Lesson 50
New Year resolutions
新年的決心
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
聽(tīng)錄音,然后回答以下問(wèn)題。
What marked the end of the writer's New Year resolutions?
The New Year is a time for resolutions. Mentally, at least, most of us could compile formidable lists of 'dos' and 'don'ts'. The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity. We resolve to get up earlier each morning, eat less, find more time to play with the children, do a thousand and one jobs about the house, be nice to people we don't' like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk every day. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure. Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways. Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself. I limited myself to two modest ambitions: to do physical exercise every morning and to read more of an evening. An all-night party on New Year's Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year, but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
The daily exercises lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone found me out. After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions, I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me. The next morning the whole family trooped in to watch the performance. That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea. However, my enthusiasm waned. The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10th, I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home formwork Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to book. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute. Perhaps it will solve my problem, but I just haven't had time to read it!
New words and expressions 生詞和短語(yǔ)
resolution
n. 決心
mentally
adv. 內(nèi)心里
compile
v. 編輯,編制
formidable
adj. 令人畏懼的
recur
v. 再發(fā)生,又出現(xiàn)
regularity
n. 規(guī)律性
accomplishment
n. 成就
attainment
n. 達(dá)到
inveterate
adj. 根深蒂固的
self-improvement
n. 自我完善
scheme
n. 簡(jiǎn)單的計(jì)劃,方案
ambitious
adj. 雄心勃勃的
pitfall
n. 意外的困難,易犯的錯(cuò)誤
modest
adj. 要求不過(guò)分的
assiduously
adv. 刻苦地
self-discipline
n. 自我約束
frame
n. 軀體
betray
v. 暴露,顯露
troop
v. 成群結(jié)隊(duì)地走動(dòng)
unsettle
v. 使不安
taunt
n. 嘲笑,奚落人的話(huà)
jibe
n. 嘲弄,挖苦
good-humouredly
adv. 和氣地,心情好地
wane
v. 逐漸變小,變?nèi)?br />
hypnotize
v. 使欲睡,使蒙朧
undoing
n. 禍根,毀滅的原因
screen
n. 電視機(jī)屏幕
新年是下決心的時(shí)候,至少在大多數(shù)人的心里會(huì)編排出一份“應(yīng)做什么”和“不應(yīng)做什么”的令人生畏的單子。相同的決心以單調(diào)的規(guī)律年復(fù)一年地出現(xiàn)。我們決心每天早晨起得早些;吃得少些;多花點(diǎn)時(shí)間與孩子們一起做游戲;做大量的家務(wù);對(duì)不喜歡的人友善一些;小心駕車(chē);每天都要帶著狗散步;等等。以往的經(jīng)驗(yàn)告訴我們有些事是辦不到的。如果我們煙癮大,戒不掉,那是因?yàn)閷医鋵覕?,失去信心。我們大多?shù)人想自我完善卻遭到失敗,這是因?yàn)槲覀兊囊?guī)劃過(guò)于宏大,而又根本沒(méi)有時(shí)間去實(shí)施。我們還犯有一個(gè)根本性的錯(cuò)誤,即把我們的決心向大家宣布。這樣一旦滑回到那些老習(xí)慣上去,我們?cè)趧e人的眼里會(huì)顯得更加難堪。我深知這些問(wèn)題,于是,今年我對(duì)自己的計(jì)劃要嚴(yán)加保密,只給自己定下兩項(xiàng)適中的任務(wù);每天早上鍛煉身體,每天晚上多看點(diǎn)書(shū)。新年除夕舉辦的一次通宵晚會(huì),使我理直氣壯地在新年頭一天免去了這兩項(xiàng)任務(wù)。不過(guò),新年第二天,我全力以赴地照著去做了。 早鍛煉一共只有11分鐘,我打算在別人起床之前進(jìn)行。這就要求我比平時(shí)早11分鐘把自己從床上拽起來(lái),這種自我約束是很艱苦的。不過(guò)開(kāi)頭兩天我還是成功地躡手躡腳地來(lái)到樓下起居室,被誰(shuí)也沒(méi)發(fā)現(xiàn)。我在地毯上跳來(lái)蹦過(guò)去,扭曲身子,擺出各種姿勢(shì),弄得渾身不舒服,然后坐到桌邊吃早飯,一副筋疲力盡的樣子。正是這副模樣泄露了我的秘密。第二天早晨全家人結(jié)隊(duì)來(lái)到起居室看我表演。這真叫人不好意思,但我心平氣和地頂住全家人的嘲笑和奚落。不久,大家對(duì)我習(xí)以為常了,而這時(shí)我的熱情卻減退了。我花在鍛煉上的時(shí)間逐漸減少,慢慢地從11分鐘減到了零。到了1月10日,我恢復(fù)了原來(lái)的作息時(shí)間。我辯解說(shuō),早晨少耗費(fèi)精力鍛煉,晚上下班回家看書(shū)時(shí)頭腦更清醒些。有幾天晚上,我極力擺脫了電視的誘惑,坐在自己的房間里,兩眼盯在書(shū)上??墒牵幸惶煲估?,我感到又冷又孤單,便來(lái)到樓下坐在電視機(jī)前假裝看書(shū)。這下我可完了,因?yàn)椴灰粫?huì)兒,我就恢復(fù)了以前的壞習(xí)慣,在屏幕前打起瞌睡來(lái)。但我還沒(méi)有放棄多看些書(shū)的決心。事實(shí)上,我剛買(mǎi)來(lái)一本叫《一分鐘讀一千字的訣竅》的書(shū)。也許這本書(shū)能解決我的問(wèn)題,但我一直還沒(méi)時(shí)間去看這本書(shū)!
