现代大学英语精读6notesonenglishcharacter

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现代大学英语第六册精读课后题答案

Unit11.Virtue,is~~self-centered.-By right action,we mean it must help promote personal interest.2.Poverty was a product of their excessive fecundity.-The poverty of the poor was caused by their having too many children.3.~~the rich were not responsible for ether its creation or its amelioration.-the rich were not to blame for the existence of poverty so they shouldn’t be asked to undertake the task of solving the problem.4.It’s merely the working out of a law of nature and a law of god-It’s only the result or effect of the law of the survival of the fittest applied to nature or to human society.5.It declined in popularity,and references to it acquired a condemnatory tone-people began to reject Social Darwinism cuz it seemed to glorify brutal force and oppose treasured values of sympathy,love and friendship.therefore,when it was mentioned,it was usually the target of criticism.6.~~the search for a way of getting the poor off our conscience was not at an end,it was only suspended.-The desire to find a way to justify the concern for the poor hadn’t been abandoned,it had only been put off7.~~only rarely given to overpaying for monkey wrenches,flashlights,coffee makers,and toilet seats-Government officials,on the whole,are good,it’s very rare that som e high prices for office equipment to get kickbacks8.This is perhaps our most highly influential piece of fiction-It’s a very popular story and has been accepted by many but it’s not true. 9.Belief can be the servant of truth-but even more of convenience-Belief can be useful in the search for truth.but more often than not it’s accepted cuz it’s convenient and self-serving10.George Gilder~~who tells to much applause that the poor must have the cruel spur of their own suffering to ensure effort-GG advances the view that only when the poor suffer from great misery will they be stimulated to make great effort to change the situation, in other words, suffering is necessary to force the poor to work hardUnit21.But these marks of wild country called to my father like the legendary siren song -Though the place wasn’t pleasant or disagreeable,my father was deeply attracted to it precisely because of its unexplored uncultivated natural state and the challenge2.‘I’m afraid the day’s going to catch us’I explained,wondering what great disaster might befall us if it did-As a little girl, I believed my father’s words, and was genuinely afraid of the possible disaster-if we didn’t hurry up,the day would catch us and terrible things might happen3.~~from time to time he was halfheartedly sought for trial,though few crimes seemed to lead directly to his door-In this place,though police would make some effort without real earnest to investigate Waston and bring him to court,there seemed to be little concrete evidence to prove that he was responsible for certain illegal activities4.The stranglehold Waston had over this section of Florid was not dissimilar to the unscrupulous activities of certain lawmen,other legal crooks,and even governors that our state was to suffer through its history-The control Waston had over this part of Florida was much similar to the dishonest or illegal activities of the law--enforcing officials and government which florida witnessed in the twentieth century5.There was the little shack,not the most gracious of living quarters,and there wasa murderer for our nearest and only neighbor,about thirty miles away-Before the family built their own house,they lived in a shabby cabin at Gopher Key,close to the merciless waston6.King Richard in his gluttony never sat at a table more sumptuous than ours was three times a day-We had abundant food on the island, and even the meals enjoyed by king richard, who was famous for his love of food,couldn’t possibly compare with ours7.Despite the unrelenting heat,we were happy to be let off from our hours of school indoors sessions which our mother kept every day, rain or shine-Although it was very hot outside in the sun, we were happy to be dismissed from my mother’s sessions indoors.we would have to read and write with her every day no matter what weather was likeUnit31.~~even droughts,floods,and heat waves may become unwitting acts of manWhat people do may unintentionally cause droughts,floods,and heat waves2.But this image,now repeatedly thrust before us in photographs,posters,and advertisements is misleadingThe Earth we see in photos,posters and ads,which appears so beautiful,is not the true reflection of the world we live in ;such image lulls us into complaceny3.The technosphere has become sufficiently large and intense to alter the natural processes that govern the ecosphereHuman activities have taken place over such large areas and with such intensity that they have already caused disastrous effect on ecology4.~~Which could establish itself only because it fitted properly into the preexisting systemThe fish could play its role because it became a necessary link with the processes preceding it and the processes following it in the ecological system5.Defined so narrowly,it’s no surprise that cars h ave properties that are hostile to environmentWhen cars are produced to serve such narrowly purpose,it’s no surprising that some of their characteristic qualities are harmful to the environment6.Yield rose,but not in proportion to the rate of fertilizer application~The farm applied more and more fertilizer,and the production did rise but didn’t at the same rate of fertilizer7.~~their waste is flushed into the sewer system,altered in composition but not in amount at a treatment plantPeople eat the plants and animals,and their waste is flushed into the sewer system.After being processed,the waste is still waste.The residue will go into rivers oceans and will have harmful effect on the aquatic ecosystem8.Left to their own devices,ecosystem are conservativeIf the ecosytems are not upset by outside intrusion,they will remain the same with very little change9.In contrast to the ecosphere,the technosphere is composed of objects and materials that reflect a rapid and relentless process of change and variationThe characteristics of objects and materials in the technosphere are rapid change and great variety10.But this done only at the cost of understandingIf we take sides in the war of the two worlds, we are doing so at the risk of failing to have a clear understanding of the nature and cause the war.thus,we lose the chance to really solve the grave environment crisis.Unit51.~~the national rejection of dogmatic preconception about the nature of the social and economic orderThere are such prejudices in an arrogant manner about the characteristic of the social order and economic order and they take it for granted,the country just rejected such prejudice2.Nor can one suggest that American have been consistently immune to the ideological temptation-No one can say that Americans have never been tempted by the approach of understanding,preserving or transforming the world according to rigid dogmas3.~~and any intellect so shaped was bound to have certain vulnerability to secular ideology ever after-A mind influenced by Calvinst theology would surely find it somewhat difficult to resist other ideological temptations to ideological thinking4.Pragmatism is no more wholly devoid of abstraction than ideology is wholly devoid of experience-Pragmatism is not completely free from abstract ideas just as ideology is it somewhat difficult to resist other ideological temptations to ideological thinking 5.As an ideologist,however,Jefferson is today remote—a figure not of present concern but of historical curiosity-As a man following a fixed set of beliefs,Jefferson is only an interesting historical figure.His beliefs are out of date and are irrelevant to present-day reality6.~~(and often)whose central dogma is confided to the custody of an infallible priesthood-Their central beliefs are imprisoned by the whole body of priests who are always effective7.~~where free men may find partial truths,but where no mortal man will ever get an absolute grip on Absolute Truth~-In this universe a person whose mind is constrained may be able to discover relation truths but no man on earth can claim that he has already grasped the one and only Truth.8.But ideology is a drug,no matter how much it’s exposed by experience,the craving for it still persistIdeology has the characteristic of a narcotic.In spite of the fact that it has been proved wrong many times by experience,people still long to commit themselves to ideology9~~the only certainty in an absolute system is the certainty of absolute abuse-The only thing that is sure of a despotic system is the unrestricted exercise of power10.The distinctive human triumph~~lies in the capacity to understand the frailty of human striving but to strive nonetheless-The most outstanding achievement of humanity is they know that no matter how hard they try,they can’t achieve Absolute Truth,yet they continue to make great efforts and refuse to give upUnit71.For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life-As a result of technological development,human beings now have the power to put an end to poverty and human misery,but at the same time they also possess the power to destroy the whole world,rendering it uninhabitable and lifeless2.~~unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights-We do not want to see or to allow the slow destruction of those human rights 3.To those people in the huts and villiaged of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery,we pledge our best efforts to help themselves-To the people of the underdeveloped countries living in poverty in rural areas,we are committed to helping them to rid themselves of mass poverty by their own efforts 4.But this peaceful revolution of hope can’t become the prey of hostile powers -But we shouldn’t let any Communist power take advantage of this alliance for progress to expand its influence5.And let every other power know that this hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house-We want to make clear to the Communist powers that Americas are Americas of the Americans.Do not attempt to penetrate into this area6~~before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction~before the world is destroyed by a nuclear war launched in a preemptive attack or caused by accident7~~yet both racing to alter the uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind’s final war-Yet both sides attempt to get an edge in the nuclear arms race so as to break the mutual deterrence which has so far prevented the outbreak of a nuclear war8~~civility is not a sign of weakness,and sincerity is always subject to proof-To be ready to negotiate and establish friendly relations doesn’t mean that we are weak or afraid.Declarations of sincere intention have to be tested by actions 9.Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors Let the two sides use the fruits of science for the benefit of humanity rather than using high-tech weapons to kill and destroy10~~each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty-There have been occasions for each generation of Americans to be called upon to fight and die for their countryUnit101.Saint Goergy may caper in banners and in the speeches of politicians,but it’s Jonhn Bull who delivers the goods-As Saint Goergy is a hero,the patron of arms,symbolizing chivalry,his image often appears on banners,and his name is often mention in the speeches of politicians. Saint Goergy is used as a symbolic figure of political purpose. But Jonhn Bull is a tradesman and he delivers the goods we need in our daily life while making money at the same time2.With its boarding-houses,its compulsory games,its system of prefects and fagging,its insistence on good form and on esprit de corps.it produces a type whose weight is out of all proportion to its numbers-The English public schools have unique features.first all boys living in boarding houses,second,sports and games are organized and compulsory as part of the school curricular,third, older students have special duties to help control younger students while the latter must do jobs for the former,lastly, great emphasis is placed on good form and team spirit.These features enable the public school student to have disproportionately great influence3.Now the word “bankrupt”,I spoke as a member of a prudent middle-class nation,always anxious to meet my liabilities-Pay attention to my use of the word “bankrupt”,a word related to business. This reveals my identity as a member of commercial nation,who would be careful and sensible enough to avoid any risk of failing to pay their debts4.But my friend spoke as an Oriental, and the Oriental has behind him a tradition.not of middle-class prudence but of kingly munificence and splendor-But my friend expressed his views as a member of the Oriental countries.They are nourished by a tradition of great generosity and richness,which is different from the English tradition of middle-class prudence5.True love in this is differs from gold and clay.That to divide is not to take away -In this aspect, true love is different from material things such as clay or even gold which can be divided and taken away.Yet,if we share true love,it will never diminish6.I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height.and return to my business of notetaking-In the above anecdote,I have become a example of Englishmen for the moment.That put me in a high position which make me dizzy and is unfamiliar to me.I will now come down from that height and return to my role as your commentator on the characteistic of Englishman7.Such a combination is fruitful,and anyone who possesses it has gone a long way toward being braveThe Englishman’s nervous system acts promptly and feel slowly.The combi nation of the two qualities is useful,and anyone who has this combination is most likely to be brave8.Since literature always rests upon national character,there must be in the English nature hidden springs of fire to produce the fir we see-As literature is based on national character,there must be in the English nature hidden resources of passion that have produced th great somatic literature we see 9.‘Oh I’m used to Bernard Shaw;money tricks don’t hurt me-This kind of criticism is just like BernardShaw’s attacks.It’s nothing new and I’m used to these tricks and jokes; they won’t do any harm to me10.And the “tolerant humorous attitude”with which he comfronts them is not really humorous,because it’s bounded by the titter and the guffaw-The Englishmen think they have a tolerant and humorous attitude toward criticism.In fact it’s not so,because their attitude is limited by uncomfortable laughter,which indicates that beneath the surface of their tolerant humorous attitude,they are uneasy.when they try to be humorous and brush aside criticism,they would titter and guffaw.Such uncomfortable laughter is a sign of uneasiness11.The cats are all out of their bags and diplomacy can’t recall them-I have made all my opinions known to you.What is said is said,and being diplomatic can’t unsay what has been said。

大学英语第六册第十课背景ppt Notes_on_the_English_Character

About the text
Title: This article was originally given as a talk in
India, but later worked up for publication. In conclusion Forster says, “They are the notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others.” The author uses “notes” to show that his analysis is not authoritative and open for discussion and criticism.
Notes on the English Character
E.M.Forster
Brief introduction of E.M.Forster
Edward Morgan Forster (January 1, 1879–June 7, 1970) English novelist, short story writer, and essayist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. Forster„s humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph(题词) to his 1910 novel Howards End Forster was homosexual, but this fact was not widely made public during his lifetime. His posthumously-published novel Maurice tells of the coming of age of an explicitly homosexual male character.

