时间:2018-12-04 作者:英语课 分类:新编大学英语教程


英语课


Unit 6

DIALOGUE I

An Interview with an Amateur Actress

A: Congratulations, Miss Lu. I'm a reporter from the Pujiang Weekly of the university. You really made a hit at the English Evening yesterday. The whole college of foreign languages was impressed and everyone was talking about your acting 1.
B: Thank you for your compliments. I'm glad that my performance was well received.
A: I've heard that you're a straight A student. The Editorial Board of the Pujiang Weekly is interested in how you manage to do so well both as a performing artist and as a foreign language student. I hope you won't mind me asking you a few questions about your stage life.
B: No, not at all. Actually, I don't think I did as well as I had expected. I could've done better. But I'm glad that you all seem to have enjoyed my performance.
A: Miss Lu, my first question is, when did you start to develop an interest in acting?
B: Even before primary school, I longed to act in plays as well as to watch them. At the birthday parties of my preschool years, I would always put up a sort of show for my family and friends. As soon as I entered primary school, I volunteered on every occasion to play a role in children's plays. From time to time, I was lucky enough to be invited by the Children's Theatrical 2 Troupe 3 as a guest player until I left primary school.
A: When you stood on the stage for the first time in your life, how did you feel?
B: Oh, I was excited, of course. I was very young then. But as far as I can remember, I didn't seem to experience what is called "stage fright". I really enjoyed the spotlight 4. The whole performance went off well, and ended up with rounds of applause from the audience.
A: When did you begin to act in full-length classical plays?
B: Not until I was in senior high school. I remember the day when I made my first appearance as the heroine in a full-length play. I was more than excited. I was actually very nervous. Now I knew what stage fright felt like. You know I was older, and more conscious of the audience's response.
A: But there's no reason to believe that you suffered from any degree of stage fright yesterday.
B: Although I didn't worry so much about my acting, I did worry about my English. It was different this time and I knew my English would matter very much.
A: But the audience all gave you the thumbs-up for your English proficiency 5, particularly the students and teachers from English-speaking countries.
B: Did I really deserve such high praise? Well, I'll take your compliments as words of encouragement for my English study.
A: How do you view the prospects 6 of your amateur acting career when you graduate from the university?
B: Theatrical performance has been and will continue to be part of my life. I'll never give it up for anything. I love stage acting and will continue to pursue the life of a part-time actress, at whatever cost.
A: Thank you very much, Miss Lu, for sharing with us your experience on the stage and your views on amateur acting.


DIALOGUE II

Dialogue:
Wang Ping is studying in Great Britain at a British university. While she is in London walking down one of the main shopping streets, she is stopped by someone doing an educational research survey. The person asks if Wang will answer some questions for her report.
A: Excuse me. I wonder if you'd mind answering a few questions. I'm doing a survey about foreigners studying in Britain.
B: Oh, I see. Well, no, I don't mind at all.
A: Oh, good. Where are you from, please?
B: I'm sorry. I didn't quite hear...
A: What country are you from?
B: People's Republic of China. Shanghai, actually.
A: Could you tell me how long you've been here?
B: Yes, about 3 weeks.
A: I see, and how long will you be staying?
B: I'm not sure exactly, but I think about 2 months altogether.
A: And... er... may I ask how old you are?
B: Yes, of course. I'm thirty-four.
A: What kind of educational course are you doing here?
B: I'm on a language improvement course run by UNESCO.
A: Very interesting! How long ago did you start learning English?
B: Oh, I can't remember exactly, about 20 years ago I think!
A: Fine, well, thank you very much. Enjoy your stay in London.
B: Thank you. Goodbye.


READING I

Stamps and Postage Stamps

A stamp is a small piece of paper, printed with an official emblem 7, design, or monarch's head relating to the country of issue. Stamps, which are usually gummed on the back, are affixed 9 to postal 10 matter to indicate that the postage has been prepaid. Other kinds of stamps are also used of a variety of official purposes. Revenue stamps are affixed to deeds and other documents as proof that the government tax or fee has been paid. Similarly, some states raise money by imposing 11 taxes on liquor, cigarettes, and other luxuries and require that tax stamps be placed on the packages.
Stamp taxes were used by the Dutch as early as 1624 and by the English after the end of the 17th century, chiefly to finance wars. The famous British Stamp Act of 1765, requiring the American colonists 12 to purchase and affix 8 government stamps to all legal and commercial papers and to pamphlets and newspapers, was a leading cause of the American Revolution.
Since the Givil War the United States has raised revenues by requiring that special internal revenue stamps be affixed to such luxury items as liquor, tobacco, and playing cards. During World War II the United States and Great Britain sold war savings 13 stamps as an aid in financing the war effort. Ration 14 stamps were used in the United States to assure fair division of food and clothing among civilians 15.
Of all stamps the postage stamp is undoubtedly 16 the most familiar to people all over the world. Adhesive 17 postage stamps afford such a simple and effective means of collecting fees for the transmission of postal matter that it is hard to believe that they are of relatively 18 recent invention. Although there are isolated 19 examples of devices similar to postage stamps being used as early as the 17th century, the first actual postage stamps did not make their appearance until 1840. Issued by Great Britain, these first stamps were the penny black and the twopence blue stamp, each bearing the likeness 20 of the young Queen Victoria. Their appearance marked the end of a long period of mismanagement and abuse of the British postal system, which had been set up by king Henry Ⅷ in 1523 as a royal courier service. Both James Chalmers and Sir Rowland Hill have been called the father of the postage stamp. Chalmers originated the idea of the adhesive stamp, and Hill was largely responsible for reforming the postal system. He inaugurated the penny post, which included a uniform domestic postal rate based on weight rather than distance covered and on payment of postage by the sender instead of by the receiver.
In 1843, Zurich, Switzerland, issued two denominations 21 of postage stamps and Brazil issued three. The latter are known today as bull's-eyes because of their design. As early as 1845, postage stamps were being issued in the United States by local postmasters in several cities. These stamps are known today as postmasters' provisionals. The first stamps issued by the U.S. Post Office Department came out on July 1, 1847. The issue consisted of a 5-cent stamp bearing the likeness of Benjamin Franklin and a 10-cent stamp with a picture of George Washington. By about 1850, stamps were in general use by virtually every country of the world.



