unit8-A-课文FABLE-OF-THE-LAZY-TEENAGER.doc

FABLE OF THE LAZY TEENAGER
Benjamin Stein
One day last fall, I ran out of file folders and went to the drugstore to buy more. I put a handful of folders on the counter and asked a teenage salesgirl how much they cost. “I don't know,” she answered. “But it's 12 cents each. ”
       I counted the folders. 'Twenty-three at 12 cents each, that makes $ 2.76 before tax,” I said.
       “You did that in your head?" she asked in amazement. “How can you do that?”
       “ It's magic,” I said.
       “Really?" she asked.
       No modestly educated adult can fail to be upset by such an experience. While our children seem better-natured than ever, they are so ignorant—and so ignorant of their ignorance—that they frighten me. In a class of 60 seniors at a private college where I recently taught, not one student could write a short paper without misspellings. Not one.
       But this is just a tiny slice of the problem. The ability to perform even the simplest calculations is only a memory among many students I see, and their knowledge of world history or geography is nonexistent.
       Moreover, there is a chilling indifference about all this ignorance. The attitude was summed up by a friend 's bright, lazy 16-year-old son, who explained why he preferred not to go to U.C.L.A. "I don't want to have to compete with Asians,” he said. “They work hard and know everything. ”
       In fact, this young man will have to compete with Asians whether he wants to or not. He cannot live forever on the financial, material and human capital accumulated by his ancestors. At some point soon, his intellectual laziness will seriously affect his way of life. It will also affect the rest of us. A modern industrial state cannot function with an idle, ignorant labor force. Planes will crash. Computers will jam. Cars will break down.
       To drive this message home to such young Americans, I have a humble suggestion: a movie, or TV series, dramatizing just how difficult it was for this country to get where it is—and how easily it could all be lost. I offer the following fable.
       As the story opens, our hero, Kevin Hanley 1990, a 17-year-old high school senior, is sitting in his room, feeling bitter. His parents insist he study for his European history test. He wants to go shopping for headphones for his portable CD player. The book he is forced to read—The Wealth of Nations—puts him to sleep.
       Kevin dreams it is 1835, and he is his own great-great-great-grandfather at 17, a peasant in County Kerry, Ireland. He lives in a small hut and sleeps next to a pig. He is always hungry and must search for food. His greatest wish is to learn to read and write so he might get a job as a clerk. With steady wages, he would be able to feed himself and help his family. But Hanley 's poverty allows no leisure for such luxuries as going to school. Without education and money, he is powerless. His only hope lies in his children. If they are educated, they will have a better life.
       Our fable fast-forwards' and Kevin Hanley 1990 is now his own great-grandfather, Kevin Hanley, 1928. He, too, is 17 years old, and he works in a steel mill in Pittsburgh. His father came to America from Ireland and helped build the New York City subway. Kevin Hanley 1928 is far better off than either his father or his grandfather. He can read and write. His wages are far better than anything his ancestors had in Ireland.
       Next Kevin Hanley 1990 dreams that he is Kevin Hanley 1945, his own grandfather, fighting on Iwo Jima against a most determined foe, the Japanese army. He is always hot, always hungry, always scared. One night in a foxhole, he tells a friend why he is there: "So my son and his son can live in peace and security. When I get back, I'll work hard and send my boy to college so he can live by his brains instead of his back.”
       Then Kevin Hanley 1990 is his own father, Kevin Hanley 1966, who studies all the time so he can get into college and law school. He lives in a fine house. He has never seen anything but peace and plenty. He tells his girl friend that when he has a son, he won't make him study all the time, as his father makes him.
       At that point, Kevin Hanley 1990 wakes up, shaken by his dream. He is relieved to be away from Ireland and the steel mill and Iwo Jima. He goes back to sleep.
       When he dreams again, he is his own son, Kevin Hanley 2020. There is gunfire all day and all night. His whole generation forgot why there even was law, so there is none. People pay no attention to politics, and government offers no services to the working class.
       Kevin 2020's father, who is of course Kevin 1990 himself, works as a cleaner in a factory owned by the Japanese. Kevin 2020 is a porter in a hotel for wealthy Europeans and Asians. Public education stops at the sixth grade. Americans have long since stopped demanding good education for their children.
       The last person Kevin 1990 sees in his dream is his own grandson. Kevin 2050 has no useful skills. Machines built in Japan do all the complex work, and there is little manual work to be done. Without education, without discipline, he cannot earn an adequate living wage. He lives in a slum where there is no heat, no plumbing, no privacy and survives by searching through trash piles.
       In a word, he lives much as Kevin Hanley 1835 did in Ireland. But one day, Kevin Hanley 2050 is befriended by a visiting Japanese anthropologist studying the decline of America. The man explains to Kevin that when a man has no money, education can supply the human capital necessary to start to acquire financial capital. Hard work, education, saving and discipline can do anything. “This is how we rose from the ashes after you defeated us in a war about a hundred years ago.”
       “America beat Japan in war?" asks Kevin 2050. He is astonished. It seems as impossible as Brazil defeating the United States would sound in 1990. Kevin 2050 swears that if he ever has children, he will make sure they work and study and learn and discipline themselves. “To be able to make a living by one 's mind instead of by stealing,” he says. “That would be a miracle.”
       When Kevin 1990 wakes up, next to him is his copy of The Wealth of Nations. He opens it and the first sentence to catch his eye is this: "A man without the proper use of the intellectual faculties of a man is, if possible, more contemptible than even a coward.”
       Kevin 's father walks in. “All right, son,” he says. “Let 's go look at those headphones.”
       “Sorry, Pop," Kevin 1990 says. “I have to study.”
 run out of:
use up or finish a supply of (sth.) 用完 , 耗尽

