大学英语Book2 Unit 6.docx
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大学英语Book2Unit6
Unit6Lessismore
SectionADoorcloser,areyou?
Backgroundinformation
1XiangYu
XiangYu(232BC-202BC)wasaprominentmilitaryleaderandpoliticalfigureduringthelateQinDynasty.In207BC,XiangYuledtheChurebelforcestovictoryattheBattleofJulu(巨鹿之战)againsttheQinarmies.AfterthefalloftheQinDynasty,XiangYuproclaimedhimself“Hegemon-KingofWesternChu”(西楚霸王)andruledavastareaoflandcoveringpartsofpresent-dayShanxi,Henan,Hubei,HunanandJiangsu.HeengagedLiuBang,thefoundingemperoroftheHanDynasty,inalongstruggleforpower,knownastheChu-HanContention(楚汉之争)thatconcludedwithhiseventualdefeatandsuicideatthebankoftheWuRiver.
2theBattleofJulu
ThebattlewasfoughtinJulu(inpresent-dayXingtai,Hebei,现今的河北邢台)primarilybetweenforcesoftheQinDynastyandtheinsurgent(谋叛的)stateofChu.TheBattleofJulumarkedthedeclineofQin’smilitarypower.In207BC,XiangYu’sarmyadvancedtowardsJuluandsuccessfullycrossedtheZhangRiver(漳河),whichseparatedthemfromJulu,toattacktheQinforces.AftercrossingtheZhangRiver,XiangYuorderedhismentosinkalltheirboatsandbreaktheircookingpots,leavingonlyathree-daysupplyoffoodforeachsoldier.Hewarnedthemthattherewasnowaytoretreat;theonlythingtheycoulddotosurvivewastoadvanceandfight.XiangYu’sboatburningstrategygavehismennochoicebuttodoforwardtofightwithskillandpassion.Afterninelongfiercebattles,theQinarmywasfinallydefeated.ThebattleofJuluwasofcrucialimportanceinoverthrowingtheQinDynasty,andithasbeenknownasthebattleof“SmashingtheCauldronsandSinkingtheBoats”(破釜沉舟).Thisidiomisnowusedtoindicateone’sfirmdeterminationtoachieveone’sgoalatanycost.
3behavioraleconomics
Behavioraleconomicsisaninterdisciplinaryschoolsubjectofeconomicsandpsychology,whichstudiestheeffectofsocial,cognitiveandemotionalfactorsontheeconomicdecisionsofindividualsandinstitutions,andtheconsequencesformarketprices,returnsandresourceallocation.
Detailedstudyofthetext
1Thenexttimeyou’redecidingbetweenrivaloptions,onewhichisprimaryandtheotherwhichisprimaryandtheotherwhichissecondary,askyourselfthisquestion:
WhatwouldXiangYudo?
(Para.1)
Meaning:
Thenexttimewhenyouaretomakeachoicebetweentwocompetingoptions,youhavetodistinguishwhichistheprimaryoneandwhichistheminorone.Tobeenlightened,youaskyourselfwhatoptionXiangYuwouldchoose.
Meaningbeyondwords:
ItsuggeststhatXiangYuwasawonderfuldecision-maker.
Note:
Thephraserivaloptionsmeansthatbothoptionsseemlikegoodchoice,butonechoiceissomewhatbetterthantheother.Inthiscase,itistheoneThatXiangYuchosetoimplement.
rival:
a.(onlybeforenoun)usedaboutapersonorgroupthatcompetesagainstsb.orsth.else竞争的;对抗的
Fiercefightingbrokeoutbetweentherivalgroups.敌对集团之间爆发了激烈的战斗。
n.[C]aperson,group,ororganizationthatyoucompetewithsport,business,afight,etc.对手;竞争者
Havinggoodinternationalcontactsgivesthecompanyacompetitiveadvantageoveritsrivals.良好的国际社会关系使该公司具备了超过其对手的竞争优势。
secondary:
a.notasimportantassth.else次要的;从属的
Ourfather’shealthiswhatmatters,andthecostofhistreatmentisifsecondaryimportance.我们父亲的健康是最重要的,他的治疗费用是次要的。
2XiangYuwasaChineseimperialgeneralinthethirdcenturyBCwhotookhistroopsacrosstheZhangRiveronaraidintoenemyterritory.(Para.2)
Meaning:
XiangYuwasanancientChinesegeneralinthethirdcenturyBC.HeledhistroopsacrosstheZhangRivertoattacktheenemyinitsterritory.
