie dart from one instrument to the next, playing each one with ease.

　　"Wonder," somebody else said, "Little Stevie Wonder."

　　The new name stuck and Stevie Morris became Little Stevie Wonder. He had his first hit when he was twelve years old. It was called "Fingertips" and it was a smash.

　　Over the following years, Little Stevie Wonder became one of the top recording artists at Motown, producing one hit after another. But as he grew into *hood, Stevie began to get tired of the way the Motown company controlled all aspects of his career. He wanted to write and produce his own songs, but the Motown company thought it was unwise to change a winning formula.

　　When he turned 21, Stevie finally got his freedom. Against Motown"s wishes he started exploring: he made records that combined gospel, rock and roll, and jazz and which used African and Latin American rhythms. To the record company"s surprise, Stevie"s new albums such as "Music of My Mind" and "Innervisions" were even more popular than his early ones. Stevie Wonder had become a mature man and an independent musical artist.

　　Just after this success, however, tragedy struck. In August of 1973, Stevie was involved in a serious car accident. For nearly a week he lay in a coma, unable to speak or walk. "We don"t know when he"ll be out of danger," the doctor said. Everyone waited and prayed. Suddenly, it didn"t matter that Stevie was a musical genius or that he had conquered blindness and poverty. All he had left was his faith and strong will.

　　That turned out to be enough. Stevie fought back from the shadow of death as he had once fought out from the shadow of blindness. He went on to give more performances, make more hit records.

　　The car accident changed Stevie by making him reevaluate his goals in life. He still loved to make music, but he also started to pay more attention to the world outside. He worked to create a national holiday to honor the civil rights leader Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.. He recorded songs urging racial harmony and raised money to end world hunger. Recently, Stevie was honored by South African president Nelson Mandela for his work against that country"s system of racial apartheid.

　　Stevie Wonder has faith and fame, wealth and love. He has not only conquered his own darkness, but through his music and his social activities he has been able to bring sunshine to the shadow of many other lives.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第3课内容讲解4

　　sunshine

　　n. the light and heat of the sun 阳光

　　infant

　　n. a very young child 婴儿

　　musician

　　n. a person who performs on a musical instrument, or who writes music 乐师，作曲家

　　pray

　　vi. (for, to) speak to God in order to give thanks or to ask for help 祈祷，祈求

　　spoon

　　n. 匙，调羹

　　faintlh

　　ad. slightly; mildly 轻微地;微弱地

　　resemble

　　vt. look or be like 像，类似

　　drum

　　n. 鼓

　　tire

　　v. (使)感到疲劳;(使)厌倦，(使)厌烦

　　harmonica

　　n. 口琴

　　amaze

　　vt. fill with great surprise; cause wonder in 使惊奇;使惊羡

　　*porch

　　n. (建筑物前有顶的)门廊，入口处

　　apartment

　　n. 公寓大楼;一套公寓房间

　　clap

　　vi. applaud 拍手

　　miracle

　　n. 奇迹

　　promptly

　　ad. immediately and without any delay 迅速地，及时地

　　audition

　　n. (对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱、试奏等)

　　kid

　　n. a child 小孩

　　congratulate

　　vt. speak to (a person) with praise and admiration for a happy event or sth. successfully done 祝贺

　　youngster

　　n. a young person, esp. a boy 年轻人;男孩

　　talent

　　n. 1. a special ability or skill 天才，天资;超常智能

　　2. people of such ability 人才

　　decade

　　n. a period of 10 years 十年(期)

　　*dart

　　vi. move suddenly and quickly 猛冲，飞奔

　　instrument

　　n. 乐器;仪器;器具;器械

　　ease

　　n. 1. freedom from difficulty 容易

　　2. freedom from discomfort, pain or worry 安适;悠闲;无痛苦;无忧虑

　　fingertip

　　n. the end of a finger 指尖

　　smash

　　n. 轰动的演出，巨大的成功

　　v. (cause to) break into pieces violently 打碎，粉碎

　　*hood

　　n. 成年

　　aspect

　　n. a particular part or feature of sth. being considered 方面

　　career

　　n. a profession or occupation with opportunities for advancement or promotion 职业;生涯

　　formula

　　n. 公式，程式;准则，方案

　　explore

　　v. 探索;探测;勘探

　　gospel

　　n. (= gospel music) 福音音乐(美国黑人的一种宗教音乐，具有爵士音乐和美国黑人伤感歌曲色彩)

　　jazz

　　n. 爵士音乐

　　rhythm

　　n. 节奏;韵律

　　*album

　　n. 1. a long-playing record with several items by the same performer (同一表演者的)集锦密纹唱片

