Unit 2: Part A

1. 21st Century College English: Book 4 Unit 2: Part A The Gratitude We Need

2. Unit 2: Part A • Pre-Reading Activities • Text A: Language Points • Exercises • Assignment The Gratitude We Need

3. Pre-Reading Activities • Preview • Pre-Reading Listening

4. Pre-Reading Activities Preview Sometimes it seems that the greatest difficulty in life is simply finding a way to coexist peacefully with our neighbors. In this unit, you will receive some advice from the experts on how to meet this challenge. Text A “The Gratitude We Need,” explains how simply taking the time to show appreciation for the efforts of others can make the world a better place. Text B is adapted from a speech given at Harvard University by Judith Martin, who writes a newspaper column on the proper way to behave. Her speech explains “Why Manners Matter” more than ever in today’s world. Finally, American religious leader Norman Vincent Peale was made famous in the 1950’s by his self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking in Text C, he explains why he explains why he feels courtesy is the “Key to a Happier World.”

5. Pre-Reading Activities Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words. Then listen to the tape again choose the best answers for the following questions. fare 乘客buck （俚）一元trace 找到 glare 盯视gratitude 感激gracefully 得体地 Check-up

6. Pre-Reading Activities 1. How did the man who had lost his wallet react to it being returned? A) He acted hostile towards the cabdriver. B) He took it without a word, but smiled his thanks. C) He gave the driver some money, but no thanks. D) He thanked the driver, but gave him no reward. 1. How did the man who had lost his wallet react to it being returned? A) He acted hostile towards the cabdriver. B) He took it without a word, but smiled his thanks. C) He gave the driver some money, but no thanks. D) He thanked the driver, but gave him no reward.

7. Pre-Reading Activities 2. What does the story of the cabdriver show? A) Cabdrivers are usually honest people. B) People need to be shown gratitude. C) You should always give a tip for good service. D) It’s not worthwhile to help other people. 2. What does the story of the cabdriver show? A) Cabdrivers are usually honest people. B) People need to be shown gratitude. C) You should always give a tip for good service. D) It’s not worthwhile to help other people.

8. Pre-Reading Activities 3. Which of the following is NOT an example of expressing gratitude? A) returning wallet someone has left behind B) gracefully receiving an act of kindness from another person C) thanking and praising coworkers, family and friends D) making a small gesture of appreciation 3. Which of the following is NOT an example of expressing gratitude? A) returning wallet someone has left behind B) gracefully receiving an act of kindness from another person C) thanking and praising coworkers, family and friends D) making a small gesture of appreciation

9. Pre-Reading Activities 4. Why does the author consider the gratitude so important? A) It keeps people from getting angry. B) It helps you to get what you want. C) It makes others like you more. D) It makes the world a more pleasant place to live. 4. Why does the author consider the gratitude so important? A) It keeps people from getting angry. B) It helps you to get what you want. C) It makes others like you more. D) It makes the world a more pleasant place to live. Script

10. Pre-Reading Activities Gratitude is the art of receiving gracefully, of showing appreciation for, every act of kindness, big or small, that others do for you. Gratitude can take many forms: It can be expressed by a large, dramatic gesture or it can be shown in a small way, like finding a very original and personal way to say thanks for a friend’s gift. Sometimes gratitude is anonymous. Sometimes it is very personal, such as when we take the time to thank and praise coworkers, family and friends instead of taking them for granted. We can never express our gratitude too much, the people around us build up their approach to life out of all the little gestures of appreciation we all make. The smiles and the thanks we give help us to build a better world, one that we can all live in and enjoy. As I got into a taxi one afternoon, the driver was very angry about something that had happened to him earlier that day. Here’s how he told the story: “One of my fares left a wallet in my cab this morning. Nearly three hundred bucks in it. I spent more than an hour trying to trace the guy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a word and glared at me as though I’d meant to steal it.” “He didn't give you a reward?” I asked. “Not a cent. But it wasn’t the money I wanted,” he fumbled, then exploded. “If the guy had only said something…” Why was the driver so upset? All he wanted was something simple, but even more valuable than money: to be thanked for his efforts. In short, what he wanted, what he needed but did not get, was a little bit of gratitude.

11. Language Points Text A: The Gratitude We Need

12. Language Points The Gratitude We Need A.J.Cronin 1 On a fine afternoon in New York, I got into a taxi. From the driver’s expression and the way he slammed in his gears, I could tell that he was upset. I asked him what was the trouble. “I’ve got good reason to be sore,” he growled. “One of my fares left a wallet in my cab this morning. Nearly three hundred bucks in it. I spent more than an hour trying to trace the guy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a word and glared at me as though I’d meant to steal it.”

13. Language Points 2 “He didn't give you a reward?” I exclaimed. 3 “Not a cent. But it wasn’t the dough I wanted...” he fumbled, then exploded, “If the guy had only said something...” 4 Because his helpful, honest act had not been appreciated, that cabdriver’s day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice before rendering a similar service. The need for gratitude is something we all feel, and denial of it can do much to harm the spirit of kindness and cooperation.

