21世紀大學英語讀寫教程第三冊第5單元課文詳析

導語：美國與歐洲是有差異的，下面是一篇關於美國與歐洲觀念的英語課文，歡迎大家學習。

1. As you listen to the passage, write down the idioms and expressions that match each definition below. Warning: One of the definitions fits two expressions that you'll hear.

______ a) a child who learns to survive by observing life on city streets

______ b) competitive strategies used in business

______ c) 100% American

______ d) unhealthy food

______ e) a popular American dessert

______ f) an activity, decision, problem, etc., that concerns only family members

2. How would you answer Li's last question?

　　Michael Dobbs

America can be a strange experience for a foreigner. My wife and I arrived in the United States in January after seven years overseas — four in France, three in Poland. From the jumble of first impressions, we compiled an A-to-Z explanation of why America can be such a foreign country to those who arrive here from Europe.

I should explain at the outset that I am from Britain, but my Florida-born wife Lisa is as American as apple pie. In our list, however, A doesn't stand for apple pie. It stands for:

Ambition. In the Old World, people are taught to hide it. Here it's quite proper to announce that you're after the boss's job or want to make a million dollars by the age of 30.

Breakfast. The American habit of conducting business at breakfast has reached Europe, but I doubt it will ever really catch on. In France and Britain, breakfast is a family affair. Here, it's become part of the power game.

Credit Cards. You really can't leave home without them. It's interesting, and somewhat frustrating, to discover that bad credit is better than no credit at all: I was refused a VISA card on the grounds that I didn't have a credit profile.

Dreams. The American Dream is still very much alive. Dreaming great dreams is what keeps American society going — from the waitress who wants to become a car dealer to the street kid who wants to become a basketball star. Europeans dream dreams too, but don't seem to believe in them so much.

Exercise. A couple of years ago I came to Washington with some French journalists. As our bus passed a health club on the way to the hotel, the French visitors cheered at the sight of body-conscious Americans bending, stretching and leaping around. America's obsession with physical fitness really amuses — and puzzles — Europeans.

First names. In Europe, people progress in a natural and orderly way from the use of last names to the use of first names. Here, it's first names at first sight. This can cause confusion for Europeans. With everyone on a first-name basis, how can you tell your acquaintances from your friends?

Gadgets. These can be addictive. It's difficult to imagine now how we survived for so long without automatic ice machines and microwave ovens.

Hardware Stores. If I were in charge of arranging the programs of visiting delegations from lessdeveloped countries, I'd include a compulsory visit to a hardware store. These temples of American capitalism reveal a whole range of American values, from the do-it-yourself pioneer spirit through a love of comfort that absolutely astonishes most foreigners.

Insurance. Americans have policies to cover every possible risk, no matter how remote. So far, we've refused supplementary insurance for our car radio, death insurance for our mortgage and accident insurance for our cat. It gives us a feeling of living dangerously.

Junk food. Anyone who wants to understand why Americans suffer from higher rates of cancer and heart disease only has to look at what they eat.

Ketchup. I had to come to America to discover that it can be eaten with anything — from French fries to French cheese.

Lines. American lines — beginning with the yellow line at immigration control — are the most orderly in the world. The British queue, once internationally renowned, has begun to decay in recent years. The French queue was never very impressive, and the Italian line is simply a mob.

Money. In Europe, everybody likes money, but no one shows it off. Unless it's been in the family for several generations, there's often an assumption that it was acquired dishonestly. In America, no one cares how you got it.

No smoking. No longer just a polite request in America, this phrase has become the law. Nobody would dare ask a Frenchman to put out his Galoise in a restaurant.

Oliver North. What other major Western democracy lets army officers take over foreign policy? A hero for some, a traitor for others, Ollie (see First Names) is an example of an American recklessness that awes and alarms Europeans.

Patriots. They exist everywhere, of course, but the American version is louder and more self-conscious than the European. In Britain, it's taken for granted that politicians love their country. Here, they're expected to prove it.

Quiet. American cities are quieter than European cities — thanks to noise controls on automobiles and to recent environmental legislation. This was a major surprise for someone brought up to assume that America was a noisy place.