　　2. a book with blank pages for stamps, photographs, etc. 集邮册，相册

　　mature

　　a. fully grown or developed mentally or physically 充分发育的;(智力或体力)成熟的

　　independent

　　a. 独立的，自主的

　　tragedy

　　n. 1. a terrible event that causes great sadness 惨事，灾变

　　2. a serious play with a sad ending 悲剧

　　involve

　　vt. 使陷入，使卷入;牵扯，连累

　　coma

　　n. 昏迷

　　musical

　　a. of or for music 音乐的

　　genius

　　n. 天才;创造能力;天才人物

　　conquer

　　vt. gain control over (sth. unfriendly or difficult) 征服;克服(困难等)

　　performance

　　n. the acting of a play, the playing of a piece of music, the doing of a dance, etc., in front of an audience 演出，表演，演奏

　　reevaluate

　　vt. 重新评价

　　goal

　　n. 1. an end; objective 目的";目标

　　2.(足球等的)球门;得分进球

　　hunger

　　n. state of not having enough to eat; lack of food 饥饿

　　urge

　　vt. 力劝;恳求;敦促

　　racial

　　a. characteristic of race; due to or resulting from race 种族的;由种族引起的

　　harmony

　　n. agreement (of feelings, interests, opinions, etc.) 和睦，融洽，一致

　　apartheid

　　n. (南非的)种族隔离

　　fame

　　n. the condition of being known or talked about a lot 名声，名望

　　activity

　　n. 活动;行动

　　Phrases and Exgressions

　　break into

　　begin suddenly (to cry, sing, laugh, etc.) 突然(哭、唱、笑)起来

　　bring up

　　take care of during infancy and childhood; nurse and educate 抚养;养育

　　as far as

　　to the degree that 就…;尽…;至于

　　get tired of

　　be no longer interested in 厌倦，厌烦

　　wear out

　　make useless by use 把…用坏;把…穿破

　　with ease

　　without difficulty 容易地，无困难地

　　grow into

　　become gradually with the passage of time 成长的

　　congratulate oneself on /that ...

　　因…而暗自庆幸

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展5）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析 (菁选3篇)

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析1

　　Michael Dobbs

　　America can be a strange experience for a foreigner. My wife and I arrived in the United States in January after seven years overseas — four in France, three in Poland. From the jumble of first impressions, we compiled an A-to-Z explanation of why America can be such a foreign country to those who arrive here from Europe.

　　I should explain at the outset that I am from Britain, but my Florida-born wife Lisa is as American as apple pie. In our list, however, A doesn"t stand for apple pie. It stands for:

　　Ambition. In the Old World, people are taught to hide it. Here it"s quite proper to announce that you"re after the boss"s job or want to make a million dollars by the age of 30.

　　Breakfast. The American habit of conducting business at breakfast has reached Europe, but I doubt it will ever really catch on. In France and Britain, breakfast is a family affair. Here, it"s become part of the power game.

　　Credit Cards. You really can"t leave home without them. It"s interesting, and somewhat frustrating, to discover that bad credit is better than no credit at all: I was refused a VISA card on the grounds that I didn"t have a credit profile.

　　Dreams. The American Dream is still very much alive. Dreaming great dreams is what keeps American society going — from the waitress who wants to become a car dealer to the street kid who wants to become a basketball star. Europeans dream dreams too, but don"t seem to believe in them so much.

　　Exercise. A couple of years ago I came to Washington with some French journalists. As our bus passed a health club on the way to the hotel, the French visitors cheered at the sight of body-conscious Americans bending, stretching and leaping around. America"s obsession with physical fitness really amuses — and puzzles — Europeans.

　　First names. In Europe, people progress in a natural and orderly way from the use of last names to the use of first names. Here, it"s first names at first sight. This can cause confusion for Europeans. With everyone on a first-name basis, how can you tell your acquaintances from your friends?

　　Gadgets. These can be addictive. It"s difficult to imagine now how we survived for so long without automatic ice machines and microwave ovens.

