新标准大学英语综合教程第四册课后练习答案

Unit 1

Active reading (1)

Looking for a job after university? First, get off the sofa

Reading and understanding

Dealing with unfamiliar words

3 Match the words in the box with their definitions.

1 to make progress by moving to the next stage in a series of actions or events (proceed)

2 the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another (transition)

3 not feeling involved with someone or something in a close or emotional way (detached)

4 referring to something which will happen soon (upcoming)

5 to be sitting still in a position that is not upright (slump)

6 to return to a previous state or way of behaving (revert)

7 to say what happened (recount)

4Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 3.

It isn’t easy to mak e the (1) transition from a busy university student to an unemployed young adult (2) slumped on a bar stool or half watching a mindless television show, wondering if and how their career is going to (3) proceed. Many people who have experienced a long period of inactivity like this, when (4) recounting how they felt at the time, refer to the same strange psychological effect. As the days pass, they begin to feel (5) detached from any sense of pressure to go and look for a job, and tend to regard (6) upcoming interviews as if they were not very important. Typically, back at home after three or four years away, they (7) revert to old habits, start seeing old friends, and, in many cases, become dependent again on their parents.

5Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.

1 I went to a mixed-ability secondary school just outside London. (comprehensive)

2 I got stopped by a policeman who asked to see my driving licence. (cop)

3Have you seen this beautiful from the air view of Oxford? (aerial)

4Isabel tightly her bag as she walked down the corridor towards the office. (clutched)

5 You should speak to Toby; he’s an supporter of flexible working hours. (advocate)

6 I hurt my leg badly a couple of month s ago, and it still hasn’t got better completely. (healed)

6 Answer the questions about the words.

1 Is a dead-end job one with (a) exciting prospects, or (b) no future?

2 Is a tricky problem (a) difficult, or (b) easy to solve?

3If an activity saps all your energy, do you feel (a) tired, or (b) more active than usual?

4Does a pushy person try to (a) persuade you to do something you don’t want to, or (b) help you by listening to what you have to say?

5If you feel apathy, do you want to (a) change the world, or (b) stay at home and do nothing?

7 Answer the questions about the phrases.

1Is fork out (a) a formal, or (b) an informal way of saying to pay for something?

2If you are in the same boat as another person, are you (a) making the same journey together, or (b) in the same difficult or unpleasant situation?

3If you feel you have come full circle, do you (a) feel you are back where you started, or (b) feel a sense of satisfaction because you have completed something?

4If someone takes a soft line, do they deal with a person (a) in a kind and sympathetic way, or (b) in a lazy way without making a decision?

5If you strike the right note about something, are you expressing yourself (a) well, or (b) badly?

6 If you do something by all means, do you (a) try your best to do it, or (b) not care about it?

7If you nudge someone back into the saddle, are you encouraging them to (a) take responsibility again, or (b) take it easy?

8If you talk through a problem with someone, do you (a) examine it carefully and sensitively, or (b) refer to it quickly and then change the subject?

Active reading (2)

If you ask me

Dealing with unfamiliar words

4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.

1funny or entertaining (amusing)

2used for emphasizing that something good has happened, especially because of good luck (fortunately)

3an amount of money that a person, business or country borrows, usually from a bank (loan)

4 to take an amount or number from a total (deduct)

5 the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event (highlight)

6 to show that you understand someone’s problems (sympathize)

7 needing a lot of time, ability, and energy (demanding)

5Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.

A After three years at university, I’m now quite he avily in debt.

B I (1) sympathize with you, I know what it’s like to have financial problems. But (2) fortunately I didn’t need to take out a student (3) loan when I was at university, because I had a part-time job.

A What did you do?

B I worked in a restaurant at weekends.

A That must have been very (4) demanding.

B Yes, it was. I had to get the right balance between work and study. But the other people who worked there were good fun to be with, so it was quite (5) amusing too. The (6) highlight of the weekend was always Saturday night when we worked overtime.

A But I don’t expect you made a lot of money?

B No, there wasn’t much after they’d (7) deducted tax and pension contributions. But it was enough to keep me going.

6Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.

1When I was at college I kept all my personal things in an old cupboard.

2A lot of people who leave university before getting a degree end up in good jobs.

3 I think she’ll get a good degree, but I wouldn’t risk my money on the exact result.

4 The money I spent at college was more than what I earned in my part-time job.

5 The chances of my being offered a job after that interview must be quite remote.

6 Our business has done very well since we changed our advertising.

7 I think telling the truth and not cheating is always the best p olicy.

Key: (1) belongings (2) dropouts (3) gamble (4) exceeded (5) odds

(6) has thrived (7) honesty

7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.

1If something is not all it’s cracked up to be, is it (a) valid and interesting, or (b) just a little bit disappointing?

2If someone keeps banging on about something, are you likely to be (a) interested in, or (b) bored by what they say?

3If there is a lot of hassle in your life, are you likely to feel (a) stressed, or (b) relaxed?

4 If something happens out of the blue, is it (a) unexpected, or (b) part of your plan?

5If you say you ended up in a particular job, do you suggest that (a) you have fulfilled your ambition, or (b) it happened almost by chance?

6Are the regulars in a pub (a) the customers who come very often, or (b) the food the pub offers most often?

7If something is dead easy, is it (a) very easy, or (b) not easy at all?

8If you treat someone to something, do you (a) buy something nice for them, or (b) behave badly to them?

9If you cheer a place up, do you (a) make the place look brighter, or (b) make the people in the place happier?

Reading and interpreting

8 Look at the sentences from the passage and identify the style features.

1Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in t he big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?

This shows the informality of an incomplete sentence in the first part, the use of an informal expression (banging on) and a rhetorical question to the reader (What do I find?)

2Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?) …

This has the use of an informal word (hassle), an informal exclamation (god) and a question to the reader (When will they grow up?)

3Actually, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Here there is a discourse marker typical of speech (Actually) and an informal phrase (had my eye on).

4 I kind of understand it, and not just because my degree is in economics.

Here “kind of” is a sort of discourse marker of informal speech (showing something is general, vague or not definite).

5 I wanted something in finance and investments, because you know, maybe with a job like that, I could use my degree.

This has a discourse marker of informal speech (you know).

6 ... it’s true, he really did seem to have three hands.

Again here is a discou rse marker of informal speech (it’s true).

