研究生英语系列教程_多维教程_探索_课文参考译文
《研究生英语教程》课文翻译

《研究生英语教程》课文翻译一单元“十便士看一次海湾风光,”那个带着一架望远镜的老头说道:“多么晴朗美丽的早晨。
请来看看那古老的灯塔和1935年失事的大轮船残骸吧。
”要十便士简直是敲诈勒索,可是海湾的景色确实壮丽。
峭壁向远方伸展,海风激起的阵阵波浪泛着白花,冲上海滩。
海面上几艘游艇张着乳白色的风帆优雅地避开浪头蜿蜓前进。
山崖下面,一群海鸥相互叫唤着,在海面上盘旋飞翔。
离岸一英里处,在海浪贪婪地吮舔着的岩岸上,那座古老的灯塔矗立在一座石头平台上。
说实话,我毫不吝惜那几个钱。
当我把望远镜转朝灯塔时,站在我身旁的那个老头拍了拍我的手腕。
“您听过在那座灯塔里发生的一起骇人听闻的惨案吗?”他压低了嗓声对我说。
“我想这个地方看起来非常富有戏剧性,有关它的传说一定不少,”我说。
“这可不是传说,”那老头郑重其事地说。
“我父亲认识那起惨案的两个当事人。
一切都发生在50年前的今天。
让我说给您听听吧。
”他的声音似乎变得更低沉、更富有戏剧性了。
“整整一个礼拜,风暴困住了那座灯塔,”他开始说。
“咆啸的大海波涛汹涌,海浪拍打着岩石,轰然作响。
岸上的人们十分担心在那儿工作的两个人。
他们俩是多年的挚友,但在两三个礼拜前,他们在乡村酒店里玩牌时吵了一架。
马丁指责布莱克打牌时耍赖,布莱克则发誓要对侮辱他人格的不实之辞进行报复。
多亏一位他们俩都尊敬的人好言相劝,他们才互相道了歉,并以乎很快地结束了他们之间的不快。
不过各自心里还有些怨恨。
因此,人们担心长时间与世隔绝所造成的极度紧张和恶劣的天气会使他们俩神经过敏,尽管两人的朋友们不消说还根本没意识到后果会有多么严重。
”“离今50年前的那个晚上,灯塔上没有出现灯光,直到凌晨两点钟左右才有一束灯光突然发出警告信号。
“第二天早上,灯光依然可见。
风暴已经平息了,人们派出一条救生船前去查看情况。
等待人们的却是一个不忍目睹的场面——马丁和布莱克的起居室一片骇人景象,桌子翻倒在地,一副牌散得到处都是,地板上溅满了血迹。
多维教程 探索课文+翻译

Unit 1 travel language旅行通用语The Academie Francasie has for decades been the watchdog over the French language. A few years ago, French sensitivity to the influx of English words became so great that law for the purification of French was adopted. The law covers even technical applications. For example, in theory, it is now compuslory in France to refer to the Boeing 747 as a gros-porteur, leasing as credit-bail, etc. the list is very long and detailed and applies to all facets of life. Mr. Chirac, the French President, might well expand on this list and come up with some new French terms for words such as "internet" or "byte stream" just to name a couple. The mind boggles at what the world might face. 数十年来,法兰西语言研究院一直捍卫着法语的尊严。
几年前,由于法国人对英语词汇的入侵非常敏感,该机构颁布了净化法语的法律,其内容甚至涉及专业术语。
就拿波音747 (Boeing747)来说吧,现在法国人必须用法语词gros-porteur;表示出租的leasing 也变成了credit-bail。
研究生英语多维教程汉译英

Unit21.她不不过位出色银行家和公认贸易教授,而且还是位经验丰富企业主管。
He is an experienced banker and an acknowledged trade expert, not to mention an excellent managing director。
2.意大利一个和平组织志愿者不顾危险,已开赴伊拉克首全部巴格达,组成“人体盾牌”,已阻止美国轰炸该地。
Regardless of danger, volunteers from an Italian organization for peace have gone to Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, to form a "body shield" for the purpose of preventing the US from bombing the place。
3.在这个家庭里,没有些人比朱蒂更能致力于经营房地产生意。
Nobody in the family is more dedicated to operating the real estate business than Judy。
4.因为经济不景气,房地产经纪人正处于或降低房价或降低销售量两难境地。
Because of the economic depression, real estate agents are in the dilemma of whether to lower prices or let sales fall off。
5.史密斯先生往往靠慎重投资而获取巨额利润。
More often than not, Mr. Smith earns great profits by careful investment of his capital。
6.约翰在学校里各门功课成绩全部不怎么样,但在体育方面倒是身手不凡。
研究生英语多维教程汉译英

Unit21.他不但是位出色的银行家和公认的贸易专家,而且还是位经验丰富的企业主管。
He is an experienced banker and an acknowledged trade expert, not to mention an excellent managing director。
2.意大利一个和平组织的志愿者不顾危险,已开赴伊拉克首都巴格达,组成“人体盾牌”,已阻止美国轰炸该地。
Regardless of danger, volunteers from an Italian organization for peace have gone to Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, to form a "body shield" for the purpose of preventing the US from bombing the place。
3.在这个家庭里,没有人比朱蒂更能致力于经营房地产生意。
Nobody in the family is more dedicated to operating the real estate business than Judy。
4.由于经济不景气,房地产经纪人正处于或降低房价或减少销售量的两难境地。
Because of the economic depression, real estate agents are in the dilemma of whether to lower prices or let sales fall off。
5.史密斯先生往往靠慎重投资而获取巨额利润。
More often than not, Mr. Smith earns great profits by careful investment of his capital。
6.约翰在学校里各门功课的成绩都不怎么样,但在体育方面倒是身手不凡。
研究生英语_多维教程熟谙-课文翻译

***战争带来难民潮时,我们的同情心,我们富于分析的智慧都不再多为教程-英语翻译(第二册)Unit1 从能力到责任1当代的大学生对他们在社会中所扮演的角色的认识模糊不清。
他们致力于寻求在他们看来似乎是最现实的东西:追求安全受缚于地图上的政治分界线。
我们开始知道,饥荒和人权已如同武器\条约一样,对人类团结起着决定性的影响。
最令人担心的是,蘑菇云已在人类意识里投下了不祥的阴影。
这些业已存在的事实及其带来的后果都必须让每个学生了解。
保障,追逐物质财富的积累。
年轻人努力想使自己成人成才、有11然而,在研究中,我们发现了一个极其令人担忧的问题:所作为,但他们对未来的认识还是很模糊的。
处于像他们这样前程未定的年龄阶段,他们该信仰什么?大学生一直在寻找真我的所在,寻找生活的意义。
一如芸芸众生的我们,他们也陷入了两难的境地。
一方面,他们崇尚奉献于人的理想主义,而另一方面,他们又经不住自身利益的诱惑,陷入利己主义的世界里欲罢不能。
2最终而言,大学教育素质的衡量取决于毕业生是否愿意为他们所处的社会和赖以生存的城市作出贡献。
尼布尔曾经写道:大学校园对诸如此类的社会常识极端缺乏了解,有时,校园甚至弥漫着一种对世事的冷漠与不关心的氛围。
当难民如潮水一般从一个国家涌入到另外一个国家时,我们却只有极少数学生能在地图上指出这些难民潮的流向,或是谈论起导致难民潮泛滥而起的饥荒、战争和贫穷等世事。
世界各地的哲学家、政治家、发明家和艺术家的丰功伟绩丰富了我们的生活,但他们本人及其贡献却时常不为人知,或是被世人遗忘在角落里。
12虽然有一些学生已具备了放眼全球的视角,然而,大多数“一个人只有意识到对社会所负有的责任,他才能够认识到自身的潜力。
一个人如果一味地以自我为中心,他将会失去自我。
”本科教育必须对这种带有理想主义色彩的观念进行自我深省,使学生——尽管他们对世事的关注忽隐忽现,却对他们赖以生存\相互依赖的世界缺乏足够的了解。
学生超越以自我为中心的观念,以诚相待,服务社会。
研究生英语系列教程多维教程熟谙正文翻译及课后练习参考答案

Unit3 美国人的酷爱我父亲是别克人。
在经济大萧条以前,他本是史达兹人。
然而,就像成千上万经济状况处于上升阶段的有车族一样,那场可悲的经济逆转使他们非得调整对汽车的胃口不可。
到他死的时候,他开过的那些别克轿车就不只是普通意义上的交通工具了,而且将父亲定位于这样的社会阶层——比庞蒂亚克人富有,但比不上克迪拉克人。
拥有别克轿车让人一看便知父亲的社会地位。
与别克人相当的还有福特人和克莱斯勒人。
我们美国人与汽车的特殊缘分,其坚实的基础就在于对一种轿车品牌的忠诚,这种忠诚因其来之不易而倍受珍惜。
·这就是爱吗?也许用词过分,可美国人对这些机器的尊重甚过所有其他机器——不仅将它们视为20世纪雕塑大观中的标志,而且还将它们视为社会的护身符。
我记忆中的第一辆别克车是一辆闪闪发亮的黑色轿车,椅子的衬垫是厚厚的马海毛,离合器拉杆是新式的。
我父亲爱吹嘘说这辆车一小时能跑120英里。
一想到这样的速度就会令男人们兴奋不已。
我照着家里的菲尔可牌收音机盒里播出的格林,霍利特驾驶的那个神秘机器的名字,给这头漂亮的牲口取了个名副其实的绰号——黑美驹。
20世纪中,电话、电视或者个人电脑,这一切都使人类环境发生了巨大变化。
然而,与电话、电视、电脑不同的是,汽车却享有人格化的地位。
有些汽车可以成为家庭成员,机械宠物。
我们给汽车起名字,在自己·家的车道上精心打扮汽车,在汽车不能满足我们的需要时诅咒它们。
在折旧换新之时为旧车的离去而悲哀。
人们对汽车的热爱让环境保护者、安全为重的倡导者以及社会工程师们感到不安。
他们认为通往人间天堂的道路应该到处都铺设公交运输所必备的发亮轨道。
他们想象着我们加入未来拥挤不堪的自行车行列,而不是像一位激动不已的评论家所预见的那样,坐在“傲慢的双轮马车”方向盘后。
这种态度不是现在才有的。
首先是铁路,接着是汽车造成的人口流动早已使得守旧的特权阶层感到不安。
在战场上有过辉煌,但却以鄙视下层民众而出名的威林顿公爵在150年前就曾反对英国发展铁路,这是因为火车只会怂恿普通人毫无意义地到处走动。
研究生英语多维教学教程探索课本教学材料原文及课后题(11课)

Unit 1 travel languageThe Academie Francasie has for decades been the watchdog over the French language. A few years ago, French sensitivity to the influx of English words became so great that law for the purification of French was adopted. The law covers even technical applications. For example, in theory, it is now compuslory in France to refer to the Boeing 747 as a gros-porteur, leasing as credit-bail, etc. the list is very long and detailed and applies to all facets of life. Mr. Chirac, the French President, might well expand on this list and come up with some new French terms for words such as “internet”or “byte stream”just to name a couple. The mind boggles at what the world might face.Unfortunately (or perhaps not), the English language is not so protected. Quite apart from the unforgivable deviations from the king’s English prevlent in America, where “honour”is commonly written as “honor”and “night”as “nite,”many well-tested has also been give new meanings, making communication somewhat difficult. For example, the boot of a car has become to be called a trunk –a word reserved in England for the main part of a tree. The bonnet is a