　　Hardware Stores. If I were in charge of arranging the programs of visiting delegations from lessdeveloped countries, I"d include a compulsory visit to a hardware store. These temples of American capitalism reveal a whole range of American values, from the do-it-yourself pioneer spirit through a love of comfort that absolutely astonishes most foreigners.

　　Insurance. Americans have policies to cover every possible risk, no matter how remote. So far, we"ve refused supplementary insurance for our car radio, death insurance for our mortgage and accident insurance for our cat. It gives us a feeling of living dangerously.

　　Junk food. Anyone who wants to understand why Americans suffer from higher rates of cancer and heart disease only has to look at what they eat.

　　Ketchup. I had to come to America to discover that it can be eaten with anything — from French fries to French cheese.

　　Lines. American lines — beginning with the yellow line at immigration control — are the most orderly in the world. The British queue, once internationally renowned, has begun to decay in recent years. The French queue was never very impressive, and the Italian line is sim* a mob.

　　Money. In Europe, everybody likes money, but no one shows it off. Unless it"s been in the family for several generations, there"s often an assumption that it was acquired dishonestly. In America, no one cares how you got it.

　　No smoking. No longer just a polite request in America, this phrase has become the law. Nobody would dare ask a Frenchman to put out his Galoise in a restaurant.

　　Oliver North. What other major Western democracy lets army officers take over foreign policy? A hero for some, a traitor for others, Ollie (see First Names) is an example of an American recklessness that awes and alarms Europeans.

　　Patriots. They exist everywhere, of course, but the American version is louder and more self-conscious than the European. In Britain, it"s taken for granted that politicians love their country. Here, they"re expected to prove it.

　　Quiet. American cities are quieter than European cities — thanks to noise controls on automobiles and to recent environmental legislation. This was a major surprise for someone brought up to assume that America was a noisy place.

　　Religion. The idea of putting preachers on TV is alarming to Europeans. It"s even more alarming to see them in action.

　　Sales. Ever since arriving in Washington, we"ve been hurrying to take advantage of this week"s unrepeatable offer, only to discover that it"s usually repeated next week. We"re just catching on that there"s always an excuse for a sale.

　　Television. That grown-ups can watch game shows and sitcoms at 11 AM amazes me — but the national habit, day or night, is contagious. I recently found myself nodding in agreement with a professor who was saying that American kids watch too much television. Then I realized that I was watching him say this on television.

　　Ulcers. See Work.

　　Visas. Americans don"t need visas to visit Britain (or most European countries, for that matter). To enter the United States, I had to sign a document promising that I would not overthrow the government by force and had no criminal record. One wonders if many terrorists and criminals answer "yes" on these questionnaires.

　　Work. People in less developed countries often imagine that they can become rich sim* by emigrating to America. But America became a wealthy society through work, work and more work. It"s still true.

　　X-rated movies. We have them in Europe too, but not on motel-room TVs.

　　Yuppies. The European counterpart remains a pale shadow of the all-American original. The animal seems more ambitious, and more common, on this side of the Atlantic.

　　Zillion. What other nation would invent a number that"s infinitely more than a billion? America may not always be the best, but it certainly thinks big.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析2

　　jumble

　　n. a confused or untidy group of things 杂乱的一堆

　　* compile

　　vt. produce by putting together many pieces (e.g., of information) 汇编;编制

　　outset

　　n. beginning 开始;起始

　　ambition

　　n. strong desire for success, power, money, etc. 对(成功、权力、金钱等的)强烈欲望，野心;雄心

　　profile

　　n. 1. a short article or programme which describes a person"s life and character 传略，人物简介

　　2. a side view, esp. of sb."s head; a shape of sth. seen against a background 侧面，侧影;轮廓

　　vt. 1. 写…的传略

　　2. 给…画侧面像;描…的轮廓

　　* dealer

　　n. a person whose business involves buying and selling 商人;证券经纪人

　　journalist

　　n. a person who works on a newspaper or magazine and writes articles for it 新闻记者;报纸撰稿人

　　journal

　　n. 1. a magazine for people with a particular interest 杂志，期刊

　　2. an account which one writes of one"s daily activities 日志;日记

　　leap (leapt or leaped)