现代大学英语精读6课后句子翻译中英对照（精）

现代大学英语精读6课后句子翻译中英对照（精）高英句子翻译unit11. Asian American success is typically taken to ratify the American dream and to prove that minorities can make it in this country without handouts. (Para. 7)亚裔美国人的成功总是被用来证明美国梦是有道理的，用来证明少数种族群体能够在这个国家取得成功而不必依靠政府的布施和救济。

2. Earlier this year, the publication of Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother incited a collective airing out of many varieties of race—based hysteria. (Para. 8)今年年初，蔡美尔《虎妈颂歌》一书的出版引发了公众各种各样反映种族观念的狂热评论。

3. There are no set-asides for the underprivileged or, conversely, for alumni or other privileged groups. There is no formula to encourage diversity" or any nebulous concept of “well-roundedness” or “character”. (Para. 12)这所学校没有为所谓弱势群体留下特殊的名额，反之，也没有为校友或其他特权人士留下名额，也没有旨在鼓励民族或宗教多样性或任何其他“全面发展”、“操行品德”等模糊观念的规定和计划。

4. You could frame it as a simple issue of equality and press for race- blind quantitative admissions standards. In 2006, a decade after California passed a voter initiative outlawing any racial engineering at the public universities, Asians composed 46 percent of UC Berkeley's entering class... (Para. 16)你可以把它说成是一个简单的平等问题，并强烈要求入学标准不许在录取数量上有种族歧视。

(完整版)(完整版)现代大学英语精读6(第二版)教师用书Unit1

Unit 1Paper TigersWesley YangAdditional Background Information(About Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother)What follows is a comment on Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Elizabeth Chang, an editor of The Washington Post's Sunday Magazine, which carried the article on January 8th, 2011.The cover of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother was catnip to this average parent's soul. Although the memoir seems to have been written to prove that Chinese parents are better at raising children than Western ones, the cover text claims that instead it portrays "a bitter clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory" and how the Tiger Mother “was humbled by a 13-year-old.”As a hopelessly Western mother married into a Chinese family living in an area that generates immigrant prodigies as reliably as clouds produce rain, I was eager to observe the comeuppance of a parent who thought she had all the answers.And, in many ways, "Tiger Mother" did not disappoint. At night, I would nudge my husband awake to read him some of its more revealing passages, such as when author Amy Chua threatened to burn her older daughter's stuffed animals if the child didn't improve her piano playing. "What Chinese parents understand," Chua writes, "is that nothing is fun until you're good at it." By day, I would tell my own two daughters about how Chua threw unimpressive birthday cards back at her young girls and ordered them to make better ones. For a mother whose half-Chinese children played outside while the kids of stricter immigrant neighbors could be heard laboring over the violin and piano, the book can be wickedly gratifying. Reading it is like secretly peering into the home of a controlling, obsessive yet compulsively honest mother—one who sometimes makes the rest of us look good, if less remarkable and with less impressive offspring. Does becoming super-accomplished make up for years of stress? That's something my daughters and I will never find out.Chua is a law professor and author of two acclaimed books on international affairs, though readers of "Tiger Mother" get only a glimpse of that part of her life, with airy, tossed off-lines such as "Meanwhile, I was still teaching my courses at Yale and finishing up my second book" while also "traveling continuously, giving lectures about democratization and ethnic conflict." Her third book abandons global concerns to focus intimately on Chua's attempt to raise her two daughters the way her immigrant parents raised her. There would be no play dates and no sleepovers: "I don't really have time for anything fun, because I'm Chinese," one of Chua's daughters told a friend. Instead, there would be a total commitment to academics and expertise at something, preferably an instrument. Though Chua's Jewish husband grew up with parents who encouraged him to imagine—and to express himself, he nonetheless agreed to let her take the lead in rearing the children and mostly serves as the Greek chorus to Chua's crazed actions.In Chinese parenting theory, hard work produces accomplishment, which produces confidence and yet more accomplishment. As Chua note s, this style of parenting is found among other immigrant cultures, too, and I'm sure many Washington-area readers have seen it, if they don't employ it themselves. Chua's older daughter, Sophia, a pianist, went along with, and blossomed, under this approach. The younger daughter, Lulu, whose instrument of Chua's choice was a violin, was a different story. The turning point came when, after years of practicing and performing, Lulu expressed her hatred of the violin, her mother and of being Chinese. Chua imagined a Western parent’s take on Lulu's rebellion: "Why torture yourself and your child? What's the point? (I)knew as a Chinese mother I could never give in to that way of thinking." But she nevertheless allowed Lulu to abandon the violin. Given that the worst Lulu ever did was cut her own hair and throw a glass, my reaction was that Chua got off easy in a society where some pressured children cut themselves, become anorexic, refuse to go to school or worse. No one but an obsessive Chinese mother would consider her healthy, engaging and accomplished daughter deficient because the girl prefers tennis to the violin—but that's exactly the point.And, oh, what Chua put herself and her daughters through before she got to her moment of reckoning. On weekends, they would spend hours getting to and from music lessons and then come home and practice for hours longer. At night, Chua would read up on violin technique and fret about the children in China who were practicing 10 hours a day. (Did this woman ever sleep?) She insisted that her daughters maintain top grades—Bs, she notes, inspire a "screaming, hair-tearing explosion" among Chinese parents and the application of countless practice tests. She once refused to let a child leave the piano bench to use the bathroom. She slapped one daughter who was practicing poorly. She threatened her children not just with stuffed-animal destruction, but with exposure to the elements. She made them practice on trips to dozens of destinations, including London, Rome, Bombay and the Greek island of Crete, where she kept Lulu going so long one day that the family missed seeing the palace at Knossos.Sometimes, you're not quite sure whether Chua is being serious or deadpan. For example, she says she tried to apply Chinese parenting to the family's two dogs before accepting that the only thing they were good at was expressing affection. "Although it is true that some dogs are on bomb squads or drug-sniffing teams," she concluded, "it is perfectly fine for most dogs not to have a profession, or even any special skills." On the one hand, she seems aware of her shortcomings: She is, she notes, "not good at enjoying life," and she acknowledges that the Chinese parenting approach is flawed because it doesn't tolerate the possibility of failure. On the other hand, she sniffs that "there are all kinds of psychological disorders in the West that don't exist in Asia." When not contemptuous, some of her wry observations about Western-style child-rearing are spot-on: "Private schools are constantly trying to make learning fun by having parents do all the work," and sleepovers are "a kind of punishment parents unknowingly inflict on their children through permissiveness."Readers will alternately gasp at and empathize with Chua's struggles and aspirations, all the while enjoying her writing, which, like her kid-rearing philosophy, is brisk, lively and no-holds-barred. This memoir raises intriguing, sometimes uncomfortable questions about love, pride, ambition, achievement and self-worth that will resonate among success-obsessed parents. Is it possible, for example, that Chinese parents have more confidence in their children's abilities, or that they aresimply willing to work harder at raising exceptional children than Westerners are? Unfortunately, the author leaves many questions unanswered as her book limps its way to a conclusion, with Chua acknowledging her uncertainty about how to finish it and the family still debating the pros and cons of her approach (anyone hoping for a total renunciation of the Chinese approach will be disappointed).Ending a parenting story when one child is only 15 seems premature; in fact, it might not be possible to really understand the impact of Chua's efforts until her daughters have offspring of their own. Perhaps a sequel, or a series ("Tiger Grandmother"!) is in the works. But while this battle might not have been convincingly concluded, it's engagingly and provocatively chronicled. Readers of all stripes will respond to "Tiger Mother."Structure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-2)The author, an Asian living in the United States, introduces himself as a ‘banana’.Part II (Paras. 3-5)The author describes how he believes Asians are generally viewed in the United States and how he views Asian values himself. It is clear that his overall attitude toward his cultural roots is negative. Part III (Paras. 6-8)The author agrees that Asians (especially Chinese) are over-represented in American elite schools and that, percentage-wise, more Chinese earn median family incomes than any other ethnic group in the United States. However, he does not accept the idea that the Chinese are “taking over” top American schools. He particularly ridicules the idea that the United States has to worry about a more general Chinese “takeover”, as Amy Chua’s book seems to suggest.Part IV (Paras. 9-14)In these paragraphs, the author tells the story of a Chinese American whose experience as a graduate of one of the most competitive high schools in the U.S. proves that while Asian overrepresentation in elite schools is a fact, the success of Asian students is not an indication of their higher intelligence but rather of their constant practice of test-taking. The fear that U.S. schools might become “too Asian” (too test-oriented) in response, narrowing students’ educational experience, has aroused general concern.Part V (Paras. 15-22)The author points out that the ethnic imbalance in elite schools is not only resented by white students and educators, but that even Asian students are beginning to raise serious doubts. They are tired of the crushing workload and believe there must be a better way. They envy their white fellow students who finally get to the top - strong, healthy, with a high level of academic achievement, and with time even for a girlfriend or boyfriend. They cannot help but still feel alienated in this society.Part VI (Paras. 23-28)In these Paragraphs, the author tells the story of another Chinese student who describes the subtle influence of his Chinese upbringing, which makes it difficult for him to be culturally assimilated.Part VII (Paras. 29-36)In these Paragraphs, the author discusses the problem of the “bamboo ceiling”—the fact that in spite of high academic achievement, virtually no Asians are found in the upper reaches of leadership. The author believes that this is because Asian upbringing fails to provide children with the requisite skills for leadership.Part VIII (Paras. 37-43)Between Para. 36 and Para. 37 in the original essay, there are many more case studies reflecting vividly the negative effects of Asian culture. But in order to limit the essay to a manageable length, we (the compilers) were unable to include them. Therefore, in this section, the essay comes to a somewhat abrupt conclusion.Interestingly enough, the author feels that the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is well worth reading although he does not agree with Amy Chua, because, in his opinion, the book provides all the material needed to refute what ‘the Tiger Mother’ stands for. More importantly, the author thinks that Amy Chua should be praised for her courage to speak out and defy American mainstream views.Detailed Study of the Text1. Millions of Americans must feel estranged from their own faces. But every self-estrangedindividual is estranged in his own way. (Para. 1)Millions of Americans must feel alienated (separated) from the essence of themselves by their own faces.The author is referring here to ethnic minority people in the United States, especially Asians.Note that “face” here does not refer to skin color or facial features alone, but also to cultural di fferences. His point is that these attributes force him into the category of “immigrant”, though he doesn’t feel like one.2. You could say that I am a banana. But while I don't believe our roots necessarily defineus, I do believe there are racially inflected assumptions wired into our neural circuitry. (Para. 2)A banana is white inside and yellow outside. The term is often used ironically to refer to anAsian American who is like all other non-Asian Americans people except for the color of his skin.The author admits that people can call him a banana, but he does not like it, because he does not believe his Asian roots determine who he is. However, he has to admit that there are racially inflected assumptions wired into many Asian Ame ricans’ neural circuitry.racially inflected assumptions: racially based prejudices, beliefs and ideaswired into our neural circuitry: deeply planted in our brains (in our minds)3. Here is what I sometimes suspect my face signifies to other Americans: An invisibleperson, barely distinguishable from a mass of faces that resemble it. A conspicuous person standing apart from the crowd and yet devoid of any individuality. An icon of so much that the culture pretends to honor but that it in fact patronizes and exploits. Not just people “who are good at math” and play the violin, but a mass of stifled, repressed, abused, conformist quasi-robots who simply do not matter, socially or culturally. (Para. 3) This is how I sometimes guess other Americans look at us. (This is what I sometimesthink my face means to other Americans.)An invisible person: a person much the same as others of the same group; a person who is hardly distinguishable; a person nobody will pay special attention todevoid of any individuality: without any individualityAsian culture is said to stress uniformity or conformity. The individual is encouraged to merge with the collective. Self-promotion or assertiveness is considered in bad taste whereas invisibility is regarded as a sign of modesty.icon：n. 