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Unit Two
Neat People vs. Sloppy People
I. Difficult Sentences
1. (Para. 1) The distinction is, as always, moral.
1) What does “as always” mean in this sentence?
“As always” means “in a way that is expected because it usually happens like
that”.
2) What does the sentence imply about the author?
The sentence implies two things about the author:
a) The author seems to think that most distinctions between people are moral.
b) The author intends to use this sentence as a foreshadowing of what is to be discussed in the following paragraphs, that is, the difference between neat people and sloppy people in terms of morality.
2. (Para. 2) Their sloppiness is merely the unfortunate consequence of their extreme moral rectitude.
1) Paraphrase the sentence.
Their sloppiness simply results from their strong sense of morality and high
standards.
2) Translate the sentence into Chinese.
他们之所以邋遢，纯粹是因为过于公正而导致的不良后果。
3. (Para. 2) Sloppy people carry in their mind’s eye a heavenly vision, a precise plan that is so stupendous, so perfect, it can’t be achieved in this world or the next.
1) What grammatical structure is the part “a precise plan that is so stupendous,
so perfect”?
The part serves as the apposition of “a heavenly vision”.
2) What does “it” refer to?
“It” refers to “a heavenly vision”, “a precise plan”.
3) Paraphrase the part “Sloppy people carry in their mind’s eye a heavenly
vision.”
Sloppy people have in their imagination an idealized picture, as beautiful as
heaven, of what the world should be like.
4. (Para. 3) Someday is their métier.
1) Paraphrase the sentence.
They are very good at making plans for the future and it is their habit to put
everything off till some day that will never come.
2) What is the function of the sentence in Paragraph 3?
The sentence functions as the topic sentence, establishing the focus of
Paragraph 3.
3) Translate the sentence into Chinese.
他们的拿手好戏就是筹划有朝一日该怎么办。
5. (Para. 4) For all these noble reasons and more, sloppy people never get neat.
1) What does “these noble reasons” refer to? Can you list “more” reasons for the
mess of sloppy people?
“These noble reasons” refers to the reasons discussed in the previous two paragraphs. To be exact, it refers to the facts that 1) sloppy people have extreme moral rectitude; 2) sloppy people hold a heavenly vision; 3) sloppy people live in Never-Never Land. “More” reasons might be that 1) sloppy people aim too high and wide; 2) sloppy people can’t bear to part with anything.
2) How do you understand the use of the word “noble” in the sentence?
Originally “noble” means “having or showing an excellent character”. Here it is used to achieve the rhetorical effects of emphasis and humor and hence shouldn’t be taken literally.
6. (Para. 5) Four hours or two weeks … before he throws them away.
1) What can we learn about the author’s attitude towards sloppy people from the
sentence?
We can learn that the author is quite understanding and supportive with regard to the mess of sloppy people as she is trying to justify their sloppiness in this sentence.
2) How does the author convey this attitude?
The author conveys this attitude mainly through her diction. She employs two words “meticulously” and “scrupulously” which are often used complimentarily to show her approval and even appreciation of sloppy people.
7. (Para. 5) A neat person would just bulldoze the desk.
1) What does “bulldoze the desk” suggest about neat people?
“Bulldoze the desk” means “move all the things off the desk”. The phrase vividly spreads before the readers’ eyes the image of neat people who, unlike sloppy people giving loving attention to every detail, are apathy and cold-hearted without bothering to get attached to everything they come in contact with.
2) What is the function of the sentence in the text?
The sentence serves as a transitional sentence, helping the author shift from discussion on sloppy people to discussion on neat people, thus achieving coherence of the text.
8. (Para. 6) Neat people are bums and clods at heart.
1) Paraphrase the sentence.
Neat people are in fact lazy, stupid and incapable of doing anything well.
2) Which figure of speech is used in the sentence? What do you know about it?
A hyperbole is used here. Hyperbole is a form of figurative language; it is obvious and intentional exaggeration or overstatement. Here the author uses the hyperbole to convey her disparaging attitude towards neat people and create strong impressions on the readers’ minds.
9. (Para. 8) The only thing messy in the neat people’s house is the trash can.
1) What makes the trash can in the neat people’s house messy?
The trash can is messy because the minute something comes to his hand, a neat person will throw it in the trash after finding it is of no use.
2) What can we learn about the author’s tone from the sentence?
The sentence is a vivid proof of the author’s humorous and sarcastic tone. Evidently the author goes to extremes to create emphasis, humor, and a tongue-in-cheek language style.
10. (Para. 9) That’s it.
Explain the usage of “that’s it”.
“That’s it” is an informal expression used to say that 1) something has ended; more examples:
That’s it; I don’t like you anymore, and you really make me sick. 就是这样，我不喜欢你了，你实在让我恶心。
That’s it! I’m not putting up with any more of her rudeness. 够了，我再也不能忍受她的粗鲁无理。
2) something is correct; more examples:
That’s it, we haven’t got enough money for the computers. 是的，我们没有足够的钱买电脑。
— He hopes to be a teacher, but he’s too short. 他想当老师，但他太矮了。
— That’s it. 对，问题就在这儿。
11. (Para. 9) No sentimental salvaging of birthday cards or the last letter a dying relative ever wrote.
