专业学位硕士研究生英语教程04.doc

Unit 4

Preview
We all have experienced betrayal or hurt. Some choose to carry grudges, nurse old wounds or relive past humiliations. Pride and il--vanity builds a wall; we even shut the door for an explanation. Meet with 11 someone older and wise on Tuesdays, and we'll come to know the art of life, that holding on to the anger consumes the happiness, while letting go of hatred invites more love into life. So put aside the anger, let relief wash over us, and move forward with our life by simply accepting an apology.

Part I Text Reading
Warm-up
I. Being a mentor
If you want to break out or do something extraordinary that you would not do on your own initiative, you'd better have a mentor, an experienced and trusted friend and a prudent advisor. More specifically, what do you think make a good mentor?

Step One
The role of the mentor is multifaceted. Work in pairs to decide on the specific personality traits that make a good mentor, and explain your choices.
A mentor must be:

aged / an effective listener / sincere and committed / punctual / emotionally involved / trustworthy / arrogant/ a responsible role model / loyal / honest / knowledgeable / persuasive / a good talker / independent / self-esteemed/ (or others )

Step Two
·Try to be a mentor, and give your advice to help others out of the following dilemmas:
·Staying home or going abroad for further development?
·Quitting the current job to start a business or staying on it for promotion?
·Being tolerant to those irritations or taking revenge?
·Making up for the mistakes or letting the past be the past?
·Making money at all cost now or seeking fun before it is too late?

II. Are you forgiving?
Tick the boxes you agree with in the following questionnaire.
1. If you do something straight away, do you forgive yourself?
Yes No Sometimes I 'Never
2. Is it important to forgive yourself and others when mistakes are made?
Yes' No I Sometimes I I Not sure I
3. How do you feel when you have forgiven someone for something?
10K I I Not sure I I Very happy I Excited I Proud of myself
4. Are you reluctant to forgive?
I Yes' I No I 'Sometimes I 'Never
5. If you answered Yes in above question, this is because you . (You may tick as
many boxes as you want)
are only thinking of negative things I I
don't value yourself or others enough
have not been shown how to forgive

III. Are you a person who hangs on to painful memories, or are you able to forget and forgive?
·Think of a particular person who has been unpleasant to you in some way.
·Imagine any uncomfortable feelings you once had about him/her.
·Think of something likeable or worthwhile about him/her.
·Think of yourself forgiving him/her.