hood, good old nappies are diapers, and a baby’s matinee jacket is a vest. It’s obvious that the two countries are indeed separated by what once was a common language! From an American point of view, of course, it could be argued that the British speak English with a speech deficiency.Even worse English, however, is in use. Anyone who travels in foreign countries and observes it on menus and posters, in hotels, and indeed in everyday life can testify that whatused to be the king’s lingo has become in these places but a poor relation thereof. Allow me to elaborate.The travel writer Perrot Phillips has taken pains to highlight some of his experiences, which I feel should not be withheld from a wider readership. He refers to a Dutch bulb catalogue which promised customers “a speedy execution”and to an East Berlin cloakroom sign that requested guests to “please hung yourself here.”One hopes that nobody took the advice literally.To these I can add some of my own experiences, encountered in long years of traveling the world. There was, for example, the observation in an Ostend novelty shop that “revolting new ideas”were being marketed, and the boast of some Bombay bakers that “we are No. 1 loafers, best values in whole town.”I realized how far Christinanity had come when I read in Hong Kong the following call by a dentist: The teeth they are extracted here by the latest Methodists.I fear it can not be answered with certainty whether these actually illustrate a progressive use of English or are simply reflections of local usages. I feel quite strongly, however, that the Haifa Medical Association should have prevented one of its members from claiming on his brass plate that he is a “Specialist in Women and Other Diseases.”Hotels seem to revel in their multilingual signs. One supposes these signs were designed to facilitate the use of modern services in otherwise sterile and barely functional establishments. Nevertheless, the unsuspecting guests confronted in a Brussels hotel with the followinginstruction for the use of the life (elevator) might well prefer to walk: “To move the life, push button to wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should push number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by natural order. Button retaining pressed position shows received command for visiting station.”The less sophisticated notice in Istanbul (“To call room service, please to open door and call ROOM SERVICE”) at least does not confront the guest with electronics that might not always work. In Turkey, the delight in “straight talk”expresses itself in the by-now-famous Ankara brochure which advises, “Visit our restaurant where you can eat Middle East foods in an European Ambulance.”A note on a Swiss menu that “Our wines leave nothing to hope for”was equally inviting.Eastern European courtesies have never left the once grand hotels of the former Austro-Hungarian empire. A notice in the hotel rooms that “the honoured guests are invited to take advantage of the chamber maids from 12-14 o’clock”might, however, result in some unplanned traffic jams. A recent Moscow exhibition’s announcement drew attention to “a showing of 300 paintings by Russian artists, most of whom were executed in the last ten years”–hardly a welcoming thought to the occasional visitor.A Bangkok laundry’s advertisement to the visiting public (“Leaving your clothes here and enjoy yourself”) could also be seen as a invitation to extracurricular activities in that Far Eastern capital of fun.In Rome, a laundry advertised a similar invitation: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spendthe afternoon having a good time.It should not surprise the traveller that nightspots advertise their wares in Europe in many and diverse language. The German preoccupation with Majorca led a Munich nightclub to copy a trilingual Palma announcement that dancing was going on in what is indeed a surprising way. The notice read, “Baile! Baile! Baile!”in Spanish, “T anz! T anz! Tanz!”in German, and “Balls! Balls! Balls!”in what was meant to be English. We are spared the upper Bavarian version of the activity.The Black Forest Germans, on the other hand, are known to be rather prudish in their outlook, but is it really necessary to post a sign: “It is strictly forbidden on our Black Forest camping site that people of different sexes, for example men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.”I am told that for the otherwise unsuspecting tourist, the following sign proved a real crowd puller. Parrot Phillips claims it to be true that in an Austrian hotel room he found the sign: “If service required, give two strokes to the maid and three to the valet.”There are undoubtedly more and varied versions of the use of English, unprotected as our language is from the interference of emerging and ambitious entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, I prefer seeing English develop as the lingua franca around the world rather than being suffocated for the sake of so-called purity by some ill-advised legislative process.Unit 2 Lies and TruthWhat is truth? –and the opposite question that goes with it: what makes a lie?Philosophers, teachers, and religious leaders from all cultures and periods of history have offered many answers to these questions. Among Euro-North-American writers, there is general agreement on two points. The first is that what we call a “lie”must be told intentionally –that is, if someone tells an untruth but they believe it to be true, we don’t consider them a liar. The second point is that practically everyone lies, and lies frequently. But there the agreement ends.One rather extreme point of view is that lying is always bad and that we should try to find ways avoid doing it. The reason is that lying hurts not only the listener, but also the liar. Each lie makes the next one easier to tell, and the liar comes not only to disrespect herself, but to mistrust others, whom she believes will lie as easily as she. In a society, where lying is common, trust becomes impossible, and without trust, cooperation can not exist. Furthermore, by lying to people, we remove their power to make important choices about how to spend money, what future career to take, what medical treatment to take.Toward the opposite extreme is the position that although some lies are evil, many others are not –in fact, they are necessary to hold our society together. We lie in harmless