7 I talked to him about ... well, about pretty well everything …

This has another discourse marker of informal speech (well) and an informal phrase (pretty well). Language in use

word formation: compound nouns

1 Write the compound nouns which mean:

1 a degree which is awarded a first class (a first-class degree)

2 work in a hospital (hospital work)

3 a ticket for a plane journey (a plane ticket)

4 a discount for students (a student discount)

5 a pass which allows you to travel on buses (a bus pass)

6 a room where an interview is held (an interview room)

7 a period spent in training (a training period)

word formation: noun phrases

2 Write the noun phrases which mean:

1 a career which is rewarding from the financial point of view (a financially rewarding career)

2 legislation which has been introduced recently (recently introduced legislation)

3 instructions which are more complex than usual (unusually complex instructions)

4 an institution which is orientated towards academic (academically orientated w ork)

5 work which makes physical demands on you (physically demanding work)

6information which has the potential to be important (potentially important information)

7candidates who have been selected after a careful procedure (carefully selected candidates)

8a coursebook in which everything has been planned beautifully (a beautifully planned textbook)

try as … might

3 Rewrite the sentences using try as … might .

1 I’m trying to fill this last page, but I just can’t thi nk of anything.

Try as I might to fill this last page, I just can’t think of anything.

2 I try to be friendly with Marta, but she doesn’t seem to r espond.

Try as I might to be friendly with Marta, she doesn’t seem to respond.

3 I try hard to get to sleep, but I can’t help thinking about my family.

Try as I might to get to sleep, I can’t help thinking about my family.

4He just doesn’t seem to get the promotion he deserves, even though he keeps trying.

Try as he might, he just doesn’t seem to get the promotio n he deserves. / Try as he might to get the promotion he deserves, he just doesn’t seem to get it.

5I keep trying to remember her name, but my mind is a blank.

Try as I might to remember her name, my mind is a blank.

given that …

4 Rewrite the sentences using given that …

1 Since I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.

Given that I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.

2 Xiao Li has the best qualifications, so she should get the job.

Given that Xiao Li has the best qualifications, she should get the job.

3 Since we’re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work.

Given that we’re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work.

4 Since it’s rather late, I think we s hould leave this last task until tomorrow.

Given that it’s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow.

clauses introduced by than

5 Rewrite the sentences using clauses introduced by than .

1 She’s experienced at giving advice. I’m more experienced.

She’s less experienced at giving advice than I am. / I’m more experienced at giving advice than she is.

2 You eat too much chocolate. It isn’t good for you.

You eat too much chocolate than is good for you.

3She worked very hard. Most part-timers don’t work so hard.

She worked harder than most part-timers do.

4You have arrived late too many times. That isn’t acceptable.

You have arrived late more times than is acceptable.

5I don’t think you should have given so much personal information. It isn’t w ise.

I think you have given more personal information than is wise.

collocations

6Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.

1 highlight A highlight is the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event.

(a)What would you like to be the highlight of your career?

I would like the highlight of my student career to be to receive a national award for the best student research project.

(b)How can you highlight an important sentence in a text?

You can underline it in pencil or pen or you can use coloured pens or highlighters.

(c)What are the edited highlights of a football match?

The highlights are when someone scores a goal or prevents one from being scored.

2 loan A loan is an amount of money someone borrows from someone else.

(a)Have you ever taken out a loan?

No, I haven’t. But my parents have taken out several loans to buy kitchen equipment.

(b)What is the best way to pay off a loan?

It is best to pay a loan off quickly, although you will still have to pay some interest.

(c)If you have a library book on loan, what do you have to do with it?

You have to return it before the date it is due, otherwise you may have to pay a fine.

3 thrive To thrive means to be very successful, happy or healthy.

(a)What sort of business thrives best in your part of the country?

In my part of the country, light industries and electronics companies thrive.

(b)Which sort of plants thrive in a hot climate?

In a hot climate you can see tropical fruit and vegetables thrive and also tropical plants and trees. (c)Why do you think some couples thrive on conflict?

It is difficult to understand why some couples thrive on conflict. Maybe each one wants to compete with the other or maybe they enjoy “kissing and making up” after the conflict.

7Translate the paragraphs into Chinese.

If you as k me, real life is not all it’s cracked up to be. Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?

Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostly with money. It’s just so expensive out here! Everyone wants a slice off you. The Inland Revenue wants to deduct income tax, the bank manager wants repayments on my student loan, the landlord wants the rent, gas, water, electricity and my mobile bills keep coming in, and all that’s before I’ve had anything to eat. And then some bright spark calls me out of the blue, asking if I’m interested in buying a pension. At this rate, I won’t even last till the end of the year, let alone till I’m 60.（? 翻译时可以根据上下文增译，即增加原文暗含了但没有直接表达出来的意思。如最后一句译文加了“领养老金”，点出了与上一句的关联。）依我看，现实生活与人们想象的不一样。我们上了12年的中、小学，又上了3年的大学，这期间老师们一直在没完没了地谈论在安宁的学生生活之外那个广阔天地里的各种机会，可我遇到的又是什么呢？

无论我怎么想保持心情愉快，麻烦事总是接踵而来：有时是跟人争吵（尤其是跟男孩，天哪！他们什么时候才能长大？），但通常是为钱发愁。这个地方什么东西都很贵！人人都想从我身上拿点钱去：国税局要收个人所得税，银行经理要我偿清学生贷款，房东催我交房租、燃气费、水费、电费，手机账单也不断地寄来。所有这些还没算上吃饭的钱。更可气的是，不知从哪里冒出一个自作聪明的家伙冷不丁地给我打电话，问我要不要买养老金。照这样下去，我连今年都活不过去了，更别提活到60岁领养老金了。

8Translate the paragraphs into English.

我认为，选修第二专业并不适合每一位本科生。我大学本科主修英语专业，大一时就开始辅修经济学了。无疑，我是班里最用功的学生。我竭尽全力想同时达到两个不同专业的要求，但还是有不及格的时候。因为经济学需要良好的数学基础，我不得不花大量时间钻研数学，因而忽略了英语学习。

第二学期,《英国文学》及《宏观经济学》两门课不及格给我敲响了警钟，这可是我一生中第一次考试不及格，这大大打击了我的自信心。虽然我不是一个容易向命运低头的人，在暑假结束的时候，我还是决定放弃经济学，以免两个专业都难以完成。当我只需修一个专业的时候，一切似乎又回到了正轨。(if you ask me; odds; try as … might; sap one’s confidence; given that; bow to fate; come to a close; for fear that; now that)

If you ask me, taking a second major isn’t good for every undergraduate. In my freshman year as an English major, I took economics as my minor. By all odds, I was the most hardworking student in my class. But try as I might to meet the requirements of the two different subjects, I still couldn’t do well enough to pass all the exams. Given that the study of economics required a good command ofmathematics, I had to spend so much time on math that I neglected my English major.