Text
The (Twelve->) Twelfth Tuesday We Talk about forgiveness1
Mitch Albom

[1] "Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others."
[2] This was a few days after the "Nightline" interview2. The sky was rainy and dark (<->black), and Morrie was beneath a blanket. I (sit->)sat at the far end of his chair, holding his bare feet. They were callused (hardened) and curled, and his toenails were yellow. I had a small jar of lotion, and I squeezed some into my hands and began to massage his ankles (n. 脚踝).
[3] It was another of the things I had watched his helpers (nurses) do for months, and now, in an attempt to (in order to) hold on to (grasp/ catch) what I could of him (尽可能挽留这一逝去的生命), I had volunteered to do it myself.3 The disease had left (made) Morrie without the ability4 even to wiggle (摆动) his toes, yet he could still feel pain, and massages helped relieve (reduce/ to ease the) it (pain). Also, of course, Morrie liked being held and touched. And at this point, anything I could do to make him happy, I was going to do.5
[4] "Mitch," he said, returning to the subject of forgiveness. "There is no point (meaning/ significance) in keeping vengeance (复仇, 报仇) or stubbornness. These things"—he sighed (叹气)--these things I so regret in my life. Pride. Vanity. Why do we do the things we do?"
[5] The importance of forgiving was my question (=topic). I had seen those movies where the patriarch (族长) of the family is on his death bed and he calls for his estranged (疏远的) son so that he can make peace before he goes (=dies). I wondered (1.n.奇迹; 2.vt. want to know想知道) if (whether) Morrie had any of that (desire) inside him, a sudden need to say "I'm sorry" before he died.
[6] Morrie nodded. "Do you see that sculpture?" He tilted (=lean倾斜的) his head toward a bust that sat high on a shelf against the far wall of his office. I had never really noticed it before. Cast in bronze (铜), it was the face of a man in his early forties, wearing a necktie, a tuft (丛生/一咎) of hair falling across his forehead. (foreman领班/工头)
[7] "That's me," Morrie said. "A friend of mine sculpted that maybe (perhaps/probably/ approximately) thirty years ago. His name was Norman. We used to spend so much time together. We went swimming. We took rides (=drives) to New York. He had (invited) me over to his house in Cambridge (剑桥), and he sculpted that bust of me down in his basement. It took several weeks to do it, but he really wanted to get it right6 (vividly)."
[8] I studied (examined) the face. How strange to see a three-dimensional Morrie, so healthy, so young, watching over us as (when) we spoke. Even in bronze, he had a whimsical (反复无常的, 古怪的) look, and I thought this friend had sculpted a little spirit (精神/灵魂/烈性酒) as well.
[9] "Well, here's the sad part of the (life) story," Morrie said. "Norman and his wife moved away to Chicago. A little while (n. moment) later, my wife, Charlotte, had to have a pretty (very) serious (major) operation. Norman and his wife never got in touch with (=contact sb.) us. I know they knew about it. Charlotte and I were very hurt (sad) because they never called to see how she was. So we dropped the relationship7(断交)." [Quitter never win and winner never quit]
[10] "Over the years, I met Norman a few times and he always tried to reconcile (和解), but I didn't accept it (apology->apologize). I wasn't satisfied with (be content with sb./sth.) his (explain->) explanation. I was prideful (proud/ arrogant). I shrugged him off"
[11] His voice choked.
[12] "Mitch ... a few years ago ... he died of cancer. I feel so sad. I never got (the chance) to see him. I never got to forgive. It pains (vt.) me now so much ..."
[13] He was crying again, a soft and quiet cry, and because his head was back, the tears rolled off the side of his face before they reached his lips.
[14] Sorry, I said.
[15] "Don't be," he whispered. "Tears are okay (OK/ All right) ."
[16] I continued rubbing lotion into his lifeless toes. He (weep->) wept for a few minutes, alone (alone独处<->lonely孤独) with his memories (->memorize).
[17] "It's not just other people we need to forgive, Mitch," he finally whispered. "We also need to forgive ourselves."
[18] Ourselves?
[19] "Yes. For all the things we didn't do (该做事却未做). All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on (dwell on sth.) the regrets8 of what should have happened. That doesn't help (于事无补) you when you get to where I am (the situation/ fact that he is dying)."
[20] "I always wished I had done more with my work; I wished I had written more books. I used to beat (blame/ criticize) myself up over (because of) it9. Now I see (understand) that never did any good (n. effect/ use). Make peace. You need to make peace with (accept/ live with容忍/ 接纳) yourself and everyone around you."
[21] I leaned over (倾斜) and dabbed (patted) at the tears with a tissue (a piece of paper). Morrie flicked his eyes open and closed. His (breath->breathe) breathing was audible, like a light (soft) snore.
[22] "Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Don't wait, Mitch. Not everyone gets the time I'm getting. Not everyone is as lucky (as me)"
[23] I tossed (threw/casted) the tissue into the wastebasket and returned to his feet. Lucky? I pressed my thumb into his hardened (spirit<->) flesh and he didn't even feel it.
[24] "The tension (=conflict) of opposites10, Mitch. Remember that? Things (=forces) pulling in different directions?"
[25] I remember.
[26] "I mourn (哀悼) my dwindling (decreasing缩小) time, but I cherish (=hope) the chance it gives me to make things right (correct)."
[27] We sat there for a while (n. a period of time), quietly, as (when) the rain splattered (拍打) against the windows. The hibiscus (芙蓉属的植物) plant behind his head was still holding on (growing), small but firm (顽强).
[28] "Mitch," Morrie whispered.
[29] Uh-huh?
[30] I rolled his toes between my fingers, lost (茫然若失/不知所措be at a loss=don’t know what to do) in the task.
[31] "Look at me."
[32] I glanced up and saw the most intense look (聚精会神) in his eyes.
[33] "I don't know why you came back to me. But I want to say this ..." He paused, and his voice choked. "If I could have had another son, I would have liked it to be you (I would like to have son like you)."
[34] I dropped my eyes, kneading (按摩, 捏制) the dying flesh of his feet between my fingers. For a moment, I felt afraid, as if (=as though仿佛) accepting his words would somehow (for reasons unknown不知为啥 # somewhat=a little有点) betray my own father. But when (suddenly突然) I looked up, I saw Morrie smiling through tears and I knew there was no betrayal in a moment like this.
[35] All I was afraid of was saying good-bye.

Notes
1. This text is excerpted (cited/ adapted) from Tuesdays with Morrie, which is a true (life) story (fiction) about sportswriter Mitch Albom and his favorite college professor Morrie Schwartz. As Morie Schwartz was dying of muscle-wasting (肌无力的) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (肌萎缩性(脊髓) 侧索硬化), or Lou Gehrig's disease (illness), Mitch Albom renewed (更新的, 重建的, 复兴的, 重申的) his warm (close/ intimate) relationship with him. They met every Tuesday until the end of Schwartz's life. This book is thus the recordings of their talks about everything from regrets (n./vt.遗憾) and death to money and marriage, from family to forgiveness.
2. "Nightline" interview: ABC's (American Broadcasting Company) late-night news program with interviews of (celebrate->)celebrities (名人).
3. ...in an attempt to hold on to what I could (do=learn) of him, I had volunteered to do it myself: The verb do is omitted to avoid (repeat->) repetition in the clause "I had volunteered to do it myself." [get rid of sb.=kill sb.] e.g.
(1) I work in a factory and my brother (works) on a farm.
(2) Peter (eat->) ate a cheese (奶酪) sandwich and (Peter) drank a glass of beer.
(3) His sister majors in (specializes in) French and he (majors) in Chinese.
(4) It's cold in December in England, but (it's cold) in July in New Zealand.
4. ...left (made) Morrie without the ability: deprived Morrie of the ability
5. And at this point (moment), anything I could do to make him happy, I was going to do: And at this point, I was going to do anything I could to make him happy.
6. get it right (correct sth.): get it going on well.
7. (drop->drip) dropped the relationship: ended/ dismissed the relationship.
8. get (stick: 1.n. walking~; 2. vi.~to sth.坚持做某事；3. paste) stuck on the regrets: get obsessed (=bothered) with the regrets.
9. beat myself up over it: blame it on myself. (blame oneself for sth.)自责
10. the (tense->) tension of opposites: life is like a series of pulls back and forth, so the tension of opposites is like a pull on a rubber band(橡皮筋).