ways to protect other’s feelings and to better our relationship. These are not lies that try to hurt others. We laugh at the boss’s joke which we have heard before and which she doesn’t tell very well; we pretend interest in a friend’s story of something uninteresting that happened to him. If someone asks us a question that is very personal and is none of their business, we may lie in response. Sometimes we lie to protect the reputation or even the life of another person.On a larger scale, government may protect national security by lying.Each person seems to have some point at which they draw the line between an acceptable lie and a bad lie. Obviously, this point varies from individual to individual and from culture to culture. A sometimes painful part of growing up is realizing that not everyone shares your own individual definition of honesty. Your parents and your culture may teach you that liars suffer, but as you go through life, you find that often they don’t: in fact, dishonest people often seem to prosper more than honest ones. What are you to do with this realization? It may make your moral beliefs look weak and silly in comparison, and you may begin to question them. It takes a great deal of strength and courage to continue living an honest life in the face of such reality.Little white lies: This is our name for lies that we consider harmless and socially acceptable. They are usually told to protect the liar or the feelings of the listener. Most of them would be considered social lies, and they include apologies and excuses: “I tried to call you, but your line was busy.”“You’re kidding! You don’t look like you’ve gained a pound.”Some people, however, would consider it acceptable to lie to save themselves from responsibility in a business transaction: “After I got home, I noticed that it was broken, so I’m returning it and would like my money back.”Occasionally a “little white lie”may have a very profound effect on the lives of the listeners, and may even backfire. Author Stephanie Ercsson tells of the well-meaning U.S. Army sergeant who told a lie about one of his men who had been killed in action. Thesergeant reported the man as “missing in action,”not killed, so that the military would continue sending money to the dead man’s family every month. What he didn’t consider was that because of his lie, the family continued to live in that narrow space between hope and loss, always watching for the mail or jumping when the telephone or the doorbell rang. They never were able to go through the normal process of sorrowing for, and then accepting, the death of their father and husband. The wife never remarried. Which was worse, the lie or the truth? Did the sergeant have the right to do what he did to them?What we really mean when we call an untruth a “little white lie”is that we think it was justifiable. Into this category fall many of the lies told within the walls of government. A person may lie to government, or a government official may lie to the public, and believe that by doing so, he becomes a hero. Clearly, however, one person’s “little white lie”is another person’s “dirty lie.”That brings us to the second category:Dirty lies: There are lies told with intent to harm the listener or a third party and to benefit the liar. Into this category fall the lies of some dishonest salespersons, mechanics, repairmen; husbands or wives who are having an affair with someone else; teenagers who lie to get out of the house in order to do things that their parents would die if they knew about it; drug addicts who beg family members for money to support their habit. Dirty lies my be told to improve one person’s reputation by destroying another’s, to hurt a colleague’s chances of promotion so that the liar will be advanced.Lies of omission: Some people believe that lying covers not only what you say, but alsowhat you choose not to say. If you’re trying to sell a car that burns a lot of oil, but the buyer don’t ask about that particular feature, is it a lie not to tell them? In the United States, a favorite place to withhold the truth is on people’s income tax returns. The government considers this an unquestionable lie, and if caught, these people are severely punished. If omission can be lying, history books are great liars. Until recently, most U.S. history textbooks painted Christopher Columbus purely as a hero, the man who “discovered America,”and had nothing to say about his darker side. Moreover, most Native American and African-American contributors to science, technology, invention, literature, art, discovery, and other areas of civilization used to be omitted form children’s schoolbooks. Many people considered this a lie, and today’s history books usually mention at least some of it, though not as much as some people might like.False promises: This category is made up of promises that the promiser knows are false, that he has no intention of keeping even as the world leave his lips. While some are fairly harmless and social, others are taken more seriously and can hurt the listener: “I’ll never do it again, I promise.”Advertisers and politicians suffer from terrible stereotypes because of the false promises of some of their number: “Lose 50 pounds in two weeks.”“Read my lips: No new taxes.”Probably everyone would agree that if we make a promise but have no intention of keeping it, we lie. But what if we really do plan to keep it, and then something happens to prevent it? Consider the journalist who promises not to indentify his resources, but then is pressured by his newspaper or by the law. How far should he go to keep his word?If he breaks his promise, is he dishonest?Lies to oneself: This is perhaps the saddest and most pathetic kind of lying. These are the lies that prevent us from making needed changes in ourselves: “I know I drank/spent/ate too much yesterday, but I can control it any time I really want to.”But there is a fine line between normal dreams and ambitions on the one hand, and deceiving ourselves on the other, and we have to be careful where we draw it. It’s common for young people to dream of rising to the top of their company, of winning a Nobel Prize, of becoming famous or rich; but is that self-deception, or simply human nature? Were they lying to themselves? More likely, they really believed that such a future was open to them, because they had seen it happen to others. We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves, but