1) Complete the sentence by adding the omitted part to it.
There is no sentimental salvaging of birthday cards or the last letter a dying relative ever wrote.
2) What does the sentence imply about neat people?
It implies that neat people are quite insensitive and apathetic since they ruthlessly throw away birthday cards and the last letter of a dying relative, which are the most precious treasures in ordinary people’s eyes. Besides, the sentence serves as a supporting detail and an echo to the author’s statement “Neat people are bums and clods at heart.”
3) Translate the sentence into Chinese.
他们决不会多愁善感地留着生日贺卡或某位亲戚的临终绝笔。
12. (Para. 12) Neat people cut a clean swath through the organic as well as the inorganic world.
1) Paraphrase the sentence.
Neat people remove or destroy all the things that are in their way whether they are organic things or inorganic things.
2) Translate the sentence into Chinese.
有机物也好，无机物也罢，整洁人都夷平了事。
II. Words and Expressions
1. (Para. 1) sloppy: adj.
1) (of a person) careless and untidy in dress, or in the way of doing things
*Some students will do sloppy work unless the teacher prods them to write
neatly.
*His brain is none too small, but he is weak in memory and sloppy in thinking.
*如果你的工作总是邋邋遢遢的，你的老板是不会喜欢你的表现的。(Your boss will not
be happy with your performance if your work is always sloppy.)
2) wet or smeared with a spilled liquid or moist material
*A darkroom can become a very sloppy place to work in.
*天一直在下雪，雪又一直在融化，街上泥泞不堪。(It had been snowing and thawing
and the streets were sloppy.)
2. (Para. 2) rectitude: n. [fml] moral correctness or straightforwardness
*Honesty and rectitude are two of the aspects for the judgment of social moral
standards.
*切勿偏离真理和正义之道。(Never go aside from the path of truth and rectitude.)
3. (Para. 2) in one’s mind’s eye: in one’s imagination; in one’s memory
*In my mind’s eye, I can still see the house where I was born.
*在看过建筑师的设计图后，他很容易想像出房子完工时的模样。(After looking at the
architect’s plans, it was easy for him to see the completed house in his mind’s
eye.)
Collocations:
at the back of one’s mind 在内心深处
in one’s right mind 神志清醒的
be out of one’s mind 发疯，发狂
be on one’s mind 为某事担忧
4. (Para. 2) vision: n.
1) an idea or a picture in one’s imagination
*Romantic visions of married bliss floated before his eyes.
*我在梦幻中见到了世界末日。(I saw a vision of the end of the world.)
2) foresight and wisdom in planning the future
*He is a successful enterpriser with a breadth of vision.
*有些生意人因为视野狭窄，不能顺应局势的变化。(Some businessmen cannot
adapt to change because they have tunnel vision.)
3) the ability to see; sight
*A defect of vision prevented him from focusing accurately.
*有些人可以通过外科手术恢复视力。(Some people can have their vision restored
by a surgical operation.)
Collocations:
have vision of 想象到，幻想
beyond one’s vision 在视野之外，看不见的
broaden one’s vision 开阔眼界
tunnel vision 井蛙之见
点击查看……
CF: vision, illusion, imagination & fantasy
这四个名词均有“想象、幻想”之意。
vision 指对美好事物的“憧憬，幻想”或指“理想世界”，也可指对未来的构想或先
见之明。
illusion 指“幻觉，错觉”，强调虚幻事物的逼真性，也可指不切实际的想法。
imagination指较高层次，有创造性的想象能力，着重指根据现实创造性地构思新的想象。
fantasy 指脱离现实的空想或狂想，有时怪得有趣，或古怪奇异。
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.
1) Her talk captured the ______ of the whole class. (imagination)
2) A Chinese landscape painting often gives a(n) ______ of distance. (illusion)
3) His _____ was ambitious, but not beyond the dreams of a practical man. (vision)
4) Most people are under the ____ that a college degree guarantees success. (illusion)
5) An amusement park full of figures from fairy tales may be called “____ Land”. (Fantasy)
5. (Para. 2) precise: adj.
1) sharply exact or accurate or delimited
*I’m not clear about the precise bearing of the word in this passage.
*Doctors found it hard to establish the precise nature of her illness.
*我们要为明年定出准确的销售指标。(We must set ourselves precise sales targets
for the coming year.)
2) (of a person, mind, etc.) taking care to be exact and accurate, esp. about minor
details
*The New York ritual was precise and inflexible in such matters.
*他的一言一行都有板有眼。(He was very precise in his manners.)
