Unit 5

Section A

Pre-reading Activities

First Listening
Please listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.

Second Listening
Listen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions with your own experiences.
1) Who are the characters in this story and what is their relationship to each other?
2) What are the effects of smoking?
3) What does “victory” mean in this story?

Weeping for My Smoking Daughter

My daughter smokes. While she is doing her homework, her feet on the bench in front of her and her calculator clicking out answers to her geometry problems, I am looking at the half-empty package of Camels tossed carelessly close at hand. I pick them up, take them into the kitchen, where the light is better, and study them — they're filtered, for which I am grateful. My heart feels terrible. I want to weep. In fact, I do weep a little, standing there by the stove holding one of the instruments, so white, so precisely rolled, that could cause my daughter's death. When she smoked Marlboros and Players I hardened myself against feeling so bad; nobody I knew ever smoked these brands.
She doesn't know this, but it was Camels that my father, her grandfather, smoked. But before he smoked cigarettes made by manufacturers — when he was very young and very poor, with glowing eyes — he smoked Prince Albert tobacco in cigarettes he rolled himself. I remember the bright-red tobacco tin, with a picture of Queen Victoria's partner, Prince Albert, dressed in a black dress coat and carrying a cane.
By the late forties and early fifties no one rolled his own anymore (and few women smoked) in my hometown of Eatonton, Georgia. The tobacco industry, coupled with Hollywood movies in which both male and female heroes smoked like chimneys, completely won over people like my father, who were hopelessly hooked by cigarettes. He never looked as fashionable as Prince Albert, though; he continued to look like a poor, overweight, hard working colored man with too large a family, black, with a very white cigarette stuck in his mouth.
I do not remember when he started to cough. Perhaps it was unnoticeable at first, a little coughing in the morning as he lit his first cigarette upon getting out of bed. By the time I was sixteen, my daughter's age, his breath was a wheeze, embarrassing to hear; he could not climb stairs without resting every third or fourth step. It was not unusual for him to cough for an hour.
My father died from "the poor man's friend", pneumonia, one hard winter when his lung illnesses had left him low. I doubt he had much lung left at all, after coughing for so many years. He had so little breath that, during his last years, he was always leaning on something. I remembered once, at a family reunion, when my daughter was two, that my father picked her up for a minute — long enough for me to photograph them — but the effort was obvious. Near the very end of his life, and largely because he had no more lungs, he quit smoking. He gained a couple of pounds, but by then he was so slim that no one noticed.
When I travel to Third World countries I see many people like my father and daughter. There are large advertisement signs directed at them both: the tough, confident or fashionable older man, the beautiful, "worldly" young woman, both dragging away. In these poor countries, as in American inner cities and on reservations, money that should be spent for food goes instead to the tobacco companies; over time, people starve themselves of both food and air, effectively weakening and hooking their children, eventually killing themselves. I read in the newspaper and in my gardening magazine that the ends of cigarettes are so poisonous that if a baby swallows one, it is likely to die, and that the boiled water from a bunch of them makes an effective insecticide.
There is a deep hurt that I feel as a mother. Some days it is a feeling of uselessness. I remember how carefully I ate when I was pregnant, how patiently I taught my daughter how to cross a street safely. For what, I sometimes wonder; so that she can struggle to breathe through most of her life feeling half her strength, and then die of self-poisoning, as her grandfather did?
There is a quotation from a battered women's shelter that I especially like: "Peace on earth begins at home." I believe everything does. I think of a quotation for people trying to stop smoking: "Every home is a no smoking zone." Smoking is a form of self-battering that also batters those who must sit by, occasionally joke or complain, and helplessly watch. I realize now that as a child I sat by, through the years, and literally watched my father kill himself: surely one such victory in my family, for the prosperous leaders who own the tobacco companies, is enough.
Words: 772

