现代大学英语听力 精读第一册Unit03
时间:2018-12-04 作者:英语课 分类:现代大学英语精读
Lesson Three
TEXT A
Message of the Land Pira Sudham
Pre-class Work I
Read the text once for the main idea. Do not refer to the notes dictionaries or the glossary 1 yet.
Yes, these are our rice fields. They belonged to my parents and forefathers 2. The land is more than three centuries old. I'm the only daughter in our family and it was I who stayed with my parents till they died. My three brothers moved out to their wives' houses when they got married. My husband moved into our house as is the way with us in Esarn. I was then eighteen and he was nineteen. He gave me six children. Two died in infancy 3 from sickness. The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them. Our oldest son got a job as a gardener in a rich man's home in Bangkok but later an employment agency sent him to a foreign land to work. My other son also went far away.
One of our daughters is working in a textile factory in Bangkok, and the other has a job in a store. They come home to see us now and then, stay a few days, and then they are off again. Often they send some money to us and tell us that they are doing well. I know this is not always true. Sometimes, they get bullied 4 and insulted, and it is like a knife piercing my heart. It's easier for my husband. He has ears which don't hear, a mouth which doesn't speak, and eyes that don't see. He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life.
All of them remain my children in spite of their long absence. Maybe it's fate that sent them away from us. Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and exhausted 5. Still my husband and I work on this land. The soil is not difficult to till when there is a lot of rain, but in a bad year, it's not only the ploughs that break but our hearts, too.
No, we two haven't changed much, but the village has. In what way? Only ten years ago, you could barter 6 for things, but now it's all cash. Years ago, you could ask your neighbors to help build your house, reap the rice or dig a well. Now they'll do it only if you have money to pay them. Plastic things replace village crafts. Men used to make things with fine bamboo pieces, but no longer. Plastic bags litter the village. Shops have sprung up, filled with colorful plastic things and goods we have no use for. The young go away to towns and cities leaving us old people to work on the land. They think differently, I know, saying that the old are old-fashioned. All my life, I have never had to go to a hairdresser, or to paint my lips or nails. These rough fingers and toes are for working in the mud of our rice fields, not for looking pretty. Now young girls put on jeans, and look like boys and they think it is fashionable. Why, they are willing to sell their pig or water buffalo 7 just to be able to buy a pair of jeans. In my day, if I were to put on a pair of trousers like they do now, lightning would strike me.
I know, times have changed, but certain things should not change. We should offer food to the monks 9 every day, go to the temple regularly. Young people tend to leave these things to old people now, and that's a shame.
Why, only the other day I heard a boy shout and scream at his mother. If that kind of thing had happened when I was young, the whole village would have condemned 11 such an ungrateful son, and his father would surely have given him a good beating.
As for me, I wouldn't change, couldn't change even if I wanted to. Am I happy or unhappy? This question has never occurred to me. Life simply goes on. Yes, this bag of bones dressed in rags can still plant and reap rice from morning till dusk. Disease, wounds, hardship and scarcity 12 have always been part of my life. I don't complain.
The farmer: My wife is wrong. My eyes do see—they see more than they should. My ears do hear—they hear more than is good for me. I don't talk about what I know because I know too much. I know for example, greed, anger, and lust 13 are the root of all evils.
I am at peace with the land and the conditions of my life. But I feel a great pity for my wife. I have been forcing silence upon her all these years, yet she has not once complained of anything.
I wanted to have a lot of children and grandchildren around me but now cities and foreign lands have attracted my children away and it seems that none of them will ever come back to live here again. To whom shall I give these rice fields when I die? For hundreds of years this strip of land has belonged to our family. I know every inch of it. My children grew up on it, catching 14 frogs and mud crabs 16 and gathering 17 flowers. Still the land could not tie them down or call them back. When each of them has a pair of jeans, they are off like birds on the wing.
Fortunately, my wife is still with me, and both of us are still strong. Wounds heal over time. Sickness comes and goes, and we get back on our feet again. I never want to leave this land. It's nice to feel the wet earth as my fingers dig into the soil, planting rice, to hear my wife sighing, "Old man, if I die first, I shall become a cloud to protect you from the sun." It's good to smell the scent 18 of ripening 20 rice in November. The soft cool breeze moves the sheaves, which ripple 21 and shimmer 22 like waves of gold. Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children comes back one day to live, and gives me grandchildren so that I can pass on the land's secret messages to them.
Read the text a second time. Learn the new words and expressions listed below.
