1、Unit 2 The Company ManPre-reading questionsBackground informationStructure analysis Detailed analysisRhetorical analysisExercises analysis Pre-reading questions 1.What do you think is an ideal life?2.How important do you think work is to a person?How should one strike the right balance between work
2、and leisure?3.What drives people to overwork?What do you know about workaholism?Background information WorkaholismWorkaholism is a modern addiction.Many people have been afflicted by it.Structure of“workaholism”The phenomenon is so widespread and its social consequences so damaging that it has acqui
3、red the nickname workaholism,a combination of the words work and alcoholism.Can you name some features of a workaholic?They resist taking breaks or rewarding themselves with vacations.If they must take vacations,theyre likely to be highly organized and goal-oriented.The workaholic pushes and pushes,
4、and as he is approaching his goal,he needs another one to work towards.A workaholic is not able to stop and enjoy his accomplishments.Workaholics Workaholics believe that,by working longer hours and completing more projects,they will enhance their self-worth.Workaholics think about work constantly a
5、nd,if unable to work,feel panicky or depressed.Workaholics have high expectations of their work,and their single-minded focus on work negatively impacts other areas of their lives such as family and leisure.Group work:discussion What is the cause of workaholism?What pressures do you think are compan
6、y staff under?Name a few of them.1.Pressure from work：not enough rest;endless work to fulfill even on holidays.2.Pressure from competition of new staff：competent new comers in the company bring about great pressure for the present ones.3.Pressure of ones own further development:these cause pressure
7、and makes some white-collar workers worried.Some even recharge themselves while working.4.Pressure from feeling:unsatisfying problems in family.Some are faced with divorce,marriage,remarry.All these impose pressures,because they make it difficult to concentrate on ones work.5.Pressure from interpers
8、onal relationship:office philosophy We often hear of people breaking down from overwork,but in nine cases out of ten they are really suffering from worry or anxiety.(John Lubbock,British banker)The authorProfession:journalist and columnist Achievements:1980 Pulitzer Prize for commentary Write for Ne
9、wsweek,the Detroit Free Press,and the Boston Globe.Works:Turning Points(1979),Close to Home(1979),At Large(1981).Ellen Goodman(1941 ),Maxims on workuHappiness,I have discovered,is nearly always a rebound from hard work.(David Grayson,American journalist)uWork banishes those three great evils:boredom
10、,vice,and poverty.(Voltaire,French Philosopher)uIt is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.(Jerome Kalpak Jerome,British humorist)uTo youth I have three words of counsel work,work and work.(Otto Bismarck,German statesman)uMy philosophy of life is work.(Thomas Alv
11、a Edison,American inventor)u Work is worth doing of worth doing well.(Thomas Carlyle,British historian)u Work is the grand cure for all the maladies and miseries that ever beset mankind.(Thomas Carlyle,British historian)Maxims on workMaxims on worku One of the symptoms of approaching nervous breakdo
12、wn is the belief that ones.work is terribly important,and that to take a holiday would bring all kinds of disaster,If I were a medical man,I should prescribe a holiday to many patient who considered his work important.(Bernard Russell,British philosopher)1.Work while you work play while you play;thi
13、s is the way to be cheerful and gay.2.Never put off the work till tomorrow what you can put off today.今日事，今日毕。今日事，今日毕。3.All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.A l l w o r k a n d n o p l a y m a k e s Mary/Jane a dull girl.只会用功不玩耍，聪明孩子也变傻。只会用功不玩耍，聪明孩子也变傻。expressions4.Work smarter,not harder.更有技巧
14、地工作，而不是更努力地工作。更有技巧地工作，而不是更努力地工作。5.Work has a bitter root but sweet fruit.German proverb 工作虽苦，果实却甘。工作虽苦，果实却甘。德国谚语德国谚语6.Many hands make light work.众人拾柴火焰高众人拾柴火焰高;人多好办事。人多好办事。7.Work makes the workman.熟能生巧。熟能生巧。Type A&Type B PersonalityFriedman and Rosenman(1959)conducted studies on the link between str
15、ess and heart disease.One of the outcomes was the discovery of Type A and Type B personalities.Type APeople who are classified as having Type A personality have characteristics like:highly active,competitive,aggressive,hostile,impatient,fast talking and thinking.Type AThey have a sense of time urgen
16、cy,find it difficult to relax,and often become impatient and angry when they get delayed(or if they are going to be late)or are around other people whom they view as incompetent.It is assumed that Type A people tend to have more risk of heart disease than Type B people.Type B People who are classifi
17、ed as having Type B personality are better at relaxing without feeling guilty and working without becoming anxious or agitated.Some of the other characteristics include being more relaxed about time(they dont get overly stressed about being late),and are not easily angered.Type BYou probably know pe
