Unit 7 : Part A

1. 21st Century College English: Book 2 Unit 7 : Part A Thinking: A Neglected Art

2. Unit 7: Part A • Pre-reading Activities • Intensive Study • Exercises • Assignment

3. Pre-reading Activities • Warm-up Questions • Listening

4. Pre-reading Activities: Warm-up Questions 1. What do you think about thinking? 2. Do you like thinking? Why?

5. Pre-reading Activities: Listening 1. As you listen to Part One of the tape, try to figure out what the words blurk and blurkingmean. • What does “blurk” mean? • A) To do physical exercises • B) To sing songs • C) To spell words • D) To beat one’s brains • E) To do a crossword game • What does “blurk” mean? • A) To do physical exercises • B) To sing songs • C) To spell words • D) To beat one’s brains • E) To do a crossword game Script

6. Pre-reading Activities: Listening Script — Part One Announcer [very enthusiastically]: Yes, you too can experience the excitement of this wonderful pastime! Blurking is for everyone — whether you’re young or old, professional or amateur, expert or a complete beginner — you too can blurk! And blurking is something you can do anytime, anywhere! You can blurk in your house, in your car, alone or with your friends. You can blurk in the dark, you can blurk on the run, you can even blurk in the bath! Blurking requires no special equipment, and there are no complicated instructions! Blurking takes up no space, it makes no noise, it’s friendly to the environment, and most of the time, blurking is perfectly safe and has very few side effects. We promise: Once you start blurking, you'll find it hard to stop. So try blurking now, for free.

7. Pre-reading Activities: Listening 2. Now listen to Part Two, and work out what porfing is. • What does “porfing” mean? • A) Discovering • B) Reading • C) Inventing • D) Amazing • What does “porfing” mean? • A) Discovering • B) Reading • C) Inventing • D) Amazing Script

8. Pre-reading Activities: Listening Script — Part Two Announcer [still very enthusiastically]: And as a special offer, you can also enjoy porfing — one of the most amazing activities ever discovered. Experience for yourself how porfing silently transfers information directly to your brain, at whatever speed you choose! We’re sure you'll find that porfing is a great companion activity to blurking, especially if you try them both at the same time. All you have to do to try out porfing for yourself is move your eyes across specially-marked pieces of paper. You’ll be amazed!

9. Pre-Reading Activities • Intensive Study • Difficult sentences • Key words, phrases & usages • Comprehension exercises

10. Intensive Study Thinking: A Neglected Art by Carolyn Kane 1It is generally agreed that the American education system is in deep trouble. Everyone is aware of the horrible facts: school systems are running out of money, teachers can’t spell, students can’t read, high school graduates can’t even find China on the map.

11. Intensive Study 2 Most of us know, or think we know, who is to blame: liberal courts, spineless school boards, ridiculous government regulations. It’s easy to select a bad guy. 3 But possibly the problem lies not so much in our institutions as in our attitudes. It is sad that although most of us claim that we believe in education, we place no value on intellectual activity.

12. Intensive Study 4 We Americans are a charitable and humane people: We have institutions devoted to every good cause from rescuing homeless cats to preventing World War III. But what have we done to promote the art of thinking? Certainly we make no room for thought in our daily lives. Suppose a man were to say to his friends, “I’m not going to PTA tonight (or the baseball game, or whatever) because I need some time to myself, some time to think”? Such a man would be shunned by his neighbors; his family would be ashamed of him. What if a teen-ager were to say, “I’m not going to the dance tonight because I need some time to think”? His parents would immediately start looking in the Yellow Pages for a psychiatrist.

13. Intensive Study 5 Several years ago a college administrator told me that if he wanted to do any serious thinking, he had to get up at 5:30 in the morning — I suppose because that was the only time when no one would interrupt him. More recently I heard a professor remark that when his friends catch him in the act of reading a book, they say, “My, it must be nice to have so much free time.” And even though I am an English teacher ―a person who should know better ― I find myself feeling vaguely guilty whenever I sneak off to the library to read. It is a common belief that if a man is thinking or reading, he is doing nothing. Through our words and our actions, we express this attitude every day of our lives. Then we wonder why our children refuse to take their studies seriously and why they say to their teachers, “Why do I need to learn this stuff? It won’t do me any good; I’ll never need it.”

14. Intensive Study 6 It’s easy to understand the reasons for this prejudice against thinking. One problem is that to most of us, thinking looks suspiciously like doing nothing. A human being in deep thought is an uninspiring sight. He leans back in his chair, props up his feet, puffs on his pipe and stares into space. He gives every appearance of wasting time. Besides, he’s leaving all the hard work for us! We wish he would get up and do something useful ― clean the house, maybe, or mow the lawn. Our resentment is natural.