Glossary
agency
n. 机构;代理处;这里指职业介绍所
bamboo
n. 竹
Bangkok
n. 曼谷(泰国首都)
barter
v. to exchange goods for other goods 以货易货
breeze
n. a light gentle wind
buffalo
n. 美洲野牛;water ~ : 水牛
bully 23
v. to threaten to hurt sb. who is smaller or weaker 欺负(弱小)
condemn 10
v. to express strong disapproval 24 谴责
craft
n. handmade items 手工艺术(这里指手工产品)
dusk
n. the time before it gets dark 黄昏
Esarn
n. a village in Thailand
evil
n. bad or harmful influence or effect 邪恶
exhausted
adj. tired out
fashionable
adj. popular 合时尚的;时髦的
fate
n. 命运
fertile
adj. ~ land is land able to produce good crops 肥沃的;富饶的
forefathers
n. people (especially men) who were part of your family a long time ago 祖先
frog
n. 蛙
gardener
n. a person who takes care of a garden
greed
n. a strong desire for more money, power etc. than you need 贪婪
hairdresser
n. a person who cuts and shapes your hair in a particular style 理发师
hardship
n. difficult condition of life, such as lack of money to become healthy again, to recover from a wound, especially to grow new skin 愈合
infancy
n. early childhood; babyhood
insult
v. to say or do sth. that is rude or act offensively to someone 侮辱
jeans
n. (常用复数)牛仔裤
litter
v. to leave (plastic bags, bits of waste paper etc.) on the ground in a public place 扔得到处都是
lust
n. very strong desire for sex, money or power 淫欲;金钱欲;权力欲
old-fashioned
adj. not fashionable 老式的,过时的
nail
n. 指甲
pierce
v. to make a hole through something; to ~ one's heart: to make one feet very sad
reap
v. to cut and gather a crop such as rice or wheat 收割
replace
v. to take the place of 替代
ripple
v. to move in very small waves 在微风中摆动
scarcity
n. a lack; not having enough, especially food
scent
n. a pleasant smell
sheaves
n. (sheaf 的复数), measure of quantity in farming 捆,束
shimmer
v. to shine with a soft trembling light 发微光,闪烁
sickness
n. illness
sigh
v. 叹息
strip
n. a narrow piece of 细长片
temple
n. a place for the worship of a god or gods 寺庙,庙宇
tend
v. If sth. ~ s to happen, it means that it is likely to happen quite often, especially sth. bad or unpleasant
textile
n. any material made by weaving 纺织品
ungrateful
adj. not showing thanks
wound
n. injury 伤口;(感情上的)痛苦
TEXT B
The Son from America lsaac Bashevis Singer
Lsaac Bashevis Singer (1904—1991) was born in a Jewish village in Poland. In 1935 he immigrated 25 to New York.
Singer wrote many stories and novels, as well as books for juveniles 26 and four autobiographies 27 (including Lost in America, 1981). In 1978 his work received world attention when he was awarded the Noble Prize in Literature.
The village of Lentshin was tiny. It was surrounded by little huts with thatchad roofs. Between the huts there were fields, where the owners planted vegetables or pastured their goats.
In the smallest of these huts lived old Berl, a man in his eighties, and his wife Berlcha. Old Berl was one of the Jews driven from Russia who had settled in Poland. He was short, broad-shouldered, and had a small white beard, and in summer and winter he wore a sheepskin hat, a padded cotton jacket, and stout 28 boots. He had a half acre of field, a cow, a goat, and chickens.
The couple had a son, Samuel, who had gone to America forty years ago. It was said in Lentshin that he became a millionaire there. Every month, the Lentshin letter carrier brought old Berl a money order and a letter that no one could read because many of the words were English. How much money Samuel sent his parents remained a secret. They never seemed to use the money. What for? The garden, the cow, and the goat provided most of their needs.
No one cared to know where Berl kept the money that his son sent him. The hut consisted of one room, which contained all their belongings 29: the table, the shelf for meat, the shelf for milk foods, the two beds, and the clay oven. Sometimes the chickens roosted in the woodshed and sometimes, when it was cold, in a coop near the oven. The goat, too, found shelter inside when the weather was bad. The more prosperous villagers had kerosene 30 lamps, but Berl and his wife did not believe in new gadgets 31. Only for the Sabbath would Berlcha buy candles at the store. In summer, the couple got up at sunrise and retired 32 with the chickens. In the long winter evenings, Berlcha spun 33 flax and Berl sat beside her in the silence of those who enjoy their rest.
Once in a while when Berl came home from the synagogue, he brought news to his wife. In Warsaw there were strikers who demanded that the czar abdicate 34. Somebody by the name of Dr. Herzl* had come up with the idea that Jews should settle again in Palestine. Berlcha listened and shook her head. Her face was yellowish and wrinkled like a cabbage leaf. She was half deaf. Berl had to repeat each word he said to her.