14. Language Points 5 During World War II a mother in Cincinnati received a letter from her son in the army in which he spoke of a woman in a village in Normandy who had taken him into her home when he was wounded and hungry, and hidden him from the Germans. Later on, unhappily, the boy was killed in the Ardennes offensive. Yet the mother was moved by an irresistible intention. She saved up for two years, crossed the Atlantic and located the village referred to by her son. After many inquiries, she found the woman who had sheltered her

15. Language Points son — the wife of an impoverished farmer — and pressed a package into her hand. It was the gold wristwatch her son had received on his graduation, the only object of real value the boy had ever possessed. The mother’s act of gratitude so touched people’s hearts that it has become something of a legend in and around the village. It has done more than fine speeches to foster good feeling toward Americans.

16. Language Points 6 Gratitude is the art of receiving gracefully, of showing appreciation for every kindness, great and small. Most of us do not fail to show our pleasure when we receive hospitality, gifts and obvious benefits, but even here we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making it as personal and sincere as possible. Recently, when touring in southern Italy with my wife,

17. Language Points I sent to a friend in Connecticut several bottles of a local wine which had taken our fancy. It was a trifling gift, yet to our surprise, instead of the conventional letter of thanks, we receive a phonograph record. When we played it, we heard our friend’s voice speaking after dinner, describing how he and his guests had enjoyed the wine and thanking us for our thoughtfulness. It was pleasant to have this unusual proof that our gift had been appreciated.

18. Language Points 7 Gratitude is sometimes more than a personal affair. My son, studying medicine at McGill University, told me of a patient brought into hospital in Montreal whose life was saved by a blood transfusion. When he was well again he asked: “Isn’t there any way I can discover the name of the donor and thank him?” He was told that names of donors are never revealed. A few weeks after his discharge he came back to give a pint of his own blood. Since then he has returned again and again for the same purpose. When a surgeon commented on this splendid record of anonymous service, he answered simply: “Someone I never knew did it for me. I’m just saying ‘thanks’ “.

19. Language Points 8 It is a comforting thought that gratitude can be not merely a passing sentiment but a renewal which can, in some instances, persist for a lifetime. A husband who recalls appreciatively some generous or unselfish act on his wife’s part, or a wife who never forgets the gifts her husband has given her, does much to keep the domestic wheels spinning smoothly. W.H. Hudson, British author and naturalist, has written: “One evening I brought home a friend to share our usual evening meal. Afterward he said to me: “You are fortunate to have a wife who, despite ill health and children to look after, cooks such excellent meals.” That tribute opened my eyes and taught me to show gratitude for my wife’s day-to-day heroism, which I had hitherto taken for granted.”

20. Language Points 9 It is, above all, in the little things that the grace of gratitude should be most employed. The boy who delivers our paper, the milkman, the mailman, the barber, the waitress at a restaurant, the elevator operator — all oblige us in one way or another. By showing our gratitude we make routine relationships human and render monotonous tasks more agreeable.

21. Language Points 10 A patient of mine in London who worked as a bus conductor once confided to me, “I get fed up with my job sometimes. People grumble, bother you, haven’t got the right change for their tickets. But there’s one lady on my bus morning and evening, and she always thanks me in a particularly friendly way when I take her ticket. I like to think she’s speaking for all the passengers. It helps me to keep smiling.”

22. Language Points 11 Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinary efficiency of his secretary. One day Bennett said to her, “Your employer claims that you are extremely efficient. What is your secret?” “It’s not my secret,” the secretary replied. “It’s his.” Each time she performed a service, no matter how small, he never failed to acknowledge it. Because of that she took infinite pains with her work. 12 Some persons refrain from expressing their gratitude because they feel it will not be welcome. A patient of mine, a few weeks after his discharge from the hospital, came back to thank his nurse. “I didn’t come back sooner,” he explained, “because I imagined you must be bored to death with people thanking you.”

23. Language Points 13 “On the contrary,” she replied, “I am delighted you came. Few realize how much we need encouragement and how much we are helped by those who give it.” 14 Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build up their philosophy of life. (1061 words)

24. Text-related information A.J.Cronin, Scottish novelist and accomplished storyteller. Gained fame with his novel Hatter’s Castle(1931). He produced several bestsellers with social concerns. Cronin continued to wrote until he was in his eightieth year. His book also gained a wide audience through files and television. • J. Cronin • 克罗宁 • (1896-1981)

25. to slam sth. — v. shut, put, push,throe or knock with great force. The act of slamming always involves great force and usually a loud noise. Examples: • The door slammed. • I was so annoyed that I just slammed the phone down.

26. gears — n. (pl) set of toothed wheels which fit into another set to transmit power from a vehicle’s engine to its road wheels. （机动车辆）传动装置，排挡 Examples: • The car has four forward gears（前进挡）and one reverse gear（倒挡）.

