1、 Unit One TextIt is a humorous essay. But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writ-ing it.IS THERE LIFE ON EARTH? Art Buchwald There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the p
2、lanet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as. photographs eversince. 5 The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (namedafter the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discoveredit with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).Because of excellent weather
3、conditions and extremely strong signals,Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility10 of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was heldat the Venus Institute of Technology.“We have come to the conclusion, based on last weeks satellite land-in
4、g, “Prof. Zog said, “that there is no life on Earth. “How do you know this?“ the science reporter of the Venus Evening 15 Star asked.“For one thing, Earths surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon mon
5、oxide and other deadly gases and nobody couldpossibly breathe this air and survive. “20 “What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is con-cerned?“We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a muchheavier flying saucer than we originally planned. “ “Are there any other haz
6、ards that you discdvered in your studies? “25 “Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We dont know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before
7、 we send a Venus Being there.“Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite 30 findings indicate it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means We shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer. “ “Sir, what ara all those tiny
8、black spots on the photographs? “Were not certain. They seem to be metal particles that move along 35 certain paths. They emit gases, make noise and keep crashing into eachother. There are so many of these paths and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its be
9、ing smashed by one. “ “What are those stalagmite projections sticking up?“Theyre some type of granite formations that give off light at night.40 Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers since they seem to be scraping theskies. “ “If all you say is true, wont this set back the flying saucer program seve
10、ral years? “Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added 45 funds.“Prof . Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there? “ “Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmospherh sphere, th
11、en we can live anywhere. “New Wordshumorous /a. funny; that makes people laugh 幽默的humor n. essay / n. 散文，随笔 excitement n. the state or quality of being excitedPlanet /n. large body in space that moves round a star,esp. round the sun 行星Venusian / a. of or having to do with the planet Venus 金星的 n. sup
12、posed Venus being 金星人satellite / n. spacecraft that goes round the planet earth andsends back radio and television signals; heav- enly body that goes round a planet (人造)卫星signal / n. 信号; 暗号astronomer / n. person who studies the science of the sun, moon, stars and planets 天文学家telescope / n. instrumen
13、t with special glasses used for seeing distant things extremely / ad. very 极端, 非常extreme a. feasibility/ n. possibility of being carried out or don 可行性feasible a. manned / a. occupied by one or more persons 载人的saucer / n. 浅碟；茶托flying saucer n. 飞碟conference / n. meeting press conference n. meeting ar
14、ranged by an important person towhich news reporters are invited to listen to a statement or ask questions 记者招待会technoloy / n. 技术conclusion / n. decision or opinion reached by reasoning 结论conclude v. reporter n. person who gathers news for a newspaper,magazine,or radio or TV station 记者compose / vt m
15、ake up, form 组成, 构成concrete / n. building material made by mixing cement with sand, small stones and water 混凝土atmosphere / n all tlie gases round the earth; air in a place 大气；空气carbon / n. 碳monoxide / n. 一氧化物deadly a. causing death; likely to cause death 致命的gas n. 气体survive /savaiv/vi. remain alive;
16、 continue to live or exist 活下来; 幸存 vt. remain alive after; live longer than 经历后还活着；比活得长survival n Program n. plan of what is to be done 计划coricern / vt. be of importance or interest to; have an effect on 涉及;关系到oxygen / n. 氧；氧气originally / ad. formerly 起初, 原来original a. hazard / n. danger hover / vi.
17、 stay in or near one place in the air 盘旋consolidated / a. united; combined 联合的consolidate vt. belt / n. area that has some special quality;zone(地)带indicste / vt. showindication n. pollute / vt. make (air, water, soil, etc.) dirty with man-made waste 污染pollution n. unfit / a. not good enough; not sui
18、table particle / n. 粒子；微粒emit / vt. send out 散发 , 射击emission n. crash / v. fall or strike suddenly,violeritly and noisily坠落；猛撞smash / v. (cause to) break into pieces violently(使)碎裂stalagmite / n 石笋projection / n. sth.that stands out from a surface 凸出物project v. type / n. a particular kind, class or
19、group 类型, 种类granite / n. hard grey stone used for building 花岗岩fotmation / n. sth.that is formed;way in which sth.is formed形成（物）skyscraper / n. very tall building 摩天大楼scrape / vt. rub with sth. rough or sharp 刮, 擦proceed / vi. contiriue after having stopped ( 停顿后 )继续进行fund / n. sum of money set apart
20、 or available for a special purpose 资金 ; 基金billion / n. one thousand million zilch / n. zero; nothing at allPhrases named 以闻名,通常名叫name after . give the same name 以名字命名as to about, conceming 关于base on / upon , use as a basis or foundation for 以为基础 把基于 for one thing(for in the first place (in the seco
21、nd place)another)be composed of have as members or parts 由组成as far as be concerned to the degree that it matters to 就而言stick up stand upright; project 直立; 突出give off emit; send out 发出 ; 散发出set back delay the advance or development of 耽搁 ; 阻碍 Proper NamesArt Buchwald / 阿特布奇沃德Venus / 金星Manhattan / 曼哈顿