　　vi. jump high in the air or jump a long distance 跳跃

　　n. a sudden jump or movement; a sudden increase in number, amount, etc. 跳跃;激增

　　* obsession

　　n. a fixed idea from which the mind cannot be freed 着迷;困扰

　　physical fitness

　　healthy body conditions 身体健康

　　amuse

　　vt. make (sb.) laugh; cause to spend time in a pleasant way 逗乐;给…提供娱乐或消遣

　　amusing

　　a. (of sth.) that makes people laugh 有趣的;逗笑的

　　orderly

　　a. well arranged or organized 有条理的;整齐的

　　confusion

　　n. 1. the state of being mixed up, more difficult to understand 辨别不清;混淆

　　2. disorder 骚乱;混乱

　　confuse

　　vt. make more difficult to understand; cause to be mistaken; mix up 使模糊不清;混淆;使混乱

　　acquaintance

　　n. 1. a person you know, but who is not a close friend 相识的人;熟人

　　2. knowledge of or familiarity with sb./sth. 了解;认识

　　gadget

　　n. (infml) a small machine or device 小巧的机械;精巧的装置

　　addictive

　　a. (使人)入迷的;(使人)上瘾的

　　microwave

　　n. 微波;微波炉

　　oven

　　n. 烤炉，烤箱

　　microwave oven

　　n. 微波炉

　　delegation

　　n. 代表团

　　delegate

　　n. 代表;会议代表

　　vt. 1. appoint as one"s representative 委派…为代表

　　2. entrust (duties, rights, etc. to sb.) 授权;把…委托给(某人)

　　* capitalism

　　n. 资本主义(制度)

　　do-it-yourself

　　n. & a. (the activity of) making or repairing things oneself 自己动手(的)，自行维修(的)

　　* supplementary

　　a. additional 补充的，增补的

　　* mortgage

　　n. 抵押;抵押贷款

　　vt. use (one"s land or house) as a guarantee to the lending institution in order to borrow money from it 抵押

　　ketchup

　　n. (= catchup) 调味番茄酱

　　fry

　　n. (see French fry)

　　v. cook (food) in hot fat or oil 油煎，油炸

　　French fries

　　(美)法式炸薯条

　　immigration

　　n. the coming of people into a country in order to work or settle there 移居;移民

　　queue

　　n. a line of people waiting (for a bus, to be served, to enter a place, etc.) (排队等候的)一队人

　　vi. form or join a line 排队(等候)

　　* renowned

　　a. famous; well-known 有名的;享有声誉的

　　impressive

　　a. 给人以深刻印象的;感人的`

　　* mob

　　n. (often derog.) a large, disorganized and often violent crowd of people [贬]人群;乌合之众

　　assumption

　　n. 1. sth. that is taken as true without proof 假定;臆断

　　2. the taking (of power or responsibility) 夺取;篡夺

　　democracy

　　n. a country or a system of government in which the people choose their government or make important decisions by voting 民主;民主国家;民主政治

　　traitor

　　n. a person who is disloyal, esp. to his country 卖*，叛徒

　　recklessness

　　n. 不顾后果，鲁莽

　　* reckless

　　a. (of a person or one"s behaviour) not caring about danger or the result of one"s actions 不顾后果的，鲁莽的

　　* patriot

　　n. a person who shows love for and loyalty to his or her country *

　　patriotic

　　a. having or expressing the quality of a patriot 爱国的;有爱国心的

　　legislation

　　n. l. laws 法律，法规

　　2. the act of making laws 立法，法律的制定

　　preacher

　　n. 传道士，牧师

　　* preach

　　v. 1. make known (a particular religion) by speaking in public 布道

　　2. advise or urge others to accept (a thing or course of behaviour) 竭力劝说;说教

　　grown-up

　　n. 成年人

　　sitcom

　　n. (infml) situation comedy 情景喜剧

　　contagious

　　a. 1. (of a feeling or attitude) spreading quickly from person to person (情绪等)感染性的

　　2. (of a disease) that can spread from person to person (疾病)传染的

　　ulcer

　　n. 溃疡

　　* visa

　　n. 签证

　　document

　　n. a paper that gives information, proof or support of sth. 文件

　　vt. 1. 为…提供文件(或证据等)

　　2. (在影片、小说中)纪实性地描述

　　* overthrow

　　vt. defeat; remove from official power 推翻;打倒

　　criminal

　　a. of or related to crime 犯罪的;犯法的

　　n. a person who is guilty of a crime 罪犯

　　* questionnaire

　　n. a written list of questions to be answered by a number of people in order to get information for a survey, etc. 调查表，问题单

