Contemporary College English Intensive Reading II

I first heard this story in India, where people still take it as true today-although any naturalist knows it can't be true. Later, someone told me that it appeared in a magazine shortly after the First World War. But the story published in the magazine and the person who wrote it have never been found. The story takes place in India. A colonial official and his wife hosted a popular dinner party. The guests sitting with them are the wives of officers and others, and a visiting American naturalist. The banquet was held in their spacious restaurant, and there was no carpet on the marble floor indoors. The roof is exposed; Outside the wide glass door is the balcony. During the dinner, a young lady had a heated discussion with a major. Miss Li thinks that women have improved, instead of jumping on chairs at the sight of mice as in the past. The major disagreed. "When a woman is in an emergency," said the major, her reaction is screaming. Men may want to scream, but compared with women, their self-control is slightly better. This extra self-control really works. "The American didn't take part in the argument, he just stared at the other guests present. When he noticed this, he found a strange expression on the hostess's face. She stared straight ahead, her facial muscles twitching slightly. She made a gesture to the Indian footman standing behind the seat and whispered a few words to him. The footman quickly left the restaurant with his eyes wide open. Among the guests present, except the American, Argument Jun didn't notice this scene, nor did he see the footman put a bowl of milk on the balcony by the door. The American suddenly woke up. In India, milk in a bowl has only one meaning-bait to attract snakes. He realized that there must be a cobra in the restaurant. He realized that there must be a cobra in the restaurant. He looked up at the rafters on the roof-that's the most likely place for snakes to hide-but it was empty. Three corners of the room are empty. In the fourth corner, the servants are waiting for the next dish. In this way, there is only one place left, under the dining table. His first thought was to jump back and warn others. But he knew it would cause riots, scare glasses and bite people. So he quickly made a phone call, with a dignified tone, and everyone was quiet. I wonder how much restraint you have here. I'll count to three hundred, which means five minutes. None of you move. Offenders will be fined 50 rupees. Get ready! "In the process of his count, the 20 people sat there like a stone carving. When he counted "when ... 280 ...", he suddenly saw the cobra come out of his eyes and climb to the bowl of milk. When he jumped up and slammed all the doors leading to the balcony, there was a scream in the room. "You were right just now, Major!" The host said loudly. A man just showed us an example of calmness. "Wait a minute," said the American, turning to the hostess. Mrs. Voss, how did you know that cobra was in the house? The hostess flashed a faint smile on her face and replied, "Because it is crawling over my instep."

Second unit

Jefferson died a long time ago, but we are still interested in some of his ideas. Jefferson's proverbs Bruce Bliven and Thomas Jefferson, the third presidents of the United States, may not be as famous as George Washington and abraham lincoln, but most people remember at least one fact about him: he drafted the Declaration of Independence.

Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, we can still learn a lot from him today. Many of his thoughts are of special significance to contemporary youth. Here are some ideas he said and wrote:

See for yourself. Jefferson believed that a free man can obtain knowledge from many other sources besides books; It's important to do your own research. When he was young, he was appointed as a member of a Committee to investigate whether the southern tributary of the James River was deep enough to accommodate large ships. The other members of the committee were sitting in the state capitol, studying documents on this issue, while Jefferson jumped into a canoe for field observation.

You can learn from anyone. According to Jefferson's background and education, he belongs to the highest social class. However, in an era when people from humble origins rarely speak, in that era, the nobility gave orders. Jefferson tried to talk to gardeners, servants and waiters. Jefferson once said to the French aristocrat Galeries Lafayette: You must go to an ordinary house like me, look at their pots and eat their bread. As long as you are willing to do so, you will find out why the people are not satisfied, and you will understand the revolution that is threatening France. "

Judge for yourself. Jefferson never accepted other people's opinions without careful consideration. "I don't believe it or reject it." In a letter to his nephew, he wrote, "Because other people believe or reject something. God gave you a mind to judge truth and falsehood. Then you can use it. "

Jefferson believed that people are "completely reliable, and they should be allowed to hear everything true and false, and then make a correct judgment. If let me decide whether we should have a government instead of a newspaper or a newspaper instead of a government, I will not hesitate to choose the latter. "