Failing English Literature and Macroeconomics in the second semester sounded the alarm for me.

This was the first time I did not pass a course in my life, which had greatly sapped my confidence. Although I was not a man who would easily bow to fate, as the summer break came to a close, I decided to give up economics for fear that I would fail in both subjects. Now that I had only one subject to attend to, everything seemed to be on the right track again.

Translation of the passages

Active reading (1)

大学毕业找工作的第一要义：别躺在沙发上做梦

今年夏天，超过65 万的大学生毕业离校，其中有许多人根本不知道怎么找工作。在当今金融危机的背景下，做父母的该如何激励他们？

七月，你看着21 岁英俊的儿子穿上学士袍，戴上四方帽，骄傲地握着优等学士学位证书，拍毕业照。这时，记忆中每年支付几千英镑，好让儿子吃好、能参加奇特聚会的印象开始消退。总算熬到头了。等到暑假快要结束，全国各地的学生正在为新学期做准备的时候，你发现大学毕业的儿子还歪躺在沙发上看电视。他只是偶尔走开去发短信，浏览社交网站Facebook，去酒吧喝酒。这位前“千禧一代”的后裔一夜之间变成了哼哼一代的成员。他能找到工作吗？

这就是成千上万家庭所面临的景象：今年夏天，超过65 万大学生毕业，在当今金融危机的背景下他们中的大多数人不知道自己下一步该做什么。父母只会唠叨，而儿女们则毫无缘由地变成了叛逆者，他们知道自己该找份工作，但却不知道如何去找。

来自米德尔塞克斯郡的杰克·古德温今年夏天从诺丁汉大学政治学系毕业，获得二级一等荣誉学士学位。他走进大学就业服务中心，又径直走了出来，因为他看见很多人在那里排长队。跟他一起

住的另外5 个男孩也都跟他一样，进去又出来了。找工作的压力不大，虽然他所认识的大多数女生都有更清晰的计划。

他说：“我申请政治学研究工作，但被拒了。他们给的年薪是1 万8 千镑，交完房租后所剩无几，也就够买一罐煮豆子，可他们还要有研究经历或硕士学位的人。然后我又申请了公务员速升计划，并通过了笔试。但在面试时，他们说我‘太冷漠’了，谈吐‘太像专家治国国论者’。我觉得自己不可能那样，但我显然就是那样的。”

打那以后他整个夏天都在“躲”。他能够轻松复述《交通警察》中的若干片段，他白天看电视的时间太多，已经到了影响健康的地步。跟朋友谈自己漫无目标的日子时，他才发现他们的处境和自己的并没有两样。其中一位朋友在父母的逼迫下去超市摆货，其余的都是白天9 点到5 点“无所事事”，晚上去酒吧喝酒打发时间。要么，干脆就在酒吧工作？这样还可以挣些酒钱。“我不想在酒吧工作，我上的是综合性中学，我拼命读书才考上了一所好大学。到了大学，我又埋头苦读，才得到一个好学位。可现在我却跟那些没上过大学的朋友处在同一个水平线上，他们整天给客人倒酒，干无聊的活。我觉得自己好像兜了一圈，又回到了原来的起点。

他的母亲杰奎琳·古德温为他辩护。她坚持认为她的儿子已经尽力了，她自己中学毕业后一直都在工作，可是她和她的丈夫发现，建议儿子如何继续找工作是件很棘手的事情。她说，“我一直都必须工作。现在找工作很难，因为如果你有了学位，学位就会为你提供新的机会，至少你自己会这么想。”

虽然现在她对儿子的态度还比较温和，但是她心里很清楚，去南美度三星期的假之后，他的休假就结束了。他可能还得付房租，分担家庭开支。她说，“在某个时候他们总该长大成人，我们已经帮了他们交了大学的学费，所以他们也该给我们一点点回报了。南美度假就是一个分水岭，他回来以后如果找不到工作，那就打圣诞节零工好了。”

心理治疗师盖尔·林登费尔德是《情感康复策略》的作者。她说古德温家长的说法是很恰当

的，从上大学到工作的转换对孩子和父母来说都很艰难，关键是他们要在支持理解孩子和不溺爱孩子之间取得平衡。

“父母的主要任务就是支持他们，如果他们教导孩子该如何做就会引起矛盾，”她说。“如果有熟人，一定要找他们想办法。但很多父母心太软了。必须限制孩子的零花钱，要求他们交房租，或分担日常生活或养宠物的花销。父母要过正常的生活，不要让孩子随便用你们的银行卡或者榨干你们的情感能量。”

为他们支付职业咨询费、面试交通费及书费是好事，但不能催得太紧。林登费尔德建议：虽说父母不能太宽容，但是如果孩子找工作遇到了挫折，父母应该体谅他们，宽容他们几天甚至几周——这要看他们受打击的程度来决定。等他们缓过来之后，父母就该坚决要求孩子继续求职。

男孩更容易困在家里。林登费尔德相信男人比母亲和姐妹更容易帮助他们的儿子、侄子、或朋友的儿子。她说，由于男人和女人处理挫折的方式不同，孩子们需要跟男人谈话，才能度过难关。

她强烈支持他们去酒吧工作：那是克服毕业冷漠症的一剂良方。这工作好不好要取决于你如何看待它。就是在酒吧打工的时候，林登费尔德找到了她的第一份工作，当航拍助手。她说在酒吧工作是拓展人际关系的绝好机会，肯定比赖在家里看电视更容易找到工作。

她说：“给超市上货也一样。如果干得好，你就会被人发现的。如果你聪明、活泼，对顾客彬彬有礼，你很快就会升职。所以，把它看作是机会，那些最终能成功的人士都有在超市上货的经历。”

你的儿子或女儿可能不会干好莱坞影星们干过的活，比如像乌比·戈德堡那样去停尸房给死人化妆，或者像布鲁斯·威利斯那样在核电站当警卫，但即便是布拉德·皮特也曾经不得不穿上宽大的鸡套装站在墨西哥快餐连锁店El Pollo Loco 的门口招揽生意。他们中没有一个人因为这些经历而变得越来越穷。

Active reading (2)