imperial:
a.(onlybeforenoun)relatingtoanempireortothepersonwhorulesit帝国的;皇帝的
InourWorldHistoryclasstoday,westudiedBritain’sexpansioninthe19thcentury.在今天的世界历史课上,我们学了十九世纪英帝国的扩张。
raid:
n[C.]ashortattackonplacebysoldiers,planes,orships,intendedtocausedamagebutnottakecontrol突袭;袭击
Theymade(staged/carriedout)adaringraidontheenemy.他们对敌人进行了大胆的袭击。
vt.makeasuddenmilitaryattackonaplace(军队)突然袭击
policeraidedfivehousesinsoutheastLondonandrecoveredstolengoods.警方突击搜查了伦敦东南部的五所房屋,并追回了被盗货物。
territory:
[C,U]landthatisownedorcontrolledbyaparticularcountry,ruler,ormilitaryforce领土;版图;领地
Theyhavestillrefusingtowithdrawtroopsfromtheoccupiedterritories.他们仍然拒绝从被占领土撤军。
3Tohistroops’astonishment,heorderedtheircookingpotscrushedandtheirsailingshipsburned.(Para.2)
Meaningbeyondwords:
Tomakesurehistroopswouldwinthebattlequickly,XiangYuorderedthesoldierstocrushtheircookingpotsandburntheirsailingboatsafterheledhistroopsacrosstheZhangRivertoattacktheenemy.Thisway,heclosedthedoorforretreatingfromtheenemy’sterritoryandsentoutaclearmessagetohismenthattheyonlyhadtwochoices:
towinthebattleordieinthebattle.However,hisdecisionwasobviouslyagainstnormalpractice,whichgreatlyshockedhistroops.
4Heexplainedthathewasimposingonthemanecessityforattainingvictoryovertheiropponents.(Para.3)
Meaningbeyondwords:
Byhavingtheircookingpotscrushedandtheirsailingshipsburned,XiangYuputhistroopsinsuchadesperateconditionthattheywouldn’thaveanyhopetoescapebutfighttosurviveandeventuallywinthebattle.Inorderwords,XiangYugavehistroopsonlyoneoption.
imposessth.onsb.:
forcesb.tohavethesameideas,beliefs,etc.asyou将…强加于…
Todiscouragepeoplefromsmoking,veryhightaxeshaverecentlybeenimposedoncigarettes.为了阻止人们吸烟,最近已对香烟征收了很高的税。
opponent:
n.[C]
1)sb.whoyoutrytodefeatinacompetition,gamefight,orargument(竞争、比赛等的)敌手,对手
Hewasatoughopponentindebate.他是个很强硬的辩论对手。
2)sb.whodisagreeswithaplan,idea,orsystemandtriedtostoporchangeit反对者
Leadingopponentsofproposedcutsindefensespendingwillmeetlatertoday.建议削减国防开支的主要反对者会在今天的晚些时候见面。
UsageNOTE
rival,opponent
rival和opponent都可以用作名词,都可以表示“对手”,但两者有区别。
1rival指在同一领域中为相同目标相竞争或相匹敌的对手。
例如:
TheUnitedStates’biggestrivalintechnologicaladvancementisJapan.在技术进步方面,美国最大的对手是日本。
2opponent指在某次的竞赛或某个场合直接面对的对手。
例如:
He’sthebestopponentI’vecomeacrossthisseason,agreatplayer.他是我本赛季遇到的最出色的对手,一位了不起的运动员。
比较:
TheLosAngelesLakers’biggestrivalistheBostonCeltics.洛杉矶湖人队最大的对手是波士顿凯尔特人队。
(指湖人队一直与凯尔特人队在争高低,其竞争对手多年来一直是凯尔特人队。
)
TheLosAngelesLakers’opponentin2010NBAFinalsistheBostonCeltics.洛杉矶湖人队在2010年NBA总决赛中的对手是波士顿凯尔特人队。
(指在2010年NBA决赛中湖人队的竞争对手是凯尔特人队。
)
3opponent不能用作动词,rival可用作动词,表示“竞争;与…相匹敌”。
例如:
Shipscan’trivalaircraftforspeed.轮船在速度方面无法与飞机匹敌。
5Whathesaidwassurelymotivating,butitwasn’treallyappreciatedbymanyofhisloyalsoldiersastheywantedtheirvesselsgoupinflames.(Para.3)
Meaning:
XiangYu’sorderofcrushingthecookingpotsandburningthesailingshipswasdefinitelyinspiringtohistroops,butitwashardlyvaluedbyhisfaithfulsoldiers,whowatchedtheirboatsburning.
