1、1 Unit 1 Fresh Start Text A Toward a brighter future for all Toward a brighter future for all 1 Good afternoon! As president of the university, I am proud to welcome you to this university. Your achievement is thetriumph of years of hard work, both of your own and of your parents and teachers. Here
2、at the university, we pledge to make your educational experience as rewarding as possible. 2 In welcoming you to the university, I am reminded of my own high school graduation and the photograph my mom took of my dad and me. Posenaturally, Mom instructed us. Wait! said Dad, Lets take a picture of me
3、 handing him an alarm clock. The clock woke me up every morning in college. It is still on my office desk. 3 Let me share with you something that you may not expect. You will miss your old routines and your parents reminders to work hard and attain your best. You may have cried tears of joy to be fi
4、nally finished with high school, and your parents may have cried tears of joy to be finally finished with doing your laundry! But know this: The future is built on a strong foundation of the past. 4 For you, these next four years will be a time unlike any other. Here you are surrounded by great reso
5、urces: interesting students from all over the country, a learned and caring faculty, a comprehensive library, great sports facilities, and student organizations covering every possible interest from the arts to science, to community service and so on. You will have the freedom to explore and learn a
6、bout new subjects. You will learn to get by on very little sleep, meet fascinating people, and pursue new passions. I want to encourage you to make the most of this unique experience, and to use your energy and enthusiasm to reap the benefits of this opportunity. 5 You may feel overwhelmed by the we
7、alth of courses available to you. You will not be able to experience them all, but sample them widely! College offers many things to do and to learn, and each of them offers a different way to see the world. If I could give you only one piece of advice about selecting courses, it would be this: Chal
8、lenge yourself! Dont assume that you know in advance what fields will interest you the most. Take some courses in fields youve never tried before. You will not only emerge as a more broadly educated person, but you will also stand a better chance of discovering an unsuspected passion that will help
9、to shape your future. A wonderful example of this is the fashion designer, Vera Wang, who originally studied art history. Over time, Wang paired her studies in art history with her love of fashion and turned it into a passion for design, which made her a famous designer around the world. 6 Here at t
10、he university, it may not always be pleasant to have so many new experiences all at once. In your dorm, the student next door may repeatedly play the one song, which gives you a giant headache! You may be an early bird while your roommate is a night owl! And still, you and your roommate may become b
11、est friends. Dont worry if you become a little uncomfortable with some of your new experiences. I promise you that the happy experiences will outweigh the 2 unpleasant ones. And I promise that virtually all of them will provide you with valuable lessons which will enrich your life. So, with a glow i
12、n your eye and a song in your heart, step forward to meet these new experiences! 7 We have confidence that your journey toward self-discovery and your progress toward finding your own passion will yield more than personal advancement. We believe that as you become members of our community of scholar
13、s, you will soon come to recognize that with the abundant opportunities for self-enrichment provided by the university, there also come responsibilities. A wise man said: Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. You are the inheritors of the hard work of
14、 your families and the hard work of many countless others who came before you. They built and transmitted the knowledge you will need to succeed. Now it is your turn. What knowledge will you acquire? What passions will you discover? What will you do to build a strong and prosperous future for the ge
15、nerations that will come after you? 8 We take great pleasure in opening the door to this great step in your journey. We take delight in the many opportunities which you will find, and in the responsibilities that you will carry as citizens of your communities, your country, and the world. Welcome！ W
16、ords and Expressions triumph n. （尤指苦战后获得的）胜利，成功，成就 pledge vt. 发誓；作保证 pose vi. （为照相或画像而）摆姿势 vt. 造成，导致（困难或危险） routine n. 例行公事；常规；惯例 a. 常规的；例行的；惯常的 attain vt. 得到；获得；赢得 foundation n. 基础 resource n. 1 资源；2 自然资源 faculty 3 n. 1 全体教员；2 天赋；能力；本领 comprehensive a. 综合的；多方面的 facility n. （为某种目的而提供的）设施，设备 communit