CF : precise, accurate & exact
这三个形容词均有“准确”之意。
precise意为“精确的；精密的”，强调有关微小细节方面的高度准确。例如：Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations. 这种活动需要有军事行动般的周密布置和预见能力。
accurate意为“准确的”，指符合某一客观标准的程度，并强调为忠于真理或事实所耗费的苦心。例如：It took a week of investigation to get an even reasonably accurate account of the accident. 为了作出对这个事故合理的解释，花了一个星期的时间作调查。
exact 意为“精确的”，强调在一定数量和质量方面的极度标准。例如：The exact wave length assigned to a transmitting station must always be maintained. 播送台的精确波长一定要保持不变。
6. (Para. 2) stupendous: adj. surprisingly large or impressive
*We are caught in a mysterious and stupendous historical process.
*埃及的金字塔花费了巨大的人力，也表现了相当高明的力学技巧。(The Egyptian
pyramids indicate considerable mechanical skill as well as a stupendous mass
effort.)
7. (Para. 3) métier: n. the trade, profession, or type of work which one does, or to
which one is suited
*It was as the magazine’s business manager that he found his true métier.
*Don’t ask me how to make an omelet; cooking isn’t my métier.
8. (Para. 3) alphabetize: vt. arrange things in order according to the letters of the alphabet
*The listings are arranged by state and alphabetized by city.
*按字母顺序把所有那些名字都排列出来绝非一件轻松的工作。(It wasn’t any walkover to alphabetize all those names.)
9. (Para. 3) tentative: adj.
1) not certain or fixed; provisional
*More recently, tentative techniques have been explored for changing human behavior directly.
*Political leaders have reached a tentative agreement to hold a preparatory conference next month.
*请把你的初步设想在会上讲一讲。(Please come out with your tentative ideas at the meeting.)
2) done without confidence; hesitant
*He eventually tried a few tentative steps round his hospital room.
*他每走一步都有些迟疑不决。(Each step he took was slightly tentative.)
10. (Para. 3) mend:
1) vt. restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
*It’s no use asking Barry to help mend a car; he doesn’t know one end of a spanner from the other.
*我看我补好这只花瓶是不可能的。(I think that will prove impossible for me to mend the broken vase.)
2) vi. heal or recover; improve
*After three years’ expectation that things would mend, I accepted an advantageous offer from Captain William Prichard.
*脚伤通常要几个月才能康复。(Foot injuries usually take months to mend.)
3) n. sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole
*The mends on your coat were almost invisible.
*这件外套的肘部有个补丁。(The coat has a mend on the elbow.)
Collocations:
mend one’s ways 改过自新
mend one’s fences 改善关系
on the mend 在康复中
least said, soonest mended 少说为妙
It’s never too late to mend. 改过不嫌晚。
CF: mend, fix, patch & repair
这四个动词均含有“修复，修理”之意。
mend其基本意思是改掉错误或不完善之处，也可指把弄坏、磨损或损伤的东西修理好以恢复原状，多用于修补构造较简单的小东西。强调修复的结果，而不侧重修理的方式或手段。
fix 指安装、固定机器等需要固定的物件，也指修理或修整任何需要注意或出了毛病的东西。
patch意为“打补丁”，指用与所要修补之物相同或相似的材料去修补洞口或裂缝，或是指在有洞或破损处打补丁。
repair指把损坏或有故障的复杂的大件物品（如机器、车辆、建筑物等）恢复其原来性能、形状、质量等。
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.
1) The front brake of your bicycle has come loose; you’d better ______ it. (fix)
2) You have got to ______ your manners or you will cause a loss of prestige among others. (mend)
3) Every day he sits at a corner of the school and ______ shoes for students. (mends)
4) During the three-day holiday, I ______ my TV set and my old car. (repaired)
5) The child’s jeans were ______ at the knees as his mother couldn’t afford to buy him a new pair. (patched)
11. (Para. 3) clipping: n. an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine
*As I write this book I have a current newspaper clipping in front of me.
*That is why I saved the clipping — to salvage something out of respect for my mother.)
*他从皮夹里拿出一份剪报扔在柜台上。(He took a clipping from his wallet and slapped it on the bar.)
12. (Para. 3) lock: n. a few hairs that hang or lie together
*My grandmother has a lock of my mother’s hair among her pictures.
*一绺黑发弯曲地耷在他的前额上。(A lock of dark hair curled across his forehead.)
13. (Para. 4) spill:
1) vi. flow over, fall out, be scattered, or the like
*The sway of the pail caused some milk to spill out.
*我双眸充满眼泪，随时都会夺眶而出。 (Tears stung at the back of my eyelids and threatened to spill over at any moment.)
2) vt. allow or cause liquid, etc. to run or fall over the edge of a container
*My computer acted up after I spilled the water on it out of carelessness.
*我不是故意把果汁洒在你身上的。(I didn’t spill the juice on you on purpose.)
3) n. the act or state of overflowing, scattering, falling out, or running over
*Serious oil spills damage sea birds and other wildlife.
*The company is currently being prosecuted for a spill of 57 tons of oil.
Patterns:
spill out 溢出，洒出
spill over 溢出；波及
Collocations:
spill the beans 泄密
spill blood 使受伤，流血
spill one’s guts 告密
14. (Para. 4) accumulate:
1) vi. gradually increase in number or quality over a period of time
*We are being driven to despair by our accumulating debts.
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