　　* emigrate

　　vi. leave one"s own country to live in another one 移居国外

　　X-rated

　　a. (电影等)X级的，禁止(十六岁以下)儿童观看的

　　* motel

　　n. hotel specially built for people traveling by car 汽车旅馆

　　yuppie

　　n. 雅皮士(Young Urban Professional的缩写，即城市职业阶层中的年轻人士)

　　* ambitious

　　a. having a strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 有野心的，有抱负的

　　zillion

　　n. (sl.) 无限大的数目，无法计算的大数目

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第5单元课文详析3

　　the ABCs

　　the most basic facts about a subject (学科等的)基本知识;入门

　　at the outset

　　at the beginning 首先，一开始

　　stand for

　　represent; mean 代表;意味着

　　be after sth.

　　in search of sth.; with a desire for sth. 追求

　　catch on

　　1. become popular 流行起来

　　2. understand 懂得，理解

　　on (the) ground(s) that

　　because 根据，以…为理由

　　at the sight of

　　as soon as seeing (sth. or sb.) 一见之下;立即

　　leap around

　　jump about 跳来跳去

　　at first sight

　　when seen or examined for the first time 乍一看，一见之下

　　be on a first-name basis [with sb.]

　　call (sb.) by his or her first name (因关系亲密而)相互直呼其名

　　tell A from B

　　distinguish A from B 辨别，分辨

　　be in charge of sth.

　　be responsible for 管理，负责

　　so far

　　up to the present 迄今为止

　　put out

　　cause (sth.) to stop burning 熄灭

　　bring up

　　nurture and educate (a child) 养育;教育

　　take advantage of

　　make use of; profit from 利用

　　in agreement with

　　赞同，同意

　　by force

　　by fierce or violent means 用武力或强迫手段

　　think big

　　have ambitious ideas 野心勃勃，好高骛远

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇（扩展6）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解 (菁选3篇)

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解1

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following blanks to prepare yourself to listen for the figures.

　　1. As you listen to the passage the first time, fill these blanks with the words you hear:

　　Asians and Asian Americans make up only _____ of the US population, but they come up to ____ of the undergraduates at Harvard, _____ at MIT, ______ at Yale and _____ at Berkeley.

　　Second Listening

　　Read the following words first to prepare yourself to answer them to the best of your ability.

　　Talent effort money concentration ambition intelligence pressure sacrifice discrimination tradition

　　2. Why are these statistics "amazing"? And what do you think the explanation is?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解2

　　Fox Butterfield

　　Kim-Chi Trinh was just nine when her father used his savings to buy a passage for her on a fishing boat that would carry her from Vietnam. It was a heartbreaking and costly sacrifice for the family, placing Kim-Chi on the small boat, among strangers, in hopes that she would eventually reach the United States, where she would get a good education and enjoy a better life.

　　It was a hard journey for the little girl, and full of risks. Long before the boat reached safety, the supplies of food and water ran out. When Kim-Chi finally made it to the US, she had to cope with a succession of three foster families. But when she graduated from San Diego"s Patrick Henry High School in 1988, she had straight A"s and scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious universities in the country.

　　"I have to do well," says the 19-year-old, now a second-year student at Cornell University. "I owe it to my parents in Vietnam."

　　Kim-Chi is part of a wave of bright, highly - motivated Asian - Americans who are suddenly surging into our best colleges. Although Asian - Americans make up only 2.4 percent of the nation"s population, they constitute 17.1 percent of the undergraduates at Harvard, 18 percent at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 27.3 percent at the University of California at Berkeley.

　　Why are Asian - Americans doing so well? Are they grinds, as some stereotypes suggest? Do they have higher IQs? Or can we learn a lesson from them about values we have long treasured but may have misplaced — like hard work, the family and education?

　　Not all Asians are doing equally well; poorly - educated Cambodian refugee children, for instance, often need special help. And many Asian - Americans resent being labeled a "model minority," feeling that this is reverse discrimination by white Americans — a contrast to the laws that excluded most Asian immigrants from the US until 1965, but prejudice nevertheless.