Do what you think is right. In a free country, there are always conflicting ideas, which is the source of strength. What keeps freedom is conflict, not absolute agreement. Although Jefferson has been severely criticized for many years, he never answered those who criticized him. He expressed his views in a letter he wanted to write to a friend: "Every question has two sides. If you insist on standing on one side and take effective actions accordingly, then people standing on the other side will certainly resent your actions. "

Believe in the future and youth. Jefferson believed that the hands and feet of the present should never be bound by those useless customs. "No society," he said, "can make a constitution that will always apply, and even a law that will always apply cannot be made. The earth belongs to the living generation. He is not afraid of new ideas or the future. " How much pain, "he commented," is caused by some disasters that have never happened! I expect the best, not the worst. I sail my boat hopefully, I sail my boat hopefully, leaving my fears behind. "

Jefferson's courage and idealism were based on knowledge. He probably knows much more than anyone of his contemporaries. He is an expert in agriculture, archaeology and medicine. He did this a century before crop rotation and soil conservation were widely adopted by everyone. He also invented the best plow at that time. He has influenced the entire American construction industry, and he has continuously produced various devices, making many tasks that need to be done in daily life easier.

Among Jefferson's many talents, one is the most important: he was first and foremost an excellent and tireless writer. His complete works, published for the first time at present, will exceed fifty volumes. His talent as a writer was soon discovered, so when 1776 wrote the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, this task fell on his shoulders. Millions of people excitedly read the following words he wrote: We hold these truths to be self-evident; All men are created equal ... "

Jefferson died on July 4th, 826, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of American independence. He left a rich ideological legacy and many examples to his compatriots. Thomas Jefferson made great contributions to American education. He believes that only a country composed of educated people can remain free.

Third unit

Try to save some money before entering the university. The author applied to be a teacher. But the interview is getting worse. My first job, while I was waiting to enter the university, I saw an advertisement in the local newspaper saying that I wanted to recruit a teacher in the suburbs of London. It is about ten miles from my residence, so I applied for it because I was short of money and wanted to do something useful. At the same time, I am worried that I have no academic qualifications and no teaching experience, and the possibility of getting this job is slim.

However, three days later, a letter came and asked me to go to Croydon for an interview. It turns out that getting there on the road is really troublesome: first, take the train to Croydon station, then take a ten-minute bus ride, and then walk at least a quarter of a mile. As a result, I got there on a hot morning in June, because I was too depressed and not nervous at all.

The school is a red brick house with big windows. The garden in front is a square paved with gravel: there is a cluster of holly shrubs in every corner, which are struggling to survive in the dust and smoke from busy streets.

It was obviously the headmaster himself who opened the door. He is short and fat, with a sandy moustache, wrinkled forehead and almost bald hair.

He looked at me with a surprised and disapproving expression, just like a colonel looking at a private who didn't fasten his boots. "Oh," he mumbled. "You'd better come in." The narrow, sunless corridor smells of rotten cabbage and smells uncomfortable; The ink on the wall was stained, the lines were dirty, and there was silence around. Judging from the crumbs on the carpet, his study is also his dining room. "You'd better sit down," he said, and then asked me a lot of questions: which courses did I take before I got the general school certificate; How old am I? What game can I play? Asked here, he suddenly stared at me with bloodshot eyes and asked me if I thought games were an extremely important part of children's education. I muttered something about not paying too much attention to the game. He mumbled something. I said something wrong. The headmaster and I obviously have nothing in common.

He said that there is only one class in the school, and there are 24 boys, ranging in age from seven to thirteen. I have to teach all the courses except art class. On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, I will go to the park a mile away to play football and cricket.

The whole teaching plan frightened me. I will divide the whole class into three groups and give them lessons in turn at three different levels; The thought of teaching algebra and geometry scares me. I did poorly in these two subjects at school. Perhaps even worse is the arrangement of playing cricket on Saturday afternoon, because my friend metropolis is enjoying himself at leisure.

I asked shyly, "How much is my salary?" "A week 12, plus lunch." He stood up before I could raise an objection. "Well," he said, "you'd better meet my wife. She is the real supervisor of this school. "

I can't stand it any longer. I was very young at that time, and the thought of working under a woman was the biggest insult.

Fourth unit

Professors and hiking-

In the eyes of a young friend, Einstein is a simple, modest and ordinary person.