◆resolution n. 決心
resolution
1. the quality of being resolute / formal decision 決心,決議
take resolution to do sth. / make up one’s mind to do sth.
be determined to do sth. / decide to do sth.
resolve / resolve to do sth.
resolve sb. on sth. 使某人做某事
Eg: Before we came here, we resolved to learn English hard.
I resolved him on English study.
Nobody resolved him on this decision. 沒(méi)有人使他做這樣的決定。
resolute adj. 堅(jiān)決的,果斷的
resolution / resolve / resolute
Eg: We must be true in word and resolute in deed. 我們必須是言必信,行必果。
◆mentally adv. 內(nèi)心里
◆compile v. 編輯,編制
compile
compile / edit vt.
editor
compile: collect information and arrange in a book (great book / dictionary )
edit: collect information and arrange in newspaper or magazine
Eg: The editor is busing editing the newspaper.
◆formidable adj. 令人畏懼的
◆recur v. 再發(fā)生,又出現(xiàn)
recur v.
occor: happen
occur to
A good idea occurred to me. / It occurred to him that he should open the door.
recur: occur again
incur: vt. 導(dǎo)致,招致,造成 ( lead to / result in / give rise to / cause)
Eg: Air pollution incurs some terrible dissease.
L50-01 end 10’28”
L50-02 begin 53-02 10’25”
◆regularity n. 規(guī)律性
◆accomplishment n. 成就
◆attainment n. 達(dá)到
accomplish 成功地達(dá)到目的
accomplish one’s purpose / goal / dream / aim /work / task
He accomplished his journey.
attain:得到,獲得(經(jīng)過(guò)艱苦努力)
attain one’s ambition
get sccess / attain success
achieve : 達(dá)到一定目的時(shí)的表現(xiàn)及努力
Eg: This is what he achieved after ten years of hard work.
treasure / cherish / volue / prize 珍惜
Eg: We always cherish what we have achieved.
I feel very happy because you accomplish your dream.
accomplishment: 成就(修養(yǎng),才藝,本領(lǐng)方面)
attainment 獲得,得到
Eg: Such accomplishment is beyond your attainment.
His attainment is beyond my understanding.
His accomplishment is unexpected to me.
achievement / accomplishment
attain to / attain
attain to : 某人希望達(dá)到的成就
attain: 某人已經(jīng)達(dá)到的成就
Eg: He has attained heights that I can never attain to.
This is the height that I hope to attain to.
This is the height that I have attained.
◆inveterate adj. 根深蒂固的
◆self-improvement n. 自我完善
◆scheme n. 簡(jiǎn)單的計(jì)劃,方案
◆ambitious adj. 雄心勃勃的
ambition
Eg: Everybody in the modern society must be ambitious.
If you work hard, you can attain your ambition.
◆pitfall n. 意外的困難,易犯的錯(cuò)誤
◆modest adj. 要求不過(guò)分的
Eg: I make New Year resolution and I think them modest.
L50-02 end 10’28”
L50-03 begin 10’48”
Eg: Being modes is one of our virtues.
◆assiduously adv. 刻苦地
assiduously==diligently
Eg: If you study English assiduously, nothing is difficult.
◆self-discipline n. 自我約束
self-improvement 自我完善
◆frame n. 軀體
body
◆betray v. 暴露,顯露
Eg: I don’t know who betrayed me.
Her face betrayed her nervousness.
