New Horizon College English Book 3 新视野大学英语 3

1. New Horizon College English Book 3新视野大学英语3 School of Foreign Studies 外国语学院 Yu Yangxiao 于阳晓

2. Unit NineSection A Premarital Agreements

3. Warm up : • How to keep a happy marriage? • Do you want to have a premarital agreement before your marriage? Why?

4. Background Information • Premarital agreements • Premarital agreements or prenuptial agreements are binding legal contracts between two people who intend to marry each other.

5. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis • Born on July 28, 1929, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was first lady of the United States during the administration (1961-1963) of her first husband, John F. Kennedy. She had been a newspaper reporter and photographer before their marriage in 1953. She was riding beside President Kennedy when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963. In 1968 she married the Greek shipping millionaire Aristotle Onassis.

6. Assignments • Activity • Structure and writing device • Passage Reading • New Words Contents

7. bride:新娘a woman who is getting married, or who is just married • bride-to-be: 准新娘 a woman who is going to be married soon Structure: n.-to-be Example groom-to-be 准新郎 father-to-be 准父亲 mother-to-be 准母亲 father-in-law岳父，公公 mother-in-law岳母，婆婆 I. New Words

8. I. New Words • 2. contest: • a. 争夺，竞争 (take part in and)try to win sth. (vt.) • b.竞赛，比赛 a composition (n.) Example 前总统决定不参加本次竞选。 The ex-president has decided not to contest thiselection.

9. I. New Words • 2. contest: • a. 争夺，竞争 (take part in and)try to win sth. (vt.) • b.竞赛，比赛 a composition (n.) Example 由于紧张，我们在拔河/作文/演讲比赛中没有获胜。 Because of nervous, we failed in the tug-of-war / composition / speech contest.

10. I. New Words • 3. sting:(stung, stung) • a.激怒；刺激 make sb. feel upset, hurt, or annoyed(vt.) • b.刺，蛰 （of an insect) cause sharp pain (vt.) Example 我深受良心折磨。 My conscience stung me sharply.

11. I. New Words • 3. sting:(stung, stung) • a.激怒；刺激 make sb. feel upset, hurt, or annoyed(vt.) • b.刺，蛰 （of an insect) cause sharp pain (vt.) Example 一只蜂蜇了我的手臂。 A bee stung me on the arm.

12. I. New Words • 4. exposure: • a.暴露 (+to+n)the state of being put into a harmful situation (n.) • b.揭发；揭露(+of+n.)the act of making sth. publicly known (n.) Example 暴露于寒风中，我觉得嘴唇干裂。 Exposure to the cold wind left my lips feeling dry.

13. I. New Words • 4. exposure: • a.暴露 (+to+n.)the state of being put into a harmful situation (n.) • b.揭发；揭露(+of+n.)the act of making sth. publicly known (n.) Example 政治腐败的揭发。 the exposure of political corruption

14. Assignments • Activity • Structure and writing device • Passage Reading • New Words Contents

15. writing device:general statement supported by examples • The essay focuses on one social phenomenon: prenups or premarital agreements. The writer uses this writing device to tell us what prenupsare, who needs prenups, what points to be takencare of before signing prenups, and how peopleevaluate prenups. Question: How did the author organize the passage? How can we divide the passage into four parts?

16. Text Structure Part One (Para.1-4) Introduction of prenups. Part Two (Para. 5-8) Who want prenups?. Some points to be taken care of regarding prenups. Part Three (Para. 9-14) Part Four (Para.15-16) Evaluations of prenups.

17. PartI (Para.1-4) • The general statement:A social phenomenon--premarital agreements Examples: some examples of crazy clauses of premarital agreements (para.1) an example of prenups– the case of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (para.4)

18. Part II (Para.5-8) • The general statement: Who needs to have prenups? Para.5 Para.6 Para.7 Para.8 Examples: three kinds of people

19. PartIII (Para.9-14) • The general statement:Some points to be taken care of regarding prenups Examples: Two examples of not taking the advice. (para.11) an example of Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s divorce. (para.13)

20. PartIV(Para.15-16) • Evaluations A positive one: prenups sometimes may help save a couple from a terrible marriage. (para.15) A negative one: prenups sometimes prove to be of no use to some happy marriages. (para.16)