　　The young Asians" achievements have led to a series of fascinating studies. Perhaps the most disturbing results come from the research carried out by a University of Michigan psychologist, Harold W. Stevenson, who has compared more than 7,000 students in kindergarten, first grade, third grade and fifth grade in Chicago and Minneapolis with counterparts in Beijing, Taipei and Sendai. On a battery of math tests, the Americans did worst at all grade levels.

　　Stevenson found no differences in IQ. But if the differences in performance are showing up in kindergarten, it suggests something is happening in the family, even before the children get to school.

　　It is here that various researchers" different studies converge: Asian parents are motivating their children better. "The bottom line is, Asian kids work hard," Stevenson says.

　　The real question, then, is how Asian parents imbue their offspring with this kind of motivation. Stevenson"s study suggests a critical answer. When asked why they think their children do well, most Asian parents said "hard work." By contrast, American parents said "talent."

　　"From what I can see," criticizes Stevenson, "we"ve lost our faith in the idea that we can all get ahead in life through hard work. Instead, Americans now believe that some kids have what it takes and some don"t. So we start dividing up classes into‘fast learners’and‘slow learners’, whereas the Chinese and Japanese feel all children can succeed in the same curriculum."

　　This belief in hard work is the first of three main factors contributing to Asian students" outstanding performance. It springs from Asians" common heritage of Confucianism, the philosophy of the 5th-century-BC Chinese sage whose teachings have had a profound influence on Chinese society. One of Confucius"s primary teachings is that through effort, people can perfect themselves.

　　Confucianism provides another important ingredient in the Asians" success as well. In Confucian philosophy, the family plays a central role — an orientation that leads people to work for the honor of the family, not just for themselves. One can never repay one"s parents, and there"s a sense of obligation or even guilt that is as strong a force among Asians as Protestant philosophy is in the West.

　　There"s yet another major factor in this bond between Asian parents and their children. During the 15 years I lived in China, Japan, and Vietnam, I noticed that Asian parents establish a closer physical tie to their infants than most parents in the United States. When I let my baby daughter crawl on the floor, for example, my Chinese friends were horrified and rushed to pick her up. We think this constant attention is old-fashioned or even unhealthy, but for Asians, it"s highly effective.

　　Can we learn anything from the Asians? "I"m not naive enough to think everything in Asia can be transplanted," says Stevenson. But he offered three recommendations.

　　"To start with," he says, "we need to set higher standards for our kids. We wouldn"t expect them to become professional athletes without practicing hard."

　　Second, American parents need to become more committed to their children"s education, he declares. "Being understanding when a child doesn"t do well isn"t enough." Stevenson found that Asian parents spend more time helping their children with homework or writing to their teachers than American parents do.

　　And, third, our schools could be reorganized in simple but effective ways, says Stevenson. Nearly 90 percent of Chinese youngsters say they actually enjoy school, and 60 percent can"t wait for school vacations to end. This is a vastly more positive attitude than youngsters in The US express. One reason may be that students in China and Japan typically have a break after each class, helping them to relax and to increase their attention spans.

　　"I don"t think Asians are any smarter," says Don Lee, an Asian-American student at Berkeley. "There are brilliant Americans in my chemistry class. But the Asian students work harder. I see a lot of wasted potential among the Americans."

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解3

　　excel

　　v. (at) be the beat or better others (at sth.) 胜过他人

　　savings

　　n. money saved, esp. in a bank 积蓄;存款

　　heartbreaking

　　a. which causes great sorrow 令人悲痛的，令人心碎的

　　costly

　　a. expensive, costing a lot of money 代价高昂的;昂贵的

　　sacrifice

　　n. loss or giving up of sth. of value, esp. for what is believed to be a good purpose 牺牲

　　vt. 牺牲

　　risk

　　n. (of) a danger;sth. that might have undesirable results 危险;风险

　　vt. place in a dangerous situation 使遭受危险;冒…的风险

　　cope

　　vi. (with) deal successfully (with a difficult situation) (妥善地)应付或处理

　　succession

　　n. a series or the act of following one after the other (前后相接的)一系列，一连串;连续

　　successive

　　a. following each other closely 接连的，连续的，相继的

　　*foster

　　a. 收养孩子的;寄养的

　　vt. 收养;照料

　　scholarship

　　n. 1. 奖学金

　　2. 学识;学术成就

　　owe

　　vt. (to) 1. have sth. (usually sth. good) because of 把…归功于

　　2. have to pay, for sth. already done or given 欠

　　owing

　　a. (to) still to be paid 未付的，欠着的

　　motivate

　　vt. (often pass.) 1. provide (sb.) with a (strong) need, purpose or reason for doing sth. [常被动] 激发…的积极性