18、ople who just seemed to be relaxed people who dont get angry often;these are the characteristics of a Type B.They are the opposite of Type A people.Type O Type O Blood people are said to set the mood for a group and to take on the role of creating harmony among its members.Their image is one of taki
19、ng it easy,of being peaceful and carefree.They are also thought to be big-hearted and benevolent,and they tend to spend money on others generously.Which do you generally belong to,Type A or Type B personality?What effect does your personality bring about to your life?Text Analysis In a colloquial st
20、yle,the author paints an ironic picture of the life of a company man and his family.The man was a workaholic who died of a heart attack,which surprised no one.He devoted all his thoughts and energy to work and everything else was secondary to that and the end might be considered tragically heroic:he
21、 worked himself to death.introductionmain bodyconclusiondeath of“him”Para 2-6replacement of himhis devotion to his workhis relationship with family membersPara 1Para 7-13Para 14-16Para 2-13Detailed analysis of the text 1.What is the general tone of this article?What is the authors attitude toward Ph
22、il?Questions for part 1The general tone of this article is sarcastic.In describing in a mockingly serious manner different peoples responses to Phils death,the author wants to make the readers see the absurdity of a society that produces such a tragic figure as Phil.He is,in the deep sense,sympathet
23、ic with Phil,whose ignorance of the cause of his own tragedy renders him more tragic.2.Why does the author frequently mention the time“3.00 a.m.Sunday morning”?The time is revealing,from which readers can be easily attracted to give a deep thinking about the cause of Phils tragedy for 3.00 a.m.is wi
24、thin the small hours which might indicate that Phil had frequently worked well into the night when alive.3.Why are these adverbs“finally and precisely”used?How many times is“he finally worked himself”repeated in the essay?Why it is repeated?The author relates the two contradictory ideaswork to death
25、 on Sunday morning.Thus reveals Phils personality and suggests that he is destined to be exhausted.Language points 1.work himself to death:died from self-motivated overwork.to death used after an adjective or a verb to emphasize the action,state,or feeling mentioned Eg:worried to death;frightened to
26、 death;bored to death;starve to death 2.precisely:exactly E.g.They arrived at five oclock precisely.Note:Some of its synonyms are exactly,accurately,definitely Emphasizing his devotion to work.Part 2Para.2 Why isnt the name of the deceased mentioned at the very beginning?What type of man was the dec
27、eased?1.classic:Synonyms:classic&classical（1）classic 的主要意思是“第一流的，最上等的，标准的”。如：This is a really classic French champagne.It is a classic example.a classic performance 古装戏；a classic ground 艺术园地 （2）classical 则指古希腊、罗马的文学、艺术，意为“古典（文学或艺术）的”。如：Now only a few study the classical music of India.现在只有少数人在研究印度的古
28、典音乐。classical languages 古代语言；classical music 古典音乐 Para.3 What was the mans position in the company?Why does the author report it in detail?2.one of six vice-presidents1)汉语中表示副职的头衔一般都冠以汉语中表示副职的头衔一般都冠以“副副”字，字，英译时需视词语的固定搭配或表达习惯等情况英译时需视词语的固定搭配或表达习惯等情况，可选择，可选择vice,associate,assistant,deputy等词。相应而言，等词。相应而
29、言，vice使用面较广。使用面较广。副总统（或大学副校长）vice president副主席（或系副主任）vice chairman副总理vice premier副部长vice minister副省长副省长vice governor副市长vice mayor副领事vice consul副校长（中小学）vice principal2)行政职务的副职头衔与学术头衔的行政职务的副职头衔与学术头衔的“副副”职称往往职称往往用不同的词表达，最为常用的英语词是用不同的词表达，最为常用的英语词是 associate。副教授 associate professor副研究员associate research
30、fellow副主编associate managing editor副审判长associate judge副主任医师associate senior doctor3)有些英语职位头衔，如有些英语职位头衔，如manager,headmaster,其副职头衔可冠以其副职头衔可冠以assistant。副总经理assistant/deputy general manager,assistant/deputy managing director大堂副理（宾馆）assistant manager4)以以director 表示的职位的副职常以表示的职位的副职常以deputy director表示。此外，表示
31、。此外，secretary,mayor,dean等头衔的副职也可冠以等头衔的副职也可冠以deputy。副秘书长deputy secretary-general副书记deputy secretary副市长deputy mayor副院长deputy dean3.conceivably(adv.):in a manner that can be imagined or believed.e.g.If we persist in working that hard,conceivably well harvest a promising progress in the future.conceivab
32、lee.g.难以想象这么小的孩子能跑这么快。难以想象这么小的孩子能跑这么快。It is hardly conceivable that such a small/little kid can run so fast.她她千方百计地千方百计地赚钱。赚钱。She earned money by every conceivable means.a.conceive 1)A patriot never conceives of betraying his/her motherland in any case.to imagine;think2)To gain an upper hand in the
33、cutthroat competitiveness,we have to conceive a plan to make ourselves superior.to form or develop in the mind;map out3)I couldnt conceive the implication of that sentence,although he explained again.to comprehend mentally;understand4)She was told she couldnt conceive.Hence she got no chance to be a