依我看

依我看，现实生活与人们想象的不一样。我们上了12 年的中、小学，又上了3 年的大学，这期间老师们一直在没完没了地谈论在安宁的学生生活之外那个广阔天地里的各种机会，可我遇到的又是什么呢？

无论我怎么想保持心情愉快，麻烦事总是接踵而来：有时是跟人争吵（尤其是跟男孩，天哪！他们什么时候才能长大？），但通常是为钱发愁。这个地方什么东西都很贵！人人都想从我身上拿点钱去：国税局要收个人所得税，银行经理要我偿清学生贷款，房东催我交房租、燃气费、水费、电费，手机账单也不断地寄来。所有这些还没算上吃饭的钱。更可气的是，不知从哪里冒出一个自作聪明的家伙冷不丁地给我打电话，问我要不要买养老金。照这样下去，我连今年都活不过去了，更别提活到60 岁领养老金了。

我那时还不想出去工作。我的意思是，我并不是个中途辍学者，但我知道自己以后可能不得不退学。许多人认为“生活不是野餐”，“没有免费的午餐”。但既然我拿到了优等生文凭，我想我应该继续攻读硕士学位。实际上，我已经瞄上了伦敦经济学院的课程，这是一所顶尖的学校，能给我的履历表增添一段光彩的经历。但当我跟妈妈谈起这件事时，她说她没法继续供我上学了。我大概能理解她的心情，这不仅仅是因为我学的是经济学。15 年来，为了能让我上学，她含辛茹苦。这些年来，父亲大部分时间都不在家。就算在家，他也没钱。他把钱都拿去赌狗、喝酒了。我听了妈妈的话，向命运低下了头。

依我看，不管人们说什么，幸运的是世上还是有很多好心人。麦克就是其中的一个。大学毕业时，我想如果我回家，妈妈会觉得她有责任照顾我。所以，我就收拾行李去伦敦找工作。我想找金融和投资方面的职位，因为你知道这样我就可以用上我的专业知识。可是那时候已经

没有这样的工作了，我又不愿意做乏味的办公室工作，复印文件、端茶倒水什么的。

无论你走到伦敦的什么地方，你都能找到一个好酒吧。有一天，我意识到这个城里没有人会雇我，我走进位于特荷街的索尔兹伯里酒吧去喝一杯，顺便吃点东西。店主麦克正在店里，他一只手倒酒，一只手做三明治，同时还洗酒杯。他真的好像有三只手。他好像也认识所有的客人，叫得出常客的名字。

他跟他们打招呼，帮他们调好酒后问一句：“今天还喝这个，是吧？”我觉得他看起来蛮酷的，他在做着他最擅长做的事情：为那些口渴的顾客服务，没人能比得上他。所以我就走上前去问他要不要雇人。好吧，长话短说，某个周五的午餐时间我开始在那个酒吧打工。这份工作要求很高，但我喜欢干。

顾客好像觉得我挺逗乐的，这也让我感觉好一些。有位穿西服的中年常客总要半品脱苦啤酒，一份火腿泡菜三明治，面包皮要消掉。他叫托尼。我一看见他进来，不等他开口就开始准备他的午餐，他也是那些好心人之一。

依我看，一个人没钱的时候花钱最容易。我开始琢磨怎么花第一个月的薪水了。我住的公寓房租很贵，我挣的钱刚够支付第一个月的大笔账单，但是我估计还能剩点钱好好犒劳一下自己。我想，何不买张CD 或买盆花草装点一下房间？

发工资的那天正好是我的生日，除了麦克和托尼，我在伦敦就没有别的朋友了。如果你知道我那时还没有男朋友，你就会理解我为什么觉得对不起自己了。我给自己定了些鲜花，让卖花的人附上一张卡片，上面写道：“给你我所有的爱。无名氏”。我生日那天最精彩的瞬间就是送花人到达公寓时大惑不解的眼神。

那周晚些时候，托尼像往常一样来了，在酒吧里坐下。“你怎么了？今天怎么不见你笑啦？” 我跟他聊了…… 嗯，差不多什么都跟他说了：钱、硕士学位、生日等等。他很同情我。

托尼离开搁脚凳和旁边几个人说话。记住：索尔兹伯里酒吧是在市中心，这里所有的顾客都在银行、保险或证券市场工作。第二天，他拿着几张价值共2 万英镑的支票来到酒吧，他对我说：“这是给你的创业贷款，你唯一的贷款担保是我对你的信任，相信有一天你赚了钱会把钱还给我们。如果你还不了钱，那就太糟了，金融生意就是这样。但是，我相信你还得了。”

我没说话，我怕我自己要哭了。世上这么好的人能有几个？

那些花怎么处理？我叫花店改送到妈妈那里去了，我生日那天鲜花正好送到她家。她最该得到这些鲜花，不是吗？

依我看，回顾这些年的经历，我发现人一辈子只需要一两次的转折就能成功。就算吃苦受累也不要紧，那还是值得的。

在索尔兹伯里酒吧干了一年之后，我去了伦敦经济学院深造。拿到硕士学位之后，我在一家投资银行找到了一份工作。我把那两万英镑投进了证券市场，在2008 年金融崩盘之前卖掉了所有的股票。

我把托尼和其他投资者的钱还了，付给他们10% 的年息，并成立了自己的公司。公司的生意好得超乎意料，至今还红红火火。托尼给我写了一封感谢信。他出了车祸，现在不能走路了。我还给他的钱正好可以用来改造房子，房子改造后他就可以坐着轮椅在家里自由活动了。下面是他信里写的话：“我从事银行业35 年来最好的投资就是给你的这笔贷款，你连本带利地偿还了贷款，我对你的信任和你的诚实都获得了百倍的回报。依我看，在人身上投资能带来你最希望看到的回报。”

依我看，他说得对。你说呢？

Unit 2

Active reading (1)

Danger! Books may change your life

Culture points

Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) is the pen-name of Charles Dodgson. He was a priest, a mathematician whotaught at Oxford University, a photographer, humorist and writer of children’s literature. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) was immediately successful, a masterpiece which revolutionized children’s literature, giving coherence and logic through wit and humour to unlikely or impossible episodes in which imaginary creatures embody recognizable human characteristics. He is also known for Through the Looking Glass and

what Alice found there (1871) and nonsense poems, such as The Hunting of the Snark (1876). William Cowper (1731–1800): a notable English poet, writer of hymns and letter-writer. He wrote gentle, pious, direct poems about everyday rural life and scenes of the countryside which have been seen as forerunners of the Romantic movement: Coleridge called Cowper “the best modern poet”. He translated Homer’s Greek epics. The Odyssey and The Iliad into English. Another example of his verses which have become common sayings i s “God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform…”

John Steinbeck (1902–1968): American novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is a well-known, long tragic novel about an American family of farmer s who are driven off their land in Oklahoma by soil erosion in the famous “dust bowl” era. They flee to California to

what they hope will be a better life. The book won the Pulitzer Prize and was made into a film in 1940. Other well-known novels include Of Mice and Men (1937), Cannery Row (1945), The Pearl (1947), East of Eden (1952) and an account of a personal rediscovery of America, Travels with Charlie (1962).