　　2. 使有动机

　　*surge

　　vi. move, esp. forward, in or like powerful waves (如浪潮般) 汹涌;奔腾

　　n. (感情等的)洋溢或奔放

　　constitute

　　vt. 1. form or make up 形成;构成

　　2. formally establish or appoint 组建;选派

　　constitution

　　n. 1. the act of establishing, making, or setting up;constituting 制定;设立;组成

　　2. (often cap.) [常大写] 宪法;法规;章程

　　*constitutional

　　a. allowed or limited by a political constitution 宪法规定的;合乎宪法的

　　grind

　　n. (AmE, often derog.) a student who is always working (美)[常贬义]用功的学生，书呆子

　　vt. 磨;磨碎

　　*stereotype

　　n. a fixed pattern which is believed to represent a type of person or event 固定形式，老套

　　misplace

　　vt. 1. lose (sth.),usu. for only a limited time (暂时)丢弃

　　2. put in an unsuitable or wrong place 把…放错地方

　　refugee

　　n. sb. who has been forced to leave their country for political reason or during a war 难民;流亡者

　　*resent

　　vt. feel anger and dislike about sth. 对…表示愤恨

　　label

　　vt. 1. describe as belonging to a particular kind or class 把…称为;把…列为

　　2. 加标签于;用标签标明

　　n. 标签

　　minority

　　n. 1. a small part of a population which is different from others in race, religion, etc. 少数民族;少数派

　　2. the small number or part;less than half 少数

　　minor

　　a. 较少的，较小的

　　*discrimination

　　n. 1. the practice of unfairly treating sb. or sth. 区别对待;歧视

　　2. the ability to recognize the difference between two things 识别力;辨别力

　　reverse discrimination

　　the making of distinctions in favour of groups considered disadvantaged or underprivileged 逆向歧视，反其道而行之的歧视

　　*discriminate

　　v. 1. (against, in favor of) unfairly treat one person or group worse or better than others 有差别地对待

　　2. see or make a difference between things or people 区别，辨别，区分

　　contrast

　　n. (to, with) a strong difference between two people, objects or situations 对比;对照

　　v. examine (two things) in order to find or show differences 对比;对照

　　exclude

　　vt. keep out from a place or an activity 阻止…进入;把…排斥在外

　　exclusion

　　n. the act of excluding or fact of being excluded 拒绝;排斥

　　exclusive

　　a. (of) not taking into account;without;excluding 不算;不包括;把…排斥在外

　　exclusively

　　ad. only;and nothing/no one else 排斥其他地;专有地;单独地

　　immigrant

　　n. a person who has come to live in a country from abroad 移民;侨民

　　prejudice

　　n. unfair and usually unfavorable feeling or opinion about a group—e.g.a nationality or race 歧视;偏见;成见

　　series

　　n. 1. (of) a set or group of things of the same kind or related in some way, coming one after another or in order 系列;连接

　　2. 丛书;广播(或电视)系列节目

　　fascinating

　　a. having great attraction or charm 吸引人的.;迷人的

　　*fascinate

　　vt. (with) charm powerfully;be very interesting to 强烈地吸引;迷住

　　disturbing

　　a. causing worry or fright 令人不安的;令人烦恼的

　　disturb

　　vt. 1. break the peace or order of 扰乱;打扰

　　2. cause to become anxious or upset 使心神不安;使烦恼

　　*disturbance

　　n. 1. an act of disturbing or the state of being disturbed 打扰;扰乱

　　2. sth. that disturbs 造成干扰的事物

　　kindergarten

　　n. a school or class for young children, usu. between the ages of four and six 幼儿园

　　*counterpart

　　n. a person or thing that has the same purpose or does the same job as another in a different system 对应的人(或物);对手(方)

　　battery

　　n. 1. (of) a set or number of things of the same kind occurring in rapid succession 一组;一系列

　　2. 电池(组)