NEW WORDS

weep
v. 1. cry 哭泣，流（泪）
2. (of a wound) produce liquid （伤口）渗出液体

calculator
n. [C] a small electronic device for doing math 计算器

geometry
n. [U] the area of mathematics dealing with the relations and qualities of lines, points, surfaces and solids 几何（学）

package
n. 1. [C] a box, etc. in which things are packed （包装用的）盒
2. [C] an object or group of objects that have been put up together in paper or box （中小型的）包裹，包
vt. make (sth.) into or put (sth.) in a package, e.g., for selling 包装，打包，捆扎

camel
n. [C] 骆驼

filter
vt. pass liquid, light, etc. through a special equipment 过滤
vi. (of a group) move gradually（人群）逐渐走出（走入）
n. [C] 过滤器

grateful
a. feeling or showing appreciation for sth. good done; thankful 感激的，感谢的

stove
n. [C] a device used for cooking 炉子，火炉

harden
v. 1. (cause sb. to) become strong; make sb. less conscious of sth. （使）变得坚强,（使）变得冷酷无情
2. (cause sth. to) become hard, strong, etc. （使）变硬,（使）硬化

brand
n. [C] particular make of goods or their trade mark （商品的）牌子, 商标
vt. 1. mark sth. with or as if with a brand 打烙印于，以烙铁打（标记）
2. give sb. a bad name 给……抹黑，加污名于

manufacturer
n. [C] a person or firm that produces goods 制造者，制造商，制造厂

prince
n. [C] an important male member of a royal family, esp. a son or grandson of the king or queen 王子，亲王，王孙

▲cane
n. [C] a long stick used esp. by old, ill or blind people to help them walk 手杖

movie
n. [C] film 电影

hopeless
a. 1. without hope of a good result 毫无希望的，绝望的
2. lacking ability; very bad 无能的，糟糕的

hopelessly
ad. 没有希望地

hook
vt. catch sth. by hook 钩住
n. [C] a device used for catching or holding things 钩子，钩状物

noticeable
a. easily seen or noticed 易见的，明显的

unnoticeable
a. not able to see or notice 不引人注意的，不明显的

sixteen
num. 十六，十六个

■wheeze
n. [C] noisy breath esp. with a whistling sound in the chest 喘息声，气喘声

◆pneumonia
n. [U] 肺炎

lung
n. [C] either of two parts located in the chest with which people and some animals breathe 肺

▲reunion
n. 1. [C] reuniting or being reunited 再联合，重聚，团聚
2. [C] a social gathering of people who were once friends, etc. 聚会，联谊活动

largely
ad. to a great degree; mainly 一大部分，大半

slim
a. 1. not fat 苗条的，纤细的
2. not thick 薄的
3. (of hope, etc.)very small; slight 微小的，渺茫的

advertisement
n. 1. [C] a public notice offering or asking for goods, services, etc. 广告，启事（提供或征求商品、服务）
2. [U] the action of advertisement 广告活动，宣传

drag
vi. 1. (slang) smoke 抽烟
2. move slowly and with effort 缓慢而费力地行进
vt. pull (sb./sth.) along with effort and difficulty 拖，用力拉
n. [C] a person or thing that makes progress difficult 障碍物，累赘

starve
v. (cause a person or an animal to) suffer seriously or die from hunger（使）挨饿，（使）饿死

weaken
v. (cause sb./sth. to) become weak or weaker 使弱，变弱

poisonous
a. 1. causing death or illness if taken into the body 有毒的
2. full of spite 恶毒的，有恶意的

swallow
vt. 1. cause or allow (esp. food or drink) to go down the throat 吞，咽
2. believe sth. too easily 轻信，轻易接受
vi. use the muscles of the throat as if doing this, esp. in fear 做吞咽动作
n. [C] the action of swallowing 吞，吞咽

bunch
n. 1. [C] a number of things (usu. of the same kind) growing, tied or grouped together 串，束，把
2. [C] a group of people 群，伙
vi. form into a bunch 集中，挤在一起
vt. form sth. into a bunch 使成一束（或一群等）