Religion. The idea of putting preachers on TV is alarming to Europeans. It's even more alarming to see them in action.

Sales. Ever since arriving in Washington, we've been hurrying to take advantage of this week's unrepeatable offer, only to discover that it's usually repeated next week. We're just catching on that there's always an excuse for a sale.

Television. That grown-ups can watch game shows and sitcoms at 11 AM amazes me — but the national habit, day or night, is contagious. I recently found myself nodding in agreement with a professor who was saying that American kids watch too much television. Then I realized that I was watching him say this on television.

Ulcers. See Work.

Visas. Americans don't need visas to visit Britain (or most European countries, for that matter). To enter the United States, I had to sign a document promising that I would not overthrow the government by force and had no criminal record. One wonders if many terrorists and criminals answer "yes" on these questionnaires.

Work. People in less developed countries often imagine that they can become rich simply by emigrating to America. But America became a wealthy society through work, work and more work. It's still true.

X-rated movies. We have them in Europe too, but not on motel-room TVs.

Yuppies. The European counterpart remains a pale shadow of the all-American original. The animal seems more ambitious, and more common, on this side of the Atlantic.

Zillion. What other nation would invent a number that's infinitely more than a billion? America may not always be the best, but it certainly thinks big.

jumble

n. a confused or untidy group of things 雜亂的一堆

* compile

vt. produce by putting together many pieces (e.g., of information) 彙編;編制

outset

n. beginning 開始;起始

ambition

n. strong desire for success, power, money, etc. 對(成功、權力、金錢等的)強烈慾望，野心;雄心

profile

n. 1. a short article or programme which describes a person's life and character 傳略，人物簡介

2. a side view, esp. of sb.'s head; a shape of sth. seen against a background 側面，側影;輪廓

vt. 1. 寫…的傳略

2. 給…畫側面像;描…的輪廓

* dealer

n. a person whose business involves buying and selling 商人;證券經紀人

journalist

n. a person who works on a newspaper or magazine and writes articles for it 新聞記者;報紙撰稿人

journal

n. 1. a magazine for people with a particular interest 雜誌，期刊

2. an account which one writes of one's daily activities 日誌;日記

leap (leapt or leaped)

vi. jump high in the air or jump a long distance 跳躍

n. a sudden jump or movement; a sudden increase in number, amount, etc. 跳躍;激增

* obsession

n. a fixed idea from which the mind cannot be freed 着迷;困擾

physical fitness

healthy body conditions 身體健康

amuse

vt. make (sb.) laugh; cause to spend time in a pleasant way 逗樂;給…提供娛樂或消遣

amusing

a. (of sth.) that makes people laugh 有趣的;逗笑的

orderly

a. well arranged or organized 有條理的;整齊的

confusion

n. 1. the state of being mixed up, more difficult to understand 辨別不清;混淆

2. disorder 騷亂;混亂

confuse

vt. make more difficult to understand; cause to be mistaken; mix up 使模糊不清;混淆;使混亂

acquaintance

n. 1. a person you know, but who is not a close friend 相識的人;熟人

2. knowledge of or familiarity with sb./sth. 瞭解;認識

gadget

n. (infml) a small machine or device 小巧的機械;精巧的裝置

addictive

a. (使人)入迷的;(使人)上癮的

microwave

n. 微波;微波爐

oven

n. 烤爐，烤箱

microwave oven

n. 微波爐

delegation

n. 代表團

delegate

n. 代表;會議代表

vt. 1. appoint as one's representative 委派…爲代表

2. entrust (duties, rights, etc. to sb.) 授權;把…委託給(某人)

* capitalism

n. 資本主義(制度)

do-it-yourself

n. & a. (the activity of) making or repairing things oneself 自己動手(的)，自行維修(的)

* supplementary

a. additional 補充的，增補的

* mortgage

n. 抵押;抵押貸款

vt. use (one's land or house) as a guarantee to the lending institution in order to borrow money from it 抵押

ketchup

n. (= catchup) 調味番茄醬

fry

n. (see French fry)

v. cook (food) in hot fat or oil 油煎，油炸

French fries

(美)法式炸薯條

immigration

n. the coming of people into a country in order to work or settle there 移居;移民

queue

n. a line of people waiting (for a bus, to be served, to enter a place, etc.) (排隊等候的)一隊人

vi. form or join a line 排隊(等候)