John Irving (1942– ): American novelist and screenwriter who taught English at college and was a wrestling coach. The Fourth Hand (2001) is a comic-satirical novel about a TV journalist, Wallington, whose hand is seen by millions of viewers to be bitten off by a circus lion. A surgeon gives him a hand transplant (a third hand) but the wife of the d ead donor wants to visit her husband’s hand and have a child by Wallington, who feels where his original hand used to be (the fourth hand).

Audrey Niffenegger (1963– ): American college professor who teaches writing to visual artists and shows students how to make books by hand. Her first novel, The Time Traveller’s Wife (2003) –filmed in 2009 – is a science fiction and romance bestseller about a man who travels uncontrollably in time to his own history and visits his wife in her childhood, youth and old age. His wife needs to cope with his absences and dangerous life while he travels. The story is a metaphor for distance and miscommunication in failed relationships.

Paul Torday (1946–): a British businessman who worked for a company that repaired ship’s e ngines for many years. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2007) was his first novel. It is a political satire and comedy about a dull civil servant who becomes involved in a plan to populate the desert with Scottish salmon. Politicians manage the media to “spin” this as a plan they support in order to divert attention from problems in the Middle East. There are themes of cynicism and belief, and East-West culture clashes.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008): a Russian writer who was imprisoned in Soviet labour camps in 1945; after eight years, he was exiled to Kazakhstan and not freed until 1956, when he became a teacher. In 1970 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature but not receive it until 1974. He went to Germany, Switzerland and the USA, returning to Russia in 1994. His best known novels were based

on his experiences as a prisoner and include: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962), Cancer Ward (1968), The Gulag Archipelago (1974–1978). His later works were about Russian history and identity.

Graham Greene (1904–1991): a British novelist, short-story writer, playwright, travel writer and essayist. He wrote a number of thrillers (he called them ‘entertainments’) which dramatize an ambiguous moral dilemma, often revealing guilt, treachery, failure and a theme of pursuit. Greene was also a film critic and all of these novels have been made into films: Brighton Rock (1938), The Power and the Glory (1940), The Heart of the Matter (1948), The Third Man (1950), The Quiet American (1955), and Our Man in Havana (1958).

E. M. Forster (1879–1970): a British novelist and writer of short stories and essays. He lived at different periods in Italy, Egypt and India and taught at Cambridge University. His best known novels include A Room with a View (1908), Howard’s End (1910), A Passage to India (1924) which have all been made into films. His writing about reading and writing includes a book of lectures, Aspects of the Novel (1927).

Thomas Merton (1915–1968): an American Catholic writer, who was a Trappist monk in Kentucky. He wrote over 70 books, including many essays about Buddhism and a translation into English of the Chinese classic, Chuang Tse. He had a great deal to say about the meeting of Eastern and Western cultures and wrote many letters to writers, poets, scholars and thinkers. He read a lot in English, Latin, French and Spanish and said he always had at least three books which he was reading at any one time. William Blake (1757–1827): a British poet, artist and mystic, who read widely in English, French, Italian, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. He made many engravings to illustrate the work of such writers as Virgil, Dante and Chaucer, as well as his own poems. He stressed that imagination was more important than rationalism and the materialism of the 18th century and criticized the effects of the industrial revolution in England, but his work was largely disregarded by his peers. He is best known for his poetry in Songs of Innocence (1787) and Songs of Experience (1794). His belief in the oneness of all created things is shown in his much-quoted verse, “To see the world in a grain of sand / And a heaven in a flower, / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand / And eternity in an h our.”

Clifton Fadiman (1904–1999): an American writer, radio and TV broadcaster and editor of anthologies. For over 50 years he was an editor and judge for the Book-of-the-Month Club. In 1960 he wrote a popular guide to great books for American readers, The Lifetime Reading Plan, which discusses 133 authors and their major work: the 1997 edition includes 9 authors from China.

J. K. Rowling (1965–): British writer of the seven Harry Potter fantasy books. She studied French and Classics at Exeter University, before teaching English in Portugal and training to teach French in Scotland. The main idea about a school for wizards and the orphan Harry Potter came on a delayed train journey from Manchester to London in 1990. She began to write as soon as she reached London. Twelve publishersrejected the first book before Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, agreed to publish it. Later books have repeatedly broken all the sales records (as have some of the films). She is one of the richest women in the UK and a notable supporter of many charities.

Language points

1Variety’s the very spice of life, / That gives it all its flavour … (Para 2)

Spices are made from plants and added to food to give it its particular flavour or taste. The English proverb

“Variety is the spice of life” (the proverb comes from Cowper’s poem) therefore means that variety

gives

life extra value and allows you to appreciate life in particular ways.

2We learn to look beyond our immediate surroundings to the horizon and a landscape far away from

home. (Para 3)

This means that through reading we learn to look beyond our immediate experience or familiar environment to things beyond our immediate experience, ie to completely different things that we can imagine and experience through books.

3When a baseball player hits a home run he hits the ball so hard and so far he’s able to run round the

four bases of the diamond, and score points not only for himself but for the other runners already

on a base. (Para 9)

In the American game of baseball, the field of grass is diamond-shaped and has four bases (specific points

marked around the diamond), round which players must run to score points. One team bats (ie team members take turns to hit the ball and run round the bases) and the members of the other team throw (pitch)

the ball and, when it is has been hit, try to catch it or get it quickly to one of the four bases. If a batting player can hit the ball hard enough, he can run round all four bases before the other team can get the ball

and thus score maximum points – with a home run. In the passage, a really good book is a home run.

3 Choose the best answer to the questions.

1Why are we like Alice in wonderland when we read a book?

(a)Because, like Alice, we often have accidents.

(b)Because reading makes us feel young again.

(c)Because reading opens the door to new experiences.

(d)Because books lead us into a dream world.