偶像The successful Asian student has become a symbol to be worshipped.to patronize and exploit: to treat somebody in an offensively condescending manner and make use of him or herThe author says that American culture pretends to honor the ‘Tiger Child’ (the successful Asian) as an icon (a symbol of success and everything it represents), but actually it treats Asians in a condescending way and makes use of them.a mass of stifled, repressed, abused, conformist quasi-robots: a large number of peoplewho are not allowed to act or express themselves freely, treated in a harsh and harmful way, and made to behave similarly, like robots.do not matter socially or culturally: do not have much social or cultural importance.4. I've always been of two minds about this sequence of stereotypes. (Para. 4)of two minds: (BrE: in two minds) not decided or certain about something.this sequence of stereotypes: this series of stereotypes. On the one hand the author is angry that Asians should be viewed this way, and he thinks it racist, but on the other hand, he has to admit that these views do apply to many Asians.It is ironic to note that the author himself seems to be especially influenced by these racist prejudices. One may also wonder whether the stereotyped views some people have when they first encounter people of other races necessarily have devastating effects. For example, Chinese thought of Westerners as a mass of blue-eyed, yellow-haired, big-nosed, hairy chested aliens at one time. Fear of the unknown or unfamiliar is a common human reaction.5. Let me summarize my feelings toward Asian values: Damn filial piety. Damn gradegrubbing. Damn Ivy League mania. Damn deference to authority. Damn humility and hard work. Damn harmonious relations. Damn sacrificing for the future. Damn earnest, striving middle-class servility. (Para. 5)Now the author is talking about much more serious things. He is talking about his feelings toward Asian values rather than features or skin color, and his attitude is one of total rejection and condemnation. While we must realize that all cultures or civilizations have drawbacks, and we have every reason to listen to the bitter reactions of angry young Asians toward our shared culture, we should also remind ourselves that y oung people’s judgments may be hasty, imbalanced, and immature.Damn: Note that this word is generally considered extremely offensive and obscene in all its usages, and is therefore avoided, but here the author is so bitter that no other expression seems adequate. Indeed, he may have deliberately chosen this word to shock the Asian community, especially Asian parents.filial piety: love for, respect for, and obedience to one’s parentsgrade grubbing: striving for high academic scoresivy league mania: craze, obsession regarding entry to ivy league universitiesdeference to authority: respect for and submission to authorityhumility and hard work: modesty, humbleness; diligenceearnest striving middle-class servility: Middle-class people usually “hope t o rise and fear to fall” (Bunyan) and therefore work slavishly and behave submissively.One may wonder whether what the author describes here is racially determined or mainly a reflection of social and economic conditions. Many of the values listed above are similar to those of the American Puritans when obedience, respect for the old, diligence, thrift, simple living, family loyalty, discipline, and sacrifice were considered essential virtues.6. I understand the reasons Asian parents have raised a generation of children thisway. …This is a stage in a triumphal narrative, and it is a narrative that is much shorter than many remember. (Para. 6)The author says that he understands why Asian parents have raised their children this way. It is natural for most Asian parents to try to improve their children’s lives through education.a stage in a triumphal narrative: A stage (the beginning stage) of a success story. Andmany Asians have achieved success in a much shorter time than people realize.7. Asian American success is typically taken to ratify the American Dream and to provethat minorities can make it in this country without handouts. (Para. 7)to be taken to: to be considered toto make it: to succeed8.Still, an undercurrent of racial panic always accompanies the consideration of Asians,and all the more so as China becomes the destination for our industrial base and the banker controlling our burgeoning debt. （Para. 7）But there always exists a feeling of racial panic, though it may not be obvious, whenever people think of Asians. This undercurrent is now becoming stronger as more American industrial companies move their manufacturing base to China, and China has become the banker controlling our growing national debt.9. But if the armies of Chinese factory workers who make our fast fashion and iPadsterrify us, and if the collective mass of high-achieving Asian American students arouse an anxiety about the laxity of American parenting, what of the Asian American who obeyed everything his parents told him? Does this person really scare anyone? (Para. 7)The author is pointing out the contradiction here: If…, then what about…? It is clear that he doubts if there is any reason for Americans to be afraid of the Asian American who obeys everything his parents tell him. Children brought up in this submissive culture cannot pose any threat.fast fashion: This is a contemporary term used to refer to products designed and brought to market quickly in order to capture ever-changing fashion trends.10.Earlier this year, the publication of Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother inciteda collective airing out of many varieties of race-based hysteria. But absent from themillions of words written in response to the book was any serious consideration ofwhether Asian Americans were in fact taking over this country. (Para. 8)to incite a collective airing out of many varieties of race-based hysteria: To provoke many people into stating openly various kinds of strong racist opinionsb ut absent from the millions of words…was any serious consideration…: But there wasno serious consideration in all these millions of words…11.I mean, I'm proud of my parents and my neighborhood and what I perceive to be myartistic potential or whatever, but sometimes I feel like I'm jumping the gun a generation or two too early. (Para. 9)The second sentence of this sentence means that I feel like I am changing into a new person a generation or two too early.This shows that the changes he has to make in response to a new cultural environment have come in conflict with his old cultural legacy, and he feels lost.12. I ride the 7 train to its last stop in Flushing, where the storefront signs are all written inChinese and the sidewalks are a slow-moving river of impassive faces. (Para. 10)the storefront signs: 店面招牌Note that Flushing (法拉盛) now has the largest Chinese community in New York city, larger than Chinatown.impassive faces: faces showing no emotionNote that etymologically, the word impassive is related to “passion” rather than “passive”.13. There are no set-asides for the underprivileged or, conversely, for alumni or otherprivileged groups. There is no formula to encourage “diversity” or any nebulous concept of “well-roundedness” or “character.” Here we have something like pure meritocracy. (Para. 12)set-asides: slots set aside for people in special categories 招生的保留名额for the underprivileged: 专为弱势群体（保留的名额）F or alumni or other privileged groups: 为校友及其他享有特权的团体（保留的名额）T here is no formula to encourage “diversity” or any nebulous concept of “well-roundedness” or “character.”：There are no special provisions to encourage diversity” (referring mainly to ethnic diversity, guaranteed by what was known as ‘affirmative action’) or any vague idea of “well-roundedness” (referring to set-asides for students with special athletic or other talents) or “character” (referr ing to set-asides for students of especially fine character, demonstrated, or example by community service.)Note that, according to the author, this school is different. It operates on the basis of something like pure meritocracy.meritocracy: a system in which advancement is determined only by ability and achievement.Here it refers particularly to a system of education in which admission to an educational institution, evaluation and promotion are all determined by ability and achievement (merit).14. This year, 569 Asian Americans scored high enough to earn a slot at Stuyvesant,a long with 179 whites, 13 Hispanics, and 12 blacks. Such dramatic overrepresentation,and what it may be read to imply about the intelligence of different groups of NewYorkers, has a way of making people uneasy. (Para. 13)to earn a slot: to get admitted into the school; to be allowed to enter the schoolslot: available position; opening; placedramatic over-representation: a disproportionately large percentage of those admitted15.But intrinsic intelligence, of course, is precisely what Asians don't believe in. (Para. 13)But Asians, of course, believe only in hard work. They don’t believe in natural intelligence.16.“Learning math is not about learning math,” an instructor at one called Ivy Prep wasquoted in The New York Times as saying. “It's about weightlifting. You are pumping the iron of math.” Mao puts it more specifically: “You learn quite simply to nail any standardized test you take.” (Para. 13)an instructor at one called Ivy Prep: a teacher at a school called Ivy Prep, meaning a school for preparing students to get into Ivy League universities.pumping the iron of math: lifting the iron of math, rather than an iron weight.Note that the author is playing on the slang expression “pumping iron”: to lift weights.to nail: to fix, secure, or make sure of, especially by quick action or concentrated effort.17. And so there is an additional concern accompanying the rise of the Tiger Children, onefocused more on the narrowness of the educational experience a non-Asian child might receive in the company of fanatically pre-professional Asian students. (Para. 14)an additional concern accompanying the rise of the Tiger Children: an additional worry related to the rise of high-achieving Asian American children.the narrowness of the educational experience: Non-Asian American parents are worried that their children’s education experience will be very narrow because they are surrounded by Asian students who are all obsessively pre-professional.pre-professional: Preparatory to the practice of a profession or a specialized field of study related to it.18. A couple of years ago, she revisited this issue in her senior thesis at Harvard, where sheinterviewed graduates of elite public schools and found that the white students regarded the Asian students with wariness. In 2005, The Wall Street Journal reported on “white flight” from a high school in Cupertino, California, that began soon after the childre n of Asian software engineers had made the place so brutally competitive that a B average could place you in the bottom third of the class. (Para. 14)to revisit the issue：to look at the issue again“w hite flight”: the fleeing (running away) of white studentsa B average could place you in the bottom third of the class: If your grade were no morethan B on average, then you would be quite likely to find yourself in the lowest third of the class.19.You could frame it as a simple issue of equality and press for race-blind quantitativeadmissions standards. In 2006, a decade after California passed a voter initiative outlawing any racial engineering at the public universities, Asians composed 46 percent of UC Berkeley's entering class; one could imagine a similar demographic reshuffling in the Ivy League, where Asian Americans currently make up about 17 percent of undergraduates. (Para. 16)to frame: to express in wordsto press for: to make a strong demand forrace-blind: treating different races equallyCompare: color-blindrace-blind quantitative admissions standards:没有种族歧视的招生名额原则racial engineering:designing a student body to reflect a pre-determined racial mix (the opposite of race-blind quantitative admissions standards)C ompare: social engineering; genetic engineeringto compose 46 percent: to make up/to represent 46 percentUC Berkeley's entering class：加州大学伯克利分校的新生班demographic reshuffling：changing the representation of component groups making up a larger group of people: in this case, changing the ethnic mix within the population of Ivy League undergraduates20.But the Ivies, as we all know, have their own private institutional interests a t stake intheir admissions choices, including some that are arguably defensible. Who can seriously claim that a Harvard University that was 72 percent Asian would deliver the same grooming for elite status its students had gone there to receive? (Para. 16)to hav e their… interests at stake: to have their… interests in danger/at risk/in jeopardy arguably defensible：It can be argued that some of those private interests are defensible.to deliver the same grooming: to give the same preparation for future elite employment and social position. grooming:梳理打扮21. He had always felt himself a part of a mob of “nameless, faceless Asian kids,” who were“like a part of the décor of the place.” (Para. 17)the décor of a place: the way the place is decorated22.“It's l ike, we're being pitted against each other while there are kids out there in theMidwest who can do way less work and be in a garage band or something—” (Para. 18) to pit us against each other: to force us to compete with each otherout there: used to say in a general way that someone or something existsway less: a lot less.Note that the word ‘way’ is an adverb here.or something: used to suggest another choice, etc., that is not specified.23.“The general gist of most high school movies is that the pretty cheerleader gets with thebig dumb jock, and the nerd is left to bide his time in loneliness. But at some point in the future,” he says, “the nerd is going to rule the world, and the dumb jock is going to work in a carwash”. (Para. 19)gist: the general or basic meaning of something said or written。