if we have turned a blind eye to our faults, we should take an honest look in the mirror.There is no question that the terms “lying”and “honesty”have definitions that vary across culture boundaries. Members of one culture may stereotype members of another as “great liars,”“untrustworthy,”or “afraid to face the truth.”But what may lie behind these differences is that one culture values factual information even if it hurts, while another places more value on sensitivity to other people’s feelings. While the members of each culture believe that of course their values are the right ones, they are unlikely to convince members of other cultures to change over. And that’s “the truth.”Unit 3 Generation XIt’s often said that kids today aren’t what they used to be. But is this new generation ofteenagers and young adults, commonly referred to as “Generation X”or the “baby busters,”really so different from previous generations? What makes them tick? What impact will they have on us and our institutions as we move into the future?Current TrendsTwenty years ago, employers didn’t worry about finding enough good people. Just like a box of tissues, there was always another candidate that would pop right up. But the 18-year baby boom of 1946-1964, when birth rates peaked at 25.3 births per 1,000 population, was followed by the 11-year “baby bust,”when the rate fell to a low of 14.6 births per 1,000. This means the smallest pool of entry-level workers since the 1930s. “Generation X,”as they were dubbed in a 1991 novel by Canadian writer Douglas Coupland, realize the numbers are on their side. They are now mainly in their 20s, and they see themselves as very marketable in the workplace. They feel that they can be patient when choosing a job, and they can look for the best wages.This generation has watched more TV, and as a result has probably witnessed more violence and murders, than any generations in history. In addition, their gloomy view of the world has been shaped by numerous negative events, such as the Persian Gulf War, escalating crime, riots, AIDS, the nuclear threat, and pollution.They parents practiced birth control and abortion and were highly concerned about “making it”financially. About 40% of X’ers are products of divorce, and many were brought up in single-parent homes. The emotional upheaval and conflict this causes helped shapetheir view of the family and the world. It seems to have sent out a negative message to X’ers about their value and worth.Many young believe that their economic prospects are gloomy. They believe that they will not do as well financially as their parents or their grandparents. They know that the average income for young people, even with two or three college degrees, has declined significantly over the past generations. Many feel that their chances of finding the job and salary they want are bleak.Couple with the high divorce rate with the fact that many were latchkey children and you get a generation who may have had more time alone than any in history. They are also the first to spend considerable time in day care. At home, they were weaned on TV, high tech, video games, and computers. They became independent at a young age. Many had to grow up fast, taking on family responsibilities or part-time jobs to help out. All this has helped them become very freedom-minded, individualistic,and self-absorbed.Many resent the fact that their parents were not home to spend more time with them. An often heard sentiment is that things will be different when they raise their own families.The loyalty and commitment to the workplace that previous generations had is gone. Generation X’ers watched their grandparents slave away only to receive a gold watch and pension upon retirement. Thirty or more years of loyalty sometimes ended with a security guard helping them to clean out their desks and escorting them out the door. Their parents’dedication to the company has been repaid with downsizing and layoffs.Young people feel there is no such thing as job security. They feel they don’t want to wait around and pay their dues when there is no long-term commitment from the top. They can’t believe that their boomer bosses spend 60 or more hours a week at a job that they constantly complain about. They strongly believe there is life after work.Generation X’ers take longer to make job choices. They look upon a job as temporary instead of as a career, partly because they want to keep their options open. They are always looking to jump ship when they can upgrade their situation. They will often leave a job at the hint of a better position.This generation seems to do things at a much later age than their parents. They graduate from college later, stay at home longer, and marry much later. Many who leave home come back again, sometimes more than once. This is due in part to the high cost of living and the fact that many have piled up huge studentloan debts. In contrast with the baby boomers, who couldn’t wait to leave home, Generation X’ers save their money so they can live better when they do leave. It may be that some just want to delay the time when they are on their own, because they spent so much time alone as children.Many of X’ers’parents were busy in the morning getting ready for work and too tired to have any quality time with their children at night. X’er classrooms were often overcrowded. It was hard for the X’ers to get noticed, so as adults they have a need to be noticed. Often, they seek that attention in the workplace.Whether from watching TV or from being spoiled by their guilt-ridden, seldom-homeparents or grandparents, X’ers have come to expect a whole lot for nothing. They have a strong propensity for instant gratification, wanting it all and wanting it fast. Their favorite TV programs are soap operas. They would like their world to be filled with the same good-looking people, dressed in the latest fashions, with lots of money and prestige, and without having to work too hard.It is not uncommon for X’ers to get out of high school and expect to be paid well despite minimal skills. Many disdain low-wage “McJobs”at fast-food chains. Young college graduates look to start at high paying positions with power and perks. They have little patience for working their way up.Yet, the X’ers feel that making money is not as important as experiencing life. To be a workaholic is to have no life. Consequently, a paradox