2According to the writer, what is the advantage of reading over real life?

(a)There is more variety in books than in real life.

(b)We can experience variety and difference without going out of the house.

(c)The people we meet in a book are more interesting than real people.

(d)It’s harder to make sense of real life than a book.

3What do the seven novels listed in Paragraph 4 have in common?

(a)Their titles stimulate imagination.

(b)They represent the best writing by British and American n ovelists.

(c)They have become classics.

(d)You can find all of them in any local library.

4At what moment in our lives do books become important?

(a)As soon as we start reading.

(b)When we start buying books to fill our shelves at home.

(c)When we start listening to bedtime stories.

(d)Only when we are ready for books.

5What claim did Merton make about the poems of William Blake?

(a)They were similar to the works of the Greek writers and thinkers.

(b)They helped him understand the meaning of life.

(c)They created a sense of confusion.

(d)They taught him a lot about modern culture.

6 What is meant by a home-run book?

(a)A book which is so good you are unable to put it down.

(b)A book that the whole family can enjoy.

(c)A children’s book that is read and appreciated by adults.

(d)A book that hits hard like a home run in the game of baseball.

Dealing with unfamiliar words

4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.

1 to make someone feel that they do not belong to your group (exclude)

2 to fail to do something that you should do (neglect)

3to mention something as an example (cite)

4to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something (withstand)

5 in most situations or cases (normally)

6 to be about to happen in the future (await)

5Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.

When I lived i n Britain, one of my favourite radio programmes was called “Desert Island Discs”. The format was always the same: Guest celebrities were asked to imagine they had been washed ashore on a

desert island, and had to choose nine books – (1) excluding the Bible and Shakespeare, which they were

already provided with – to take with them to the island, to help them (2) withstand the physical and mental

isolation. I sometimes like to think which books I would take. (3) Normally, like most people, I don’t have much time for reading, and I could (4) cite dozens of books which I have never read but which I would like to. It’s an opportunity I have (5) awaited all my life, in fact. But what would I choose? Mostly

novels, probably, but I wouldn’t (6) neglect to include a volume or two of poetry. My first choice, I think,

would be Tolstoy’s War and Peace. I’ve never read it, but I’m ready to believe that it is one of the most

marvelous books ever written.

6Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box.

1 In a good novel, the writer and reader communicate with each other. (interact)

2 I have to face up to the problem sooner or later. (confront)

3I read the book in one sitting and Mary did too. (likewise)

4E. M. Forster was one of the most important and respected British novelists of the 20th century. (influential)

5Do you believe that a work of literature can actually lead to social changes? (induce)

6Robert Burns was a great poet who wrote in the language variety spoken in Scotland. (dialect)

7The Time Traveller’s Wife is the story of a man who has a strange and inexplicable genetic disorder.

(mysterious)

7 Answer the questions about the words.

1 If you have had a disconcerting experience, do you feel a bit (a) tired, or (b) confused?

2 If you have a vista of something, can you (a) see or imagine it, or (b) go and visit it?

3 Would you express great wrath by (a) smiling at someone, or (b) shouting at them?

4 If you feel enchanted by a book, do you (a) like it a lot, or (b) not like it at all?

5Is a writer who is supremely talented (a) very good, or (b) quite good at his job?

6If reading fosters an understanding of certain problems, does it (a) help understanding, or (b) prevent it?

7If you are desperately trying to get a job, are you (a) trying very hard to get it, or (b) caring little whether you get it or not?

8Is a sensation (a) a certainty, or (b) just a feeling?

Active reading (2)

They were alive and they spoke to me

Background information

This is from The Books in My Life by Henry Miller (1861–1980), an American novelist, writer and painter. Miller was born in New York, lived in Paris 1930–1939, and then in California. His

best-known works blend fiction, autobiography, social criticism and mysticism: Tropic of Cancer (1934 published in France) describes his life and loves in Paris and because of its sexual frankness it was not published in the USA till 1961; Black Spring (1936) has ten autobiographical stories; Tropic of Capricorn (1939) is about his years with the Western Union Telegraph Company; The Colossus of Maroussi (1941), considered by some critics to be his best work, is a travel book about people from his stay in Greece.

In The Books in My Life (1969) Miller looks at 100 books that influenced him. His list includes children’s books written origi nally for adults (eg Alice in Wonderland, The Arabian Nights, Greek Myths and Legends, Robinson Crusoe, The Three Musketeers); many French novels and poetry (eg by Balzac, Hugo, Giono, Nerval, Proust, Rimbaud, Huysmans, Maeterlinck), German novels (by Mann, Hesse, Dreiser) and the Chinese Lao Tse and Fenollosa’s The Chinese Written Character as a Medium for Poetry, besides work by American writers (Twain, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman), Dostoievshy, Nietzsche, Joyce and writers on spiritual topics.

Culture points

August Strindberg (1849–1912): A Swedish playwright and a prolific writer of novels, short stories, satires, essays and poems, and a photographer, who tried various jobs before becoming assistant librarian at the Royal Library in Stockholm and established an experimental theatre. He is best known for his plays, including The Father (1887) and Miss Julie (1888), and for his vitality, vigour, and brilliant use of language.

Miller cites Strindberg’s autobiographies, The Confession of a Fool (vol.2), a passionate love story and account of problems in his marriage, and The Inferno (vol.3), a study of his religious conversion, delusions and neuroses which reflect Strindberg’s periods of mental instability.

Blaise Cendrars (1887–1961) is the pen name of Frédéric Sauser, a Swiss -born French novelist, shortstory writer, poet, and film-maker, who led a life of constant travel (he was born in an Italian railway train) doing various jobs in Russia, Europe, North and South America and Asia – he is said to

have shoveled coal on steam trains in China. He lost his right arm fighting for France in World War I. His prose includes vivid, witty, action-packed novels, like Moravagine (1926), which describe travel and adventure, or works directly inspired by his own experience, like The Astonished Man (1945) and The Cut Hand (1946), and four volumes of memoirs. Miller admired his work and lists ‘virtually the complete works’ of Cendrars as influential reading.

Rémy de Gourmont (1858–1915): a French writer of 50 books: essays, novels and poetry, with a strong interest in medieval Latin literature; as a critic he was admired by T. S. Eliot. He was a librarian at the National Library in Paris; later, a painful skin disease kept him largely at home. He was influential in the symbolist movement in literature. He claimed that a work of art exists only through the emotion it gives us. He asserted the need to get away from the unquestioning acceptance of commonplace ideas and associations of ideas, and believed it was necessary for thought to proceed by imagery rather than by ideas.