Author: Thomas? Lee? Bucky and Joseph? white

My father is Albert? Einstein's close friend. As a shy young tourist, I felt very comfortable when I came to Einstein's house, because Einstein said, "I have something to show you." He went to his desk and swam for a while when he came back. He tried to show me how it worked, but he couldn't pull the thread back. When it was my turn to play, I showed a little skill and pointed out to him that the incorrect thread made the toy out of balance. Einstein nodded, impressed by my skills and knowledge. Later, I bought a new tour as a Christmas present for the professor. I received a poem of thanks.

As a child and an adult, I always wanted to know Einstein as a celebrity. He is one of all such people I know. He admitted his limitations and lived in peace with the world around him. He knows what he wants, and that's what he wants: to understand the characteristics of the universe and the logic and simplicity of its functions within his ability as a person. He knows that some answers are beyond his intelligence. But it doesn't make him depressed. He will try his best.

In our 23-year friendship, I have never seen him show jealousy, emptiness, pain, anger, resentment or personal ambition. He seems to be unaffected by these strong emotions. He transcends all vanity. Although he corresponds with some of the most famous people in the world, there is only one watermark symbol-W-on his stationery, which is the symbol of the Woolworth chain store.

He only needs a pencil and a piece of paper to do his work. Matter means nothing to him. I never knew he had money, because he never used it. His belief in simplicity is so deep that he only uses a safety razor to shave with water. When I suggested that he try shaving cream, he said, "water will do for this razor."

"But professor, why don't you try this cream?" I argued. "It makes the beard smoother and reduces the pain."

he gave a shrug of the shoulders. Finally, I gave him a tube of shaving cream. The next morning, when he went downstairs for breakfast, he was happy with a major new discovery. "You know, that cream is really effective," he announced. "It didn't pull the beard. It feels great. " So, he used this shaving cream every morning until it worked. Then he resumed using ordinary water.

Einstein was a pure theorist. He is not interested in the practical application of his ideas and theories. His e = MC (the square of c) is only the most famous equation in history-Einstein won't walk down the street to see the reactor that makes atomic energy. He won the Nobel Prize for his photoelectric theory. In this theory, there are a series of equations that he thinks are not related to each other, but he has no curiosity to observe how his theory makes television possible.

My brother once gave the professor a toy bird. The bird stood on the edge of a bowl of water and repeatedly dipped its head into the water. Einstein watched happily, trying to find out the principle of operation. But he can't.

The next morning, he announced, "I thought about that bird for a long time before going to bed, and I think it works like this …" He began a long explanation. Then he stopped and realized that his theory was flawed. "No, I don't think so," he said. He reasoned about various theories for days until I suggested that we take the toy apart and see how it works. His quick expression of disapproval told me that he didn't agree with this practice. He never explained this principle clearly.

Another thing that bothered Einstein was his reputation. He created such a profound theory that some related scientists were excited. But his name is a household name in the civilized world. "I have a good idea, so do others," he once said. "But this is my luck, because my point of view was accepted." He confused his reputation: people want to see him; Strangers stared at him in the street; Scientists, politicians, students and housewives wrote to him. He never understood why he got so much attention and why he was different.

Sixth unit

Surgeon's Success-Dr. Nolan

A famous surgeon told me that confidence is very important in his experience.

What do doctors think of the moment when they become surgeons? When my residency was coming to an end, I asked myself this question more than once.

I think the answer is confidence. When you can say to yourself, "Without surgical patients, I can't treat skillfully, as good as other surgeons, or even better than them"-then, until then, you are a real surgeon. I am looking forward to this moment.

For example, we have an emergency almost every night. In the first few months of this year, I was afraid of the phone ringing. I know this means creating another opportunity for criticism. Usually, it's hard for me to fall asleep again after I tell Watt or Laurie what to do under special circumstances. It is not uncommon for me to recall all the facts of this matter and wonder if I made a bad decision. More than once, from 2 am to 3 am, I woke up in bed for an hour, got up, got dressed and drove to the hospital to see my patient. This is the only way I can find to calm and relax my mind.

Now in the last month of internship, sleeping is no longer a problem. There are still some situations. I'm not sure if my decision is correct, but I know that a surgeon often has problems that he can never completely solve-I can be with him. So, I made a deliberate decision, and I stopped thinking about it. In retrospect, it will be very helpless. I know that with my knowledge and ability, I made the right decision. This is a very good feeling.