◆troop v. 成群結(jié)隊(duì)地走動(dòng)
◆unsettle v. 使不安
◆◆◆taunt n. 嘲笑,奚落人的話(huà)
taunt vt.
taunt sb. with sth. 因?yàn)槟呈露I笑某人
Eg: They taunt him with being poor / poverty.
make fun of / laugh at
Eg: He is wearing a strange hat, so we make fun of him.
jeer vi.
jeer at 嘲笑,戲弄
Eg: We know he is eccentric, but anyway don’t jeer at him
mock / mock at
Eg: Mocked (at ) by others, he had my sympathy.
When the teacher is writing on the blackboard, naughty boy student mocked at him.
scoff at / pour scorn on
Eg: Don’t scoff at those students who don’t have good accomplishment / mark.
gibe
gible at sb. / sth.
taunt: try to make sb. angry or upset by saying unkind remarks.
Eg: They taunted him with being poor, so he felt angry.
gibe: say sth. that is intended to make the person look silly.
Eg: I gibed at him because, in my opinion, he was dull.
L50-03 end 10’48”
L50-04 begin 10’23”
朗讀:taunt / make fun of / jeer at / mock / mock at / scoff at / gibe at
◆jibe n. 嘲弄,挖苦
◆good-humouredly adv. 和氣地,心情好地
◆◆◆wane v. 逐漸變小,變?nèi)?br />
wane: becoming less or weaker
Eg: He exerts suttle influence on his children, but his children are growing up, so his influence is waning.
wane: showing a decreasing bright area after full moon.
The moon will wax, the moon will wane. 月有陰晴園缺
◆diminish v. 減少,縮小
diminish: vt. make smaller in size, amout, number and so on.
Eg: The Second World War diminished the country’s wealth.
diminish vi.
Eg: Time will never cause our friendship to diminish. 我們的友誼決不會(huì)因時(shí)間的流逝而淡薄。
reduce
Eg: If you reduce the price to 10 dollars, I will take it.
reduce to / reduce by
The shop assistant reduced the price by 10 dollars.
lessen 數(shù)量,價(jià)值,可能性的降低
sharp / sharped wide / widen quick / quicken
Eg: I agree to your idea that you can climb the tree, but anyway, please lesson the rick of being hurt / injoured
I agree to your idea that you can climb the tree, but anyway, please lessen the risk of being hurt / injured.
increase / decrease
Eg: Our interest in English / clothes is increasing.
L50-04 end 10’23”
L50-05 begin 54-01
lessen 可能性的降低
wane 漸漸地衰退
◆hypnotize v. 使欲睡,使蒙朧
lull 催人欲睡
lull sb. to sleep
◆undoing n. 禍根,毀滅的原因
◆screen n. 電視機(jī)屏幕
【Text】 §Lesson 50 New Year resolutions 新年的決心
背熟:The New Year is a time for resolutions.
a time for
The spring Festival is a time for gathering.
Mentally: at heart
We become illogical when we decide what can be eaten and what can not be eaten.
背熟:The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity.
favourite: resolution
recur: happen / take place
year in year out: one year after another / year by year
day by day / one day after another / day in day out
resolve to : 下定決心
背熟:Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment.
It is hard for us to attain some certain accomplishment
inveterate: deep rooted
背熟:If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.
Because we have too often experience the frustration, it means nothing to me.
result from : 由 ...... 產(chǎn)生的
result in: lead to / cause
Failure will result in frustration. 失敗會(huì)導(dǎo)致挫敗心理。
L50-05 end 10’17”
Lesson50A end 52:13
Lesson50B begin 49:36
L50-06 begin 10’18”
背熟:Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out.
carry out: carry off
fail in our efforts / attempt
Eg: We accumulate clutter in an attempt to avoid waste.
背熟:We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways.
Eg: If you often make some common mistakes, you will get the frustration.
slip back into: return to the normal way
背熟:Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.
keep my resolutions to myself: keep my resolutions secret
Eg: We arrived at our destination exhausted.
Exhausted, we arrived at our destination.
Aware of the importance, I attempt to carry it out. 由于意識(shí)到了此事的重要性,我竭盡全力來(lái)把它實(shí)現(xiàn)。
limit oneself to
ambitions: New Year resolutions
limit: 限定到點(diǎn)
restrict: 限定到范圍
L50-06 end 10’18”
L50-07 begin
A good beginning is half success.
背熟:but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
apply oneself to / apply one’s time to / apply one’s mind / energy to
be devoted / dedicated to
In 2002, I shall apply myself to learning English.
propose to do / I decided to do
The self-discipline required to study English hard is considerable as well.
nevertheless: however
背熟:I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition.
in an exhausted condition: exhausted
It...that... 句型
It was exhausted condition that betrayed my secret.
troop in: went / came into the room in group
unsettle: upset
背熟:That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.