15. Intensive Study 7 But thinking is far different from laziness. Thinking is one of the most productive activities a human being can undertake. Every beautiful and useful thing we have created exists because somebody took the time and effort to think of it. 8 And thinking does require time and effort. It’s a common misconception that if a person is “gifted” or “bright” or “talented,” wonderful ideas will flash spontaneously into his mind. Unfortunately, the intellect doesn’t work this way. Even Einstein had to study and think for months before he could formulate his theory of relativity. Those of us who are less intelligent find it a struggle to conceive even a moderately good idea, let alone a brilliant one.

16. Intensive Study 9 Another reason why we distrust thinking is that it seems unnatural. Human beings are a social species, but thinking is an activity that people do best when they’re alone. Consequently, we worry about people who like to think. It disturbs us to meet a person who deliberately chooses to sit alone and think instead of going to a party or a soccer match. We suspect that such a person needs counseling. In addition, such people can sometimes appear unfriendly ― and that makes us deeply uneasy.

17. Intensive Study 10 Our concern is misplaced. Intelligence is just as much a part of human nature as friendliness. It would certainly be unnatural for someone to totally isolate themselves. But it would be equally unnatural for a person to allow his mind to die of neglect. 11 If Americans ever became convinced of the importance of thought, we would probably find ways to solve the problems of our schools, problems that now seem impossible to overcome. But how can we revive interest in the art of thinking? The best place to start would be in the home. Family members should practice saying such things as, “ I’ll wash the dishes tonight because I know you want to catch up on your thinking.”

18. Intensive Study 12 This may sound crazy. But if we are to survive as a free people, we will have to take some such course of action as soon as possible, because regardless of what some advertisers have led us to believe, this country does not run on oil. It runs on ideas.

19. neglect v. — to pay little or no attention to • Cf. • forgetv. • — to leave behind unintentionally; to be unable to remember • e.g. • Don’t feel upset because she forgot your name. • e.g. • His secretary had neglected filing all the documents of the project. • Cf. • overlookv. • — to fail to notice or consider; to ignore deliberately • e.g. • When she decided to rent the house, she overlooked the fact that there’s no public transportation around.

20. (be) in trouble — having difficulties or problems • e.g. • If they know we are in trouble, they will certainly come to our help. Translate 许多 dot 公司陷入资金问题。 Key Many dot companies are in trouble with funds.

21. run out (of sth.) — have no further supply of; lack (sth.); be out of • Cf. • run into • — to meet or find by chance • e.g. • She ran into her boss in the supermarket during work hours yesterday. • — to amount to • e.g. • His salary has run into six figures. • Cf. • run down • — to knock down • e.g. • Three people were run down by the speeding truck. • Cf. • run after • — to pursue; to chase • e.g. • He is never tired of running after fame. • Cf. • run on • — to move or work by means of (sth.); go by; work by • e.g. • The toy car runs on battery. • e.g. • What will the world use for power when it has run out of oil?

22. (be) to blame — to hold responsible • e.g. • A snow storm was to blame for the power failure. Note He is to be blamed for the damage.  He is to blame for the damage.

23. liberal a. — 1) open to new ideas; favoring reform 2) not strict; loose or approximate • Cf. • literal • — word for word • e.g. • The official documents must be translated in a literal way. • e.g. • The government adopt some liberal policies to lift the restriction for import. • This book is a liberal translation.

24. guy n. — 1) [informal] a man, fellow 2) [pl.] [informal] persons of either sex • e.g. • George is a nice guy to work with. • Let’s do a good job, guys!

25. Translate into Chinese: But possibly the problem lies not so much in our institutions as in our attitudes. 但或许问题更多的不是存在于我们的制度，而是存在于我们的态度之中。

26. intellectual a. — having the ability to learn and reason • Synonym • intelligent • — having the ability to cope with various situations and new problems • e.g. • An intelligent person would have been more careful. • Synonym • bright • — showing quickness and ease in learning • e.g. • Tom was a bright boy and often came up with great ideas. • Synonym • brilliant • — showing unusually impressive mental acuteness • e.g. • Einstein had a brilliant mind. • Synonym • smart • — having quick intelligence, and often a ready capability for taking care of one’s own interests • e.g. • He is too smart to go against his boss. • e.g. • A project has been carried out to study the intellectual aspect of apes.

27. promote v. — 1) to raise in rank, position or importance 2) to attempt to sell or popularize by advertising or publicity • e.g. • The organization aims to promote the concern for the homeless people. • The author will come to the city to promote his new book. Translate 新的税收政策将促进高科技产业的快速发展。 Key The new tax policy will promote the rapid development of the high-tech industries.

28. make (no) room for — have (no) space or time for • e.g. • He is busy with his work all the time and makes no room for social life. Practice Make a sentence with “make no room for”.

29. suppose v. — 1) [imperative] to consider as possible; if • e.g. • Suppose you have a second chance, what will you do? Translate 要是给你这份工作，你接受吗？ Key Suppose you are offered the job, will you accept it? More to learn

30. suppose v. — 2) to think; to expect; to imagine • e.g. • George supposed his role as cultural translator was important to the joint venture. Translate 我想亚洲的经济形势已经开始好转。 Key I suppose that Asia’s economic situation has started to improve.