In the operating room, I am usually confident. I know that I have the knowledge, skills and ability to grasp the unexpected events encountered in the past practice. When I cut my abdomen or chest, I no longer feel nervous. I know that even if this case can't foresee the previous problems, I can grasp what I found. My sweat flows through the punctured lung, the punctured stomach and my comminuted fracture. I have been trying to solve these problems for five years. I don't need to sweat more.

Now I'm not afraid of making mistakes. At the end of the internship, I knew that I would inevitably make mistakes again and again, operate on people who don't need surgery, or ignore someone's situation. Five years ago-even a year ago-I couldn't be responsible for my misjudgment alone. Now I can. I'm still afraid of making mistakes-I'll try my best to avoid them-but I know they are part of the life of surgeons. I can accept this fact because I know I can't avoid mistakes, and so can other surgeons.

These words sound conceited, I think so-but surgeons need to feel good about themselves. He needs it to encourage him to work hard at this moment when he is confused by the doubts and uncertainties that are common in medical care. He must feel as good as or even better than all other surgeons in the world. Call it conceit-call it confidence; Whatever it is, I will gladly accept it.

Unit 7

People think Ethel? Armstead must be crazy to face those young people selling drugs outside her house. But Ethel had enough. She summoned up her courage to go out and talk to the gang. The following is the story that happened.

Get off my block. Lynn. Rosellini

Ethel. Armstead immediately fell in love with this gray townhouse. There is an extra bedroom in the house and a big backyard where her little grandson and granddaughter can play. That marble porch will be an ideal place to enjoy the cool in summer.

But the first night after moving in, when Armstead came home from work, she found a group of fierce people sitting on the steps in front of her house.

She was surprised and said, "Please forgive me, I live here." The group of seven young people stood up reluctantly and stared at her with ruthless eyes. As soon as he entered, Armstead locked the door and looked out of the window. She was surprised to find that the young man was sitting on her doorstep again.

In the next few weeks, Armstead learned that her house had been vacant for a long time and was used by some drug dealers to hide drugs under the front steps. When cars and pedestrians pass by, drug dealers do business on the porch. Drug addicts inject drugs in the alley behind the house and urinate everywhere in the backyard.

Armstead has no illusions about those who occupy her front door. During the ten years she lived in Oliver, a crime-ridden and violent area in eastern Baltimore, almost every night, she lay in bed and could hear gunshots in the fierce drug war. However, in this house, drug dealers often haunt her porch, which is the worst.

Sometimes she has to call the police several times a day and beg the police to disperse these drug dealers. But once the police car disappears on the street corner, the drug dealers will come back one after another.

As a mother in her fifties, her children have grown up, and Armstead never imagined this battle. But this is not the first time she has risen to meet the sudden challenge. In the mid-1990s, when her daughter was addicted to drugs and her little grandson and granddaughter needed adoption, Armstead took care of three boys and a girl.

One night in September 2000, about a month after she moved into her new house, Armstead prayed to God, "I'm going to talk to those guys tomorrow. Please help me. "

The next day, she went directly to the leader of the gang, a young man in jeans and a white T-shirt. Armstead's heart is rolling, but she knows that she must never show fear.

"This is my place," she said quietly and gently, with a smirk on her face. "When I enter my home, I don't need to say' Please forgive me'."

She told the young man that she didn't want him and his friends to sell drugs in front of her little grandson and granddaughter. They must leave her house, the empty house next door, and the corner. & lt/Para & gt；

The man was silent. Armstead's heart has jumped into his throat. Then the man nodded. The gang left. But a few days later, they came back. Armstead repeated her request. I said it again the next day and the third day.

Then, an interesting thing happened. These people began to listen. They moved to the next block. When winter came, they cleaned the snow on the road in front of her house. When she was ill, they came to visit her. Soon, they began to call her "Aunt".

Her grandchildren can play ball in the street now. Sometimes, those young people also play with them. If a child talks back to his grandmother, a young man will say, "You can't talk like that. She is your grandmother! " & lt/Para & gt；

Armstead has been whispering, warning them of the danger of easy money. "You will be beheaded!" She said to them. "Let's do something serious!"