L50-07 end 10’39”
L50-08 begin 10’32”
fend off: defeat
wane: diminish step by step
argue: got a good excuse
keep one’s mind fresh for doing sth.
背熟:Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book.
the temptation to do
slip back into our bad old ways / I was back to where I had started from / got back to my old bad habit
dozing off: half sleep
I soon got back to my old bad habit of nodding.
a book entitled: a book which is entitled
We must be true in word and resolute in deed.
L50-08 end 10’32”
L50-09 begin 12’38”
1
我們正在學(xué)習(xí)的是新概念美音版,
傳統(tǒng)版本(英式發(fā)音)的音頻:音頻播放
2
本課的視頻講解: 點(diǎn)擊觀看
3
詞匯速記:新概念英語(yǔ)詞匯隨身聽(tīng)速記手冊(cè)3 第49-50課
相關(guān)文章:
“新概念”介紹
學(xué)英語(yǔ)為什么要選新概念?
新概念第3冊(cè)——掌握英語(yǔ)的關(guān)鍵
為什么專(zhuān)家提倡背誦新概念
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學(xué)習(xí)交流:
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Comprehension
1 In makeing his New Year resolutions, the writer _____ .
a. decided against choosing any of his old favourites
b. did not tell his family of them in case they announced them in public
c. was careful to choose two which he thought were within his scope
d. underestimated the time it would take him to get up in the mornings
within his scope
Eg: I choose the job which I think is within my scope. 我選擇了這項(xiàng)工作,我認(rèn)為是我力所能及的。
2 The family realized what one of his resolutions was when they _____ .
a. noticed how tired he looked when he came to breakfast
b. heard him jumping about on the carpet in the living room
c. came down earlier than usual and saw him doing his exercises
d. saw him reading instead of looking at television
3 The writer’s efforts to read more have so failed because _____ .
a. he is not able to read quickly enough in the time he has available
b. he enjoys watching television more than he does reading
c. his room is too cold for comfort and he misses his family
d. he has not been able to resist the hypnotic effects of television
one’s effort to do sth. 干什么所做出的努力
Structure
4 Past experiences has taught us that we _____ certain accomplishments. (ll.7-8)
a. never attain b. would never attain c. are never attaining d. will never attain
5 ---- we look even more foolish than we _____ when we slip back into our old ways. (ll.11-12)
a. would b. should c. need d. ought
6 I jumped about on the carpet and _____ uncomfortable positions that I sat down exhausted. (ll.20-21)
a. so twisted me into b. so twisted myself into
c. twisted myself into such d. twisted me into such
7 I argued that _____ less time exhausting myself, I would ... (ll.25-26)
a. to spend b. by spending c. my spending d. to have spent
Eg: I will learn English well by working hard every day.
L50-09 end (55-01) 12’38”
L50-10 begin 5’37”
Vocabulary
8 This year I attempted to keep my resolutions _____ . (l.12)
a. private b. personal c. intimate d. solitary
private 強(qiáng)調(diào)私人所有的
personal 個(gè)人的
solitary 寧?kù)o的,孤獨(dú)的
He is leading a solitary life. 他過(guò)著孤獨(dú)的生活。
intimate 親密的
9 _____ , I managed to creep down into the living room ...(l.19)
a. Meanwhile b. Little by little c. Just the same d. By all means
meanwhile==at the same time
little by little == step by step
by all means: 通過(guò)各種方式
just the same==in spite of this == still
10 The whole family _____ to watch the performance. (ll.21-22)
a. gathered round b. marched by c. flocked in d. joined in
gather around 聚集在......周?chē)?br />
march by 行軍而過(guò)
flocked in
join in 參加
11 My enthusiasm for my new resolutions soon _____ . (ll.23-24)
a. faded b. evaporated c. ran out d. fell out
fade 褪色,凋零
Eg: The flower has already began to fade.
The color of the dress faded.
run out 用完,用光
Eg: We run out of petrol. 我們把汽油用完了。
evaporate: 蒸發(fā),消失,漸漸地化為烏有
12 I soon _____ into my old habit of dozing off ... (ll.29-30)
a. returned b. slipped back c. went back d. took again
本小節(jié)的重點(diǎn)是:
1,2,3 題的題干和答案的基本結(jié)構(gòu); 結(jié)構(gòu)題中5、7 11題的基本含義。
【Key to Multiple choice questions】
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. D 5. B 6. C 7. B 8. A 10. C 10. C 11 B 12. B