现代大学英语精读课后答案Lesson 6

现代大学英语精读课后答案 Lesson Six The Man in the WaterLesson Six The Man in the WaterI. Discuss the following questions:We find heroes in all societies and cultures and at all times. How do you account for that? Many people think that.heroes are "made of special materials", but the author seems to suggest that every one of us has the capacity to be a hero. What do you think of these views?II. Vocabulary1. Practice using the rules of word formation.1) Examine how the words " Immovable" and " Incapable" ore formed. Find out the meaning of the prefixes "Im-" and "in-" with the help of a dictionary.immovable: +incapable: +2) Turn the following words into the opposite by adding either “im-” or “in-” or “un-”.Add more words to the list.(1) able (16) formal(2) adequate (17) fortunate(3) adequate (18) important(4) avoidable (19) just(5) balance (20) material(6) believable (21) measuable(7) comfortable (22) patient(8) competent (23) perfect(9) complete (24) personal(10) conditional (25) pleasant(11) countable (26) popular(12) credible (27) possible(13) curable (28) significant(14) direct (29) valuable(15) equal (30) visible3) Complete the sentences with the words in the brackets in their proper forms.(1) The well of_________ (create) never runs dry as long as you go to it.(2) I think________ (imagine) is more important than knowledge.(3) No matter what __________(achieve) you have made, somebody has helped you.(4) Man's mind once stretched by a new idea will never return to its ________ (origin) size.(5) What the caterpillar (毛毛虫) calls "the end", the butterfly calls "the ______(begin)".(6) Disappointment is the nurse of _________ _(wise).(7) It is true the __________ (present) is coloured by the past. It is also true you can choose the colours of the future.(8) A smile is a __________ (silence) laugh, and a laugh is the music of __________(happy). ,(9) A person who makes a mistake and _______(fail) to correct it will make another in future.(10) __________ (confident) makes us do things well but it is love that makes us do them to perfection.(11) Good temper is like a ____________ (sun) day, it sheds its __________(bright) everywhere.2. Give the opposite of the following.1) employee 10) universal2) to fasten 11) deep3) good (n.) 12) to dress4) identified 13) thoroughly5) indifferent 14) to admit6) movable 15) bride7) personal 16) precious8) responsible 17) silly9) selflessness3. Complete the sentences with the expressions listed below in their proper forms.on behalf of to account for to be known as to be responsible for to stick in the /sb.'s mind to refer to to come to the conclusion to care about1) The Palace Museum, also __________the Forbidden City, was built in the Ming Dynasty.2) She comes from a peasant family and was born and brought up in the countryside. This probably __________ her intense interest in the reform in China's countryside.3) I'm sure that opening ceremony will- ______ people's ___for a long time.4) The word "terrorist" should be well-defined. We can't ___________someone who fights for national independence or freedom as a terrorist.5) After he analyzed me complicated situation there, he __________ that it wouldn't be so easy to find" a peaceful settlement.6) __________laid-off workers, he strongly suggested that a greater effort be made to have them reemployed.7) They refused to take the money, which showed that there are still a lot of decent people in 'this world who ____more ______their good name.8) How do you __________the fact that so many young people are crazy about this novel?9) We are planning an open-book exam which allows learners to __________ their textbook and notes, as well as dictionaries.10) Yes, the owner of that coal mine ______the death of the 43 miners. But no one can yet __________the fact that the owner dared to hide the facts for so long.4. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions or adverbs.1) Traditionally Chinese people liked to describe the nation a large family.2) They all say that they owe the improvement of their life in recent years ____ the new railway.3) These terrible sandstorms brought the whole nation ____attention,4) ____times of economic difficulties, it is the poor people who usually go _____ first.5) It's not true that all people do things ____self interest.6) I laughed____my friend. But a half-drunk young man thought I was laughing____ him. So he went ____me.7) This kind of cold-blooded mass murder can only set them ____ the whole civilized world.8) She is clinging the hope that her husband may still be alive.9) Although the enemy had better weapons, we had popular support. Therefore we were ableto hold them ____ a standoff.10) ____his nervousness, he kept shaking my hand and wouldn't let go ____it.im-5. Put the Chinese into English.１）空难１２）善恶之分２）人性１３）总统纪念碑３）机尾部分１４）典型的场合４）大冰块１５）普遍的特性５）救生圈１６）公认的英雄６）安全带１７）情感上的震撼７）文化冲突１８）交通高峰期８）９１１航班１９）久久无法忘怀的奇迹９）机械故障２０）佛罗里达航空公司１０）受伤人员２１）责任所在；应该做的１１）伤人的话２２）在有大批人伤亡的事件中6. Complete the sentences based on the Chinese in the brackets.1) It was a cold and foggy day and the plane ___________ (撞了桥), killing most of the passengers and the crew.2) Many times they_________(冒着生命危险) to look for survivor.3) You will be fined if you don’t （系好安全带）while driving.4) When he is extremely angry, Harris is likely to (说出愚蠢的话).5) He tried many times to (考验他们的忠诚) before he sent them on the suicidal mission.6) Peng Sha (作了漂亮的演说) on that occasion7) These brave people were ready to（向死亡挑战）.8) Every year we plant trees to stop the desert. But the desert keeps advancing. We seem to be___________(输了这场战斗). '9) To encourage home consumption, we have ___________（降息) seven times inthe past three years.10) You have to ___________ (明确区分) between short-term interests and long-term interests.11) We can walk right across the river from October to March when the winter cold ___________(将水冰冻).12) They sent ground troops into that country. But very soon they began to ___ (后悔这一举动). They knew they could not win the war.13) The scientists have __________ (试验这种药) on animals. But that's not enough.7. Complete the sentences using the idiomatic expressions of "hand" listed below.in one's hand off hand out of handon one's handson the one handto give sb. a free handout of one's handon the other handto get /gain /have the upper hand1) I’m sorry I don’t know her phone number _____ . I’ll go and check and tell you later.2) The house is too far away from where I work, but, __________, it's cheap.3) I think we ought to and let him carry on the experiment as he thinks best.4) Which side after months of fierce struggle?5) The situation there now is ______. The authorities admit matt they are facing a civil war.6) Don’t ask me. It's ___________. Fei Jia is now in charge.7) We have too many problems _____. We must deal with them one by one.8) At that time, Nanjing was still __________of the Japanese troops.9) __________they must punish the terrorists. But __________they cannot afford to offend all the Muslims. It is very delicate business.8. Give the meanings of the underlined parts in the sentences below. Note how themeanings are different in different contexts.1) You just press this button to start the engine.2) Will you please press the trousers and tie for me?3) Determined to win the competition, we pressed hard.4) We are not going to check in a hotel. We will just pitch a tent in the mountain.5) It was pitch-dark outside.6) She pitched the ball as fast as she could.7) We all pitched in and finished the task ahead of time.8) Sugar is sold by the pound.9) Mary pounded the door with her fists.10) Nellie was very nervous. She could almost hear her heart pounding.11) This dress cost me 100 pounds. /12) He seemed odd in some ways.13) He gets an odd job sometimes, but he can never make enough money to support his family.14) We have Intensive Reading on odd days.9. Give the verb pattern of the underlined part in the sentence below, list other possible verbs, and then put the Chinese Into English, using the pattern and the verbs in the brackets.... it takes the act of the man in the water to remind us of our true feelings in the matter, (para. 8) Verb pattern:Other possible verbs:1) 你们有没有把他的健康状况通知他的家人？(inform)2) 剧中主要人物的故事使我想起了我的童年。

(完整版)(完整版)现代大学英语精读6(第二版)教师用书Unit1

课文 notes on the english character 英国人的性格特点译文

英国人的性格特点E·M·福斯特1.首先，我最好和盘托出并且点明我的观点，从根本上来说，英国人的性格特点是中产阶级的性格特点。

此观点拥有详实的历史渊源，因为自18世纪末起中产阶级就成为了英国社会的主导阶级。

中产阶级凭借工业革命发家，凭借1832年的《改革法案》掌权，他们与大英帝国的崛起和构成休戚相关，他们也是19世纪文学的缔造者。

稳重、谨慎、正直、高效、缺乏想像力、虚伪是每个国家中产阶级的特点，然而在英国，上述特点也是全体英国人的特点，因为只有英国的中产阶级掌权长达150年。

拿破仑无礼地称我们为“店老板民族”。

而我们更喜欢称自己为“伟大的商业民族99后者听起来更有尊严，但是二者在本质上是相同的。

当然，英国社会还包括其他阶级，贵族阶级与贫苦阶级。

然而，批评家的眼睛只盯着中产阶级，正如他们只盯着俄国的贫苦阶级与日本的贵族阶级一样。

俄国的典型形象是农民和工人，日本的典型形象是武士，英国的典型形象是布尔先生，他头戴高顶大礼帽，身穿合体的衣服，挺着大肚皮，数着银行的大笔存款。

圣·乔治也许会蹦蹦跳跳地举起标语，发表政治演说，而约翰·布尔则会去送货。

如果基博的观点是正确的，甚至圣·乔治也曾戴上高顶大礼帽，他是一位军火承包商，并且供应质量低劣的熏肉。

最终的结果都是一样的。

2.其次，正如中产阶级是英国的核心一样，公学制度是中产阶级的核心。

这种超乎寻常的体制具有地域性，它还没有扩展到英伦三岛。

爱尔兰和苏格兰都不存在这种体制(这两个国家不在我的调查之列)，尽管这样有利于其他优秀体制的出现，比如仅限于美国某些学校所采用的阿里加体制，因为它产生于安格鲁一萨克逊中产阶级，而且只能在上述阶级中实行。

英国公学制度比充满社会与精神复杂性的大学更充分地体现了中产阶级的特性。

学生寄宿、必修运动项目、高年级同学在差使低年级同学为自己办事时必须对其行为负责，以及高度重视身材与团队精神是英国公学制度的四大特点，正是这些特点使公学的学生具有超乎寻常的影响力。