exists between how they view life and what they think they need from it.Future TrendsThe first boomers are only 10 or 12 years away from retiring –and finally out of the way of the next generation. The X’ers will begin to take over in politics, arts and culture, education, media, and business. This should lead to a time of better problem solving and quicker solutions, as they hate political maneuvering and want to get to solutions in a fast, no-nonsense way.X’ers don’t like the fact that their parents spent so many hours working. They promise to do better with their children, being more accessible and providing a more stable home life.Since many of them will marry later when they are more mature, the divorce rate will finally begin to dip.When X’ers control the organizations of tomorrow, they will create a shorter workweek, so people will have more time to spend with their families and leisure activities. Productivity won’t suffer, as technology will enable people to be more productive. In addition, the X’ers’disdain for office politics and desire to solve problems faster will improve productivity. If organizations do not manage their human resources better, X’ers will leave to find or create a more humane workplace.Many Generation X’ers have a freedom-minded and individualistic nature. They like to be left alone to solve problems. They are a perfect group to become consultants, as already evidenced by so many venturing out on their own.Organizations will come to rely on the X’ers’entrepreneurial spirit to foster innovation. They will create systems that will allow “intrapreneurs”to create and run small businesses within a business. The organization’s financial support will allow young people to research and create new products at unparalleled rates. Outside entrepreneurs of this generation will team up with these “intrapreneurs”to create joint ventures.Generation X’ers have started to use their technology skills to create virtual businesses, and they will be the driving force behind this marketplace in the future. They have been quick to take advantage of the lower overhead and quick start-ups that the Internet provides. Being able to reach millions of people with new ideas and products instantly attracts thisgeneration.Generation X has evolved in dramatically different ways than previous generations. What motivated past generations is far different from what motivates this new breed. But the changes will be for the better in many ways. Kids may not be what they used to be, but if we listen, there is a lot we can learn from them. The future will be a better place if we do.Unit 4 SuccessA young man of humble origins came to New York from the Midwest to seek his fortune. He dreamed, in the American way, of becoming a millionaire. He tired his luck on Wall Street. He was diligent and shrewd and, when he had to, devious. He put together the National Worldwide Universal deal and he did some things with an electronics acquisition that wouldn’t bear explaining. He succeeded even beyond his dream: he made twelve million dollars.At first the young man assumed that everything was working out splendidly. “Isn’t is grand?”he said to his wife, once it was apparent that he had made twelve million dollars.“No, it isn’t,”his wife said. “You’re a nobody.”“But that’s impossible,”the young man said. “I’m rich person. We live in an era that celebrates rich people. Rich people are shown in the newspapers in the company of moviestars and famous novelists and distinguished dress designers. The names of the richest corporate raiders are known to every schoolboy. There are rich real estate sharks whose faces appear on the covers of glossy magazines.”“Yours won’t,”his wife said. “You’re a nobody.”“But I have twelve million dollars,”the young man said.“So do a lot of people,”his wife said. “They’re nobodies, too.”“I could buy our way onto the committees of important charity balls,”the young man said. “Then we’d be mentioned in the columns.”“Don’t kid yourself,”his wife said. “The important committees are already filled with people who are really rich. People like us would end up working on something like a dinner dance to benefit the American Psoriasis Foundation.”“But I own a co-op apartment on Fifth Avenue that’s worth two million dollars,”the young man said.“Two-million-dollar co-ops are a dime a dozen,”his wife said, “so to speak.”“I have a stretch limousine,”the young man said. “It’s twenty-one and half feet long.”“Nobody famous has ever ridden it,”his wife said. “Henry Kissinger and Calvin Klein have never heard of you. You’re a nobody.”The young man was silent for a while. “Are you disappointed with me?”he finally said to his wife.“Of course I’m disappointed in you,”she said, “When you asked me to marry you, you said you would surely amount to something. How was I to know that you’d turn out to be a nobody?”For a moment the young man looked defeated. Then he squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. “I’ll make them pay attention,”he said, “I’ll buy a professional football team and argue a lot with the coach in public. Celebrities will join me to watch big games from the owner’s box.”“You can’t buy a professional football team for twelve million dollars”his wife said. “Professional football teams cost big bucks.”“Then I’ll buy a magazine and appoint myself chief columnist,”the young man said. “A tiny but exceedingly flattering picture of me will run next to my column every week. The owners of professional football teams will invite me to watch big games from the owner’s box.”“You might be able to buy one of those weekly-shopper throwaways for twelve million dollars, but not a real magazine,”his wife said, “You can’t buy a real magazine for chicken feed.”“Is that what you call what we have?”the young man asked. “Is twelve million dollars chicken feed?”“It’s not a big bucks,”his wife said. “What can I tell you?”“But that’s not fair,”the young man said. “I’m a young man of humble origins who madetwelve million dollars. I succeeded even beyond my dream.”“Some of those things you did with the electronics acquisition probably weren’t fair either,”his wife said. “Fair isn’t being measured these days. What they measure is money.”“Then I’ll get more money,”the young man said. “I’m going to go back to Wall Street and make fifty million dollars.”But before the young man could make fifty million dollars a man from the Securities and Exchange Commission came and arrested him for having committed insider-trading violations in the electronics acquisition.The young man was taken away from his office in handcuffs. A picture on the front page of the afternoon paper showed him leaving his arraignment, trying to hide his face behind an $850 Italian overcoat. A long article in the morning paper used him as an example of a new breed of Wall Street traders who were the victims of their own greed, probably because of their humble origins. His friends and associates avoided him.Only his wife stuck by him. She tired to see the bright side. “For someone with twelve million dollars,”she said to the young man, “you’re getting to be pretty well known.”Unit 5 Women, Men & MoneyAha, Money. It’s probably the only thing that complicates life between the sexes as much as。