34、 mother.to become pregnant with(a child)v.Para.4-5 How did Phil devote to his work?What did Sunday mean to him?What do you learn from Paragraph 5?4.executive1)n.2)a.of,relating to,capable of,or suited for carrying out or executinge.g.An efficient executive must possess great executive ability.execut
35、e1)A government executes the decisions of the ruling party.(fml)to put into effect;carry out 2)The victims relatives expected to execute the murder.to put to death,especially by carrying out a lawful sentence.v.5.overweight a.fat,obese,stout,pudgy,plump,chubby These adjectives mean having an abundan
36、ce and often an excess of flesh.The most neutral term is overweight.1)“Fat”is the most usual and direct adjective to describe people with excess flesh,but it is not polite.e.g.That guy is not merely overweight but utterly fat.2)“Obese”:(fml or medical)(of people)very fat (Doctors use obese to descri
37、be people who are so overweight that they are unhealthy.)e.g.Obese patients are advised to change their diet.3)“Stout”is sometimes used as a polite term to describe fatness.In stricter application“stout”indicates overall heaviness of the body.(身体胖得匀称身体胖得匀称)e.g.Even slim girls can become stout housew
38、ives.4)“Pudgy”(infml)means short and fat.e.g.His pudgy fingers look really funny.5)To be polite,we can use“plump”applies to a slight or attractive fullness of figure.e.g.Everybody loves Rita,the plump,rosy little girl.6)“Chubby”indicates pleasant roundness in babies and cheeks.e.g.a chubby toddler;c
39、hubby cheeksExercises 1.It is impolite to describe people with excess flesh using _,but _ is okay,for its neutral.2.Doctors suggest people have less fast food,in order not to be _.3.There was a time when the _ figure caught on.4.The _ kid has funny _ fingers.pudgy chubby plump/stoutobese overweight
40、fat Para.6.What can you infer from this paragraph?Detailed Study of the text-Part II Questions for consideration Can you describe the relationship between Phil and his wife and his children?What did Phils wife mean when she answered,I already have”?what is the special function of para.13?Part 31.But
41、 it did list his“survivors”quite accurately.(para.7)Paraphrase:-But the obituary did list the family members of the dead man quite accurately.survive vt.to continue to live after someone,especially a member of your family,has died(synonyms:outlive outlast)Its amazing that she should have survived al
42、l her children and grandchildren.我希望在我有生之年永远不要变成废物。I hope l shall never survive my usefulness.经过暴风雨袭击,这所房屋并未倒塌。The house survived the storm.2.marketable a.easy to sell;attractive to customers or employers:可销售的;有销路的 It is a good idea to list all your marketable skills before heading for the job fair.
43、lI know how much you will miss him.lMissing him all these years.Polysemy being engrossed in work neglecting losing him to 3.Given up trying to compete with his work?4.what is meant by the sentence“she would be well taken care of”in Paragraph 8?Key:provide some financial help for his wife/to relieve
44、her of any possible worries about finance.5.why is the phrase“dearly beloved”repeated when referring to his children in Paragraph 9?Key:create a sarcastic effect,relationship with his children/far from being close and intimate/devoted too little6.What do you think is the relationship like between Ph
45、il and the three children?Key:a failing father His eldest son:knowing little about him His daughter:nothing to say when staying along with him.His younger son:remarked bitterly that his father and he only boarded at the home.distant and estranged.7.doing enough odd jobs to stay(para.11)1)What an odd
46、 desk!Weve never seen it.strange2)1,3,5 and 7 are odd numbers.(of numbers)that can not be divided by two;not even3)She is wearing two odd shoes.Of one of a pair,set,series,etc when the other(s)is/are missing4)She made a toy out of odd pieces of the cloth.extra;surplus;left over5)Twenty-odd years lat
47、er,you will be middle-aged.(usu placed directly after a number)a little more than6)He takes some odd bit of exercises,but nothing regular.occasional;not regular or fixedodd jobssmall jobs of various types,usu done for other peopleodds (assignment)(attempt to)seize sb/sth eagerly or desperately 8.He
48、was the one who tried to grab at his father,and tried to mean enough to him to keep the man at home.(para.11)Paraphrase:-It was the boy who made efforts to divert his fathers attention from work.grab at sb/sth:(attempt to)seize sb/sth eagerly or desperately:他伸手去拽男孩，还是没防到他摔倒。He grabbed at the boy,but
49、 could not save him from falling.竭力找借口避免干不好的工作。(fig)grabbing at any excuse to avoid an unpleasant task.11.the fifty-one-year old deceased had meant much(para.13)dead,deceased,departed,late,inanimatedead常表语，指常表语，指“死的死的”；deceased指指人人“最近死的最近死的”，多用于法律；，多用于法律；departed指指“最近死的最近死的”，多用于宗教，是委婉语，多用于宗教，是委婉语，仅指
50、，仅指死者死者；late“已故的已故的”，多用于刚死的，多用于刚死的人人；inanimate意为意为“没有生命的，没有生气的没有生命的，没有生气的”。Exercises 1.The tiger has been _ for at least two days according to the expert.2.The _ man left no will or legacy.3.In a funeral,the priest prays for the _.4.The story is about the _ hero.5.Their _ conversation is about the _