Word Bank
（audio-:与听力有关<->visual）audible (able->ible): adj. that is heard or that can be heard可听见的
(basis->base: n./ vt.以为基础/根据; be based on sth.) basement: n. the lowest habitable story (可居住的楼层) of a building地下室
beneath: prep. lower than; below低于…，在…下方
betray(->betrayal/ treason): v. the act of committing treason against背叛
bust: n. a sculpture representing a person's head, shoulders, and upper chest半身像
callus: v. to form or develop a hardened tissue结痂（茧）
cast: v. to form (liquid metal, e.g. ) into a particular shape by pouring into a mold铸造; broadcast广播
choke: v. to have difficulty in breathing, swallowing, or speaking哽塞
dab: v. to apply with short, poking strokes轻拍; pat
dimensional: adj. having, or seeming to have, length depth, and height空间的，维度的
(dwindle->) dwindling: adj. decreasing; becoming less 流逝的
estranged: adj. being (alien外星人->alienate->) alienated or made distant疏运的
flick: v./ n. to touch or hit with a light, quick blow轻拍，轻击
hibiscus: n. (US) a tropical plant with large brightly colored flowers芙蓉，木槿
knead: v. to squeeze, press, or roll with the hands轻柔，按摩
lotion: n. a (medical->) medicated liquid for external [apply(1)申请；应用] application洗剂（液）
massage: (US) to rub parts of the body to aid (circulate-)) circulation or relax the muscles按摩
necktie: n. a narrow fabric band of varying (different) length (wear->) worn around the neck and tied in a knot close to the throat领带; tie: vt. ~ a horse to a big tree.
(patriot->爱国者) patriarch: n. a man who rules a family, clan (家族), or tribe (部落)族长(酋长); arc-/arch-穹顶
(proud=) prideful: adj. arrogant (->arrogance); disdainful傲慢的，轻蔑的; be proud of sb./sth.=pride (vi.) on sb./sth.=take pride (n.) in sb./ sth.以某人或某物而感到自豪；
reconcile: v. to settle or resolve调停，决绝, 和解; council议会；consult咨询->consultant顾问
(relief->) relieve: v. to cause a lessening or (alleviate->) alleviation of减缓; to relieve sb.=go to sb.’s reflief.=to rescue sb. 解救某人
sculpt (->sculpture): v. to shape, mold, or fashion (imitate模仿) especially with (precise->) precision雕塑
shrug: v. to raise (the shoulders)耸肩
snore: n. /vi. the act or an instance of snoring打鼾
splatter: v. to spatter (v.溅污n.滴落), especially to move or fall so as to cause splashes飞溅 [dwell居住；~on sth.老在想…]
squeeze: v. to press gently, as in affection挤，捏
(stubborn) stubbornness: n. firmness倔强; bear->bore->born
tissue: n. a soft, absorbent piece of paper used as toilet paper, a handkerchief, or a towel纸巾
toenail: n. the thin, horny, transparent plate covering the upper surface of the end of a toe脚趾甲; nail: n./ vt.钉子/指甲
tuft: n. a short cluster (簇群) of hair, or grass一族，一从
vanity: n. excessive pride in one's appearance or accomplishments虚荣；Vanity Fair名利场
vengeance: n. infliction of punishment in return for a wrong committed报复，复仇；revenge: n./vi
volunteer: n./vi. to offer to give out of one's own will (意志/ 遗嘱)志愿
whimsical: adj. erratic (n./ adj. 不稳定的, 奇怪的) in behavior or degree of unpredictability反复无常; predict预测；dict-: speak. dictionary词典/ 字典
wiggle: v. to move or cause to move from side to side with short irregular (<->regular) twisting motions扭动，摆动

Phrases and Expressions
at the far end of: at the distant end of在另一边
get in touch with: to maintain (=keep) contact with保持联系[contact sb. by the (telephone) number]
hold (->held->held) on to: to continue to do something; persist坚持/ 抓住; hold on (=wait for a moment)<->hang up挂断电话
in an attempt to: try to do sth./ making an effort to do sth.力图，试图
make peace: to maintain or observe (遵守/ 观察) a state of quietness without conflicts维和
shrug...off: to raise sh