27. have (every) good reason to do sth. — be fully justified to do sth. Examples: • We have good reason to mistrust you. • The police have very good reason to believe he is guilty. More to learn

28. sore a. 1) painful or aching from a wound, infection or (of muscles) hard use 2) (AmE) angry, esp, from feeling unjustly treated. Examples: • My feet are sore from all that running yesterday. • Don’t joke about his weight; it’s rather a sore point with him.

29. buck — n. (Am sl.) = U. S. dollar Other informal American expressions for money include dough,bread,moola(h) and greenback. Examples: • The drinks cost me four bucks. • How the hell could we scrape up enough dough to pay him off.

30. without a word — without saying anything. Here it refers to word of gratitude. Examples: • He left without a word. • He took away the book without a word, which made me rather angry.

31. glare at — to look in an angry way. Examples: • They didn’t fight, but stood there glaring at one another. • He didn’t shout or swear, but just glared silently at me.

32. Because his helpful, honest act had not been appreciated, that cabdriver’s day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice before rendering a similar service. Key: 由于他助人为乐的诚实行为没有得到认可，那位出租车司机一天的心情都被搅糟了。我相信他下次向他人伸出援助之手之前可能就会考虑再三。 Translate the sentence: ? More to learn

33. to poison (an occasion, a situation, relationship, etc.) — to spoil it in an unpleasant and nasty way so that you no longer feel happy and optimistic about it. Examples: • The quarrel poisoned our friendship. • The long dispute has poisoned relations between the two countries. More to learn

34. to think twice (again) before (about) doing sth. — to think carefully before deciding to do sth. Examples: • You’ve got to think twice before you spend 100 yuan on a book. • You should think twice about employ someone you’ve never met. More to learn

35. render vt. 1) give (esp. sth. abstract, such as help, service, thanks, etc.) 2) cause (sb. or sth.) to be in a certain condition Examples: • We would never have succeeded without the aid you rendered . • Your action has rendered our contract invalid. More to learn

36. service — n. something one does that helps or benefits another or others Examples: • You did me a great service by showing me the truth. • In a sense he did do a service to British journalists.

37. denial of sth. — n. a refusal to give or allow Examples: • They protested against the denial of basic human freedoms. • Sex discrimination is the most basic denial of equal opportunities.

38. Text-related information Cincinnati is the third largest city of Ohio, and busy hub of a seven-county metropolitan area in three states. It is picturesquely situated between the Little Miami and Great Miami rivers where they empty into the Ohio. The city is encircled by hills and is a major industrial center. Cincinnati 辛辛那提

39. Text-related information Normandy A historic and cultural region coextensive with the former province of Normandy, France. Normandy was the location of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France during World War II.

40. Text-related information The Ardnnes offensive Also called the battle of Ardennes, or the battle of Bulge (Dec. 16, 1944-Jan.16,1945), the Ardennes offensive was the last German offensive on the Western Front during World War II. It was an unsuccessful attempt to push the Allies back from the German home territory. The name “Battle of Bulge” was appropriated from Winston Churchill’s optimistic description, in May 1940, of the resistance that he mistakenly supposed was being offered to the Germans’ breakthrough in that area just before the Anglo-French collapse. The “bulge” refers to the wedge that the Germans drove into the Allied lines.

41. Yet the mother was moved by an irresistible intention Translate the sentence: ? Key: 母亲却为完成愿望的坚定决心所激励着。

42. to locate (some place) — to learn the position of Examples: • We located the schools and shops as soon as we moved into the town. • I am trying to locate Mr..Green. Do you know where he is? More to learn

43. refer to — to mention, speak of. Examples: • When I said somebody is stupid, I wasn’t referring to you. • Which one did you refer to when you mentioned “you”.

44. press (into, on, upon,etc) — giving in a very forceful way, allowing no refusal to accept Examples: • Mary pressed money into John’s hand to express her gratitude. • His aunt pressed upon him cups of tea and chocolate cookies.

45. The mother’s act of gratitude so touched people’s heart that it has become something of a legend in and around the village. Translate the sentence: ? Key: 母亲表示感激的行动深深地触动了人们的心灵，成为有口皆碑的传奇故事，在村子的周围广为流传。 More to learn

46. something of — to a degree but not complete Examples: • George found himself something of a celebrity（小有名气）. • He is something of an expert on linguistics. More to learn

47. legend — a very old story or set of stories from ancient times, or the stories that people tell about a famous event or person. Examples: • Elvis Presley （猫王）is one of the great legends of pop music. • His bravery behind the enemy lines is now legend.

48. It has done more than fine speeches to foster good feeling towards Americans. Key: 它比出色的演讲更能让人培养起对美国人的好感。 Translate the sentence: ?

49. an art — an activity of a high level of skill or a special ability Examples: • It is important to learn the art of appearing confident in an interview • Treading needle is an art in itself.

50. but even here we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making it as personal and sincere as possible. Translate the sentence: ? Key: 即使在这种情况下，我们也可以尽量通过真诚和个人化的方式使我们表达感激的形式尽善尽美。