22、（纽约市中心区）Zog / 佐格（姓氏）Edison / 爱迪生（姓氏）Glom / 格洛姆（姓氏）大学英语精读 上一课下一课 Unit Two Text A heated discussion about whether men are braverthan women is settled in a rather unexpected way.THE DINNER PARTYMona GardnerI first heard this tale in India, where it is told as if true-though anynaturalist would know it
23、couldnt be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.5 The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated
24、 with their guests - officers and their wives,and a visiting American naturalist - in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.10 A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jum
25、ping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they havent.“A womans reaction in any crisis, “ the major says, “is to screaizi. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a 15 woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts. “The American. do
26、es not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers 20 something to him. The boys e
27、yes widen: he quickly leaves the room.Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.The American comes to with a start. In India, miik in a bowl means only one thing-bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a c
28、obra in the room.25 He looks up at the rafters-the likeliest place -put they are bare. Three cotners of the room are empty and in the fourth the servants are waitingto serve the next course. There is only one place left - under the table.His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he
29、knows 30 the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone“I want to know just what control everyone at this rable has. I will count three hundred - thats five minutes - and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those
30、who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready!“35 The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying “two hundred and eighty“ when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut. “You w
31、ere right, Major! “ the host exclaims. “ A man has just shown 40 us an example of perfect self-control. “Just a minute, “the American says, turning to his hostess. “Mrs. Wynnes,how did you know that cobra was in the room?“A faint smile lights up the womans face as she replies:“Because it was crawlin
32、g across my foot. “New Wordsheated a. witli strong, excited, and often angry feelings 热烈的; 激烈的 unexpected a. not expected 意外的naturalist/ n. one who makes a special study of plants or ani- mals outdoors 博物学家（尤指直接观察动植物者）shortly ad. soon ; (in) a little time 不久, 马上colonial / a. of or related to a colon
33、y or colonies 殖民地的spacious / a. big; having much space 广阔的；宽敞的 dining room n. 餐厅bare / a. not covered ( with a carpet ) ; empty 不铺地毯 的;赤裸的;光秃的marble / n. 大理石rafter / n. one of the sloping beams that support the roof 椽 onto prep. to a position or point on 到之上; 向之上veranda / n. 阳台spirited/ a. full of s
34、pirit; lively outgrow (outgrew,outgrown ) leave behind,as one grows older or more maturevt. 长大得使不再适用 ; 成长得不再要mouse /n. 鼠era / n. 时代；年代 major / n. 少校crisis / (pl.crises )n. time of difficulty, danger, etc. 危机 ounce / n. 盎司；少量argument / n. discussion by persons who disagree; dispute 争论 ; 辩论hostess / n
35、. 女主人muscle / n. 肌肉 contract / vi. become shorter or smaller 收缩contraction n. slightly / ad. a little 稍微地slight a. motion / vi. give a signal by moving the hend or head 打手势;点(或摇)头示意widen v. make or become wider bait / n. food used to attract fish,animals,or birds so that they may be caught 诱饵cobra /
36、 n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa. 眼镜蛇likely / a. probable 可能的impulse / n. sudden wish to do sth 冲动commotion / n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱; 骚动tone / n. quality of voice or music 语气 ; 音调commanding / a. suthoritative 威严的 forfeit / vt. suffer the loss of ( sth. ) as a punishment (作为
37、惩罚而)失去rupee / n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比 image / n. statue 雕像emerge / vi. come or appear (from somewhere)emergence n. slam / vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上host / n. man who receives guests 男主人faint a. weak, indistinct 微弱的 ; 不明显的 crawl / vi. move slowly by pulling the body alon
38、g the ground 爬行Phrases 追查到be seated sit down spring up begin suddenly; grow up quickly 突然开始;迅速生长at the sight of on seeing 一看见 feel like have a liking for; wish for 想要 come to regain consciousness 苏醒 make for move towards 走向 ring out sound loudly and clearly 突然响起 light up make or become bright with l
39、ight or color 照亮 ; 变亮roper NamesMona Gardner / 莫娜加德纳India / 印度Wynnes / 温兹（姓氏）大学英语精读 上一课下一课Unit Three Text Jefferson died long ago, but many of his ideas are still of great interest to us.LESSONS FROM JEFFERSONBruce BlivenThomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous
40、than George Washing-ton and Abraham Lincoln, but most 5 people remember at least one fact about him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence.Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much 10 that we can learn from him today. Many of his ideas are especially in-teresting to modern y
41、outh. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:Go and see. Jefferson believed 15 that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of theJam
42、es River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the othermembers of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on 20 the subject,Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot observations.You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson be-longed to the hig
43、hest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson25 once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, “You must go into the peoples homes as I have done, look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you ma