Julius Caesar (110 BC–44 BC): a Roman statesman, known as a great military strategist. As a general he was famous for the conquest of Gaul (modern France and Belgium) which he added to the Roman Empire. He also made two expeditions to Britain, was governor of Spain and traveled in North Africa and Egypt. He was a good speaker and he wrote several books of commentaries and memoirs on Roman wars and military campaigns. Caesar’s writing is often studied today by t hose who learn Latin.

The Julius Caesar of literature: this phrase compares Cendrars with Caesar: both were men of action, travelers, adventurers, explorers, who somehow found time to read a lot and write books.

Language points

1The fact, however, that in the past I did most of my work without the aid of library I look upon as an advantage rather than a disadvantage. (Para 1)

This is irony. Miller is writing about the importance of reading and about key books in his life, but there is a paradox: Only recently has he been able to get all the books he has wanted all his life (ie he now has money, as a best-selling writer, to buy books) and, as a writer, he wrote books without the help of a library. He says that not having books was an advantage. The explanation is probably that Miller’s early writing was a mixture of autobiography and fiction, so he didn’t need to read other books or refer to them to do his own writing. The irony is that he is saying this in a book about the books the influenced him.

2A good book lives through the passionate recommendation of one reader to another. (Para 3) Miller thinks that a good part of the ‘life’ of a book is how one reader recommends it to another

with enthusiasm, ie books are about sharing experience, not just the author’s experience in the book and the reader’s experience of reading it, but also the experience of word-of-mouth or face-to-face recommendation by other readers.

3And the better the man the more easily will he part with his most cherished possessions. (Para 4)

T his continues Miller’s thought that books are for sharing. A good person will share things he or she loves. In this case, such a person will give or lend favourite books and such generosity makes friends: When you give books you get friendship.

4If you are honest with yourself you will discover that your stature has increased from the mere effort of resisting your impulse. (Para 6)

Miller’s argument here is that you should not read everything, but that you should choose very

carefully and selectively. This means you should resist the temptation to read some things which are not really going to add to your knowledge or enjoyment (not every book will do this, only some). Here, he says that in this way, we grow (we “increase our stature”). That is, we grow by not reading many books. The implication is that if we choose the very best books and read these few really carefully we will get the best from them – and grow by such selection. Miller discusses 100 books which he things are such books.

5All on the side, as it were. (Para 7)

Cendrars was a man of action who spent most of his time on travels and adventures. Surprisingly (you would think he did not have time), he read a lot in different languages and even wrote many books –this was in addition to his main activities.

6For, if he is anything, Cendrars, he is a man of action, an adventurer and explorer, a man who has known how to “waste” his time royally. (Para 7)

Cendrars had a huge reputation as a man of action, travelling, having adventures and exploring

differ ent countries and yet he read a lot (he knew how to use the little time available to read). “Waste” is in quotes to show irony (reading isn’t a waste of time), that he reads in a royal manner (ie very thoroughly). The sentence structure here is quite Frenc h with the repetition of “he”.

Reading and understanding

2 Choose the best answer to the questions.

1What does Miller consider to have been an advantage during his writing career?

(a)To have been able to read all the books he wanted.

(b)To have grown up in a room full of books.

(c)To have written without the aid of a library.

(d)The fact that he never wanted to own any books.

2What did three stars on a book mean in the public library in Miller’s youth?

(a)Young people weren’t allowed to read them.

(b)They were the most popular books in the library.

(c)They were intended for children.

(d)They were more exciting than one-star books.

3Why does Miller hope the star system still exists in public libraries?

(a)It is an efficient system which works well.

(b)It discourages people from reading inappropriate books.

(c)It makes people interested in reading.

(d)It makes it easier for people to recognize books.

4 Why do people lend books, in Miller’s opinion?

(a)Because they feel the need to share their feelings.

(b)It’s the best way to make a friend.

(c)It’s less ris ky than lending money.

(d)Because it’s not possible to possess a book for ever.

5According to Miller, what should you do when you find a book you want to read?

(a)Pick it up and start reading.

(b)Ask a friend for advice about the book.

(c)Think about whether you really need to read it.

(d)Only read it if it is original.

6What does Miller especially admire about Blaise Cendrars?

(a)He had a very adventurous life.

(b)He was a great writer.

(c)He knew what to do with his time.

(d)He read as well as wrote a lot.

Dealing with unfamiliar words

3 Match the words in the box with their definitions.

1the quality of being new, interesting, and different from anything that anyone has created before (originality)

2the process of putting people or things into particular groups according to the features they have (classification)

3to make an organized and determined attempt to deal with a problem (tackle)

4 to make something better or more enjoyable (enrich)

5 a difficulty or problem that prevents you from achieving something (obstacle)

6 to sink under water and die (drown)

7not being used (idle)

8a suggestion that someone or something is especially suitable or useful for a particular situation (recommendation)

9to make a lot of effort to achieve something (strive)

4Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 3.

A Professor Ridgeway, you’ve just written a biography of the poet Shelley, who (1) drowned off the coast of Italy in 1822 in a sailing accident. As you remind us in the introduction, people’s lives have been (2) enriched by poetry for thousands of years. What (3) recommendation could you make to a young poet who is just beginning their career?

B That they should always (4) strive to be themselves, and not to worry about (5) originality. Once they’ve found their own voice, it w ill be original in its own way, because everyone is unique.

A So you don’t believe in the (6) classifications which label poets as “romantic” or “modernist” and so on?

B I do, but they have limited value.

A What do you think is the main (7) obstacle facing young poets today?

B I think it is to accept that you cannot be productive all the time. A poet’s mind is never (8) idle and waiting for the right moment is part of the creative process. All other problems are relative, and can be (9) tackled when you get to them.

5Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the following words. You may need to make other changes.

1 I felt depressed and lacking in confidence after reading his criticism of my novel. (demoralized)

2 Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life is about, as the name suggests, the story of his life. (autobiographical)

Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life is, as the name suggests, autobiographical.

3Shakespeare had an extraordinary talent as a writer, which is without comparison in the history of English literature. (prodigious; unparalleled)

4Some people look to a book for pleasure rather than for understanding. (enlightenment)

5The experiment in banning alcohol drinks in the United States actually led to an increase in crime. (prohibiting)

6I’m not sure if it is to their advantage for readers to read this review before they start the book. (advantageous)

7Miller’s Tropic of Cancer was, without doubt, one of the most infamous novels of the 20th century. (indubitably)

6 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.