现代大学英语精读6 notes on english character

First note. I had better let the cat out of the bag at once and record my opinion that the character of the English is essentially middle class. There is a sound historical reason for this， for，since the end of the eighteenth century， the middle classes have been the dominant force in our community. They gained wealth by the Industrial Revolution， political power by the Reform Bill of 1832； they are connected with the rise and organization of the British Empire； they are responsible for the literature of the nineteenth century. Solidity， caution， integrity， efficiency. Lack of imagination， hypocrisy. These qualities characterize the middle classes in every country， but in England they are national characteristics also， because only in England have the middle classes been in power for one hundred and fifty years. Napoleon， in his rude way， called us "a nation of shopkeepers." We prefer to call ourselves "a great commercial nation" -- it sounds more dignified -- but the two phrases amount to the same. Of course there are other classes： there is an aristocracy， there are the poor. But it is on the middle classes that the eye of the critic rests -- just as it rests on the poor in Russia and on the aristocracy in Japan. Russia is symbolized by the peasant or by the factory worker； Japan by the samurai； the national figure of England is Mr. Bull with his top hat， his comfortable clothes， his substantial stomach， and his substantial balance at the bank. Saint George may caper on banners and in the speeches of politicians， but it is John Bull who delivers the goods. And even Saint George-- if Gibbon is correct-- wore a top hat once； he was an army contractor and supplied indifferent bacon. It all amounts to the same in the end.Second Note. Just as the heart of England is the middle classes， so the heart of the middle classes is the public school system. This extraordinary institution is local. It does not even exist all over the British Isles. It is unknown in Ireland， almost unknown in Scotland （countries excluded from my survey）， and though it may inspire other great institutions--Aligarh， for example， and some of the schools in the United States--it remains unique， because it was created by the Anglo-Saxon middle classes， and can flourish only where they flourish. How perfectly it expresses their character -- far better for instance， than does the university， into which social and spiritual complexities have already entered. With its boarding-houses， its compulsory games， its system of prefects and fagging， its insistence on good form and on esprit de corps， it produces a type whose weight is out of all proportion to its numbers. On leaving his school， the boy either sets to work at once -- goes into the army or into business， or emigrates -- or else proceeds to the university， and after three or four years there enters some other profession -- becomes a barrister， doctor， civil servant， schoolmaster， or journalist. （If through some mishap he does not become a manual worker or an artist.） In all these careers his education， or the absence of it，influences him. Its memories influence him also. Many men look back on their school days as the happiest of their lives. They remember with regret that golden time when life， though hard， was not yet complex， when they all worked together and played together and thought together， so far as they thought at all； when they were taught that school is the world in miniature and believed that no one can love his country who does not love his school. And they prolong that time as bestthey can by joining their Old Boys' society： indeed， some of them remain Old Boys and nothing else for the rest of their lives. They attribute all good to the school. They worship it. They quote the remark that "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." It is nothing to them that the remark is inapplicable historically and was never made by the Duke of Wellington， and that the Duke of Wellington was an Irishman. They go on quoting it because it expresses their sentiments； they feel that if the Duke of Wellington didn't make it he ought to have， and if he wasn't an Englishman he ought to have been. And they go forth into a world that is not entirely composed of public-school men or even of Anglo-Saxons， but of men who are as various as the sands of the sea； into a world of whose richness and subtlety they have no conception. They go forth into it with well-developed bodies， fairly developed minds， and undeveloped hearts. And it is this undeveloped heart that is largely responsible for the difficulties of Englishmen abroad. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one. The difference is important， and on it my next note will be based.For it is not that the Englishman can't feel -- it is that he is afraid to feel. He has been taught at his public school that feeling is bad form. He must not express great joy or sorrow， or even open his mouth too wide when he talks--his pipe might fall out if he did. He must bottle up his emotions，or let them out only on a very special occasion.Once upon a time （this is an anecdote） I went for a week's holiday on the Continent with an Indian friend. We both enjoyed ourselves and were sorry when the week was over， but on parting our behaviour was absolutely different. He was plunged in despair.He felt that because the holiday was over all happiness was over until the world ended. He could not express his sorrow too much. But in me the Englishman came out strong. I reflected that we should meet again in a month or two， and could write in the interval if we had anything to say； and under these circumstances I could not see what there was to make a fuss about. It wasn't as if we were parting forever or dying. "Buck up，" I said， "do buck up." He refused to buck up， and I left him plunged in gloom.The conclusion of the anecdote is even more instructive. For when we met the next month our conversation threw a good deal of light on the English character. I began by scolding my friend. I told him that he had been wrong to feel and display so much emotion upon so slight an occasion； that it was inappropriate. The word "inappropriate" roused him to fury. "What？" he cried. "Do you measure out your emotions as if they were potatoes？" I did not like the simile of the potatoes， but after a moment's reflection I said： "Yes， I do； and what's more， I think I ought to. A small occasion demands a little emotion just as a large occasion demands a great one. I would like my emotions to be appropriate. This may be measuring them like potatoes， but it is better than slopping them about like water from a pail， which is what you did." He did not like the simile of the pail. "If those are your opinions， they part us forever，" he cried， and left the room. Returning immediately， he added： "No--but your whole attitude toward emotion is wrong.Emotion has nothing to do with appropriateness. It matters only that it shall be sincere. I happened to feel deeply. I showed it. It doesn't matter whether I ought to have felt deeply or not."This remark impressed me very much. Yet I could not agree with it， and said that I valued emotion as much as he did， but used it differently； if I poured it out on small occasions I was afraid of having none left for the great ones， and of being bankrupt at the crises of life. Note the word "bankrupt." I spoke as a member of a prudent middle-class nation， always anxious to meet my liabilities， but my friend spoke as an Oriental， and the Oriental has behind him a tradition， not of middle-class prudence but of kingly munificence and splendour. He feels his resources are endless，just as John Bull feels his are finite. As regards material resources， the Oriental is clearly unwise. Money isn't endless. If we spend or give away all the money we have， we haven't any more， and must take the consequences， which are frequently unpleasant. But， as regards the resources of the spirit， he may be right. The emotions may be endless. The more we express them， the more we may have to express. True love in this differs from gold and clay， That to divide is not to take away.Says Shelley. Shelley， at all events， believes that the wealth of the spirit is endless； that we may express it copiously， passionately， and always； that we can never feel sorrow or joy too acutely.In the above anecdote， I have figured as a typical Englishman. I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height， and return to my business of notetaking. A note on the slowness of the English character. The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow. When an event happens， he may understand it quickly enough with his mind， but he takes quite a while to feel it. Once upon a time a coach， containing some Englishmen and some Frenchmen， was driving over the Alps. The horses ran away， and as they were dashing across a bridge the coach caught on the stonework， tottered， and nearly fell into the ravine below. The Frenchmen were frantic with terror： they screamed and gesticulated and flung themselves about，as Frenchmen would. The Englishmen sat quite calm. An hour later， the coach drew up at an inn to change horses， and by that time the situations were exactly reversed. The Frenchmen had forgotten all about the danger， and were chattering gaily； the Englishmen had just begun to feel it， and one had a nervous breakdown and was obliged to go to bed. We have here a clear physical difference between the two races--a difference that goes deep into character. The Frenchmen responded at once； the Englishmen responded in time. They were slow and they were also practical. Their instinct forbade them to throw themselves about in the coach， because it was more likely to tip over if they did. They had this extraordinary appreciation of fact that we shall notice again and again. When a disaster comes， the English instinct is to do what can be done first， and to postpone the feeling as long as possible. Hence they are splendid at emergencies. No doubt they are brave--no one will deny that--bravery is partly an affair of the nerves， and the English nervous system is well equipped for meeting physical emergency.It acts promptly and feels slowly. Such a combination is fruitful， and anyone who possesses it has gone a long way toward being brave. And when the action is over， then the Englishman can feel.There is one more consideration -- a most important one. If the English nature is cold， how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry？ Judged by its prose， English literature would not stand in the first rank. It is its poetry that raises it to the level of Greek， Persian， or French. And yet the English are supposed to be so unpoetical. How is this？ The nation that produced the Elizabethan drama and the Lake Poets cannot be a could，unpoetical nation. We can't get fire out of ice. Since literature always rests upon national character，there must be in the English nature hidden springs of fire to produce the fire we see. The warm sympathy， the romance， the imagination， that we look for in Englishmen whom we meet， and too often vainly look for， must exist in the nation as a whole， or we could not have this outburst of national song. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one.The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to understand. It has a great air of simplicity， it advertises itself as simple， but the more we consider it， the greater the problems we shall encounter. People talk of the mysterious East， but the West also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks like from a distance： it is of one color， and level， and obviously cannot contain such creatures as fish. But if we look into the sea over the edge of a boat， we see a dozen colors， and depth below depth， and fish swimming in them. That sea is the English character--apparently imperturbable and even. These depths and the colors are the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness--we do not expect to find such things， but they exist. And -- to continue my metaphor--the fish are the English emotions， which are always trying to get up to the surface， but don't quite know how. For the most part we see them moving far below， distorted and obscure. Now and then they succeed and we exclaim， "Why， the Englishman has emotions！ He actually can feel！" And occasionally we see that beautiful creature the flying fish， which rises out of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes on day after day beneath the surface； it is a proof that beauty and emotion exist in the salt， inhospitable sea.And now let's get back to terra firma. The Englishman's attitude toward criticism will give us another starting point. He is not annoyed by criticism. He listens or not as the case may be smiles and passes on， saying， "Oh， the fellow's jealous"； "Oh， I'm used to Bernard Shaw； monkey tricks don't hurt me." It never occurs to him that the fellow may be accurate as well as jealous， and that he might do well to take the criticism to heart and profit by it. It never strikes him--except as a form of words -- that he is capable of improvement； his self-complacency is abysmal. Other nations， both Oriental and European， have an uneasy feeling that they are not quite perfect. In consequence they resent criticism. It hurts them； and their snappy answers often mask a determination to improve themselves. Not so the Englishman. He has no uneasy feeling.Let the critics bark. And the "tolerant humorous attitude" with which he confronts them is not really humorous， because it is bounded by the titter and the guffaw.Turn over the pages of Punch. There is neither wit， laughter， nor satire in our national jester--only the snigger of a suburban householder who can understand nothing that does not resemble himself. Week after week， under Mr Punch's supervision， a man falls off his horse， or a colonel misses a golfball， or a little girl makes a mistake in her prayers. Week after week ladies show not too much of their legs， foreigners are deprecated， originality condemned. Week after week a bricklayer does not do as much work as he ought and a futurist does more than he need. It is all supposed to be so good-tempered and clean； it is also supposed to be funny. It is actually an outstanding example of our attitude toward criticism： the middle-class Englishman， with a smile on his clean-shaven lips， is engaged in admiring himself and ignoring the rest of mankind. If， in those colorless pages， he came across anything that really was funny -- a drawing by Max Beerbohm， for instance -- his smile would disappear， and he would say to himself， "The fellow's a bit of a crank，" and pass on.This particular attitude reveals such insensitiveness as to suggest a more serious charge： is the Englishman altogether indifferent to the things of the spirit？ Let us glance for a moment at his religion -- not， indeed， at his theology， which would not merit inspection， but at the action on his daily life of his belief in the unseen. Here again his attitude is practical. But an innate decency comes out： he is thinking of others rather than of himself. Right conduct is his aim. He asks of his religion that it shall make him a better man in daily life： that he shall be more kind， more just，more merciful， more desirous to fight what is evil and to protect what is good. No one could call this a low conception. It is， as far as it goes， a spiritual one. Yet -- and this seems to be typical of the race -- it is only half the religious idea. Religion is more than an ethical code with a divine sanction. It is also a means through which man may get into direct connection with the divine， and， judging by history， few Englishmen have succeeded in doing this. We have produced no series of prophets，as has Judaism or Islam. We have not even produced a Joan of Arc， or a Savonarola. We have produced few saints. In Germany the Reformation was due to the passionate conviction of Luther. In England it was due to palace intrigue. We can show a steady level of piety， a fixed determination to live decently according to our lights -- little more.Well， it is something. It clears us of the charge of being an unspiritual nation. That facile contrast between the spiritual East and the materialistic West can be pushed too far. The West also is spiritual. Only it expresses its belief， not in fasting and visions， not in prophetic rapture， but in the daily round， the common task. An incomplete expression， if you like. I agree. But the argument underlying these scattered notes is that the Englishman is an incomplete person. Not a cold or an unspiritual one. But undeveloped， incomplete.I have suggested earlier that the English are sometimes hypocrites， and it is not my duty to develop this rather painful subject. Hypocrisy is the prime charge that is always brought against us.The Germans are called brutal， the Spanish cruel， the Americans superficial， and so on； but we are perfide Albion， the island of hypocrites， the people who have built up an Empire with a Bible in one hand， a pistol in the other and financial concessions in both pockets. Is the charge true？ I think it is； but what we mean by hypocrisy？ Do we mean conscious deceit？ Well， the English are comparatively guiltless of this； they have little of the Renaissance villain about them. Do we mean unconscious deceit？ Muddle-headedness？ Of this I believe them to be guilty. When an Englishman has been led into a course of wrong action， he has nearly always begun by muddling himself. A public-school education does not make for mental clearness， and he possesses to a very high degree the power of confusing his own mind. How does it work in the domain of conduct？Jane Austen may seem an odd authority to cite， but Jane Austen has， within her limits， a marvelous insight into the English mind. Her range is limited， her characters never attempt any of the more scarlet sins. But she has a merciless eye for questions of conduct， and the classical example of two English people muddling themselves before they embark upon a wrong course of action is to be found in the opening chapters of Sense and Sensibility. Old Mr. Dashwood has just died. He has been twice married. By his first marriage he has a son， John； by his second marriage three daughters. The son is well off； the young ladies and their mother -- for Mr. Dashwood's second wife survives him -- are badly off. He has called his son to his death-bed and has solemnly adjured him to provide for the second family. Much moved， the young man promises， and mentally decides to give each of his sisters a thousand pounds： and then the comedy begins. For he announces his generous intention to his wife， and Mrs. John Dashwood by no means approves of depriving their own little boy of so large a sum. The thousand pounds are accordingly reduced to five hundred. But even this seems rather much. Might not an annuity to the stepmother be less of a wrench？ Yes -- but though less of a wrench it might be more of a drain， for "she is very stout and healthy， and scarcely forty." An occasional present of fifty pounds will be better， "and will， I think， be amply discharging my promise to my father." Or， better still， an occasional present of fish. And in the end nothing is done， nothing； the four impecunious ladies are not even helped in the moving of their furniture.Well， are the John Dashwoods hypocrites？ It depends upon our definition of hypocrisy. The young man could not see his evil impulses as they gathered force and gained on him. And even his wife， though a worse character， is also self-deceived. She reflects that old Mr. Dashwood may have been out of his mind at his death. She thinks of her own little boy -- and surely a mother ought to think of her own child. She has muddled herself so completely that in one sentence she can refuse the ladies the income that would enable them to keep a carriage and in the next can say that they will not be keeping a carriage and so will have no expenses. No doubt men and women in other lands can muddle themselves， too， yet the state of mind of Mr. and Mrs.John Dashwood seems to me typical of England. They are slow -- they take time even to do wrong； whereas people in other lands do wrong quickly.There are national faults as there are national diseases， and perhaps one can draw a parallel between them. It has always impressed me that the national diseases of England should be cancer and consumption -- slow， insidious， pretending to be something else； while the diseases proper to the South should be cholera and plague， which strike at a man when he is perfectly well and may leave him a corpse by evening. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood are moral consumptives. They collapse gradually without realizing what the disease is. There is nothing dramatic or violent about their sin. You cannot call them villains.Here is the place to glance at some of the other charges that have been brought against the English as a nation. They have， for instance， been accused of treachery， cruelty， and fanaticism， In these charges I have never been able to see the least point， because treachery and cruelty are conscious sins. The man knows he is doing wrong， and does it deliberately， like Tartuffe or Iago. He betrays his friend because he wishes to. He tortures his prisoners because he enjoys seeing the blood flow. He worships the Devil because he prefers evil to good. From villainies such as these the average Englishman is free. His character， which prevents his rising to certain heights，also prevents him from sinking to these depths. Because he doesn't produce mystics he doesn't produce villains either； he gives the world no prophets， but no anarchists， no fanatics--religious or political.Of course there are cruel and treacherous people in England -- one has only to look at the police courts -- and examples of public infamy can be found， such as the Amritsar massacre. But one does not look at the police courts or the military mind to find the soul of any nation； and the more English people one meets the more convinced one becomes that the charges as a whole are untrue. Yet foreign critics often make them. Why？ Partly because they are annoyed with certain genuine defects in the English character， and in their irritation throw in cruelty in order to make the problem simpler. Moral indignation is always agreeable， but nearly always misplaced. It is indulged in both by the English and by the critics of the English. They all find it great fun. The drawback is that while they are amusing themselves the world becomes neither wiser nor better.The main point of these notes is that the English character is incomplete. No national character is complete. We have to look for some qualities in one part of the world and others in another. But the English character is incomplete in a way that is particularly annoying to the foreign observer. It has a bad surface -- self complacent， unsympathetic， and reserved. There is plenty of emotion further down， but it never gets used. There is plenty of brain power， but it is more often used to confirm prejudices than to dispel them. With such an equipment the Englishman cannot be popular. Only I would repeat： there is little vice in him and no real coldness. It is the machinery that is wrong.I hope and believe myself that in the next twenty years we shall see a great change， and that the national character will alter into something that is less unique but more lovable. The supremacy of the middle classes is probably ending. What new element the working classes will introduce one cannot say， but at all events they will not have been educated at public schools. And whether these notes praise or blame the English character -- that is only incidental. They are the notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others. I believe myself that the truth is great and that it shall prevail. I have no faith in official caution and reticence. The cats are all out of their bags， and diplomacy cannot recall them. The nations must understand one another and quickly； and without the interposition of their governments， for the shrinkage of the globe is throwing them into one another's arms. To that understanding these notes are a feeble contribution -- notes on the English character as it has struck a novelist.。

现代大学英语精读6（1-10课）课文翻译

现代大学英语精读6（1-10课）课文翻译现代大学英语精读6课文翻译1如何使我们不为穷人的存在而内疚约翰·肯尼斯·高伯瑞(加尔布雷斯)1. 我很愿意严肃地考虑一种人类最古老的活动，这项活动持续了多年，实际上已经超过了几个世纪，那就是尝试怎样使我们不为穷人的存在而内疚。