31. Text-related information PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) PTA is an organization of local groups of teachers and the parents of their pupils that works for the improvement of the schools and the benefit of the pupils. The stated purposes of the PTA are to bring the home and school into closer relationship so that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the training of the child, and to develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for every child the highest advantages in mental, social, and physical education.

32. what if — what would occur if; suppose that • Cf. • what though • — it doesn't matter if • e.g. • What though the data in our computer is destroyed by the virus; we have backup. • e.g. • What if our computer is affected by the virus? More to do

33. Exercises • Structure VIII. Look at the sample sentences from the text and make use of what ifto complete the following sentences by translating the Chinese into English. 《读写教程 II》:Ex. VIII, p. 166 1. You seem to be quite certain that I will accept your offer. (如果我不接受呢?) 2. If they know we are in trouble, they will certainly come to our help. (但是如果他们不知道呢?) • What if I say no? • But what if they don’t know?

34. Exercises • Structure VIII. Look at the sample sentences from the text and make use of what if to complete the following sentences by translating the Chinese into English. 3. The deadline for this job is the end of the month. (要是我们不能按时完成怎么办?) 4. When asked why they helped the flood victims so generously, they just answered: (“假如这事发生在你我身上呢?”) • What if we can’t get it done on time? • “What if this happens to us (someday)?”

35. Exercises • Structure VIII. Look at the sample sentences from the text and make use of what if to complete the following sentences by translating the Chinese into English. 5. The newcomer seems to be far different from what he has professed to be. (要是他对我们说了谎那该怎么办?) 6. When the news came, Tom simply ignored it, thinking it couldn’t be true. (但如果那是真的又怎么办呢?) • What if he has lied to us? • But what if it was true?

36. Yellow Pages A classified telephone directory or section of a directory, listing subscribers by the type of business or service they offer, usually printed on yellow paper and with classified advertising. Text-related information

37. suppose v. — 1) [imperative] to consider as possible; if • e.g. • Suppose you have a second chance, what will you do. Translate 要是给你这份工作，你接受吗？ Key Suppose you are offered the job, will you accept it? More to learn

38. suppose v. — 2) to think; to expect; to imagine • e.g. • George supposed his role as cultural translator was important to the joint venture. Translate 我想亚洲的经济形势已经开始好转。 Key I suppose that Asia’s economic situation has started to improve.

39. sneak off (to) — leave quietly • e.g. • Jane sneaked off in the middle of the party to her room.

40. stuff n. — [informal] substance; unspecified material • e.g. • There’s sticky stuff all over the desk. • We’ve known all of this stuff; can you tell us anything new?

41. Translate into Chinese: He leans back in his chair, props up his feet, puffs on his pipe and stares into space. He gives every appearance of wasting time. 他仰坐在椅上，架起双腿，抽着烟斗，漠然注视着前方。不管怎么看，他都是一副消磨时光的样子。

42. let alone — [idiom] not to mention; much less • e.g. • She has never drunk beer, let alone wine or liquor. Translate 我不会说英语，更别提法语或德语了。 Key I can’t speak English, let alone French or German.

43. Translate into Chinese: Intelligence is just as much a part of human nature as friendliness. 智慧如同友善一样也是人性的一部分。

44. catch up on — (make special efforts to) do sth. which has been left undone or neglected • e.g. • She is staying up late at the office to catch up on the report. • Cf. • catch up with • — to come up from behind • e.g. • China is making great efforts to catch up with the advanced countries in information technologies.

45. regardless of — in spite of • e.g. • The company will promote its new product regardless of expenses. Translate Priscilla held onto her dream to get college education regardless of all the hardships. Key 普里西拉不顾千辛万苦，从不放弃上大学的愿望。

46. run on — (cause to) move or work by means of (sth. such as power); go by; work by • e.g. • The taxicabs in this city are required to run on natural gas. Practice Make a sentence with “run on”.

47. Exercises • Comprehension • Vocabulary • Listening

48. Comprehension Answer the following questions: 1. How does the author illustrate her statement that the American education system is in deep trouble? 《读写教程 II》:Ex. II, p. 163 Key: She cites “horrible facts”: school systems are running out of money, teachers can’t spell, students can’t read, high school graduates can’t even find China on the map.

49. Comprehension Answer the following questions: 2. What support does she offer for her argument that “we place no value on intellectual activity?” How much of her evidence is factual? Key: The support she offers is (a) the suggestion that we have no institutions devoted to thinking;(b) the idea that we make on room for thought in our daily lives; and (c) that we would be shocked by and/or ashamed of a person who avoided socializing in favor of thinking. None of the evidence is factual.

50. Comprehension Answer the following questions: 3. What two causes of “prejudice against thinking”does the author present? Key: The two causes she mentions are that thinking (a) looks as if the person is wasting time, and (b) seems unnatural, since humans are sociable by nature.