21. Assignments • Activity • Structure and writing device • Passage Reading • New Words Contents

22. What’s it most about ? Premarital Agreements • Para. 1A future husband wanted to be sure that if his marriage didn't work out, he could keep his treasured ice-cream collection safely stored away in a freezer. A woman insisted on verifying who would walk the dog. One man wanted the right to get a divorce if his bride-to-be gained more than 15 pounds once she became his wife. • Para.2 These are some of the crazier clauses of prenuptial agreements. But make no mistake about it, what most of them are about is money — and how financial assets will be divided up if a couple divorces. And divorce with its accompanying money problems is common in the United States.

23. What’s a prenuptial agreement ? • Para.3 Prenuptial agreements — or "prenups" — are designed to address these problems as they arise. Prenups are negotiated by lawyers for the prospective spouses, and signed before a minister binds them in marriage. They have been gaining in acceptance in the United States since the early 1980s, when more states began passing laws that affected the division of financial assets in a divorce. The laws are based either on "community property" (split evenly) or on "reasonable distribution" (whatever a judge thinks is "fair"). • Para.4 The prenups of the famous make the headlines: lawyers for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis contested the prenuptial agreement between her and Aristotle Onassis after his death, reportedly winning $26 million in an out-of-court settlement.

24. Language points • make no mistake (about it): • emphasize what one is saying is true 完全可以肯定 Example 可以肯定，他能通过考核。 Make no mistake about it, he will pass the test.

25. Language points • 2. gain in: • get more of sth. 得到更多 Example 因为在电视上亮相，这些人名声大增。 These people have gained in fame as a result of their television appearance.

26. Language points • 3. make/ hit the headlines: • become important news 成为头条新闻 Example 贝克汉姆在昨晚比赛中为英国队赢得3分，再次成为头条新闻。 Beckham again made the headlines, after scoring three points for England in last night’s game.

27. The three situations that may call for it . • Para5. But prenuptial agreements are also for lesser known, although wealthy folks. "It's because divorce has such great economic consequences, and successive marriages have become so common," said a family law lawyer. • Para.6 A typical candidate for a prenuptial agreement is a man who has accumulated considerable wealth, has already been stung once, and wants to reduce his exposure to future problems. "They want to make their own arrangements, rather than let a court decide," said the president of the New York chapter of the American Academy of Marriage Lawyers.

28. Para.7 Protecting children from a previous marriage is a strong reason for prenuptial contracts. "Someone may have an estate of $1 billion and he may not want a second spouse to get a payment of half a billion. He may want more for his children," said a lawyer. The effort to shield assets to be passed on to children and grandchildren is making prenups more common among retired people in their 60s and 70s who are remarrying after a spouse has died. • Para.8 Another situation that calls for premarital agreements occurs when a potential spouse has, or is inline for, great inherited wealth or a family business, especially if the future partner has little or nothing at all.

29. Language points • 4. be in line for sth.: • be likely to get sth. 有可能得到 Example 她是一名优秀的雇员，很有可能获得提升。 She is an excellent employee and is in line for promotion.

30. Some points to take care of • Para.9 But even when both parties have signed such an agreement, it can be impossible to enforce it in court if proper guidelines have not been followed. A lawyer is required to write the document, for mistakes in language — even a misplaced preposition — can be disastrous. But never, ever, warn marriage law consultants, should you use the same lawyer as your future spouse does. • Para.10 Another problem is a prenuptial agreement signed under pressure. To avoid this, some lawyers will not draw up an agreement once a wedding date has been set. "I figure there's a sword hanging over their head, and that's pressure," they said. Such lawyers counsel their clients never to send out wedding invitations until both signatures are on an agreement.

31. What’s the situation in Britain ? • Para.11 But not everyone takes this advice. A classic example is cited by lawyers: "An agreement is stuck under somebody's nose on the day of the wedding — and it's usually a 'she' — and she signs, but doesn't even read it." Another lawyer recalled one awkward episode where the two sides were still editing the contract, arguing over what to keep and delete, as 150 wedding guests were arriving for the wedding. When an agreement could not be forged, the wedding was canceled. • Para.12 A dispute can also break out over prenuptial agreements if a couple decides to divorce while living abroad, or when they have different passports. A lawyer in a London law firm that often handles divorces for British-American couples noted that in Britain, prenuptial agreements were "just about ignored" by the courts because English law says that circumstances of a marriage aren't static, and therefore a judge should decide how financial assets will be divided.