研究生英语多维教程_探索

Unit 1 Travel LanguageText1 The Academie Francasie has for decades been the watchdog over the French language. A few years ago, French sensitivity to the influx of English words became so great that law for the purification of French was adopted. The law covers even technical applications. For example, in theory, it is now compulsory in France to refer to the Boeing 747 as a gros-porteur, leasing as credit-bail, etc. the list is very long and detailed and applies to all facets of life. Mr. Chirac, the French President, might well expand on this list and come up with some new French terms for words such as ―internet‖ or ―byte stream‖ just to name a couple. The mind boggles at what the world might face.2 Unfortunately (or perhaps not), the English language is not so protected. Quite apart from the unforgivable deviations from the king‘s English prevlent in America, where ―honour‖ is commonly written as ―honor‖ and ―night‖ as ―nite,‖ many well-tested has also been give new meanings, making communication somewhat difficult. For example, the boot of a car has become to be called a trunk –a word reserved in England for the main part of a tree. The bonnet is a hood, good old nappies are diapers, and a baby‘s matinee jacket is a vest. It‘s obvious that the two countries are indeed separated by what once was a common language! From an American point of view, of course, it could be argued that the British speak English with a speech deficiency.3 Even worse English, however, is in use. Anyone who travels in foreign countries and observes it on menus and posters, in hotels, and indeed in everyday life can testify that what used to be the king‘s lingo has become in these places but a poor relation thereof. Allow me to elaborate.4 The travel writer Perrot Phillips has taken pains to highlight some of his experiences, which I feel should not be withheld from a wider readership. He refers to a Dutch bulb catalogue which promised customers ―a speedy execution‖ and to an East Berlin cloakroom sign that requested gue sts to ―please hung yourself here.‖ One hopes that nobody took the advice literally.5 To these I can add some of my own experiences, encountered in long years of traveling the world. There was, for example, the observation in an Ostend novelty shop that ―revolting new ideas‖ were being marketed, and the boast of some Bombay bakers that ―we are No. 1 loafers, best values in whole town.‖6 I realized how far Christinanity had come when I read in Hong Kong the following call by a dentist: The teeth they are extracted here by the latest Methodists.7 I fear it can not be answered with certainty whether these actually illustrate a progressive use of English or are simply reflections of local usages. I feel quite strongly, however, that the Haifa Medical Association should have prevented one of its members from claiming on his brass plate that he is a ―Specialist in Women and Other Diseases.‖8 Hotels seem to revel in their multilingual signs. One supposes these signs were designed to facilitate the use of modern services in otherwise sterile and barely functional establishments. Nevertheless, the unsuspecting guests confronted in a Brussels hotel with the following instruction for the use of the life (elevator) might well prefer to walk: ―To move the life,push button to wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should push number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by natural order. Button retaining pressed position shows received command for visiting station.‖ The less sophisticated notice in Istanbul (―To call room service, please to open door and call ROOM SERVICE‖) at least does not confront the guest with electronics that might not always work.9 In Turkey, the delight in ―straight talk‖ expresses itself in th e by-now-famous Ankara brochure which advises, ―Visit our restaurant where you can eat Middle East foods in an European Ambulance.‖ A note on a Swiss menu that ―Our wines leave nothing to hope for‖ was equally inviting.10 Eastern European courtesies have never left the once grand hotels of the former Austro-Hungarian empire. A notice in the hotel rooms that ―the honoured guests are invited to take advantage of the chamber maids from 12-14 o‘clock‖ might, however, result in some unplanned traffic jams. A recent Moscow exhibition‘s announcement drew attention to ―a showing of 300 paintings by Russian artists, most of whom were executed in the last ten years‖ – hardly a welcoming thought to the occasional visitor.11 A Bangkok laundry‘s advertisement to the visiting public (―Leaving your clothes here and enjoy yourself‖) could also be seen as a invitation to extracurricular activities in that Far Eastern capital of fun.12 In Rome, a laundry advertised a similar invitation: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.13 It should not surprise the traveller that nightspots advertise their wares in Europe in many and diverse language. The German preoccupation with Majorca led a Munich nightclub to copy a trilingual Palma announcement that dancing was going on in what is indeed a surprising way. The notice read, ―Baile! Baile! Baile!‖ in Spanish, ―Tanz! Tanz! Tanz!‖ in German, and ―Balls! Balls! Balls!‖ in what was meant to be English. We are spared the upper Bavarian version of the activity.14 The Black Forest Germans, on the other hand, are known to be rather prudish in their outlook, but is it really necessary to post a sign: ―It is strictly forbidden on ourBlack Forest camping site that people of different sexes, for example men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.