1If someone makes a confession, do they tell you something (a) personal and secret, or (b) which everyone knows?

2If someone whets your appetite for something, do they make you (a) desire for it, or (b) dislike it?

3 If you wade through piles of documents, do you (a) read or deal with them, or (b) just ignore them?

4 If you have to forego something, do you (a) finish it quickly, or (b) do without it?

5 Is someone who has business acumen (a) good at business, or (b) without any business skills?

6 Is a repetitive job one in which you do (a) different things, or (b) the same thing every day?

7 If you do something on the side, do you do it (a) in addition to a regular activity, or (b) where no one can see you do it?

Reading and interpreting

7 Answer the questions.

1 What is the first struggle that he has with books?

Miller’s first struggle is to obtain books and get his hands on them.

2 Why is it difficult to lay hands on them?

The books are not in the public library because someone has already borrowed them and Miller doesn’t have the money to buy them.

3 What sort of books are prohibited for a young man?

Books which are considered to be immoral for a young person to read.

4 What is the best way to be introduced to a book?

Through the passionate recommendation of someone who has read the book.

5 What is an unused book lying on a shelf compared with?

It is compared with wasted ammunition. This means that it is useless. It is also compared to money because it should be in circulation.

6 Why does Miller suggest resisting your impulses and not opening a book as soon as you get it?

He says you should think intensely about the title, author, and likely contents, imagining what you would have written yourself about it. Then you may decide you don’t need to re ad it, or, if you do read it, you will read it with more interest and acumen.

Language in use

word formation: -ous

1 Write the adjectives which describe:

1 a writer who has achieved fame (famous)

2 readers who show curiosity (curious)

3someone who feels envy (envious)

4a region which is full of mountains (mountainous)

5a parcel which has a very large volume (voluminous)

infinitive / gerund as the subject of a sentence

2 Complete the sentences using infinitive or gerund as the subject. Usually both forms are possible, but you should be able to justify your choice.

1Getting up early in the morning gives me more time to organize the day.

(To express an everyday activity)

2To write a best-seller has always been my dream.

(This is a bit more abstract or a far-away grand idea)

3Forgetting to take back a library book may not seem serious, but it causes problems for other students.

(To express a normal activity for many people)

4To spend a lot of time reading in one’s childhood can bring rewards later in life.

(Use the more abstract form for an important idea)

5To be or not to be, that is the question.

(In Shakespeare this can be interpreted as a grand idea, so he uses the formal way; if you say, ‘Being or not being…’ is may be more immediate and seems normal – but in Hamlet the situation is not normal)

such is / are …

3 Rewrite the sentences using such is / are …

1Good writing is so powerful that the reader thinks the writer is speaking directly to them.

The reader thinks the writer is speaking directly to them. Such is the power of good writing.

2The novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is so charming that you can’t put it down even for a moment.

You can’t put Salmon Fishing in the Yemen down even for a moment. Such is the charm of the novel.

3 Travel is such a pleasure that you may end up living in another country.

You may end up living in another country. Such is the pleasure of travel.

4The sense of confusion in this film is so great that you may feel you want to leave before the e nd. You may feel you want to leave before the end. Such is the sense of confusion in this f ilm.

5The difficulties of translation are so enormous that much of the meaning is lost.

Much of the meaning is lost. Such is the enormity of the difficulties of translation.

if / whether it be …

4 Rewrite the se ntences using if / whether it be …

1 Is it the right time to start this kind of project? Ask yourself carefully.

Ask yourself carefully whether it be the right time to start this kind of project.

2 Is it the first edition of Dr Johnson’s Dictionary? I very much doubt it.

I very much doubt if this be the first edition of Dr Johnson’s Dictionary.

3Is it common knowledge that Arthur Miller thought like this? I’m not sure.

I am n ot sure if it be common knowledge that Arthur Miller thought like this.

4Is it necessary to produce any documents when making an application? Perhaps we should inquire. Perhaps we should inquire whether it be necessary to produce any documents when making an application.

5Is it the right way to tackle the problem? I doubt it.

I doubt if it be the right way to tackle the problem.

collocations

5 Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.

1confront This word usually means to deal with a difficult situation.

(a)Which are the most important problems we have to confront in today’s world?

This could be a long list! I’d say: global warming, pollution, water shortages, extreme weather conditions, local military conflicts, poverty, famine and hunger, unemployment, to name only a few.

(b)Were you confronted by anyone asking for something on your way to class today?

Not today, but a few days ago I was confronted by someone asking for money –which I didn’t like at all.

(c)What’s the biggest crisis you’ve ever been confronted with?

The problem that my grandfather is elderly and has Alzheimer’s diseas e: He needs constant care because he forgets ordinary things. It is difficult for my parents and for me because we all take turns to look after him. I realized what this was really like when I had to look after him for a weekend when my parents were away, but I discovered I have a lot more patience now. So perhaps this crisis has helped us to develop some good qualities, although it is actually a very difficult time for all

of us.

2idle This word usually means not being used, lazy, or without any real reason or purpose.

(a)If someone is idle by nature, what don’t they like doing?

They don’t like doing work or other things that they should do but which they don’t like doing. (b)If machinery is idle, what isn’t it doing?

The machinery is not being used.

(c)If someone picks up a book out of idle curiosity, do they have a strong motivation to read it?

Not really, they just have a slight curiosity to see what the book is, but they have no r eal interest. (d)If someone makes you an idle threat, do you take it seriously?

No, you don’t because you know that the threat has no real purpose.

3tackle This word usually means to challenge someone or something, or to make an attempt to deal with

a problem.

(a)What are the main issues the government needs to tackle in the near future?

Well. I suppose there are several issues which need to be tackled, including rising prices and employment in some places, or some social problems in a few areas.

(b)How do you tackle someone about their ideas and opinions?

I am inclined to be direct and simply ask them about their opinions and ideas. I think they will tell me honestly if they believe I am really interested in what they think.

(c)If you tackle someone in a game of football, what have you managed to do?

You have managed to get the ball away from them so that your team can keep the ball for a moment.

4withstand This word usually means to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something,

or to be able to deal with a difficult situation.

(a)What sort of defences can withstand a direct attack?

To withstand a direct attack you need strong defences which are well placed.

(b)What sort of clothes allow you to withstand the cold in winter?

To withstand the cold in winter, you need thick, warm clothes.