Unit 3

1. Unit 3 My Stroke of Luck

2. About the Author • Kirk Douglas: (1916- ) American film actor and producer • Spouse: Anne Buydens • Sons: Michael Douglas, Eric Douglas, Joel Douglas and Peter Douglas

3. About the Author

4. Pre-reading Activities • What is Kirk Douglas’s main point in this article? • Can you list some phrases including “luck” or “lucky”? • What do you think the title “a stroke of luck” really refers to?

5. Have luck • Good luck! / Best of luck! • good / bad / hard / tough luck • be in / out of luck • Try / chance your luck • Lucky you / me! • a lucky dog • Thank your lucky star! • Some people have all the luck! • Stroke of luck

6. The Title • My Stroke of Luck • stroke: 1) a sudden occurrence or result　突然的事 a stroke of luck / fortune一桩意外的幸事/运气 a stroke of misfortune a stroke of lightening 一道闪电 a stroke of genius / inspiration 聪明之举/绝妙的主意 2) an occasion when a blood tube in your brain suddenly bursts or is blocked 中风 have / suffer a stroke

7. Pun : a figure of speech; a play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words. 双关：一种文字游戏，有时利用同一个词的不同意思,而有时利用不同词的相近意思或发音

8. Pun • 1. We must all hang together or we shall all hang separately. (意义双关) • 2. Seven days without water make one weak.(谐音双关) • 3. I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln. ---- President Gerald, R. Ford • puny adj. 一语双关的; 带双关谐语的

9. More examples of pun: • 杨柳青青江水平，闻郎江上唱歌声。东边日出西边雨，道是无晴却有晴。 • 空对着，山中高士晶莹雪；终不忘，世外仙姝寂寞林。 • 杰拉尔德·R·福特（1913年出生）是美国第38任总统，他说话喜欢用双关语。 有一次，他回答记者提问时说：“我是一辆福待，不是林肯。 众所周知，林肯既是美国很伟大的总统，又是一种最高级的名牌小汽车；福特则是当时普通、廉价而大众化的汽车。福特说这句话，一是表示谦虚，一是为了标榜自己是大众喜欢的总统。

10. Structural analysis: • Part 1( Para 1-2) Introduction • Part 2 (Para 3-4) His wife’s intuition and good judgments • Part 3(Para 5-7) Romance and marriage • Part 4(Para 8) Back to his recovery from the crash. • Part 5( Para 9-13) How his wife handled her crisis and helped rebuild his confidence. • Part 6(Para 14) Conclusion

11. Para. 1 • offer: to express willingness (to do something) e.g. It was very nice of her to offer, but I couldn’t let her pay for the meal. offer sb. a drink • give sb. a ride: give a free journey to sb.

12. collidev. to hit each other accidentally 互撞；碰撞 e.g. The two planes collided with each other in mid-air （半空中）. Many people were hurt when the two buses collided on the corner. • collisionn. the act of colliding 碰撞；互撞 e.g. So many unfortunate cases have risen from the collision of different cultures.

13. survive vi. & vt.: to not die in an accident or war or from an illness 幸存 survive in sth. survive sth. e.g. Seven people survived (in) the accident. There are concerns that the refugees cannot survive the winter.

14. 2. instantlyadv. immediately, at once 立即，马上 • e.g. I recognized her instantly I caught a glimpse of her. He pressed the button and instantly there was a strange sound. • instant:adj. instant noodle, instant coffee • instance:n. (moment; example) • e.g. You get back here this instance! I will not say that again! There are many animals in sight, the kangaroo, for instance.

15. Question for Discussion • What does the author mean by “ Another helicopter ride. Just what I needed? • He means that he needed the prompt transport to their neighborhood hospital by helicopter.

16. Para. 2 • wreckage:n. something wrecked or the debris of something wrecked 残骸 • wreck: v.& n.船只飞机等失事，破坏 e.g. The explosion shattered nearby windows and wrecked two cars.He has been warned that his behavior might wreck his chances of promotion晋升. • L.A. ---Los Angeles

17. Para. 3 • psychiatrist:精神病学家（医生） • survivor’s guilt: p. 33 • intuition: the power of sensing or knowing without the use of rational processes直觉 • The old hunter knew by intuition that the deer was nearby. • depressedadj. sad or gloomy忧伤的；抑郁的；消沉的 e.g. I need something to occupy my mind. I get depressed if I have nothing to do.