‖15 I am told that for the otherwise unsuspecting tourist, the following sign proveda real crowd puller. Parrot Phillips claims it to be true that in an Austrian hotel room he found the sign: ―If service required, give two strokes to the maid and three to the valet.‖16 There are undoubtedly more and varied versions of the use of English, unprotected as our language is from the interference of emerging and ambitious entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, I prefer seeing English develop as the lingua franca around the world rather than being suffocated for the sake of so-called purity by some ill-advised legislative process.ExercisesB部分1 Some people are very sensitive about what others might think of them.2 Between Christmas and New Y ear‘s day, many stores have a long list of goods on sale. This is known as New Y ear‘s sale.3 Statistics reveal that traveling during one‘s vocation is becoming prevalent as money and spare time increase.4 A deficiency in educational resources puts at risk the intellectual development of our children.5 The applicant‘s documents required for immigration were withheld by the local police station because of his criminal record.6 During the interview, Mary told the interviewer that she would like to do something interesting but Tom said with certainty that he would choose the job which pays well.7 It is important that the elevators be functional before the Spring Festival.8 In spite of a good harvest, farmers were confronted with many difficulties in selling their grain, which they alone could not overcome.9 Foreign language learners should know that the way of expressing courtesy will be quite different from country to country.10 Y ou will be spared the fine if you tell us who else was involved.11 One evening, I was running after a robber in the nearby woods. Suddenly, I was hit by a stroke of a heavy thing from behind and lost my consciousness.12 A survey shows that ambitious companies will provide the customer with high-quality goods as well as first-class services.13 Some scientists and doctors claim that purified water, which is popular in the market, may be harmful to children.14 This book is worth buying for it highlights all the famous American writers and their works.It is a very demanding job to be a soap-opera writer because the novelty of a soap-opera wears off quickly.C部分1. People who are sensitive in character my have difficulty in making friends.2. He is loved by his students, for he is not only a learned person but also has a sense of humor.3. Many discoveries resulted from the sensitivity of scientists to seemingly common things.4. The Chinese government has issued a law that nine years of education is compulsory for every child.5. Many teenagers have no weekends nowadays. They undertake extra training or remedial classes under the compulsion of their parents.6. Those who plan to study abroad have to take a compulsory examination of language proficiency.7. Many new and tall buildings have big posters on their front windows saying ―For lease or Sale‖ but the real estate prospects are still quite bleak.8. In order to make some money Mr. Wilson moved his family to the first floor and started to lease the ground floor.9. Sometimes, leasing an apartment can be cheap and easy for a person who wants to settle down in a new place.10. Because he was driving his car at a speed of over 180 miles an hour, a tiny rock was enough to deviate his car off the road.11. Long time tension and pressure may cause people to behave deviantly.12. The investigation shows that the air crash was caused by a deviation from normal airport procedure.13. The prevalence of complaints about the bad weather all over the world may make people aware how serious air pollution is.14. It is very interesting that some styles of clothes that were prevalent in the last century have again become a fashion now.15. Nowadays the tradition of three generations of a family living under the same roof is no longer prevalent in many cities of China.16. All the children in kindergarten are required to drink at least one glass of milk a day because rickets can result from a diet deficient in vitamin D.17. The demerits of the present educational system are revealed by college graduates who are deficient in practical experience.18. There is no need to read the whole novel. Sometimes people may benefit a lot from reading just a few extracts.19. It is reported that some peasants have made a fortune by extracting poison from snakes they raised.20. Examples extracted from our daily life are vivid and easy for people to understand.21. Two U.S. Army experts were sent from Germany to join the air force officers in the search for answers to the mystery that confronted them.22. More than twenty years‘ confrontations between the two countries have solved by diplomatic negotiations.23. Although he was confronted with many difficulties in setting up a new company, he did not give up.24. The proverb ―Spare the rod and spoil the child‖ means that discipline is necessary for children; otherwise they may grow up to be spoiled.25. Y ou need to bring a spare tire with you just in case your car breaks down in the middle of somewhere.26. Could you spare me a few minutes? I have something important to talk with you.27. I couldn‘t believe he had a stroke last month because he can walk like a normal person now.28. People feel sorry for some young women who think that a happy life means to spend their time at home watching TV and stroking their pets.29. It is really amazing that he could write complicated Chinese characters with one stroke.改错1 If our friends cannot take us, we must make alternative arrangements to get to the airport.2 No one in this department has ever accused the governor of taking advantage of his position; he is hard-working and considerate.3 The pet dog died when it was fifteen, not of old age, but of a head injury when it fell down a flight of stairs.4 Casualties are said to be very high and in some villages, where older and less substantial buildings predominate, it is said that not a house remains standing.5 It was an accepted custom in western countries for men to open the door for women and always to let ladies go first on social occasions.6 Early industrial people used three times as much energy as their agricultural ancestors; modern people are using three times as much as their industrial ancestors.7 Geothermal sources, though in a sense free, in order to be maintained, would end up using more energy than they produced.8 Ever since the invention of the two-day weekend, where-to-go-for-the-holiday has been a live topic for people in this city.9 When we speak of leisure nowadays, we are not thinking of securing time or opportunity to do something; time weighs less heavily on your hands, and the problem is how to fill it.10 There is absolutely no reason for saying that there are no regularities in Nature with which our statements of natural law correspond.