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21 st Century College English: Book 1. Unit 6: Part A. Nerds and Geeks. Unit 6: Part A. ——. Pre-Reading Activities Intensive Study Exercises Assignment. Pre-reading Activities. ——. Warm-up Questions Listening. Pre-reading Activities. ——.
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21st Century College English: Book 1 Unit 6: Part A Nerds and Geeks
Unit 6: Part A —— • Pre-Reading Activities • Intensive Study • Exercises • Assignment
Pre-reading Activities —— • Warm-up Questions • Listening
Pre-reading Activities —— Are there any negative terms in China that are used in connection with a fellow student? What values do they express? Are they used for hard working students?
Pre-reading Activities —— Do you know the terms “nerds” and “geeks”? If not, skim through the first two paragraphs to guess their meaning.
Some of the top nerds and geeks Diogenes (412?-323 BC) I had rather be mad than delighted. Stand a little less between me and the sun.
Some of the top nerds and geeks Charles Babbage(1792-1871)
Some of the top nerds and geeks Nikola Tesla (1856–1943)
Some of the top nerds and geeks Alan Turing (1912-1954)
Some of the top nerds and geeks John von Neumann (1903-57)
Intensive Study • Difficult sentences • Key words, phrases & usages • Comprehension exercises Intensive Study ——
Text A: Nerds and Geeks Nerds and Geeks by Leonid Fridman 1 There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 2 We all know what a nerd is: someone who wears thick glasses and ugly clothes; someone who knows all the answers to the chemistry or math homework but can never get a date on a Saturday night. And a geek, according to “Webster’s New World Dictionary”, is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is a revealing fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge is compared to such a freak.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 3Even at a prestigious educational institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is widespread: Many students are ashamed to admit, even to their friends, how much they study. Although most students try to keep up their grades, there is but a small group of undergraduates for whom pursuing knowledge is the most important thing during their years at Harvard. Nerds are looked down upon while athletes are made heroes of.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 4The same thing happens in U.S. elementary and high schools. Children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than idle away this time at parties with their classmates, become social outcasts. Because of their intelligence and refusal to conform to society’s anti-intellectual values, many are deprived of a chance to learn adequate social skills and acquire good communication tools.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 5Enough is enough. 6 Nerds and geeks must stop being ashamed of what they are. Those who don’t study hard must stop teasing those who do, the bright kids with thick glasses. The anti-intellectual values that have spread throughout American society must be fought.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 7There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. In most industrialized nations, not least of all our economic rivals in East Asia , a kid who studies hard is praised and held up as an example to other students. 8In many parts of the world, university professorships are the most prestigious and materially rewarding positions. But not in America, where average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than professors of the best universities.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 9How can a country where typical parents are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics instead of going dancing, or of their son reading Weber while his friends play baseball be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan or remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe? How long can America remain a world-class power if we constantly put social skills and physical strength over academic achievement and intellectual ability?
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 10Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, as we have done for a major portion of this century without making an effort to also cultivate a pro-intellectual culture at home? Even if we have the political will to spend a lot more money on education than we do now, do we think we can improve our schools if we laugh at our hard-working pupils and fail to respect their impoverished teachers?
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 11Our fault liesnot so muchwith our economy or with our politics as within ourselves, our values and our image of a good life. America’s culture has not adapted to the demands of our times, to the economic realities that demand a highly educated workforce and innovative intelligent leadership.
Text A: Nerds and Geeks 12If we are to succeed as a society in the 21st century, we had better do away with our anti-intellectualism and teach our children that a good life depends on exercising one’s mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one’s abilities. 13Not until the words “nerd” and “geek” become terms of praise rather than insults do we stand a chance.
…a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious. Paraphrase: ? those students who have genuine curiosity for academic knowledge and who regard study as a serious business.
dedicate to — devote (esp. oneself) to a special task or purpose • e.g. • Mother Teresa dedicated her whole life to helping the poor. • Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life/himself to Civil Rights Movement. dedicated — very interested in and working wholeheartedly for • e.g. • The medical student is dedicated to finding a cure for AIDS. • The elderly gentleman was a dedicated teacher.
pursuitn. — the act of pursuing someone or something • e.g. • His main interest in life is the pursuit of fame. Translate: 他一生都在追求名和利,但一样都没有得到. Cf: pursue: — make continued efforts to gain e.g. He wants to pursue his studies in Britain after graduation. Key He has pursued fame and fortune all his life but has achieved neither.
deprive of — to take away from, prevent from using Translate: 剥夺他的公民权是非法的。 • e.g. • The young man was deprived of his bachelor’s degree. • The fire deprived him of his factory. Key It is illegal to deprive him of his citizen’s right.