　　*converge

　　vi. (of two or more things) come together towards the same point (在一点上)会合;集中

　　the bottom line

　　the basic point 基本要点

　　imbue

　　v. (with)(usu. pass.) to fill with (sth., often a strong feeling or opinion) [常被动]灌输(某种强烈的情感或意见)

　　*offspring

　　n. a child or children from particular parents 子女;后代

　　critical

　　a. 1. providing a careful judgment of the good and bad qualities of sth. 判断(或评价)审慎的

　　2. 批判的

　　3. 关键的

　　criticize (-cise)

　　v. 1. make judgments about the good or bad points of 评论

　　2. judge with disapproval;point out the faults of 批评;指责

　　criticism

　　n. unfavorable judgment or expression of disapproval 批评;指责

　　curriculum

　　n. the program of study offered in a school, college, etc. 课程，大纲

　　factor

　　n. any of the facts, conditions, influences, etc. that act with others to bring about a result 因素，要素

　　outstanding

　　a. 1. better than others, very good 杰出的;优秀的

　　2. easily seen, important 显要的;重要的

　　*heritage

　　n. a tradition, custom, or quality which is passed down over many years within a family, social group, or nation and which is thought of as belonging to all its members 继承物，遗产;传统

　　philosophy

　　n. 哲学

　　sage

　　n. sb., esp. an old man or historical person, known for his wisdom and long experience 圣贤;哲人

　　primary

　　a. 1. chief, main 主要的

　　2. earliest in time or order of development 最初的

　　ingredient

　　n. 1. one of the essential parts of a situation 因素;要素

　　2. 成分

　　central

　　a. 1. chief, main, of greatest importance 主要的，最重要的

　　2. being (at, in, or near) the center (位居)中心的

　　*orientation

　　n. a direction or position 取向;方位;定位

　　*repay

　　vt. reward;pay back 偿还;回报

　　obligation

　　n. sth. that one must do out of a duty or promise 义务;责任

　　guilt

　　n. 1. the feelings produced by knowledge or belief that one has done wrong 内疚

　　2. the fact of having broken a moral rule or official law 罪(行)

　　bond

　　n. 1. sth. that unites two or more people, or groups, such as a shared feeling or interest 联结;联系

　　2. 公债，债券

　　3. 合约

　　crawl

　　vi. & n. 爬(行)

　　horrify

　　vt. shock greatly;fill with horror 吓;使感惊骇

　　unhealthy

　　a. 1. likely to cause illness or poor health 有碍健康的

　　2. not very strong or well, often ill 体弱多病的，不结实的，不健康的

　　*naivea. 1. too willing to believe or trust 轻信的

　　2. without experience (as of social rules or behaviour), esp. because one is young 幼稚的;天真的

　　*transplant

　　vt. move sth. from one place and plant, settle or establish elsewhere 移植;移居

　　recommendation

　　n. 1. suggestion, piece of advice 建议

　　2. 推荐信

　　vacation

　　n. (esp. AmE) holiday 假期;休假

　　vastly

　　ad. 1. very greatly 非常大地

　　2. 广阔地

　　vast

　　a. 1. very large and wide 广阔的;广大的

　　2. great in amount 大量的

　　positive

　　a. 1. (of people) sure, having no doubt about sth. 无疑问的;确定的

　　2. certain, beyond any doubt 肯定的

　　3. (of a statement) direct 正面的

　　span

　　n. 1. the length of time over which a stated thing continues or works well 持续时间

　　2. 跨度;跨距

　　attention span

　　a length of time over which one can concentrate 注意力的持续时间

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　make it (to) (a place)

　　succeed in getting (to) (a place) 成功抵达某地

　　owe to

　　have (sth. good) because of 把…归功于…

　　imbue with

　　(use. pass.) fill (sb), with (sth.), esp. a strong feeling or opinion [常被动] 向…灌输…

　　by contrast

　　very differently (from sth. previously mentioned);on the other hand 对比之下

　　get ahead

　　be successful in one"s career 获得成功;出头

　　have what it takes

　　(infml.) have the qualifications necessary for success 具备取得成功的必要条件

　　spring from

　　be a product or result of;originate from 发源于;来自

　　can"t wait (for sth.)

　　be excited about and eager (for sth.) 迫不及待，等不及

推荐访问:读写 大学英语 详解 21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解60篇 21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第8单元内容详解1 21世纪大学英语读写教程3第二单元