insect
n. [C] 虫，昆虫

insecticide
n. [C, U] sth. used for killing insects 杀虫剂，杀虫药

useless
a. not serving a useful role; not producing good results 无用的，无效果的

uselessness
n. [U] being not useful 无用，无价值

pregnant
a. having a baby or young animal developing 怀孕的，妊娠的

poison
vt. give some poisonous things to; kill or harm sb. with poisonous things 使中毒，毒杀，毒害
n. [C, U] poisonous matter 毒物，毒药

self-poisoning
a. killing oneself with poison 自我毒害

▲batter
v. hit sb./sth. hard and often 接连重击

zone
n. [C] an area or region with a particular quality or use （具有某种特征或目的的）区，区域，地域

helpless
a. 1. without help 无助的，无保护的
2. unable to act without help; needing the help of others 不能自立的，靠别人帮助的
helplessly
ad. 无助地，无能力地

PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS

close at hand
near; close by 近在手边，在附近

pick up
take hold of and lift sth. 拿起，举起

be grateful for
feel or show appreciation for sth. good done to one; be thankful for 对……感激，对……致谢

be dressed in
wear 穿着

couple with
link or associate sb./sth. with sb./sth. 把……和……联系在一起

die from
die because of reasons other than illnesses or feelings 由于（除疾病、感情以外的原因）而死亡

lean on
rest on sth. for support 倚，靠

Third World countries
the developing countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia 第三世界国家

direct at
intend that a particular person or group should notice (what one says or does) 旨在引起注意，针对

starve of
(cause sb. to) suffer or long for sth. greatly needed or wanted （使）因缺乏而受困苦，渴望，（使）丧失

struggle to do
experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do sth. 奋斗，挣扎