32. Why it’s popular in USA ? • Para.13That can lead to "court-shopping", since what matters is the law of the country where the couple is getting divorced. He gave the following example: "A wealthy Mr. Ed Smith gets married to Mrs.Smith, and they enter into a New York prenuptial contract. They live in England, and then decide to get divorced. English lawyers will say to Mrs. Smith, 'No, that contract is not valid,' while Mr.Smith will want it to be an American case. The issue of where it will be held can greatly multiply the amount of time required to reach a settlement." • Para.14 Romantic love has no bearing on this process, say these lawyers, who consider prenups to be business agreements. Their justification: some 50 percent of all marriages in the United States end up on the trash heap .

33. Para.15 Moreover, the discussions for a prenuptial agreement, which involve laying bare all one's finances, sometimes save a couple from a terrible marriage. "It sheds light on issues which could later widen and result in divorce," said a lawyer. • Para.16 But there is still hope. "Many people sign an agreement, put it in a drawer and never look at it again," the lawyer added.

34. More: Language points • 5. But never, ever, warn marriage law consultants, shouldyou use the same lawyer as your future spouse does. 某些表示否定意义的副词位于句 首时，句子通常要部分倒装，即： 助动词或情态动词位于主语之前。 nowhere, no longer, hardly, little, few, seldom, rarely, barely, etc.

35. Complete the sentences: Never have I • (我从来没) ___________ seen such a nice movie. • (他不再)_______________ in charge of this work. • (她没怎么) ___________ think of the consequence. • (哪儿也找不到他们)___________________ to be found. • (我几乎听不懂)______________ understand what • he said. • (他很少到别处去)_________________ anywhere • except to the library. • ____ words _______ exchange.(他们几乎没交谈) No longer was he Little did she Nowhere were they Hardly could I Seldom did he go Few did they

36. Language points • 6. draw up: • prepare a written document, such as a contract 写出；起草 Example 战争结束后，两国起草了一份和平条约。 The two countries drew up a peace treaty after the war ended.

37. Language points • 7. under one’s nose: • just in front of sb. 就在…面前 Example 小偷就在警卫的眼皮底下拿着那幅油画走出了博物馆。 The thief walked out of the museum with the painting right under the guards’ nose.

38. Language points • 8. just about : • almost; very nearly 几乎；差不多 Example 我见到他时差不多是三月末了。 It was just about the end of March when I saw him.

39. Language points • 9. That can lead to "court-shopping", since what matters is the law of the country where the couple is getting divorced. Paraphrase People may choose court to get a divorce because the important thing is the law of the country where the couple is getting divorced. Court-shopping: a word created by the writer, probably modeled after “window-shopping”. The implied meaning is that one may choose a court among several for one’s legal suit.

40. Language points • 10. have no bearing on sth.: • have no effect or influence on sth. 对…无影响；无关 Example 他的意见对我们的决定没有影响。 His comments had no bearing on our decision. 你所说的与本题无关。 What you have said has no bearing on the subject.

41. Language points • 11. lay sth. bare: • make sth. known 揭露；暴露 Example 在这份报告里，所有的事实都被披露出来了。 All the facts are laid bare in this report.

42. Language points • 12. shed light on : • make sth. easier to understand 使易于理解 Example 这些线索使这个疑案变得清晰一些。 These clues shed new light on the mystery.

43. Assignments • Activity • Structure and writing device • Passage Reading • New Words Contents

44. contest sting make the headline under one’s nose … … under one’s nose have no bearing on… … IV Activity • Please create a short story or dialogue by making use of as many new phrases and words in this section as possible in an effort to remember their meaning and usage.

45. Assignments • Activity • Structure and writing device • Passage Reading • New Words Contents

46. V Assignments Paragraph writing Write a paragraph supported by examples You may choose whatever you are interested in as your topic.

47. Thanks for your attention