* renowned

a. famous; well-known 有名的;享有聲譽的

impressive

a. 給人以深刻印象的;感人的`

* mob

n. (often derog.) a large, disorganized and often violent crowd of people [貶]人羣;烏合之衆

assumption

n. 1. sth. that is taken as true without proof 假定;臆斷

2. the taking (of power or responsibility) 奪取;篡奪

democracy

n. a country or a system of government in which the people choose their government or make important decisions by voting 民主;民主國家;民主政治

traitor

n. a person who is disloyal, esp. to his country 賣國賊，叛徒

recklessness

n. 不顧後果，魯莽

* reckless

a. (of a person or one's behaviour) not caring about danger or the result of one's actions 不顧後果的，魯莽的

* patriot

n. a person who shows love for and loyalty to his or her country 愛國者

patriotic

a. having or expressing the quality of a patriot 愛國的;有愛國心的

legislation

n. l. laws 法律，法規

2. the act of making laws 立法，法律的制定

preacher

n. 傳道士，牧師

* preach

v. 1. make known (a particular religion) by speaking in public 佈道

2. advise or urge others to accept (a thing or course of behaviour) 竭力勸說;說教

grown-up

n. 成年人

sitcom

n. (infml) situation comedy 情景喜劇

contagious

a. 1. (of a feeling or attitude) spreading quickly from person to person (情緒等)感染性的

2. (of a disease) that can spread from person to person (疾病)傳染的

ulcer

n. 潰瘍

* visa

n. 簽證

document

n. a paper that gives information, proof or support of sth. 文件

vt. 1. 爲…提供文件(或證據等)

2. (在影片、小說中)紀實性地描述

* overthrow

vt. defeat; remove from official power 推翻;打倒

criminal

a. of or related to crime 犯罪的;犯法的

n. a person who is guilty of a crime 罪犯

* questionnaire

n. a written list of questions to be answered by a number of people in order to get information for a survey, etc. 調查表，問題單

* emigrate

vi. leave one's own country to live in another one 移居國外

X-rated

a. (電影等)X級的，禁止(十六歲以下)兒童觀看的

* motel

n. hotel specially built for people traveling by car 汽車旅館

yuppie

n. 雅皮士(Young Urban Professional的縮寫，即城市職業階層中的年輕人士)

* ambitious

a. having a strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 有野心的，有抱負的

zillion

n. (sl.) 無限大的數目，無法計算的大數目

the ABCs

the most basic facts about a subject (學科等的)基本知識;入門

at the outset

at the beginning 首先，一開始

stand for

represent; mean 代表;意味着

be after sth.

in search of sth.; with a desire for sth. 追求

catch on

1. become popular 流行起來

2. understand 懂得，理解

on (the) ground(s) that

because 根據，以…爲理由

at the sight of

as soon as seeing (sth. or sb.) 一見之下;立即

leap around

jump about 跳來跳去

at first sight

when seen or examined for the first time 乍一看，一見之下

be on a first-name basis [with sb.]

call (sb.) by his or her first name (因關係親密而)相互直呼其名

tell A from B

distinguish A from B 辨別，分辨

be in charge of sth.

be responsible for 管理，負責

so far

up to the present 迄今爲止

put out

cause (sth.) to stop burning 熄滅

bring up

nurture and educate (a child) 養育;教育

take advantage of

make use of; profit from 利用

in agreement with

贊同，同意

by force

by fierce or violent means 用武力或強迫手段

think big

have ambitious ideas 野心勃勃，好高騖遠

Michael Dobbs

邁克爾·多布斯(男子名)

Poland

波蘭(歐洲中部國家)

Lisa

莉薩(女子名)

VISA

威世信用卡(美國的一種購物信用卡)

Galoise

高盧牌香菸

Oliver North

奧利弗·諾斯(男子名)

Ollie

奧利(奧利弗的暱稱)