17、y n. 1 （同住一地的人所构成的）社区；2 群体；团体 explore vt. 探讨，研究（主题、思想等） v. 勘探；探测；考察 fascinating a. 吸引人的；迷人的；使人神魂颠倒的 pursue vt. 1 追求；致力于；2 追赶；追逐 passion n. 1 强烈的爱好；热爱 n. 2 强烈的情感；激情 unique a. 1 特别的；极不寻常的；极好的；2 不同的；独特的 enthusiasm n. 热爱；热情；热心 reap vt. 收获；获得 v. 收割（庄稼） benefit n. 好处；益处；裨益 opportunity n. 机会；时机 overwhelm v
18、t. （数量大得）使无法对付 4 available a. 可获得的；可利用的；现成的 sample vt. 1 体验；2 对作抽样检验 n. 样本；样品；货样 assume vt. 假定；假设；认为 emerge vi. 1 出现；为所公认；2 出现；露出 giant a. 巨大的；特大的 mate n. 同事；同伴 roommate n. （尤指大学里的）室友 owl n. 猫头鹰 virtual a. 1 几乎相同的；实质上的；2 虚拟的；模拟的 virtually ad. 1 实际上；几乎；差不多；2 虚拟地；模拟地 enrich vt. 使丰富；充实；强化 glow n. 1 （某种
19、）强烈的情感；2 柔和稳定的光 vi. 发出柔和稳定的光 confidence n. 1 信心；信赖；信任；2 自信心 yield vt. 1 产生（结果等） ；2 出产；产生 vi. 屈从；让步 5 abundant a. 大量的；丰富的；充裕的 responsibility n. 1 （道德、社会）责任，义务；2 责任；3 职责；任务；义务 inherit vt. 沿袭，秉承（信仰、传统或生活方式） v. 继承（财产） inheritor n. 1 （生活或思想方式的）后继者，继承人；2 遗产继承人 transmit vt. 传送；传递；传播 acquire vt. 1 学到，获得（知识、
20、技能） ；2 取得；获得；3 购得；得到 prosperous a. 富裕的；繁荣的；兴旺的 remind sb. of sb./sth. 1 使某人想起某人或某事 2 使某人想起（相似的）人或事 get by 过活；过得去；勉强应付 make the most of sth. 最大限度地利用某物 reap the benefits (of sth.) 得享（某事物的）好处 in advance 预先；提前 stand a chance (of doing sth.) 有（做成某事的）希望 over time 逐渐地；慢慢地 6 turn (sb./sth.) into sth. （使某人/某
21、物）变成 all at once 1 同时 2 一下子；突然 take pleasure in (doing) sth. 乐于做某事 open the door to sth. 给以机会；给敞开方便之门 take delight in (doing) sth. 以（做）某事为乐 Vera Wang 王薇薇（1949 ，著名美籍华裔设计师，被誉为“婚纱女王” ） Text B What we wish My dear child, 1 You are about top anticipate in the next leg of your journey through life. For us
22、, this part is bittersweet. As you go off to college, exciting new worlds will open up to you. They will inspire and challenge you; you will grow in incredible ways. 2 This is also a moment of sadness. Your departure to college makes it undeniably clear that you are no longer a child. There has been
23、 no greater joy than watching you arrive at this moment. You have turned our greatest challenge into our greatest pride. Although we have brought you to this point, it is hard to watch you depart. Remember above all things, we will miss you. 3 College will be the most important time of your life. It
24、 is here that you will truly discover what learning is about. You often ask, Why do I need to know this? I encourage you to stay inquisitive, but remember this: Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. What you learn is not as important as the fact that you
25、learn. This is the heart of scholarship: moving from teacher-taught to master-inspired, on over to the point where you become a self-learner. So, take each subject seriously, and if something doesnt immediately engage you, dont despair. Embrace it as a challenge. Find a way to make it your own. 4 Of
26、 course, you must still take care to sign up for courses which stimulate your passion youre your intellectual capacity. Dont be bound by what other people think. Steve Jobs said, when you are in college, your passion will create many dots, and later in your life you will connect 7 them. So, dont wor
27、ry too much about what job you will have; dont be too practical. If you like French or Korean, study it even if someone else tells you that its not useful. Enjoy picking your dots. Be assured that one day, you will find your own meaningful career, and you will connect a beautiful curve through those
28、 dots. 5 You know that we always want you to do your best, but dont let the pressure of grades get to you. We care only that you try your very best, and that you learn. It is better that your greatest effort earns a lesser grade than that no effort earns you a decent or higher grade. Grades in the e
29、nd are simply letters fit to give the vain something to boast about, and the lazy something to fear. You are too good to be either. The reward is not the grade but what you learn. 6 More importantly, make friends and trust others. The friends you make in college can be the best ones you will ever ha
30、ve. During these years, when you move into adulthood, the friends you make in college live closer to you than your family. You will form bonds of friendship that will blossom over many decades. Pick friends who are genuine and sincere. Select a few and become truly close to them. Dont worry about th
31、eir hobbies, grades, or looks. Instead, trust your instincts when you make new friends. You are a genuine and sincere person; anyone would enjoy your friendship. So be confident, secure, and proactive. If you think you like someone, tell them. You have very little to lose. Dont be afraid to trust. G
32、ive others the benefit of the doubt, and dont reduce anyone to stereotypes. Nobody is perfect; as long as others are genuine, trust them and be good to them. They will give back. 7 Remember also that your youth is full of strength and beauty, something that you will not comprehend until it is gone.