To our disappointment, our car ran out of gas halfway home.

When they ran out of food, the soldiers set about hunting for more.
handful:
a small number (used as singular noun, followed by of) 一把 ; 少量

You'd better hurry up. A handful of people are already waiting in the hall.

I have to give up the plan because only a handful of students'are willing to spend the New Year's Eve on campus.

in amazement:
with a feeling of great surprise or disbelief 惊讶地
Aunt Sophia gazed at her picture in amazement: she looked like a teenage girl in it.

All the people in the lecture hall stared at him in amazement when he talked loudly with his friend.
upset:
make (sb.) worry or feel unhappy (usu. used in the pattern: be upset by/about) 使苦恼 , 使心烦意乱

They are terribly upset by the break-up of their parents' marriage.
He was upset about the argument he had with his wife.
ignorant:
knowing little or nothing (often used in the phrase: be ignorant of/about) 无知 ; 愚昧

Some people are ignorant of the facts about global warming.
She was ignorant of her husband's illegal activities. Otherwise she would have done everything possible to stop him.
slice:
1) a part of sth. (followed by of) 部分
Fiction takes up a large slice of the publishing market.

Here's a car that represents a slice of motoring history.

The boss promised that everyone would get a slice of the profits.
2) a thin flat piece cut from sth. (often used with of) ( 薄薄的 ) 一片
Try to eat at least four slices of bread a day.
Cut the pork into thin slices.
ability:
power or skill to do, make, or think; talent (followed by infinitive to)

We elected him monitor because he had the ability to bring out the best in others. He lost the ability to walk after a car accident.
sum up:
give a brief summary (of sth.) 总结 , 概括
Alice summed up her Christmas holidays in one word: "Terrible."
My teacher would sum up the main points of the lesson before he ended the class.

We discussed the proposed changes for most of the meeting. The chairman only took a few moments at the end to sum up.
compete with/against:
try to be better than (sb. else) (used in the pattern: compete with/against
sb. for sth.) 与 … 竞争
More than 2,300 candidates from 93 political parties are competing for 486 seats.

We are having to compete with three other departments for the fund.

They found themselves competing with foreign countries for a share of the market.
accumulate:
collect, or gather together, esp. over a period of time 积累 , 积聚

I have accumulated many books over the last few years.
While we were away on vacation, a lot of letters accumulated in our mailbox.
affect:
have an influence on 影响

The 20th century was full of inventions that have affected the way we live.

More than seven million people have been affected by the drought.

The Asian financial crisis didn't affect our national economy.
function:
operate; act 运作 ; 起作用
When the camera is functioning properly the green light comes on.

Athens functioned as a center of trade in the thirteenth century.
idle:
lazy; not doing anything 懒散的 ; 空闲的
Most of the men were idle during the depression.