2. 贫穷和富有从一开始就共生在一起，彼此很不愉快有时还充满危险。

普鲁塔克曾说，“贫富失衡乃共和政体最致命的宿疾。

”富有和贫穷持续共存产生的问题，特别是如何证明在其他人还贫穷时我们富有是有道理的这一问题，成为有思想有学问的人几百年来孜孜不倦地思考探索的问题。

直至当代状况依然如此。

3. 《圣经》提出了最初的解决之道，在现世遭受贫穷的人来世会得到更好的回报。

他们的贫穷是暂时的灾难，如果贫穷但却能顺从，他们将来就会成为世界的主人。

在某种程度上这就是最理想的解决办法。

由此，富人就可以一边嫉妒穷人的美好前途一边享受他们的财富。

4. 很长时间之后，即在1776年《国富论》发表的二三十年之后——在英国工业革命开始之后，贫富不均的问题及其解决办法开始具有了现代的形式。

杰罗米·边沁，这位与亚当·斯密几乎是同时代的人，提出了这样一种准则，在某种程度上，美国人认为这一准则在英国几乎50年来一直影响显著。

这就是实用主义学说。

“通过实用的原则，”边沁在1789年指出，“也就是通过这一原则来赞成或否定任何一种应运而生的看来似乎必定会增加或减少政党幸福的行为或做法，尽管政党的利益总是在讨论之中。

”实用，实际上一定是以自我为中心的。

然而，社会中只有少数人拥有大量财富，却有更多人没有财富。

只要遵循边沁的话——“最大的利益给最多的人”，就能够解决社会问题。

社会尽力满足更多的人，人们接受对于很多利益没被满足的人来说，结果极其不幸。

5. 在19世纪30年代，一种新的准则成为使我们不为穷人的存在感到内疚的有效办法，迄今为止它的影响也丝毫没有减弱。

英国散文欣赏：Notes on the English Character by E.M. Forster

英国散文欣赏：Notes on the English Character by E.M. Forster First note. I had better let the cat out of the bag at once and record my opinion that the character of the English is essentially middle class. There is a sound historical reason for this, for, since the end of the eighteenth century, the middle classes have been the dominant force in our community. They gained wealth by the Industrial Revolution, political power by the Reform Bill of 1832; they are connected with the rise and organization of the British Empire; they are responsible for the literature of the nineteenth century. Solidity, caution, integrity, efficiency. Lack of imagination, hypocrisy. These qualities characterize the middle classes in every country, but in England they are national characteristics also, because only in England have the middle classes been in power for one hundred and fifty years. Napoleon, in his rude way, called us "a nation of shopkeepers." We prefer to call ourselves "a great commercial nation" -- it sounds more dignified -- but the two phrases amount to the same. Of course there are other classes：there is an aristocracy, there are the poor. But it is on the middle classes that the eye of the critic rests -- just as it rests on the poor in Russia and on the aristocracy in Japan. Russia is symbolized by the peasant or by the factory worker; Japan by the samurai; the national figure of England is Mr. Bull with his top hat, his comfortable clothes, his substantial stomach, and his substantial balance at the bank. Saint George may caper on banners and in the speeches of politicians, but it is John Bull who delivers the goods. And even Saint George-- if Gibbon is correct-- wore a top hat once; he was an army contractor and supplied indifferent bacon. It all amounts to the same in the end.Second Note. Just as the heart of England is the middle classes, so the heart of the middle classes is the public school system. This extraordinary institution is local. It does not even exist all over the British Isles. It is unknown in Ireland, almost unknown in Scotland （countries excluded from my survey）, and though it may inspire other great institutions--Aligarh, for example, and some of the schools in the United States--it remains unique, because it was created by the Anglo-Saxon middle classes, and can flourish only where they flourish. How perfectly it expresses their character -- far better for instance, than does the university, into which social and spiritual complexities have already entered. With its boarding-houses, its compulsory games, its system of prefects and fagging, its insistence on good form and on esprit de corps, it produces a type whose weight is out of all proportion to its numbers. On leaving his school, the boy either sets to work at once -- goes into the army or into business, or emigrates -- or else proceeds to the university, and after three or four years there enters some other profession -- becomes a barrister, doctor, civil servant, schoolmaster, or journalist. （If through some mishap he does not become a manual worker or an artist.）In all these careers his education, or the absence of it, influences him. Its memories influence him also. Many men look back on their school days as the happiest of their lives. They remember with regret that golden time when life, though hard, was not yet complex, when they all worked together and played together and thought together, so far as they thought at all; when they were taught that school is theworld in miniature and believed that no one can love his country who does not love his school. And they prolong that time as best they can by joining their Old Boys' society：indeed, some of them remain Old Boys and nothing else for the rest of their lives. They attribute all good to the school. They worship it. They quote the remark that "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." It is nothing to them that the remark is inapplicable historically and was never made by the Duke of Wellington, and that the Duke of Wellington was an Irishman. They go on quoting it because it expresses their sentiments; they feel that if the Duke of Wellington didn't make it he ought to have, and if he wasn't an Englishman he ought to have been. And they go forth into a world that is not entirely composed of public-school men or even of Anglo-Saxons, but of men who are as various as the sands of the sea; into a world of whose richness and subtlety they have no conception. They go forth into it with well-developed bodies, fairly developed minds, and undeveloped hearts. And it is this undeveloped heart that is largely responsible for the difficulties of Englishmen abroad. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one. The difference is important, and on it my next note will be based.For it is not that the Englishman can't feel -- it is that he is afraid to feel. He has been taught at his public school that feeling is bad form. He must not express great joy or sorrow, or even open his mouth too wide when he talks--his pipe might fall out if he did. He must bottle up his emotions, or let them out only on a very special occasion.Once upon a time （this is an anecdote）I went for a week's holiday on the Continent with an Indian friend. We both enjoyed ourselves and were sorry when the week was over, but on parting our behaviour was absolutely different. He was plunged in despair.He felt that because the holiday was over all happiness was over until the world ended. He could not express his sorrow too much. But in me the Englishman came out strong. I reflected that we should meet again in a month or two, and could write in the interval if we had anything to say; and under these circumstances I could not see what there was to make a fuss about. It wasn't as if we were parting forever or dying. "Buck up," I said, "do buck up." He refused to buck up, and I left him plunged in gloom.The conclusion of the anecdote is even more instructive. For when we met the next month our conversation threw a good deal of light on the English character. I began by scolding my friend. I told him that he had been wrong to feel and display so much emotion upon so slight an occasion; that it was inappropriate. The word "inappropriate" roused him to fury. "What？" he cried. "Do you measure out your emotions as if they were potatoes？" I did not like the simile of the potatoes, but after a moment's reflection I said："Yes, I do; and what's more, I think I ought to. A small occasion demands a little emotion just as a large occasion demands a great one. I would like my emotions to be appropriate. This may be measuring them like potatoes, but it is better than slopping them about like water from a pail, which is what you did." He did not like the simile of the pail. "If those are your opinions, they part us forever," he cried, and left the room. Returning immediately, he added："No--but your whole attitude toward emotion is wrong. Emotion has nothing to do with appropriateness. It matters only that it shall be sincere. I happened to feel deeply. I showedit. It doesn't matter whether I ought to have felt deeply or not."This remark impressed me very much. Yet I could not agree with it, and said that I valued emotion as much as he did, but used it differently; if I poured it out on small occasions I was afraid of having none left for the great ones, and of being bankrupt at the crises of life. Note the word "bankrupt." I spoke as a member of a prudent middle-class nation, always anxious to meet my liabilities, but my friend spoke as an Oriental, and the Oriental has behind him a tradition, not of middle-class prudence but of kingly munificence and splendour. He feels his resources are endless, just as John Bull feels his are finite. As regards material resources, the Oriental is clearly unwise. Money isn't endless. If we spend or give away all the money we have, we haven't any more, and must take the consequences, which are frequently unpleasant. But, as regards the resources of the spirit, he may be right. The emotions may be endless. The more we express them, the more we may have to express. True love in this differs from gold and clay, That to divide is not to take away.Says Shelley. Shelley, at all events, believes that the wealth of the spirit is endless; that we may express it copiously, passionately, and always; that we can never feel sorrow or joy too acutely.In the above anecdote, I have figured as a typical Englishman. I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height, and return to my business of notetaking. A note on the slowness of the English character. The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow. When an event happens, he may understand it quickly enough with his mind, but he takes quite a while to feel it. Once upon a time a coach, containing some Englishmen and some Frenchmen, was driving over the Alps. The horses ran away, and as they were dashing across a bridge the coach caught on the stonework, tottered, and nearly fell into the ravine below. The Frenchmen were frantic with terror：they screamed and gesticulated and flung themselves about, as Frenchmen would. The Englishmen sat quite calm. An hour later, the coach drew up at an inn to change horses, and by that time the situations were exactly reversed. The Frenchmen had forgotten all about the danger, and were chattering gaily; the Englishmen had just begun to feel it, and one had a nervous breakdown and was obliged to go to bed. We have here a clear physical difference between the two races--a difference that goes deep into character. The Frenchmen responded at once; the Englishmen responded in time. They were slow and they were also practical. Their instinct forbade them to throw themselves about in the coach, because it was more likely to tip over if they did. They had this extraordinary appreciation of fact that we shall notice again and again. When a disaster comes, the English instinct is to do what can be done first, and to postpone the feeling as long as possible. Hence they are splendid at emergencies. No doubt they are brave--no one will deny that--bravery is partly an affair of the nerves, and the English nervous system is well equipped for meeting physical emergency.It acts promptly and feels slowly. Such a combination is fruitful, and anyone who possesses it has gone a long way toward being brave. And when the action is over, then the Englishman can feel.There is one more consideration -- a most important one. If the English nature is cold, how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry？Judged by its prose, English literature would not stand in the first rank. It is its poetry that raises it to the level of Greek, Persian, or French. And yet the English are supposed to be so unpoetical. How is this？The nation that produced the Elizabethan drama and the Lake Poets cannot be a could, unpoetical nation. We can't get fire out of ice. Since literature always rests upon national character, there must be in the English nature hidden springs of fire to produce the fire we see. The warm sympathy, the romance, the imagination, that we look for in Englishmen whom we meet, and too often vainly look for, must exist in the nation as a whole, or we could not have this outburst of national song. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one.The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to understand. It has a great air of simplicity, it advertises itself as simple, but the more we consider it, the greater the problems we shall encounter. People talk of the mysterious East, but the West also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks like from a distance：it is of one color, and level, and obviously cannot contain such creatures as fish. But if we look into the sea over the edge of a boat, we see a dozen colors, and depth below depth, and fish swimming in them. That sea is the English character--apparently imperturbable and even. These depths and the colors are the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness--we do not expect to find such things, but they exist. And -- to continue my metaphor--the fish are the English emotions, which are always trying to get up to the surface, but don't quite know how. For the most part we see them moving far below, distorted and obscure. Now and then they succeed and we exclaim, "Why, the Englishman has emotions！