die of
die because of some illnesses or feelings 因（疾病、情感等）而死

PROPER NAMES

Marlboro
万宝路（香烟品牌）

Prince Albert
阿尔伯特亲王（维多利亚女王的丈夫）

Queen Victoria
维多利亚女王（1819-1901）

Eatonton
伊腾顿

Georgia
佐治亚州（美国州名）

Hollywood
好莱坞（美国加利福尼亚州西南部港市洛杉矶的一部分，在北郊，美国电影业中心）

Section B

Stop Spoiling Your Children

While traveling for various speaking appointments, I frequently stay overnight in the home of a family and am assigned to one of the children's bedrooms. In it, I often find so many toys that there's almost no room — even for my small lavatory or toilet kit. And the closet is usually so tightly packed with clothes that I can barely squeeze in my jacket.
I'm not complaining, only making a point. I think the tendency to give children too many toys and clothes is quite common in American families. I think in far too many families not only do children come to take their parents' generosity for granted, but also the effects of this can actually be somewhat harmful to children.
Why do parents give their children too much, or give them things they can't afford? I believe there are several reasons.
One fairly common reason is that parents spoil their children out of a sense of guilt. Parents who both hold down full-time jobs may feel guilty about the amount of time they spend away from their children and, as accommodation for being away so much, may attempt to compensate by showering them with material possessions.
Other parents provide too much because they want their children to have everything they had while growing up, along with those things they pined for but didn't get. Still others are afraid to say no to their children's endless requests for toys for fear that their children will infer they are unloved or will be made fun of if they don't obtain the same toys their friends have.
Spoiling a child also happens when parents are unable to stand up to their children's unreasonable demands. Such parents fluctuate between saying no and giving in — but neither response seems satisfactory to them. If they refuse a request, they immediately feel a wave of regret for having been so strict or ungenerous. If they give in, they feel regret and resentment over having been too easy. This kind of variability not only loosens the parents' ability to set limits, it also sours the parent-child relationship to some degree, robbing parents and their children of some of the happiness and mutual respect that is present in healthy families.
But spoiling children with material things does little to reduce parental guilt (since parents never feel they've given enough), nor does it make children feel more loved (for what children really desire is parents' time and attention). Instead, the effects of providing too much can be harmful. Children may, to some degree, become greedy, selfish, ungrateful and insensitive to the needs and feelings of others, beginning with their parents. When children are given too much, it undermines their respect for their parents. In fact, the children begin to sense that a parent's unlimited generosity is not right. The contradiction as a result may be that these children, conversely, will push further, unconsciously hoping that, if they push too hard, they will force their parents into setting limitations.
Also, spoiled children are not as challenged to be more creative in their play as children with fewer toys. They have fewer opportunities to learn the value of money, and have less experience in learning to deal with delay in satisfaction, when every requested object is given on demand.
The real purpose of this discussion is not to tell parents how much or how little to give to their children. Rather, my intention is to help those parents who have already sensed that they might be spoiling their children but don't know how to stop.
Sometimes you may feel uncertain about whether to give in to many of your children's requests. That doesn't mean you can't change. First, you should try to determine what makes you submit or feel guilty. Then, even if you haven't uncovered the reason, you should begin to make firm decisions and practice responding to your children's requests in a prompt, definite manner.
Once you turn over a new leaf, you can't expect to change completely right away. You are bound to fluctuate at times. The key is to be satisfied with gradual improvement, expecting and accepting the occasional slips that come with any change. And even after you are handling these decisions in a firmer and more confident manner, you can't expect your children to respond immediately. For a while they'll keep on applying the old pressures that used to work so well. But they'll eventually come to respect your decisions once they learn that nagging and arguing no longer work. In the end, both you and your children will be happier for it.
Words: 769

NEW WORDS

spoil
vt. 1. harm the character of (esp. a child) by lack of strictness or too much generosity, attention, praise, etc. （尤指对孩子）溺爱，宠坏
2. destroy the value, quality or pleasure of; ruin 糟蹋，损坏，破坏
vi. (of food, etc.) become bad or unfit to be used, eaten, etc.（食品等）变坏，变质

overnight
ad.& a. 1. during or for the night 一夜（间），夜里的
2. sudden(ly) or very quick(ly) 突然，非常快地

assign
vt. 1. send to a particular place; name sb. for a task or position 派，指派
2. give sth. to sb. as a share of work to be done or of things to be used 分配，分派
3. name or fix (a time, place, reason, etc. for sth.) 指定或选定（时间、地点、理由）

lavatory
n. [C] a toilet 厕所，盥洗室

▲kit
n. 1. [C, U] equipment needed for a particular activity, situation or trade 一套工具
2. [C] a set of parts sold ready to be put together 配套元件

barely
ad. only just 仅仅，几乎没有，几乎不

tendency
n. 1. [C] the way a person or thing is likely to be or behave 趋向，倾向
2. [C] the direction for sth. to happen 趋势

generous
a. 1. giving or ready to give freely 慷慨的，大方的
2. showing kindness towards others 宽厚的，宽宏大量的
3. large; abundant 大量的，丰富的，充分的

generosity
n. [U] the quality of being generous 慷慨，大度，宽大

ungenerous
a. not being generous 不慷慨的，不大方的

somewhat
ad. to some degree; rather 有几分，在某种程度上，颇为

full-time
a. for or during the whole of the working day or week 满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的，专职的

accommodation
n. 1. [C] convenient arrangement, the settling of a disagreement 和解，调解
2. (pl.) room(s) and food 住所，膳宿