She is so idle, we can never get her to do anything.
jam:
get stuck 发生故障 ; 卡住 ; 堵塞
The lock jammed and I couldn't open it.
The tape-recorder jammed and the teacher had to read the story to the class by herself.
break down:
stop working; fall, collapse 停止运转 ; 失败 , 垮了
The elevators in this building are always breaking down.
I have accumulated so many dirty clothes since my washing machine broke down last week.
Talks between the two countries broke down when the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
drive home:
make (sth.) clear so that people understand it (used in the pattern: drive sth.
home(to sb.)) 使清楚无误地理解
We must drive home to them where the difficulties lie.
Peter was lazy. His parents tried to drive home to him the importance of hard work.
humble:
1) not proud; modest 谦卑的
He thanked us again with a humble smile.
Frank strikes me as a very humble person.

2) low in importance, status, or condition 卑微的 Examples:.

Michael started his career as a humble fisherman.

Lacocca rose from humble beginnings to become boss of Ford
suggestion:
sth. suggested (often followed by of/for/that-clause) 建议
The old man followed the doctor's suggestion of a stroll to the river every day.
I have lots of suggestions for the park's future.
(Note that in the that-clause after "suggestion" the subjunctive mood should be used.

Example: They didn't like my suggestion that she share the room with her classmate.)
portable:
light and small enough to be easily carried or moved 便携 ( 式 ) 的 , 手提 ( 式 ) 的

Professor Smith always carries a portable computer with him.
I still remember that my parents bought me a portable radio at my 20th birthday.
search for:
look for 寻找
Many planes and ships were sent to search the South Sea for the missing Chinesepilot.

The police were searching the yard for clues.
luxury:
1) sth. expensive which is not necessary but which gives you pleasure (used as acountable noun) 奢侈品

A week by the sea is a luxury they can no longer afford.
Houses with swimming pools are still a luxury in many parts of the country.

2) very great comfort, esp. among beautiful and expensive surrounding (used as anuncountable noun) 奢华 ; 奢侈
She was brought up in an atmosphere of luxury and wealth.

He took over his father's company and led a life of luxury.
better off:
richer than you were before; more comfortable 更富有 ; 更舒服
Today's farmers are better off than they used to be.
It's obvious that those who work hard are better off than those who don't.
scared:
frightened (often followed by of/to /that-clause)( 使 ) 惊慌 , ( 使 ) 恐慌
When she saw a snake on the floor, the lady was too scared to move.

I have always been scared of dogs.

Alex was scared that his classmates might tell the teacher he broke the window.
wake up:
stop sleeping 醒了
This morning I woke up with a terrible headache.

Stewart woke me up with his coughing.
complex:
not simple 复杂的
The problem was so complex that there would be no easy solution.
When I visited Shanghai for the first time I got lost in the rather complex network of roads.
adequate: enough (often followed by infinitive to or for) 充分的 , 足够的
My parents are prepared to offer me an amount of money adequate to purchase anapartment.

Her knowledge of English was adequate for the job.
decline:
a gradual decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of sth. (followed by in) 衰败 ,衰退 ; 下降

The first signs of economic decline became visible in that region.
Some people are worried that there will be a great decline in the stock market.

in decline, on the decline:
gradually decreasing in importance, quality, or power

The birthrate in China is on the decline.
He is still one of the world's most popular soccer players, but his fame is in decline.
Class attendance is in decline recently.
acquire:
get 取得 , 获得
I've managed to acquire a copy of the report.
J.P. Getty acquired a fortune in business.
astonish:
surprise very much; amaze 使惊讶
Her devotion to students always astonishes us.
Diana astonished her family by winning three competitions in a row.
swear:
make a serious promise about (often followed by infinitive to or that-clause) 发誓 , 宣誓
The witness swore on the Bible to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
He swore that he would never lie.
make a living by:
earn money by (doing sth.) 靠 … 维持生计
Many farmers in this area make a good living by growing flowers.
He makes a living by writing.
miracle:
an amazing or wonderful event, esp. sth. that happens unexpectedly 奇迹

It is a miracle that no one was killed in the earthquake.
It was a miracle that the pilot landed the plane in that snowstorm.
faculty:
mental and physical abilities 官能
He is 90 years old but still has most of his faculties.
It is a myth that the faculty of hearing is greatly increased in blind people.
language point 1:
The ability to perform even the simplest calculations is only a memory among many
students I see.: Many students whom