He actually can feel！" And occasionally we see that beautiful creature the flying fish, which rises out of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes on day after day beneath the surface; it is a proof that beauty and emotion exist in the salt, inhospitable sea.And now let's get back to terra firma. The Englishman's attitude toward criticism will give us another starting point. He is not annoyed by criticism. He listens or not as the case may be smiles and passes on, saying, "Oh, the fellow's jealous"; "Oh, I'm used to Bernard Shaw; monkey tricks don't hurt me." It never occurs to him that the fellow may be accurate as well as jealous, and that he might do well to take the criticism to heart and profit by it. It never strikes him--except as a form of words -- that he is capable of improvement; his self-complacency is abysmal. Other nations, both Oriental and European, have an uneasy feeling that they are not quite perfect. In consequence they resent criticism. It hurts them; and their snappy answers often mask a determination to improve themselves. Not so the Englishman. He has no uneasy feeling. Let the critics bark. And the "tolerant humorous attitude" with which he confronts them is not really humorous, because it is bounded by the titter and the guffaw.Turn over the pages of Punch. There is neither wit, laughter, nor satire in our nationaljester--only the snigger of a suburban householder who can understand nothing that does not resemble himself. Week after week, under Mr Punch's supervision, a man falls off his horse, or a colonel misses a golfball, or a little girl makes a mistake in her prayers. Week after week ladies show not too much of their legs, foreigners are deprecated, originality condemned. Week after week a bricklayer does not do as much work as he ought and a futurist does more than he need. It is all supposed to be so good-tempered and clean; it is also supposed to be funny. It is actually an outstanding example of our attitude toward criticism：the middle-class Englishman, with a smile on his clean-shaven lips, is engaged in admiring himself and ignoring the rest of mankind. If, in those colorless pages, he came across anything that really was funny -- a drawing by Max Beerbohm, for instance -- his smile would disappear, and he would say to himself, "The fellow's a bit of a crank," and pass on.This particular attitude reveals such insensitiveness as to suggest a more serious charge：is the Englishman altogether indifferent to the things of the spirit？Let us glance for a moment at his religion -- not, indeed, at his theology, which would not merit inspection, but at the action on his daily life of his belief in the unseen. Here again his attitude is practical. But an innate decency comes out：he is thinking of others rather than of himself. Right conduct is his aim. He asks of his religion that it shall make him a better man in daily life：that he shall be more kind, more just, more merciful, more desirous to fight what is evil and to protect what is good. No one could call this a low conception. It is, as far as it goes, a spiritual one. Yet -- and this seems to be typical of the race -- it is only half the religious idea. Religion is more than an ethical code with a divine sanction. It is also a means through which man may get into direct connection with the divine, and, judging by history, few Englishmen have succeeded in doing this. We have produced no series of prophets, as has Judaism or Islam. We have not even produced a Joan of Arc, or a Savonarola. We have produced few saints. In Germany the Reformation was due to the passionate conviction of Luther. In England it was due to palace intrigue. We can show a steady level of piety, a fixed determination to live decently according to our lights -- little more.Well, it is something. It clears us of the charge of being an unspiritual nation. That facile contrast between the spiritual East and the materialistic West can be pushed too far. The West also is spiritual. Only it expresses its belief, not in fasting and visions, not in prophetic rapture, but in the daily round, the common task. An incomplete expression, if you like. I agree. But the argument underlying these scattered notes is that the Englishman is an incomplete person. Not a cold or an unspiritual one. But undeveloped, incomplete.I have suggested earlier that the English are sometimes hypocrites, and it is not my duty to develop this rather painful subject. Hypocrisy is the prime charge that is always brought against us. The Germans are called brutal, the Spanish cruel, the Americans superficial, and so on; but we are perfide Albion, the island of hypocrites, the people who have built up an Empire with a Bible in one hand, a pistol in the other and financial concessions in both pockets. Is the charge true？I think it is; but what we mean byhypocrisy？Do we mean conscious deceit？Well, the English are comparatively guiltless of this; they have little of the Renaissance villain about them. Do we mean unconscious deceit？Muddle-headedness？Of this I believe them to be guilty. When an Englishman has been led into a course of wrong action, he has nearly always begun by muddling himself.A public-school education does not make for mental clearness, and he possesses to a very high degree the power of confusing his own mind. How does it work in the domain of conduct？Jane Austen may seem an odd authority to cite, but Jane Austen has, within her limits, a marvelous insight into the English mind. Her range is limited, her characters never attempt any of the more scarlet sins. But she has a merciless eye for questions of conduct, and the classical example of two English people muddling themselves before they embark upon a wrong course of action is to be found in the opening chapters of Sense and Sensibility. Old Mr. Dashwood has just died. He has been twice married. By his first marriage he has a son, John; by his second marriage three daughters. The son is well off; the young ladies and their mother -- for Mr. Dashwood's second wife survives him -- are badly off. He has called his son to his death-bed and has solemnly adjured him to provide for the second family. Much moved, the young man promises, and mentally decides to give each of his sisters a thousand pounds：and then the comedy begins. For he announces his generous intention to his wife, and Mrs. John Dashwood by no means approves of depriving their own little boy of so large a sum. The thousand pounds are accordingly reduced to five hundred. But even this seems rather much. Might not an annuity to the stepmother be less of a wrench？Yes -- but though less of a wrench it might be more of a drain, for "she is very stout and healthy, and scarcely forty." An occasional present of fifty pounds will be better, "and will, I think, be amply discharging my promise to my father." Or, better still, an occasional present of fish. And in the end nothing is done, nothing; the four impecunious ladies are not even helped in the moving of their furniture.Well, are the John Dashwoods hypocrites？It depends upon our definition of hypocrisy. The young man could not see his evil impulses as they gathered force and gained on him. And even his wife, though a worse character, is also self-deceived. She reflects that old Mr. Dashwood may have been out of his mind at his death. She thinks of her own little boy -- and surely a mother ought to think of her own child. She has muddled herself so completely that in one sentence she can refuse the ladies the income that would enable them to keep a carriage and in the next can say that they will not be keeping a carriage and so will have no expenses. No doubt men and women in other lands can muddle themselves, too, yet the state of mind of Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood seems to me typical of England. They are slow -- they take time even to do wrong; whereas people in other lands do wrong quickly.There are national faults as there are national diseases, and perhaps one can draw a parallel between them. It has always impressed me that the national diseases of England should be cancer and consumption -- slow, insidious, pretending to be something else; while the diseases proper to the South should be cholera and plague, which strike at a manwhen he is perfectly well and may leave him a corpse by evening. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood are moral consumptives. They collapse gradually without realizing what the disease is. There is nothing dramatic or violent about their sin. You cannot call them villains.Here is the place to glance at some of the other charges that have been brought against the English as a nation. They have, for instance, been accused of treachery, cruelty, and fanaticism, In these charges I have never been able to see the least point, because treachery and cruelty are conscious sins. The man knows he is doing wrong, and does it deliberately, like Tartuffe or Iago. He betrays his friend because he wishes to. He tortures his prisoners because he enjoys seeing the blood flow. He worships the Devil because he prefers evil to good. From villainies such as these the average Englishman is free. His character, which prevents his rising to certain heights, also prevents him from sinking to these depths. Because he doesn't produce mystics he doesn't produce villains either; he gives the world no prophets, but no anarchists, no fanatics--religious or political.Of course there are cruel and treacherous people in England -- one has only to look at the police courts -- and examples of public infamy can be found, such as the Amritsar massacre. But one does not look at the police courts or the military mind to find the soul of any nation; and the more English people one meets the more convinced one becomes that the charges as a whole are untrue. Yet foreign critics often make them. Why？Partly because they are annoyed with certain genuine defects in the English character, and in their irritation throw in cruelty in order to make the problem simpler. Moral indignation is always agreeable, but nearly always misplaced. It is indulged in both by the English and by the critics of the English. They all find it great fun. The drawback is that while they are amusing themselves the world becomes neither wiser nor better.The main point of these notes is that the English character is incomplete. No national character is complete. We have to look for some qualities in one part of the world and others in another. But the English character is incomplete in a way that is particularly annoying to the foreign observer. It has a bad surface -- self complacent, unsympathetic, and reserved. There is plenty of emotion further down, but it never gets used. There is plenty of brain power, but it is more often used to confirm prejudices than to dispel them. With such an equipment the Englishman cannot be popular. Only I would repeat：there is little vice in him and no real coldness. It is the machinery that is wrong.I hope and believe myself that in the next twenty years we shall see a great change, and that the national character will alter into something that is less unique but more lovable. The supremacy of the middle classes is probably ending. What new element the working classes will introduce one cannot say, but at all events they will not have been educated at public schools. And whether these notes praise or blame the English character -- that is only incidental. They are the notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others. I believe myself that the truth is great and that it shall prevail. I have no faith in official caution and reticence. The cats are all out of their bags, and diplomacy cannot recall them. The nations must understand one another and quickly; and without the interposition of their governments, for the shrinkage of the globeis throwing them into one another's arms. To that understanding these notes are a feeble contribution -- notes on the English character as it has struck a novelist.。