motivate:
vt.makesb.feeldeterminedtodosth.orenthusiasticaboutdoingit激励;激发…的积极性
Thecompany’sprofit-sharingplanisdesignedtomotivateitsstafftoworkhard.该公司的利润分红计划旨在激励员工努力工作。
loyal:
a.alwayssupportingyourfriends,principles,country,etc.忠贞的;忠实的;忠诚的
Whenallherotherfriendsdesertedher,Stevestillremainedloyal.当其他朋友都抛弃她时,史蒂夫仍对她保持忠诚。
goupinflames:
suddenlybeginburninginawaythatisdifficulttocontrol突然着火
Thefactorywentupinflameslastnight.昨晚工厂突然着火了
6ButthegeniusofGeneralXiangYu’sconvictionwouldbevalidatedbothonthebattlefieldandinmodernsocialscienceresearch.(Para.3)
Meaning:
However,thehighlevelofintelligenceexpressedinhisstrongbeliefwouldprovetobecorrectonthebattlefieldaswellasinmodernsocialscienceresearch.
genius:
n.
1)[U]averyhighlevelofintelligence,mentalskill,orability,whichonlyafewpeoplehave天才;天赋
Duringhischildhood,thegeniusofthisscientistwentunrecognized.这位科学家的天赋在他童年时代并未被发现。
2)[U]sb.whohasanunusuallyhighlevelofintelligence,mentalskill,orability有天才的人;天才人物
Arealcomicgeniusstimulatesnotonlylaughterbutalsothought.一个真正的喜剧天才不但能引发笑声而且会引发思考。
conviction:
n.[C]averystrongbelieforopinion坚定的信仰(主张)
Theforeignministerofthissmallcountryisawomanofstrongpoliticalconviction这个小国家的外交部长是一位有坚定政治信仰的女性。
validate:
vt.(fml.)provethatsth.istrueorcorrect,ormakeadocumentoragreementofficiallyandlegallyacceptable证实;使生效;使合法化
Manyscientistshesitatetoaccepttheoutcomeanddecidetowaituntiltheresultsofthestudyarevalidatedbyfutureresearch.许多科学家对接受这个研究结果犹豫不决,决定等待结果被今后的研究证实后再说。
NoteThewordbattlefieldisacompoundword,whichisthecombinationoftwonouns:
battleandfield.Therearemoreexampleofthiskindofcompoundwords:
armchair,bedtime,birdhouse,birthplace,bookstore,etc.Themeaningofmanywordsfromsuchacombinationiseasytoguess:
battlefield-aplacewhereabattleisbeingfoughtorhasbeenfought.Forexample:
Theycarriedthewoundedsoldiersfromthebattlefield.他们把伤员从战场上抬了下来。
7GeneralXiangYuwasarareexceptiontothenorm,aveteranleaderwhohashighlyrespectedforhismanyconquestsandwhoachievedthesummitofsuccess.(Para.3)
Meaning:
WhatXiangYudidwasquitedifferentfromwhatwasusuallypracticed.Asanexperiencedleader,hewasverymuchrespectedbyhissoldiersforhismanyamazingaccomplishments,andhishighestlevelofsuccess.
NoteThewordnormmeans”theusualornormalsituation,wayofdoingsth.,etc”.Hereitreferstoasituationinwhichothercommanderswouldsurelydo:
Keepmoreoptions.
exception:
n.[C,U]sth.orsb.thatisdifferentinsomewayfromotherpeopleorthingsandsocannotbeincludedinag