Unit 5 Motivation or Unhealthy Experience (Competition)

1. Unit 5 Motivation or Unhealthy Experience (Competition)

2. New words and expressions for Reading One: shriek: When someone shrieks, they make a short, very loud cry, for example because they are suddenly surprised, are in pain, or are laughing. She shrieked and leapt from the bed... Miranda shrieked with laughter.

3. induce: To induce a state or condition means to cause it. Doctors said surgery could induce a heart attack. ...an economic crisis induced by high oil prices. hysteria: Hysteria among a group of people is a state of uncontrolled excitement, anger, or panic. No one could help getting carried away by the hysteria...

4. exclusive: If two things are mutually exclusive, they are separate and very different from each other, so that it is impossible for them to exist or happen together. They both have learnt that ambition and successful fatherhood can be mutually exclusive.

5. edge out: If someone edges out someone else, they just manage to beat them or get in front of them in a game, race, or contest. France edged out the British team by less than a second... McGregor’s effort was enough to edge Johnson out of the top spot.

6. treadmill: You can refer to a task or a job as a treadmill when you have to keep doing it although it is unpleasant and exhausting. Mr Stocks can expect a gruelling week on the publicity treadmill. destined: If something is destined to happen or if someone is destined to behave in a particular way, that thing seems certain to happen or be done. Everyone knew that Muriel was destined for great things.

7. in light of: in the light of something British English in light of something American English If you do or decide something in the light of something else, you do it after considering that thing. In light of this tragic event, we have cancelled the 4th of July celebrations.

8. stead: If you do something in someone’s stead, you replace them and do it instead of them. (FORMAL) We hope you will consent to act in his stead... perpetually: forever or for a long time unjustifiable: If you describe an action, especially one that harms someone, as unjustifiable, you mean there is no good reason for it. Using these missiles to down civilian aircraft is simply immoral and totally unjustifiable. ≠ justifiable

9. Check Your Comprehension A Answer the following questions with the information from the text. 1. According to the text, can competition and cooperation coexist? Why or why not? No. Competition and cooperation are impossible to exist together. For one thing, we can’t really develop deep and full relationships with one another when we want to win against a common enemy. For another, we very often won’t trust and may even develop a hatred of our opposing side.

10. 2.What tends to be the only motive in a competitive event? What is wrong with that? Very often, the only motive in a competitive event is to win. This motive doesn’t help to seek the truth or resolve an issue, which should be the real goal of a competitive activity. 3. What damage can competition do to society? If competition means that one person can succeed only if others fail, it is next to impossible to build a real society where people care for one another.

11. 4. Why can’t one enjoy real satisfaction even when he or she is successful? Even if we are successful, it doesn’t mean we will be able to succeed all the time. Even if we reach the top, it doesn’t mean we can remain at the top all the time. In this sense, feeling insecure about our success and our top position prevents us from enjoying real satisfaction.

12. 5. Why is competition not conducive to good mental health? If competition means that I have to be better than others, my self-worth is reliant on whether I win or not in my activities. This mentality does not contribute to my mental health as I don’t have unconditional self-esteem.

13. Check Your Comprehension B 1. Competition plays such a very important role in our culture that it is common to see even adults shouting and swearing on Sunday afternoons (when watching baseball games). This is ridiculous and I feel bad about it. 2. From my own experience, I don’t think that we can develop deep and full relationships by trying to compete and win against a common enemy.

14. 3. If my success means that I have to be better than others, I don’t think I’ll ever have real satisfaction because I have to keep thinking of how to outdo others, which is very unpleasant and exhausting. 4. Even when I reach the top position, I will not feel safe as all those below me will be waiting to outdo me and try to grab the position from me. 5. I start to see that my confidence in my personal value and worth is dependent on how much better I am than so many others in so many activities.

15. 6. Only when we begin to realize that there is no such a thing as healthy competition can we begin to live more normal and richer lives.

16. Check Your Vocabulary A

18. New words and expressions for Reading Two: narcissistic: If you describe someone as narcissistic, you disapprove of them because they think about themselves a lot and admire themselves too much. (FORMAL) He was insufferable at times – self-centred and narcissistic. fall short: 达不到（目标） One or two songs on the album are interesting, but most fall short of the mark (=are not good enough).

19. keep someone on their toes:to make sure that someone is ready for anything that might happen They do random checks (随意抽查)to keep workers on their toes. toxic: A toxic substance is poisonous. ...the cost of cleaning up toxic waste... These products are not toxic to humans. = poisonous

20. pervasive: Something, especially something bad, that is pervasive is present or felt throughout a place or thing. (FORMAL) ...the pervasive influence of the army in national life... crush: If you are crushed by something, it upsets you a great deal. Listen to criticism but don’t be crushed by it. = devastate

21. model: set an example to other people by behaving in a certain way defective: If something is defective, there is something wrong with it and it does not work properly. Retailers can return defective merchandise. make up to: If you say that you will make it up to someone, you are promising that you will do something good for them after they have been upset or disappointed, especially by you. I’ll make it up to you, I promise... I must make it up to him for the awful intrusion of last night.

22. stellar: A stellar person or thing is considered to be very good. The French companies are registering stellar profits. = outstanding graceful: If a person’s behaviour is graceful, it is polite, kind, and pleasant, especially in a difficult situation. He was charming, cheerful, and graceful under pressure.