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First note.I had better let the cat out of the bag at once and record my opinion that the character of the English is essentially middle class. There is a sound historical reason for this， for，since the end of the eighteenth century， the middle classes have been the dominant force in our community. They gained wealth by the Industrial Revolution， political power by the Reform Bill of 1832； they are connected with the rise and organization of the British Empire； they are responsible for the literature of the nineteenth century. Solidity， caution， integrity， efficiency. Lack of imagination， hypocrisy. These qualities characterize the middle classes in every country， but in England they are national characteristics also， because only in England have the middle classes been in power for one hundred and fifty years. Napoleon， in his rude way， called us "a nation of shopkeepers." We prefer to call ourselves "a great commercial nation" -- it sounds more dignified -- but the two phrases amount to the same. Of course there are other classes： there is an aristocracy， there are the poor. But it is on the middle classes that the eye of the critic rests -- just as it rests on the poor in Russia and on the aristocracy in Japan. Russia is symbolized by the peasant or by the factory worker； Japan by the samurai； the national figure of England is Mr. Bull with his top hat， his comfortable clothes， his substantial stomach， and his substantial balance at the bank. Saint George may caper on banners and in the speeches of politicians， but it is John Bull who delivers the goods. And even Saint George-- if Gibbon is correct-- wore a top hat once； he was an army contractor and supplied indifferent bacon. It all amounts to the same in the end.Second Note. Just as the heart of England is the middle classes， so the heart of the middle classes is the public school system. This extraordinary institution is local. It does not even exist all over the British Isles. It is unknown in Ireland， almost unknown in Scotland （countries excluded from my survey）， and though it may inspire other great institutions--Aligarh， for example， and some of the schools in the United States--it remains unique， because it was created by the Anglo-Saxon middle classes， and can flourish only where they flourish. How perfectly it expresses their character -- far better for instance， than does the university， into which social and spiritual complexities have already entered. With its boarding-houses， its compulsory games， its system of prefects and fagging， its insistence on good form and on esprit de corps， it produces a type whose weight is out of all proportion to its numbers. On leaving his school， the boy either sets to work at once -- goes into the army or into business， or emigrates -- or else proceeds to the university， and after three or four years there enters some other profession -- becomes a barrister， doctor， civil servant， schoolmaster， or journalist. （If through some mishap he does not become a manual worker or an artist.） In all these careers his education， or the absence of it，influences him. Its memories influence him also. Many men look back on their school days as the happiest of their lives. They remember with regret that golden time when life， though hard， was not yet complex， when they all worked together and played together and thought together， so far as they thought at all； when they were taught that schoolis the world in miniature and believed that no one can love his country who does not love his school. And they prolong that time as best they can by joining their Old Boys' society： indeed， some of them remain Old Boys and nothing else for the rest of their lives. They attribute all good to the school. They worship it. They quote the remark that "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." It is nothing to them that the remark is inapplicable historically and was never made by the Duke of Wellington， and that the Duke of Wellington was an Irishman. They go on quoting it because it expresses their sentiments； they feel that if the Duke of Wellington didn't make it he ought to have， and if he wasn't an Englishman he ought to have been. And they go forth into a world that is not entirely composed of public-school men or even of Anglo-Saxons， but of men who are as various as the sands of the sea； into a world of whose richness and subtlety they have no conception. They go forth into it with well-developed bodies， fairly developed minds， and undeveloped hearts. And it is this undeveloped heart that is largely responsible for the difficulties of Englishmen abroad. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one. The difference is important， and on it my next note will be based.For it is not that the Englishman can't feel -- it is that he is afraid to feel. He has been taught at his public school that feeling is bad form. He must not express great joy or sorrow， or even open his mouth too wide when he talks--his pipe might fall out if he did. He must bottle up his emotions，or let them out only on a very special occasion.Once upon a time （this is an anecdote） I went for a week's holiday on the Continent with an Indian friend. We both enjoyed ourselves and were sorry when the week was over， but on parting our behaviour was absolutely different. He was plunged in despair.He felt that because the holiday was over all happiness was over until the world ended. He could not express his sorrow too much. But in me the Englishman came out strong. I reflected that we should meet again in a month or two， and could write in the interval if we had anything to say； and under these circumstances I could not see what there was to make a fuss about. It wasn't as if we were parting forever or dying. "Buck up，" I said， "do buck up." He refused to buck up， and I left him plunged in gloom.The conclusion of the anecdote is even more instructive. For when we met the next month our conversation threw a good deal of light on the English character. I began by scolding my friend. I told him that he had been wrong to feel and display so much emotion upon so slight an occasion； that it was inappropriate. The word "inappropriate" roused him to fury. "What" he cried. "Do you measure out your emotions as if they were potatoes" I did not like the simile of the potatoes， but after a moment's reflection I said： "Yes， I do； and what's more， I think I ought to. A small occasion demands a little emotion just as a large occasion demands a great one.I would like my emotions to be appropriate. This may be measuring them like potatoes， but it is better than slopping them about like water from a pail， which is what you did." He did not likethe simile of the pail. "If those are your opinions， they part us forever，" he cried， and left the room. Returning immediately， he added： "No--but your whole attitude toward emotion is wrong. Emotion has nothing to do with appropriateness. It matters only that it shall be sincere. I happened to feel deeply. I showed it. It doesn't matter whether I ought to have felt deeply or not."This remark impressed me very much. Yet I could not agree with it， and said that I valued emotion as much as he did， but used it differently； if I poured it out on small occasions I was afraid of having none left for the great ones， and of being bankrupt at the crises of life. Note the word "bankrupt." I spoke as a member of a prudent middle-class nation， always anxious to meet my liabilities， but my friend spoke as an Oriental， and the Oriental has behind him a tradition， not of middle-class prudence but of kingly munificence and splendour. He feels his resources are endless，just as John Bull feels his are finite. As regards material resources， the Oriental is clearly unwise. Money isn't endless. If we spend or give away all the money we have， we haven't any more， and must take the consequences， which are frequently unpleasant. But， as regards the resources of the spirit， he may be right. The emotions may be endless. The more we express them， the more we may have to express. True love in this differs from gold and clay， That to divide is not to take away.Says Shelley. Shelley， at all events， believes that the wealth of the spirit is endless； that we may express it copiously， passionately， and always； that we can never feel sorrow or joy too acutely.In the above anecdote， I have figured as a typical Englishman. I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height， and return to my business of notetaking. A note on the slowness of the English character. The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow. When an event happens， he may understand it quickly enough with his mind， but he takes quite a while to feel it. Once upon a time a coach， containing some Englishmen and some Frenchmen， was driving over the Alps. The horses ran away， and as they were dashing across a bridge the coach caught on the stonework， tottered， and nearly fell into the ravine below. The Frenchmen were frantic with terror： they screamed and gesticulated and flung themselves about，as Frenchmen would. The Englishmen sat quite calm. An hour later， the coach drew up at an inn to change horses， and by that time the situations were exactly reversed. The Frenchmen had forgotten all about the danger， and were chattering gaily； the Englishmen had just begun to feel it， and one had a nervous breakdown and was obliged to go to bed. We have here a clear physical difference between the two races--a difference that goes deep into character. The Frenchmen responded at once； the Englishmen responded in time. They were slow and they were also practical. Their instinct forbade them to throw themselves about in the coach， because it was more likely to tip over if they did. They had this extraordinary appreciation of fact that we shall notice again and again. When a disaster comes， the English instinct is to dowhat can be done first， and to postpone the feeling as long as possible. Hence they are splendid at emergencies. No doubt they are brave--no one will deny that--bravery is partly an affair of the nerves， and the English nervous system is well equipped for meeting physical emergency.It acts promptly and feels slowly. Such a combination is fruitful， and anyone who possesses it has gone a long way toward being brave. And when the action is over， then the Englishman can feel.【There is one more consideration -- a most important one. If the English nature is cold， how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry Judged by its prose， English literature would not stand in the first rank. It is its poetry that raises it to the level of Greek， Persian， or French. And yet the English are supposed to be so unpoetical. How is this The nation that produced the Elizabethan drama and the Lake Poets cannot be a could，unpoetical nation. We can't get fire out of ice. Since literature always rests upon national character，there must be in the English nature hidden springs of fire to produce the fire we see. The warm sympathy， the romance， the imagination， that we look for in Englishmen whom we meet， and too often vainly look for， must exist in the nation as a whole， or we could not have this outburst of national song. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one.The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to understand. It has a great air of simplicity， it advertises itself as simple， but the more we consider it， the greater the problems we shall encounter. People talk of the mysterious East， but the West also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks like from a distance： it is of one color， and level， and obviously cannot contain such creatures as fish. But if we look into the sea over the edge of a boat， we see a dozen colors， and depth below depth， and fish swimming in them. That sea is the English character--apparently imperturbable and even. These depths and the colors are the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness--we do not expect to find such things， but they exist. And -- to continue my metaphor--the fish are the English emotions， which are always trying to get up to the surface， but don't quite know how. For the most part we see them moving far below， distorted and obscure. Now and then they succeed and we exclaim， "Why， the Englishman has emotions！ He actually can feel！" And occasionally we see that beautiful creature the flying fish， which rises out of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes on day after day beneath the surface； it is a proof that beauty and emotion exist in the salt， inhospitable sea.And now let's get back to terra firma. The Englishman's attitude toward criticism will give us another starting point. He is not annoyed by criticism. He listens or not as the case may be smilesand passes on， saying， "Oh， the fellow's jealous"； "Oh， I'm used to Bernard Shaw； monkey tricks don't hurt me." It never occurs to him that the fellow may be accurate as well as jealous， and that he might do well to take the criticism to heart and profit by it. It never strikes him--except as a form of words -- that he is capable of improvement； his self-complacency is abysmal. Other nations， both Oriental and European， have an uneasy feeling that they are not quite perfect. In consequence they resent criticism. It hurts them； and their snappy answers often mask a determination to improve themselves. Not so the Englishman. He has no uneasy feeling. Let the critics bark. And the "tolerant humorous attitude" with which he confronts them is not really humorous， because it is bounded by the titter and the guffaw.Turn over the pages of Punch. There is neither wit， laughter， nor satire in our national jester--only the snigger of a suburban householder who can understand nothing that does not resemble himself. Week after week， under Mr Punch's supervision， a man falls off his horse， or a colonel misses a golfball， or a little girl makes a mistake in her prayers. Week after week ladies show not too much of their legs， foreigners are deprecated， originality condemned. Week after week a bricklayer does not do as much work as he ought and a futurist does more than he need. It is all supposed to be so good-tempered and clean； it is also supposed to be funny. It is actually an outstanding example of our attitude toward criticism： the middle-class Englishman， with a smile on his clean-shaven lips， is engaged in admiring himself and ignoring the rest of mankind. If， in those colorless pages， he came across anything that really was funny -- a drawing by Max Beerbohm， for instance -- his smile would disappear， and he would say to himself， "The fellow's a bit of a crank，" and pass on.This particular attitude reveals such insensitiveness as to suggest a more serious charge： is the Englishman altogether indifferent to the things of the spirit Let us glance for a moment at his religion -- not， indeed， at his theology， which would not merit inspection， but at the action on his daily life of his belief in the unseen. Here again his attitude is practical. But an innate decency comes out： he is thinking of others rather than of himself. Right conduct is his aim. He asks of his religion that it shall make him a better man in daily life： that he shall be more kind， more just，more merciful， more desirous to fight what is evil and to protect what is good. No one could call this a low conception. It is， as far as it goes， a spiritual one. Yet -- and this seems to be typical of the race -- it is only half the religious idea. Religion is more than an ethical code with a divine sanction. It is also a means through which man may get into direct connection with the divine， and， judging by history， few Englishmen have succeeded in doing this. We have produced no series of prophets，as has Judaism or Islam. We have not even produced a Joan of Arc， or a Savonarola. We have produced few saints. In Germany the Reformation was due to the passionate conviction of Luther. In England it was due to palace intrigue. We can show a steady level of piety， a fixed determination to live decently according to our lights -- little more.Well， it is something. It clears us of the charge of being an unspiritual nation. That facile contrast between the spiritual East and the materialistic West can be pushed too far. The West also is spiritual. Only it expresses its belief， not in fasting and visions， not in prophetic rapture， but in the daily round， the common task. An incomplete expression， if you like. I agree. But the argument underlying these scattered notes is that the Englishman is an incomplete person. Not a cold or an unspiritual one. But undeveloped， incomplete.I have suggested earlier that the English are sometimes hypocrites， and it is not my duty to develop this rather painful subject. Hypocrisy is the prime charge that is always brought against us. The Germans are called brutal， the Spanish cruel， the Americans superficial， and so on； but we are perfide Albion， the island of hypocrites， the people who have built up an Empire with a Bible in one hand， a pistol in the other and financial concessions in both pockets. Is the charge true I think it is； but what we mean by hypocrisy Do we mean conscious deceit Well， the English are comparatively guiltless of this； they have little of the Renaissance villain about them. Do we mean unconscious deceit Muddle-headedness Of this I believe them to be guilty. When an Englishman has been led into a course of wrong action， he has nearly always begun by muddling himself. A public-school education does not make for mental clearness， and he possesses to a very high degree the power of confusing his own mind. How does it work in the domain of conductJane Austen may seem an odd authority to cite， but Jane Austen has， within her limits， a marvelous insight into the English mind. Her range is limited， her characters never attempt any of the more scarlet sins. But she has a merciless eye for questions of conduct， and the classical example of two English people muddling themselves before they embark upon a wrong course of action is to be found in the opening chapters of Sense and Sensibility. Old Mr. Dashwood has just died. He has been twice married. By his first marriage he has a son， John； by his second marriage three daughters. The son is well off； the young ladies and their mother -- for Mr. Dashwood's second wife survives him -- are badly off. He has called his son to his death-bed and has solemnly adjured him to provide for the second family. Much moved， the young man promises， and mentally decides to give each of his sisters a thousand pounds： and then the comedy begins. For he announces his generous intention to his wife， and Mrs. John Dashwood by no means approves of depriving their own little boy of so large a sum. The thousand pounds are accordingly reduced to five hundred. But even this seems rather much. Might not an annuity to the stepmother be less of a wrench Yes -- but though less of a wrench it might be more of a drain， for "she is very stout and healthy， and scarcely forty." An occasional present of fifty pounds will be better， "and will， I think， be amply discharging my promise to my father." Or， better still， an occasional present of fish. And in the end nothing is done， nothing； the four impecunious ladies are not even helped in the moving of their furniture.Well， are the John Dashwoods hypocrites It depends upon our definition of hypocrisy. The young man could not see his evil impulses as they gathered force and gained on him. And even his wife， though a worse character， is also self-deceived. She reflects that old Mr. Dashwood may have been out of his mind at his death. She thinks of her own little boy -- and surely a mother ought to think of her own child. She has muddled herself so completely that in one sentence she can refuse the ladies the income that would enable them to keep a carriage and in the next can say that they will not be keeping a carriage and so will have no expenses. No doubt men and women in other lands can muddle themselves， too， yet the state of mind of Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood seems to me typical of England. They are slow -- they take time even to do wrong； whereas people in other lands do wrong quickly.There are national faults as there are national diseases， and perhaps one can draw a parallel between them. It has always impressed me that the national diseases of England should be cancer and consumption -- slow， insidious， pretending to be something else； while the diseases proper to the South should be cholera and plague， which strike at a man when he is perfectly well and may leave him a corpse by evening. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood are moral consumptives. They collapse gradually without realizing what the disease is. There is nothing dramatic or violent about their sin. You cannot call them villains.)Here is the place to glance at some of the other charges that have been brought against the English as a nation. They have， for instance， been accused of treachery， cruelty， and fanaticism， In these charges I have never been able to see the least point， because treachery and cruelty are conscious sins. The man knows he is doing wrong， and does it deliberately， like Tartuffe or Iago. He betrays his friend because he wishes to. He tortures his prisoners because he enjoys seeing the blood flow. He worships the Devil because he prefers evil to good. From villainies such as these the average Englishman is free. His character， which prevents his rising to certain heights，also prevents him from sinking to these depths. Because he doesn't produce mystics he doesn't produce villains either； he gives the world no prophets， but no anarchists， no fanatics--religious or political.Of course there are cruel and treacherous people in England -- one has only to look at the police courts -- and examples of public infamy can be found， such as the Amritsar massacre. But one does not look at the police courts or the military mind to find the soul of any nation； and the more English people one meets the more convinced one becomes that the charges as a whole are untrue. Yet foreign critics often make them. Why Partly because they are annoyed with certain genuine defects in the English character， and in their irritation throw in cruelty in order to make the problem simpler. Moral indignation is always agreeable， but nearly always misplaced. It is indulged in both by the English and by the critics of the English. They all find itgreat fun. The drawback is that while they are amusing themselves the world becomes neither wiser nor better.The main point of these notes is that the English character is incomplete. No national character is complete. We have to look for some qualities in one part of the world and others in another. But the English character is incomplete in a way that is particularly annoying to the foreign observer. It has a bad surface -- self complacent， unsympathetic， and reserved. There is plenty of emotion further down， but it never gets used. There is plenty of brain power， but it is more often used to confirm prejudices than to dispel them. With such an equipment the Englishman cannot be popular. Only I would repeat： there is little vice in him and no real coldness. It is the machinery that is wrong.I hope and believe myself that in the next twenty years we shall see a great change， and that the national character will alter into something that is less unique but more lovable. The supremacy of the middle classes is probably ending. What new element the working classes will introduce one cannot say， but at all events they will not have been educated at public schools. And whether these notes praise or blame the English character -- that is only incidental. They are the notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others. I believe myself that the truth is great and that it shall prevail. I have no faith in official caution and reticence. The cats are all out of their bags， and diplomacy cannot recall them. The nations must understand one another and quickly； and without the interposition of their governments， for the shrinkage of the globe is throwing them into one another's arms. To that understanding these notes are a feeble contribution -- notes on the English character as it has struck a novelist.。

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