完形填空Whatever else people do when they come together – whether they play, fight, or make automobiles –they talk. We lie in a world of language. We talk to our friends, our associates, our wives and husbands, our bosses, our teachers, our parents and in-laws. We talk to bus drivers and total strangers. We talk face to face and over the telephone, and everyone responds with more talk. Television and radio further swell this torrent of words. Hardly a moment of our waking lives is free from words, and even in our dreams we talk and are talked to. We also talk when there is no one to answer. Some of us talk aloud in our sleep. We talk to our pets and sometimes to ourselves. We are the only animals that do so.The possession of language, more than any other attribute, distinguishes humans from other animals. To understand our humanity we must understand the language that makes us human. According to the philosophy expressed in the myths and religions of many peoples, it is language that is the source of human life and power. To some people of Af rica, a newborn child is a kuntu, a ―thing‖, not yet a muntu, a ―person.‖ Only by the act of learning does the child become a human being. According to this tradition, we all become ―human‖ because we all come to know at least one language.翻译在过去,当探险者或商人们走出家园到外面的世界去寻找新的领地、市场或原材料资源时,他们通常与跟他们打交道的当地人说的不是同一种语言。
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一:旅行通用语1 数十年来,法兰西语言研究院一直捍卫着法语的尊严。
几年前,由于法国人对英语词汇的入侵非常敏感,该机构颁布了净化法语的法律,其内容甚至涉及专业术语。
就拿波音747 (Boeing747)来说吧,现在法国人必须用法语词gros-porteur;表示出租的leasing也变成了credit-bail。
此类例子不胜枚举,触及生活的方方面面。
法国总统希拉克很可能会继续加大力度,直至连英特网internet和字节流(信息组)byte stream之类的词也找到相应的法语新词。
哎,真不知未来的法语会变成什么样。
2 不幸的是(或许并非不幸),英语没有受到如此的保护。
在美国,随处可见严重偏离英国标准英语的美式英语。
“honour”普遍被写成“honor”,“night”也变成了“nite”。
许多词意广为人知的英式英语单词被赋予新的解释,交流也变得有些困难。
比如说,汽车的行李箱“boot”变成了“trunk”(一个在英国指代树干的单词);引擎盖“bonnet”变成了“hood”(英式英语中的风帽);老式婴儿尿布“nappy”变成了“diaper”(英式英语中的菱格花纹织物);婴儿小外套“matineejacket”也变成了“vest”(英国的内衣汗衫)。
显而易见,两国英语曾同出一源,而如今却将两国彼此隔离。
当然了,按美国人的观点,是英国人的语言表达出了问题。
3 实际使用中,甚至还有更糟的英语呢!只要你在外国旅游并注意一下菜单、海报、旅店、甚至当地日常生活中的英语,就可以证明过去的标准用语在这些地方已变得不伦不类,让我详例如下:4 旅行作家波洛•菲利浦曾不惜笔墨地渲染自己的几番经历,我觉得该有更多的读者了解一下。
他提及某份荷兰的灯泡目录,上面对用户承诺有“a speedy execution’——快速处死(毫无疑问,想表达的应是“送货及时”)。
此外,东柏林的一个衣帽间告示要求客人“please hang yourself here”——请在这儿吊死自己(本想说的是“将衣帽挂在这儿”)。
只希望没人会真的从字面上去理解。
5 我还可以补充一些多年周游世界时的亲身经历。
例如,奥斯坦德的一家精品店正在宣扬其货品立意新颖,却用了“revolting new ideas”,即“令人作呕的立意”。
孟买的几家糕饼屋也鼓吹自己是“No.1 loafers”,目口头号游手好闲者,可是其本意是要宣称自己的糕饼全市第一。
6 我并不知道基督教影响如此之广,直到我在香港看到一位牙医的宣传:“我们由最新的循道宗信徒拔牙”,这儿的“Methodists”(循道宗信徒)显然应改为“methods”,即“方法”。
7 恐怕没人能确定这些误用实际上是体现了英语的普及还是仅仅反映了局限于地方的习惯用法。
但可以确定的是,海法医学会绝对应该阻止其会员挂这样的铜招牌:“妇女及其它疾病的专家”。
8 看来旅店对多语种告示颇为青睐,希望它们会有利于人们更好地使用现代化设施。
没有它们,旅店就会显得沉闷而缺乏效率。
然而,在布鲁塞尔的一家旅店中,这条电梯告示只会令毫无防范的房客更愿意爬楼梯:“使用电梯时,请按要去楼层的按钮。
若更多人进入电梯,请分别按各自要去楼层的按钮。
电梯会按楼层的字母顺序,依次送客。
没复位的按钮显示着接收到的要去楼层的指令”。
伊斯坦布尔的一则旅店告示则没这么复杂:“想要客房服务时,请开门喊叫‘客房服务’”。
至少那儿的客人不用对付也许经常失灵的电子设备。
9 在土耳其,人们对于“直言不讳”的喜爱在一个已远近闻名的安卡拉导游册中得到了充分体现。
导游册这样招揽顾客:“来我们餐馆吧,你会在欧洲救护车中享用中东风味美食”(显然这儿的救护车“ambulance”应为氛围“ambience”)。
而另一家瑞士餐馆的菜单也同样吸引人:“我们的葡萄酒绝人他念”。
(“our wines leave nothing to hope for'’一语双关,可本意显然是“我们的葡萄酒美味绝伦”)。
10在东欧,奥匈帝国时期的老牌大旅馆从未放弃过礼节。
一则旅馆房间告示上写着“诚邀尊贵的客人在12点到14点之间占客房女服务员的便宜”(take advantage of the chambermaids)。
然而,这可能造成意外的交通阻塞。
最近的一次莫斯科画展也未必能让偶尔光顾者欣然前往,根据其告示,“画展将展出俄罗斯艺术家的300幅作品,他们中的大部分人在过去十年中已被处死了”。
11 曼谷一家洗衣房的广告词邀请来访的顾客“留下你的衣服,尽情享受吧!”就像是鼓励人们在这座远东娱乐首府干些出格之事。
12 罗马也有类似的邀请,一家洗衣房广而告之:“女士们,留下你们的衣服,尽情享受这个下午吧!”13 若在欧洲的夜总会看到用多种语言撰写的广告,游客们也不应吃惊。
在德国,人们对马略卡舞极为痴迷,以至于慕尼黑的一家夜总会直接借用了帕尔马的一则三语告示,只是内容令人骇异。
告示上印着“舞会”的西班牙语"Baile! Baile! Baile!”,德语“Tanz! Tanz! Tanz!”,还有那所谓的英语“Balls! Balls! Balls!"。
(只可惜他们没考虑到Balls还有另一层意思:男性生殖器官。
)还好,我们也因此躲过了学跳这种上流巴伐利亚人的舞蹈。
14 与此形成对照的是黑森林区的德国人。
众所周知,他们谨慎、守礼,但好像也不需要写这样的告示呀:“黑森林宿营地严禁不同性别的人,比如说男人和女人,共居一顶帐篷内,除非他们已为此目的结婚。
”15 我还听说一则波洛•菲利浦声称真实的告示,成功地吸引了许从r那是在奥地利,他发现一家旅店的房间告示写着:“若需要服务,请抚摸女仆两下,洗衣工三下。
”(其实此处的“stroke”应为“打铃”之意。
)16 毫无疑问,由于刻意进取的企业家大量涌现,不加防范的英语会有越来越多的版本。
不过,在我看来,与其为了保持英语所谓的纯洁性而让不明智的立法将其扼杀,还不如任其发展成世界各国的通用语。
二谎言与真理1 什么是真理?或反之,什么又是谎言?对这两个问题,古往今来各国众多的哲学家、教育者及宗教领袖的答案各不相同,而在北美及欧洲的作家圈中却存在着两点共识:第一,撒谎应当是一种故意行为。
换言之,如果你的话与事实相背,而你自己却没意识到,那就不算撒谎。
第二,其实每个人都撒谎,而且是频繁地撒谎。
但这种共识到此为止。
2 有些人比较极端,他们认为撒谎总是有害的,因此人们应尽量设法避免撒谎。
其理由是撒谎既伤害了别人,也伤害了撒谎者自己。
如果撒过一次谎,第二次就变得容易了。
长此以往,撒谎者不仅会丧失自尊,而且也不再相信别人。
在他们看来,别人和自己一样常常撒谎。
对一个社会来说,若撒谎成了家常便饭,信任也就无从谈起。
而缺乏信任,就不会有合作。
此外,谎言还会剥夺人们某些重要的选择权,比如如何消费,如何择业,或是选择何种医疗方案。
3 与此完全对立的观点认为:尽管有些谎言有害,但是许多别的谎言却无害。
不仅如此,它们甚至是社会安定的必要因素。
为了顾及他人的感觉,增进人际关系,我们会本着不伤害别人的原则而撒些无害的谎言。
老板的笑话以前早听过,说得也很蹩脚,但我们仍会开怀大笑。
朋友说些无趣的私事,我们却假装很感兴趣。
碰上涉及个人隐私而且与其无关的问题,我们会编个谎话搪塞过去。
有时为了保护他人的名誉甚至生命,我们同样会撒谎。
往大里说,政府也会为国家安全而撒谎。
4 每个人似乎都有某种标准来界定可以接受的谎言与恶意的谎言,这个标准显然因人而异,也因文化而异。
在成长过程中,你有时会痛苦地发现,人们对诚实的定义不尽相同。
家庭和文化也许教导你:撒谎者终将自食苦果。
但随着生活经历的增加,你会发现他们往往并不吃亏。
实际上,撒谎者似乎比诚实者往往更飞黄腾达。
意识到这个问题之后,你怎么办呢?相形之下,你的道德信仰似乎不堪一击,而且显得很愚蠢,你自己也可能开始提出质疑。
面对这样的现实仍坚守诚信需要非凡的力量和勇气。
5 划分谎言的方法很多,下面是比较简单的一种:6善意的小谎言:我们认为这类谎言无害,在社交中也为人接受,其目的通常是保护撒谎者或听者的情感。
其中大多数被认为是社交谎言,比如某些致歉和辩解:“我想给你打电话,但总占线”,“开玩笑吧,根本看不出你重了一磅”。
然而,还有些人认为逃避商业交易中的责任也可以成为撒谎的理由:“到家后我才发现这是坏的,所以我想退货,请把钱还我。
”7 有时,这类“小谎言”也会对别人的生活产生巨大的影响,甚至可能适得其反。
史蒂芬尼•埃里克森的书中就有一个例子:一位士兵在战争中阵亡,其上司——一位美军中土却出自好意地谎称他“在战斗中失踪了”。
于是,军方每月都给其家属寄一笔钱。
可中士没有想到的是,自己的谎言却令阵亡者一家始终在希望与失望间苦苦挣扎,他们眼巴巴地盼信,电话铃和门铃总会让他们一跃而起。
他们永远没有机会在悲痛过后接受失去父亲或丈夫的现实,士兵的妻子再也没有结婚。
在这个例子中,哪一个更糟?谎言还是真话?那位中士有权对他们这样做吗?8 当我们称假话为“善意小谎言”时,我们真正的意图是告诉别人:撒谎情有可原。
政界就有许多这类谎言,个人会对政府撒谎,政府官员也会对公众撒谎,他们都认为那是一种英雄行为。
但显而易见,某些人的“善意谎言”对他人来说则是“恶意的谎言”,这也就是我们要说的第二类谎言:9恶意的谎言:这类谎言的目的是故意伤害听者或第三方,自己由此获利。
撒这种谎的人有不诚实的销售员、机械师、维修工;有不忠的妻子或丈夫;有为了离家干些让父母知道会发疯的事而说谎的少年;还有乞求家里人给钱买毒品的瘾君子。
恶意撒谎者会为了自己的名誉而损害他人名誉,为了自己的前途而去破坏同事的晋升机会。
10 隐瞒事实:有些人认为谎言不光涉及说出的话,还涉及故意不说出的话。
你想卖的车很耗油,但买主没问这方面的事,那厶隐瞒这个事实算不算撒谎呢?在美国,人们最爱在个人收入报税单上撒这种谎。
在政府看来,隐瞒个人收入是不折不扣的谎言,一旦发现会给予严厉惩罚。
但如果隐瞒真相算撒谎,历史书就是头号大骗子。
一直以来,美国的大部分历史课本都将克里斯托弗•哥伦布描述成一位纯粹的英雄、美洲大陆的发现者,对他的阴暗面却只字不提。
此外,尽管美国原住民(印第安人)及美国黑人在科学技术、发明与发现、文学艺术和人类文明的其它领域有重大贡献,孩子们的教科书中过去对他们的名字却少有提及。
许多人认为这就是撒谎。
虽然如今的历史课本还不尽如人意,但至少对他们还是提到了一些。
11虚假的承诺:这类谎言由诺言组成,只是承诺人在信誓旦旦时就没打算守信。
它们的有些是出于社交目的,也没什么危害,但有些却会伤害那些较真的人,比如有人会说“我保证再也不干这种事了”,但结果却没做到。
广告商和政治家们也会承诺“两周内减肥50磅”或是“相信我,不会再增加新的税收。