Here in Lentshin nothing happened except usual events: a cow gave birth to a calf 35, a young couple got married. Actually, Lentshin had become a village with few young people. The young men left for Zakroczym, for Warsaw, and sometimes for the United States. Like Samuel, they sent letters and photographs in which the men wore top hats and the women fancy dresses.
Berl and Berlcha also received such photographs. But their eyes were failing and neither he nor she had glasses. They could barely make out the pictures. Samuel had sons and daughters—and grandchildren. Their names were so strange that Berl and Berlcha could never remember them. But what difference do names make? America was on the other side of the ocean, at the edge of the world. A talmud* teacher who came to Lentshin had said that Americans walked with their heads down and their feet up. Berl and Berlcha could not grasp this. How was it possible? But since the teacher said so it must be true.
One Friday morning, when Berlcha was kneading the dough 36 for the Sabbath loaves, the door opened and a nobleman entered. He was so tall that he had to bend down to get through the door. He was followed by the coachman who carried two leather suitcases. In astonishment 37 Berlcha raised her eyes.
The nobleman looked around and said to the coachman in Yiddish, "Here it is." He took out a silver ruble and paid him. Then he said, "You can go now."
When the coachman closed the door, the nobleman said, "Mother, it's me, your son Samuel-Sam."
Berlcha heard the words and her legs grew numb 38. The nobleman hugged her, kissed her forehead, both her cheeks, and Berlcha began to cackle like a hen, "My son!" At that moment Berl came in from the woodshed, his arms piled with logs. The goat followed him. When he saw a nobleman kissing his wife, Berl dropped the wood and exclaimed, "What is this?"
The nobleman let go of Berlcha and embraced Berl. "Father! "
For a long time Berl was unable to utter a sound. Then he asked, "Are you Samuel?"
"Yes, Father, I am Samuel. "
"Well, peace be with you. " Berl grasped his son's hand. He was still not sure that he was not being fooled. Samuel wasn't as tall and heavy as this man, but then Berl reminded himself that Samuel was only fifteen years old when he had left home. Berl asked, "Why didn't you let us know that you were coming?"
"Didn't you receive my cable?" Samuel asked.
Berl did not know what a cable was.
Berlcha had scraped the dough from her hands and enfolded her son.
"I never thought I could live to see this. Now, I am happy to die," Berlcha said. Berl was amazed. These were just the words he could have said earlier. After a while Berl came to himself and said, "Pescha, you will have to make a double Sabbath pudding in addition to the stew 39."
It was years since Berl had called Berlcha by her given name. Only now did Berlcha begin to cry. Yellow tears ran from her eyes, and everything became dim. Then she called out, "It's Friday—I have to prepare for the Sabbath." Yes, she had to knead the dough for the loaves. With such a guest, she had to make a larger Sabbath stew. The winter day is short and she must hurry.
Her son understood what was worrying her, because he said, "Mother, I will help you."
The nobleman took off his jacket and remained in his vest, on which hung a solidgold-watch chain. H rolled up his sleeves. "Mother, I was a baker 40 for many years in New York," he said, and he began to knead the dough.
Berlcha wept for joy. Her strength left her, and she slumped 41 onto the bed.
Berl said, "Women will always be women." And he went to the shed to get more wood. The goat sat down near the oven; she gazed with surprise at this strange man.
The neighbors had heard the good news that Berl's son had arrived from America and they came to greet him. The women began to help Berlcha prepare for the Sabbath. Some laughed, some cried. The room was full of people, as at a wedding. After Berlcha lit the candles, father and son went to the little synagogue across the street. A new snow had fallen. The son took large steps, but Berl warned him, "Slow down."
In the synagogue the Jews sang their prayers. All the time, the snow outside kept falling. When Berl and Samuel left the Holy Place, the village was unrecognizable. Everything was covered in snow. One could see only the contours of the roofs and the candles in the windows. Samuel said, "Nothing has changed here."
Berlcha had prepared fish, chicken soup with rice, meat, carrot stew. The family ate and drank, and when it grew quiet for a while one could hear the chirping 42 of the house cricket.
After the final prayer Samuel asked, "Father, what did you do with all the money I sent you?"
Berl raised his white brows. "It's here."
"Didn't you put it in a bank?"
"There is no bank in Lentshin."
"Where do you keep it?"
Berl hesitated. "One is not allowed to touch money on the Sabbath, but I will show you. "He crouched 43 beside the bed and began to shove something heavy. A boot appeared. Its top was stuffed with straw. Berl removed the straw and the son saw that the boot was full of gold coins. He lifted it.