23. Check Your Comprehension B • You knew that one had healthy self-esteem when he/she could enjoy competing in a hobby which he/she was not very good at. 2. A true competition is one in which you don’t know for sure whether or not you’ll be able to achieve your aim. 3. For many of us, competition is an additional ingredient that keeps our life interesting, makes us alert and active, and enables us to become more creative and productive.

24. Check Your Comprehension B 4. It can become a good part of our life and exerts a great (negative) influence on how we live. 5. Parents must also set an example of how to compete pleasantly in their own lives.

25. New words and expressions for Reading Three: outdo: If you outdo someone, you are a lot more successful than they are at a particular activity. Both sides have tried to outdo each other to show how tough they can be. strand: a single thin piece of thread, wire, hair etc He reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

26. get carried away:If you get carried away or are carried away, you are so eager or excited about something that you do something hasty or foolish. I got completely carried away and almost cried. mess up: If you mess something up or if you mess up, you cause something to fail or be spoiled. (INFORMAL) When politicians mess things up, it is the people who pay the price... He had messed up one career... If I messed up, I would probably be fired.

27. gripe: If you say that someone is griping, you mean they are annoying you because they keep on complaining about something. (INFORMAL) Why are football players griping when the average salary is half a million dollars?... They were always griping about high prices. = grumble, whinge

28. audition: 1. n. An audition is a short performance given by an actor, dancer, or musician so that a director or conductor can decide if they are good enough to be in a play, film, or orchestra. 2. v. If you audition or if someone auditions you, you do an audition. I heard your record and I want you to come and audition.

29. chair: the position of a player in an orchestra 乐队演奏者的职位 placement: The placement of something or someone is the act of putting them in a particular place or position. The treatment involves the placement of twenty-two electrodes in the inner ear. The centre provides a job placement service.

30. downright: You use downright to emphasize unpleasant or bad qualities or behaviour. ...ideas that would have been downright dangerous if put into practice... = positively sit back: If you sit back while something is happening, you relax and do not become involved in it. (INFORMAL) They didn’t have to do anything except sit back and enjoy life... by all means: of course

31. show somebody up: to make someone feel embarrassed by behaving in a stupid or unacceptable way when you are with them She says I showed her up in front of her friends when they came to the house.curve ball: If someone throws you a curve or if they throw you a curve ball, they surprise you by doing something you do not expect. (mainly AM) At the last minute, I threw them a curve ball by saying, “We’re going to bring spouses.”

32. put through: If someone puts you through an unpleasant experience, they make you experience it. She wouldn’t want to put them through the ordeal of a huge ceremony... depress: If someone or something depresses you, they make you feel sad and disappointed. I must admit the state of the country depresses me... back off: If you back off, you move away in order to avoid problems or a fight. They backed off in horror.

33. Check Your Comprehension A • What are some of the excuses we use in order to hide our intention to win over others? Fun, experience, and the chance to meet new people are often used as excuses by us to outdo each other. • Why did the author think that her neighbour won last year in their Christmas light competition? Because her neighbour bought all the lights in the supermarket before she could get there.

34. 3. What is the author’s opinion on coaches yelling at kids losing games? Why? The author can’t stand seeing coaches yell at kids losing games, because losing shouldn’t be a big deal as someone has to lose sometimes and no one can win all the time. 4. What is the attitude of those who audition towards others who are competing against them? They are all scared and terrified, no matter whether they are the good people or the bad ones.

35. 5. What is the advice the author gives when bad things occur to us? Try our best to find some good in them and make the most.

36. Check Your Comprehension B • Competing can be fun, but we may be overenthusiastic and unreasonable about it. • Candidates who sit in a test performance in order to join certain bands can get undeniably violent and aggressive. • Feel free to find a gift of yours, develop it, and embarrass those who dare to challenge you. • If competition isn’t fun and people find themselves feeling extremely worried about an event they are competing in, then why not stop going through it?

37. New words and expressions for Reading Four: sandbox: A sandbox is a shallow hole or box in the ground with sand in it where small children can play. (AM; in BRIT, use sandpit ) temperament: Your temperament is your basic nature, especially as it is shown in the way that you react to situations or to other people. His impulsive temperament regularly got him into difficulties... She was furtive and vicious by temperament.

38. realm: You can use realm to refer to any area of activity, interest, or thought. (FORMAL) ...the realm of politics... take on: If something takes on a new appearance or quality, it develops that appearance or quality. Believing he had only a year to live, his writing took on a feverish intensity. = assume

39. paralysis: Paralysis is the loss of the ability to move and feel in all or part of your body. ... paralysis of the leg. downplay: If you downplay a fact or feature, you try to make people think that it is less important or serious than it really is. The government is trying to downplay the violence. = play down

40. sportsmanship: Sportsmanship is behaviour and attitudes that show respect for the rules of a game and for the other players. pit: If two opposing things or people are pitted against one another, they are in conflict. You will be pitted against people who are every bit as good as you are... The men had to pit themselves against the forces of nature.

41. name-calling: [uncountable] When people use unpleasant words to describe someone in order to insult or upset them, it is called name-calling. ostracism: Ostracism is the state of being ostracized or the act of ostracizing someone. (FORMAL) sidelines: The sidelines are the lines marking the long sides of the playing area, for example on a football field or tennis court. Wenger stood on the sidelines shouting instructions.

42. step in: If you step in, you get involved in a difficult situation because you think you can or should help with it. Parents have stepped in to provide homework help in the afternoon program. = intervene disservice: If you do someone or something a disservice, you harm them in some way. (FORMAL) He said the protesters were doing a disservice to the nation... The fans have done the game a great disservice.