Enough is enough. Translate: ? Key: 适可而止吧。
least of all — especially not (used after a negative statement) Typical pattern: no one/nothing …, least of all … • e.g. • The food is barely enough for one family, least of all the whole village. • e.g. • No one seemed to pay any attention to the teacher, least of all the kids. Translate: I told a funny story, but nobody laughed, least of all my father. Key 我讲了个笑话，但没人笑，尤其是我父亲。
hold up v. — to show with respect as an example • e.g. • The old man often holds up his youngest daughter as an example of hard work. • Michael Jordan is held up by many American blacks as an example to follow.
stay afloat/keep afloatv. — (of a ship) float instead of sinking; (figuratively) free of debt or get over difficulties Translate: Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, …? • e.g. • The company managed to stay afloat during the crisis. Key 难道我们真的希望这样靠从国外引进科学家和知识分子来生存下去吗? …
lie with v. — be the responsibility of, to rest with • e.g. • The report said that Dianna’s accident lies with the drunk driver. • It lies with you to accept or reject the suggestion. Practice Make a sentence with “lie with”. ?
adapt to v. — make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation), change so as to be suitable • e.g. • Some freshmen find it difficult to adapt to Sichuan’s hot food. • Don’t worry. You will soon adapt to college life.
do away with v. — put an end to, get rid of • e.g. • That school did away with uniforms years ago. • It’s important for government officials to do away with those outdated notions. Practice Make a sentence with “do away with”. ?
… a good life depends on exercising one’s mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one’s abilities. Paraphrasing: ? making all possible efforts to gain knowledge.
stand a chancev. — to have the possibility of achieving something Translate: 我们队有获胜的希望。 • e.g. • If you get straight As, you will stand a good chance of winning the scholarship. • Unskilled workers will stand almost no chance of being reemployed. Key Our team still stands a chance of winning the game.
not so much as With a noun or a phrase, we use this phrase to express quantity Translate: The professor is not so much a scholar as a businessman. • e.g. • She works very hard not so much for money as for pleasure. • His success lies not so much with his intelligence as with his connections. Key 这个教授与其说是学者还不如说是个商人。 More to learn
Exercises —— 《读写教程 I》:Ex. X, p. 133
Exercises —— X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or notsomuch … as after the model. • There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. • The fault lies notsomuch with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 1. a) His teacher is able to make the point clear and convincing. b) He is also able to make the point clear and convincing. He is able to make the point as clear and convincing as his teacher
Exercises —— X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or notsomuch … as after the model. • There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. • The fault lies notsomuch with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 2. a) This is not a matter of putting more money into education. b) This is a matter of changing our anti-intellectualism values. This is not so much a matter of putting more money into education as a matter of changing our anti-intellectual values.
Exercises —— X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or notsomuch … as after the model. • There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. • The fault lies notsomuch with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 3. a) They think that academic achievement is important to a student. b) They also think that social skills are important to a student. They think that social skills are as important as academic achievement to a student.
Exercises —— X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or notsomuch … as after the model. • There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. • The fault lies notsomuch with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 4. a) The purpose of this article is not to answer the question. b) The purpose of this article is to discuss the question. The purpose of this article is not so much to answer the question as to discuss the question.
Exercises —— X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or notsomuch … as after the model. • There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. • The fault lies notsomuch with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 5. a) Professors are respected and well paid in this country. b) Professional ballplayers are also respected and well paid in this country Professional ballplayers are as respected and well paid as professors in this country.
Text-related information Webster’s New World Dictionary Webster’s New World Dictionary (College Edition) is a well-known dictionary of the American language intended for college students. Its definition of “geek” is somewhat out-of-date as this word is currently used as a slang term referring to anyone lacking social grace or popularity.
Text-related information Harvard Harvard University (哈佛大学) is the oldest American university, founded in 1636 at Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is generally considered the most prestigious university in the U.S., perhaps analogous to Beijing University’s status in China. The main university campus lies along the Charles River a few miles west of Boston.
Text-related information Max Weber, 1864-1920 Weber was a German sociologist and political economist, one of the founders of sociology. His ideas, which spanned subjects from economic history to the sociology of music, continue to be extremely influential. For a young person in the U.S. to be reading Weber would be a marker of a strong intellect.
Exercises —— • Comprehension • Vocabulary • Listening & Discussion
Comprehension —— 《读写教程 I》:Ex. II, p. 130
Key:A “nerd” is someone who does well in school, but is socially unpopular. “Geek” literally means a street performer who bites the heads off from chickens. Informally, it is often used by teenagers to describe a person who is “uncool” or not popular. Relevant to: Para. 2 Comprehension —— 1. What do the words “nerd” and “geek” mean in American slang?
Key:It shows that such students, and academic skills in general, are not valued or respected. Comprehension —— 2. According to the author, what does it show about American society that these words are used to describe the hardest-working, most accomplished student?
Key:This phrase means that the author feels it is now time to reverse the trend and to start respecting intelligent, hardworking students. Comprehension —— 3. What is meant by “Enough is enough” in paragraph 5?
Key:Because good students are not respected in school as children, they do not have any opportunity to develop the social skills that would make them popular as adults. Relevant to: Para. 4 Because of their intelligence and refusal to conform to society’s anti-intellectual values, many are deprived of a chance to learn adequate social skills and acquire good communication tools. Comprehension —— 4. What does the author see as the cause of anti-intellectualism in the U.S.?