▲compensate
v. give (sb.) sth. good to lessen the bad effect of damage, loss, etc. 补偿，赔偿

infer
vt. reach an opinion from facts; conclude sth. （由事实）推知，推断

▲fluctuate
vi. 1. (of an attitude or a state) change continually 变换不定，犹豫不决，动摇
2. (of price, number, rate, etc.) rise and fall （指价格、数量、比率）波动，涨落，起伏

variable
a. 1. changeable 易变的，多变的
2. likely to change 可变的
n. [C] a variable thing 可变因素，变量

variability
n. [U] quality of being variable; tendency to change 变化性，变化的倾向

loosen
v. 1. become or make loose or looser 放松，使松，松弛
2. relax 松弛

sour
v. 1. make or become unpleasant or difficult 使变坏，使恶化
2. cause sth. to have a sharp taste like that of vinegar （使）变酸，（使）变馊
a. 1. having a sharp taste like that of vinegar 酸的，馊的
2. unfriendly; bad-tempered 乖张的；坏脾气的

greedy
a. 1. filled with desire 贪婪的，贪心的
2. having strong desires for food 贪吃的
3. longing for 渴望的

selfish
a. thinking first of one's own interests, needs, etc. without concern for others; ungenerous 自私自利的，利己的

sensitive
a. 1. having or showing sympathy or understanding 感觉敏锐的，同情理解的
2. affected greatly or easily by sth. （对……）敏感的
3. easily offended 易于被冒犯的，情绪容易波动的

insensitive
a. 1. not aware of or showing sympathy for other people's feelings 麻木不仁的，感觉迟钝的
2. not able to feel sth. 无感觉的，感觉不到的

▲undermine
vt. 1. weaken gradually 使逐渐削弱，暗中损坏
2. weaken at the base 使从基础破坏

limited
a. few or small 有限制的，有限的，极少，很小

unlimited
a. not limited; very great in number or quantity 无限的；（数目或数量）极大的

contradiction
n. 1. [C, U] being contrary to 矛盾，不一致
2. [U, C] disagreement 否认，反驳

conversely
ad. opposite to sth., on the other hand 相反地，另一面

limitation
n. 1. [C] a condition or fact that limits （条件或事实的）限制
2. [U] limiting; being limited 限制，受限制

submit
vi. accept the control; give in 屈服于，服从，接受……的控制
vt. 1. give sth.to sb. so that it may be considered, decided on, etc. 呈送，递交
2. suggest 建议，主张

uncover
vt. 1. make known or discover 揭露，暴露
2. remove the cover or covering from 揭开……的盖子，移去……的覆盖物

prompt
a. done or acting without delay 迅速的，敏捷的，即时的
vt. cause or encourage sb. to do sth. 促使，推动

definite
a. 1. clear 明确的，无疑的
2. sure; certain 一定的，肯定的

manner
n. 1. (sing.) a person's way of behaving towards others 态度
2. (sing.) way in which a thing is done or happens 方式，方法

bound
a. certain to do sth. 一定……，必定……

gradual
a. taking place step by step; not sudden 逐步的，逐渐的

improvement
n. 1. [C, U] action or process of improving; state of being improved 改良，改进，改善
2. [C] a change that improves sth. 改进措施，修改

slip
n. [C] small mistakes caused by carelessness or lack of attention 过失，小错，小疏忽
vi. 1. lose one's balance and fall 滑倒，滑落
2. go somewhere quietly and quickly in order not to be noticed 溜走

■nag
v. scold or criticize (sb.) continuously 唠叨地指责，批评

PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS

pack with
fill or crowd sth. (with sb./sth.) 塞进，挤进

make a point
state a point 提出论点

take... for granted
think sth. to be true; treat sb. or sth. with too little attention or concern 认为真实；视为理所当然

hold down
keep (a job) for some time 保住（工作）

attempt to do
try to do 试做，尝试，企图

along with
in addition to 与……一道

make fun of
laugh at (sb./sth.), usu. unkindly 嘲笑，奚落

stand up to
1. meet or face bravely; be against without fear 勇敢面对
2. not be changed or damaged by 经得起，承受得起

give in
allow oneself to be defeated or taken over (by sb./sth.) 认输，屈服，投降

to some degree
to a certain amount 在某种程度上

on demand
whenever asked for 一经要求

turn over a new leaf
start a new and better way of behaving 悔过自新，洗心革面，重新做人

keep on doing
continue (doing sth.) 继续做

in the end
at last; finally 最后，终于

Section C

What Is in Larry's Mind?