People told her that it was foolish of her to talk to those villains like that. Especially after another aunt who took a stand just five blocks away was killed. This aunt is Angela Dawson. She single-handedly fought another group of drug dealers, but failed. The Dawsons' house was set on fire, and Angela, her husband Canel and their five children all died. This tragedy became news that shocked the whole country. A man nearby was accused. Armstead doesn't know Angela? Dawson, but she knows her children. After the deadly fire, she was more careful-but she didn't stop.

She's not just talking. She has always been the driving force behind the community organization Baltimore Leadership Development Association (BUILD). Together, they drove drug dealers away from an open space and built a children's playground there. They started an extracurricular activity at school to keep children away from the streets. They urged cities and local churches to speed up the pace of rebuilding abandoned houses.

Not long ago, Armstead met a person who often swings in front of her house. "Hey, Auntie!" The man gave a cry and hugged her tightly. He told her that he had found a job, and then said, "I really want to thank you for what you whispered to us."

Armstead's influence on her is very limited. She just said, "It makes me happy to know that my words have convinced at least one young man."

The Eighth Unit

Have you ever considered cheating in exams before? Of course not. But some students are not so honest. ...

Honesty: Will it leave fashion? -Author: Cecilia? Robbins

According to a recent poll, 6 1% of American high school students admitted to cheating at least once in the exam. Some people think that such feedback is of little significance. After all, most students have already faced the temptation to peek at the adjacent papers. It is difficult for students to judge such behavior independently. In any case, there are other signs that cheating in high schools may be on the rise.

More and more states require students to pass aptitude tests to get high school diplomas. Many educators worry that the increase in state test habits will lead to a corresponding increase in cheating. A typical example is that students in New York State are accused of a misdemeanor, that is, possessing and selling advanced copies of the state director's exam.

Cheating is now considered as a major problem in colleges and universities. Several professors said that they had given up the need for traditional answer sheets, because many students bought pre-written answer sheets and they could not find more cheaters.

Colleges and universities in this country decided not only to talk about the rise of students' cheating, but also to take action. For example, the psychology department of the University of Miami launched a campaign to stop cheating. When 409 students lined up to leave the examination room, they found that all the exits were locked except one. The invigilator asked each student to show his photo ID card. Those students who said they had left their ID cards in the dormitory or at home were all photographed. The purpose of this campaign is to catch those students who take exams for others.

Most students in Miami University are in favor of this sport. The editorial in the newspaper of this university said, "It's like the police catching drivers who violate the law and speed limit. The purpose is not to catch everyone, but to sum up two words."

We often hear the words "the good old days", when Americans were better, happier and more honest. But are they more honest? Maybe. A long time ago, life was very different from today.

Children at school are used to knowing Abraham? How did Lincoln walk five kilometers and pay back a penny because he overcharged a customer? As far as we know, this is a story as good as a myth. But as far as Lincoln is concerned, the story is true ... unlike George? Washington and the cherry tree. The first biographer in Washington invented George and said to his father, "I can't lie, I will treat it with an axe." This story. What is important in these two stories? In any case, honesty is considered to be an important part of American character.

These are just two stories besides many stories. Students in the last century usually didn't read "entertainment" stories. They read and tell stories about moral values. These stories point out very clearly that children who lie, cheat or steal will come to no good end.

Parents may further encourage these values. It's hard to know. We know that children won't listen to their parents talk about cheating the government on taxes-nothing.

One clue about why Americans were more honest in the past is Abraham. The story of Lincoln. Lincoln knew his customers. They all live in a small town. A cashier in a big supermarket will refund money to a customer? The possibility is relatively small. On the other hand, guests who spend the night in lovers' shops steal towels? The possibility is relatively small.

Perhaps this tells us that people need to know each other to be the most honest.

Most Americans still believe that honesty is an important part of American character. Because of this, there are a large number of supervisory committees scattered at all levels of society. Compared with the past few years, dishonesty in schools, enterprises and governments has increased in recent years, but it may also be because we have done a better job in exposing dishonesty.

There is evidence that dishonesty can rise and fall. When times are tough, theft and cheating will increase. When the situation improves, such incidents will tend to decrease.

There are also high and low levels of school cheating. But this seems to have nothing to do with the economy.

Many educators believe that when students have confidence in their abilities, they are less likely to cheat. Strangely, some efforts to prevent cheating are actually encouraging cheating-people may feel that "they don't trust me at all" and try to "impact the system". Distrust is contagious. But trust can also be contagious.