33、You must guard and cultivate your strength and beauty. A healthy body and a sound mind are the greatest instruments you will ever possess. Enjoy life. Dance if you feel like it. Dont be afraid of what other people think. But also keep yourself safe and sound. Dont let the range of new experiences ta
34、ke your innocence, health, or curiosity away from you. Treasure your youth and the university experience before you. 8 College is the time when you have: the first taste of independence, the greatest amount of free time, the most flexibility to change, the lowest cost for making mistakes. 9 Approach
35、 these years enthusiastically! Make the most of your time. Become the great thinker you were born to be. Let your talents evolve to their fullest potential. Be bold! Experiment! Learn and grow! We are enormously proud that youve made it this far, and we cant wait to see what you will become. Your fa
36、ther Unit 2 Loving parents, loving children Text A A childs clutter awaits an adults return 1 I watch her back her new truck out of the driveway. The vehicle is too large, too expensive. Shed refused to consider a practical car with good gasefficiency and easy to park. Its because of me, I think. Sh
37、e bought it to show me that she could. 8 2 Im 18, shed told me so often that my teeth ached. I am an adult! 3 I thought, is that true? Just yesterday you watched some cartoons. What changed between yesterday and today? 4 Today shes gone, off to be an adult far away from me. Im glad shes gone. It mea
38、ns she made it, and that Im finally free of 18 years of responsibilities. And yet I wonder if she could take good care of herself. 5 She left a mess. Her bathroom is anembarrassment of damp towels, rusted shavingblades, hair in the sink, and nearly empty tubes oftoothpaste. I bring a box of big blac
39、k garbage bags upstairs. Eye shadow, face cream, nail polish all go into the trash. Idump drawers, sweep shelves clear and clean the sink. When I am finished, it is as neat and impersonal as a hotel bathroom. 6 In her bedroom I findmismatched socks under her bed and purple pants on the closet floor.
40、 Desk drawers are filed with school papers, field by year and subject. I catch myself reading through poems and essays, admiring high scores on tests and reading her name, printed or typed neatly in the upper right-hand corner of each paper. I pack the desk contents into a box. Six months, I think.
41、I will give her six months to collect her belongings, and then I will throw them all away. That is fair. Grown-ups pay for storage. 7 I have to pause at the books. Comic books, teenfiction, romantic novels,historical novels, and textbooks. A lifetime of reading; each bookbeloved. I want to be practi
42、cal, to stuff them in paper sacks for the used bookstore. But I love books as much as she does, so I stack them onto a single bookshelf to deal with later. 8 I go for her clothes. Dresses, sweaters, and shoes she hasnt worn since seventh grade are placed into garbage bags. I am a plague of locusts e
43、mptying the closet. Two piles grow to clumsyheights: one for charity, the other trash. 9 There are more shoes, stuffed animals, large and small posters, hair bands, and pink hair curlers. The job grows larger the longer I am at it. How can one girl collect so much in only 18 years? 10 I stuff the ga
44、rbage bags until the plastic strains. Ihaul them down the stairs, two bags at a time. Donations to charity go into the trunk of my car; trash goes to the curb. Im earning myself sweat andsore shoulders. 11 She left the bedroom aridiculous mess, the comforter on the floor, the sheets tossed aside. Is
45、trip off the comforter, blanket, sheets, and pillows. Once she starts feeding coins into laundry machines, shell appreciate the years of clean clothes Ive provided for free. 9 12 I will turn her room into a crafts room. Or create the fancy guest room Ive always wanted. 13 I turn the bed over. A larg
46、e brown envelope is marked DO NOT THROW AWAY. I open it. More papers. I dump the contents onto the floor. There are old family photographs, letters, greeting cards, and love notes from us to her. There are comics clipped from newspapers and magazines. Every single item in this envelope has passed fr
47、om our hands to hers. These are all things that we gave her. Suddenly, I feel very emotional. 14 DO NOT THROW AWAY. 15 My kid my clutter bug knows me too well. As I read through the cards and notes, I think maybe the truck wasnt such a bad idea, after all. Maybe it helps her to feel less small in a
48、big world. 16 I reverse myself and bring back the garbage bags from the car and the curb. Clothes and shoes go back into the closet. I remake the bed and pile it with stuffed animals. My husband comes home and calls up the stairs. 17 Just straightening up, I tell him. Can you find some boxes for her
49、 stuff? 18 He brings up boxes from the basement. 19 She left a mess, he says. 20 I dont mind, I reply. Silence. 21 Then he says softly, Shes not coming back. I feel my throat tighten at the sadness in his voice. I try hard to keep back my tears. 22 My little baby, my dependent child, isnt coming back. But so