The day my son Larry started kindergarten（幼儿园） he gave up trousers with bibs（围嘴）and began wearing blue jeans with a belt. I watched him go off the first morning with the older girl next door, seeing clearly that a stage of my life was ended. My nursery-school（托儿所）child with the sweet voice was replaced with a confident character in long trousers, who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me.
He came home the same way, the front door flying open, his cap on the floor, and the voice, suddenly rough, shouting, "Isn't anybody here?"
At lunch he spoke impolitely（不礼貌地）to his father, spilled his baby sister's milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain（滥用上帝的名义）.
"How was school today?" I asked, acting very casual.
"All right," he said.
"Did you learn anything?" his father asked.
Larry regarded his father coldly. "I didn't learn nothing," he said.
"Anything." I said. "Didn't learn anything."
"The teacher spanked（打）a boy, though." Larry said, while eating his bread and butter. "For being fresh," he added, with his mouth full.
"What did he do?" I asked. "Who was it?"
Larry thought. "It was Charles," he said. "He was fresh. The teacher spanked him and made him stand in a corner. He was awfully（非常）fresh."
"What did he do?" I asked again, but Larry slid off his chair, took a cookie（饼干）, and left, while his father was still saying. "See here, young man."
The third day — it was Wednesday of the first week — Charles banged a see-saw （翘翘板）on to the head of a little girl and made her bleed, and the teacher made him stay inside all during morning break. Thursday Charles had to stand in a corner during story-time because he kept pounding his feet on the floor. Friday Charles could not use the blackboard because he threw chalk.
On Friday of that week things were back to normal. "You know what Charles did today?" Larry demanded at the dinner table, in a voice slightly amazed. "He told a little girl to say a word and she said it and the teacher washed her mouth out with soap and Charles laughed."
"What word?" his father asked unwisely, and Larry said, "I'll have to whisper it to you; it's so bad." He got down off his chair and went around to his father. His father bent his head down and Larry whispered joyfully. His father's eyes grew larger.
"Did Charles tell the little girl to say that?" he asked in a serious tone.
"She said it twice," Larry said. "Charles told her to say it twice."
"What happened to Charles?" my husband asked.
"Nothing," Larry said. "He was passing out the crayons（蜡笔）."
Monday morning Charles forgot about the little girl and said the bad word himself three or four times, getting his mouth washed out with soap each time. He also threw chalk.
Then it was the first Parent-Teachers meeting, and I wanted very much to meet Charles's mother.
My husband came to the door with me that evening as I set out for the P.T.A. meeting. "Invite her over for a cup of tea after the meeting," he said. "I want to get a look at her."
"If only she's there," I said in hope.
"She'll be there," my husband said. "I don't see how they could hold a P.T.A. meeting without Charles's mother."
At the meeting I sat restlessly, scanning each comfortable mother's face, trying to determine which one hid the secret of Charles. None of them looked stressed enough to me. No one stood up in the meeting and apologized for the way her son had been acting. No one mentioned Charles.
After the meeting I identified and sought out Larry's kindergarten teacher. She had a plate with a cup of tea and a piece of cake; I had a plate with a cup of tea and a piece of cake. We were cautious as we moved toward one another, and smiled.
"I've been so anxious to meet you," I said. "I'm Larry's mother."
"We're all so interested in Larry," she said.
"Well, he certainly likes kindergarten," I said. "He talks about it all the time."
"We had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so," she said rigidly, "but now he's a fine little helper. With occasional mistakes, of course."
"Larry usually adjusts very quickly," I said. "I suppose this time it's Charles's influence."
"Charles?"
"Yes," I said, laughing, "you must have your hands full in that kindergarten with Charles."
"Charles?" she said. "We don't have any Charles in the kindergarten."