18. depressing: adj. It was such a depressing moment that no one could strive for a smile. • depressionn. a feeling of sadness and hopelessness沮丧；愁苦；抑郁；失望情绪 • the Great Depression 大萧条时期(1929-1933) • suicidal: with a tendency to commit suicide

19. Para. 4 • flee: to run away, as from trouble or danger flee, fled, fled • occupation: career; vocation • subtitles:字幕

20. Para. 5 • starv. to appear as a main performer in a film 主演；担任主要角色；由…担任主演 e.g. He has starred in many pictures. • show up: appear e.g. He didn’t show up until the last moment. • delicate: exquisitely fine or dainty:精细的，雅致的： e.g. delicate china.精美的瓷器 • striking: very attractive

21. miff: to cause to become offended or annoyed. be miffed with/at 生...的气 get/have/take a miff 生气, 发脾气 • in a miff生着气

22. Para. 6 • temporarya. lasting only for a limited period of time 暂时的；临时的；短暂的 e.g. We apologize for the temporary inconvenience caused by the building work. • on a …basis:在…基础 (原则)上 e.g. I expect you to have a complete physical check-up on a weekly basis. • first thought

23. DIFFICULT SENTENCE But that took some doing on my part too. But I also made some efforts to adjust myself. • take some doing: 大费周折；不容易 • on someone’s part — on the part of somebody 就…而言；关于某人的 e.g. It was a mistake on the part of Jones to sign the agreement without reading it.

24. Para. 7 • poignantadj. keen or strong in mental appeal 深刻的；强烈的 • meet up with: to encounter; run into偶遇 • We slipped away to Las Vegas to tie the knot. We went to Las Vegas secretly to get married. • slip: to escape • tie the knot (俚语): to get married

25. …given that I’m sometimes as an actor wrapped up in his ego. • …because I am sometimes too proud of myself as an actor. • given that: considering…;if 在…情况下;如果 e.g. “I’d come and see you in New York, given the chance.” Given more time, our team would have won the championship. • provided that…: if • providing that…:if

26. be wrapped up in — to be totally absorbed in 被....迷住；全神贯注在 e.g. He doesn’t have much time for a social life, because he’s too wrapped up in his work. • ego: n. 自我；自负 I should have apologized to him, but my ego would not allow me to. • After the crash, I couldn’t sit without extreme pain. • After the crash, I suffered from extreme pain if I did not lie down.

27. Para. 9 • consolev. to give comfort to someone in times of sadness 安慰；抚慰；慰问 • consolation: n. consolation match; consolation prize • feel sorry for oneself情绪低落,垂头丧气 • undergov. to experience or suffer 经受; 遭受 e.g. He was frightened when he realized he would have to undergo a dangerous heart operation.

28. diagnosticadj. of or relating to diagnosing 诊断的 • diagnostic surgery:诊断性手术 • diagnosev. to discover the nature of a disease 诊断疾病 • malignantadj. (of a disease) serious enough to cause death if not prevented 恶性的（肿瘤） • benignadj. (of a disease) not dangerous to life; not malignant 良性的

29. authorizev. to give permission or power to 授权 e.g. I authorized the man to act for me while I was away. • authorizationn. right or official power to do something 授权, 认可

30. Para. 10 • finance: to provide money for; to fund • deplorable: very bad

31. Para. 11 • beneficiaryn. the receiver of a benefit 受惠者；受益人 e.g. Her husband was the chief beneficiary of her will. • benefit: v. & n. • beneficial: adj. be beneficial to sb. • manicure: n. & v. 修手指甲

32. Para. 12 • treatn. (1) something that gives pleasure, joy, or delight, esp. when unexpected 使人愉快的事；乐事 (2) (one’s ~) one’s act of buying or giving something special or paying for the food, drink, amusement, etc. 某人作东；某人请客 e.g. Now remember this is to be my treat, so I’ll pay for everything.

33. Para. 14 • epiphany: n.对真谛的领悟 • inspirev. 1) to give a feeling of power, usu. to do good 使生灵感 e.g. The novel is obviously inspired by her childhood experience. 2) to encourage in (someone) the ability to act 鼓励；激励 • e.g. I was inspired to work harder. • inspirationn. an urge to produce good and beautiful things, such as works of art 灵感

34. Questions for discussion • (1) What are your criteria or expectations for the personality of your better half? • (2) What is your idea of a successful marriage? Can you name some of the well-known couples that you consider have been blessed with a successful marriage?