1 acting
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
2 theatrical
adj.剧场的,演戏的;做戏似的,做作的
  • The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果,叫人失望。
  • She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。
3 troupe
n.剧团,戏班;杂技团;马戏团
  • The art troupe is always on the move in frontier guards.文工团常年在边防部队流动。
  • The troupe produced a new play last night.剧团昨晚上演了一部新剧。
4 spotlight
n.公众注意的中心,聚光灯,探照灯,视听,注意,醒目
  • This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
  • The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。
5 proficiency
n.精通,熟练,精练
  • He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺,技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
  • How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何?
6 prospects
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
7 emblem
n.象征,标志;徽章
  • Her shirt has the company emblem on it.她的衬衫印有公司的标记。
  • The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.鹰是力量和勇气的象征。
8 affix
n.附件,附录 vt.附贴,盖(章),签署
  • Please affix your signature to the document. 请你在这个文件上签字。
  • Complete the form and affix four tokens to its back. 填完该表,在背面贴上4张凭券。
9 affixed
adj.[医]附着的,附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 );粘贴;加以;盖(印章)
  • The label should be firmly affixed to the package. 这张标签应该牢牢地贴在包裹上。
  • He affixed the sign to the wall. 他将标记贴到墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 postal
adj.邮政的,邮局的
  • A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
  • Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。
11 imposing
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
  • The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
  • He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。
12 colonists
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )
  • Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 savings
n.存款,储蓄
  • I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假,那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
  • By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时,他的存款已全部用完。
14 ration
n.定量(pl.)给养,口粮;vt.定量供应
  • The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
  • We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。
15 civilians
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓
  • the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
  • At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后,至少有300名平民下落不明。
16 undoubtedly
adv.确实地,无疑地
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
17 adhesive
n.粘合剂;adj.可粘着的,粘性的
  • You'll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair. 你需要一种粘性很强的东西来修理那把椅子。
  • Would you give me an adhesive stamp?请给我一枚带胶邮票好吗?
18 relatively
adv.比较...地,相对地
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
19 isolated
adj.与世隔绝的
  • His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
  • Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。
20 likeness
n.相像,相似(之处)
  • I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
  • She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。
21 denominations
n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 );教派;面额;名称
  • Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
  • The service was attended by Christians of all denominations. 这次礼拜仪式各教派的基督徒都参加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
学英语单词
-teenth
angular motion
appointment-only
ash-greys
autocratic leader
automatic data processing systems
Ban Nong Yang
Bandwidth-on-demand
bare the metal
basilar membranae
bonnett
catalogable permanent file
cheek retractor
chloroethylaminoanthraquinones
classical-styles
closure of simplex
collective body
community residents
copius
coraebus aesopus
crummy
cystomyxoma
dispension
disproportionateness
distrbuted processing
electro-gas arc welding
excitaton source
exhibition expenditures
false myxoma
fear-stricken
fibre grease
firiming agent
fix things up
fluidized layer
forage for
fund levy
go on an outing
graphic kernel system
gravity spectrum
gravity tectonics
green cormorant
guilt-trip
heliocentric declination
heterodyne interference
high speed steel end mill
Igo
in one piece nozzle
income-expenditures
interpretation of dreams
island-dwellers
Knelston
laid lower
lead crown glass
Leo III
linen fiber
load up on sth
lyme-hound
make gains
manufacturer's rep
mechano-chemical system
medical diagnostic radiation
metallographs
Middleton Stoney
missel-bird
Mogogelo
noas
note to the accounts
number identification
off-colo(u)r product
oystered
pal(a)eohydrology
Palespotted
pasta rocket
pasteur pipet
permineralised
planetary landing
plant room
plumbaginaceous
pulsed lasers
re-taining part of the extra profit
reed sweep
Resia
ring-a-ring
screen scarifier
sewerage of separate system
site autonomy
taint-hook
take springs out from
testing of soil
tetrazoles
think no small bear of
Tolbukhinski Okrǔg
toona sureni(bl.)merr.
total color blindness
Tristars
wages fund
wooden bridge
written calculation
yeast-liked
zero-zero gel
zhishi xiebai guizhi decoction