"Father, this is a treasure!" he called out.
"Well."
"Why didn't you spend it?"
"On what? Thank God, we have everything."
"Why didn't you travel somewhere?"
"Where to? This is our home."
The son asked one question after the other, but Berl's answer was always the same: They had everything. The garden, the cow, the goat, the chickens provided them with all they needed. The son said, "If thieves knew about this, your lives wouldn't be safe."
"There are no thieves here."
"What will happen to the money?"
"You take it."
Slowly, Berl and Berlcha grew accustomed to their son and his American Yiddish. Berlcha could hear him better now. She even recognized his voice. He was saying, "Perhaps we should build a larger synagogue."
"The synagogue is big enough," Berl replied.
"Perhaps a home for old people."
"No one sleeps in the street."
The next day after the Sabbath meal was eaten, Berl and Berlcha lay down for a nap. They soon began to snore. The goat, too, dozed 44 off. The son put on his cloak and his hat and went for a walk. He strode with his long legs across the marketplace. He stretched out a hand and touched a roof. He had a desire to talk to someone, but it seemed that the whole of Lentshin was asleep.
Samuel returned home. Dusk had fallen. Berl went to the synagogue for the evening prayers and the son remained with his mother.
In the twilight 45 Samuel put his hand into his jacket pocket and touched his checkbook, his letters of credit. He had come here with big plans. He had a suitcase filled with presents for his parents. He wanted to help the village. He brought not only his own money but funds from the Lentshin Society in New York. But this village needed nothing. From the synagogue one could hear people chanting. The cricket, silent all day, started again its chirping. Berlcha began to sway and utter holy rhymes inherited from mothers and grandmothers.
Notes:
Dr. Herzl: Theordore Herzl (1860—1904), the founder of Zionism
Talmud: the collection of ancient rabbinic writings that constitute the basis of traditional Judaism
- The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
- For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便,我们在附录中也提供了术语表。
- They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left. 它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先,大家都气得怒发冲冠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
- Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。
- My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。
- The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长,到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
- Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
- Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上,鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
- They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。
- Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
- The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。
- The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
- Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。
- The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
- He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他,而有些人谴责他。
- We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。
- The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
- The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。
- He was filled with lust for power.他内心充满了对权力的渴望。
- Sensing the explorer's lust for gold, the chief wisely presented gold ornaments as gifts.酋长觉察出探险者们垂涎黄金的欲念,就聪明地把金饰品作为礼物赠送给他们。
- There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
- Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
- I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
- The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了,就象螃蟹的壳似的。
- As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
- He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
- The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
- The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
- I'm waiting for the apples to ripen.我正在等待苹果成熟。
- You can ripen the tomatoes on a sunny windowsill.把西红柿放在有阳光的窗台上可以让它们成熟。
- The corn is blossoming [ripening]. 玉米正在开花[成熟]。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- When the summer crop is ripening, the autumn crop has to be sowed. 夏季作物成熟时,就得播种秋季作物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
- The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来,碎在沙滩上。
- The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑,但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。
- Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。
- A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
- The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
- The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
- They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。
- He immigrated from Ulster in 1848. 他1848年从阿尔斯特移民到这里。 来自辞典例句
- Many Pakistanis have immigrated to Britain. 许多巴基斯坦人移居到了英国。 来自辞典例句
- Do you think that punishment for violent crimes should be the same for juveniles and adults? 你对暴力犯罪的惩罚对于青少年和成人应一样吗? 来自生活英语口语25天快训
- Juveniles Should we not exactly in need of such strength and conviction? 少年的我们难道不正是需要这种力量和信念吗? 来自互联网
- The series was based on the autobiographies of the author. 这部连续剧是根据那位作家的自传拍摄的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- There are some songs and, recently, a few autobiographies about peasant experience. 有些歌曲描述了农民的经验,最近还出了几本自传。 来自互联网
- He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
- The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。
- I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
- Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
- It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
- Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电,有煤油灯。
- Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
- This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置,做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
- The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
- Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
- His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
- Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。
- The reason I wnat to abdicate is to try something different.我辞职是因为我想尝试些不一样的东西。
- Yuan Shikai forced emperor to abdicate and hand over power to him.袁世凯逼迫皇帝逊位,把政权交给了他。
- The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
- The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。
- She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
- The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
- His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
- Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵,催着疲惫的马继续往前走。
- The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
- There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。
- The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
- The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。
- Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
- The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上,疲惫得睡着了。
- The birds,chirping relentlessly,woke us up at daybreak. 破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫,把我们吵醒了。
- The birds are chirping merrily. 鸟儿在欢快地鸣叫着。
- He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
- The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。