大英五 课文和材料

Unit 1. Learning a Foreign Language

Americans are optimists. We believe our history is one of ongoing progress. We believe that progress will make our lives better and that we can continue to improve and perfect our way of life. Some critics say that progress in the United States is blind—that we build skyscrapers, factories, and roads without any regard for their effects on the physical environment. On the other hand, the quality of people’s lives in many areas has improved as a result of developments in medicine and technology. The belief in progress is closely tied to the idea that science can and eventually will overcome all natural and human-made difficulties.

Dialogue 1

Worker: Good morning, English Language Center.

Caller: Uh, hi. l’m calling to get some information about your school.

Worker: OK, great, I can help you with that.

Caller: OK, well, I have a nephew, who’s from Hungary, and he’s coming here for, um, about six to eight weeks.

Worker: Um-hmm.

Caller: And he’s coming here on February 5th. And he has some business to take care of, but he would also like to do some work on his English while he’s here. So I just want to find out, um, if you can accommodate him with that schedule and, you know, what the program is and what it costs and stuff like that.

Worker: Well, we basically have three different programs. We have an intensive English program, which is our most comprehensive. That covers 30 lessons per week. OK?

Caller: Thirty lessons meaning… 30 hours?

Worker: Yes, 30 hours, that’s it exactly. That covers a grammar class, and a conversation and listening skills class, and a reading and writing class in the afternoon…

Caller: Oh, OK.

Worker: … All the skills that he needs basically.

Caller: A-ha.

Worker: And the cost for that is 1,150 dollars for a four-week session.

Caller: Um, that sounds pretty reasonable, for 30 hours a week.

Worker: We think so. It’s a good value. I should also tell you that we keep a maximum number of students of 12 in all of our classes, and presently our average is between 8 and 9 , so the students get a lot of individual attention.

Caller: Oh, that sounds great.

Worker: Then, the next program is a semi-intensive program which is 24 lessons per week. Instead of Monday through Friday, it’s only Tuesday through Thursday for the afternoon classes.

Caller: Oh that’s good 'cause like I said, he has business here.

Worker: Yeah well, that’s great, and this one is 995$ for the four-week session.

Caller: Oh, OK, I see.

Worker: The third option is the half-day program, and that’s 20 lessons per week. This one, there’s no classes at all in the afternoon. It’s 895 dollars for the four-week session, students are in class from 9 in the morning 'til 12:45 and then they’re free in the afternoon.

Caller: Ah, I see, that sounds really flexible. Now, um, he needs English mainly for his work. He’s a businessman. Does that… do you have like special classes for business?

Worker: Of, of course. That’s, we have what we call elective course that are tailored to people that have specialized needs such as business people. Specifically for business people because we get a lot of requests for that.

Caller: Elective classes… um, do you mean they get to choose what they want?

Worker: They get to choose, that’s right, but not in the half-day program because the electives are only offered in the afternoons.

Caller: Oh, OK, I see. That’s interesting. Um, now I assume you have a website, and that has more information about the exact, specific classes?

Worker: Yes, we do, it’s a very comprehensive website. I know I’ve given you a lot of information. If you weren’t able to, to write it all down, it’s on the website and there are also application forms that you can download… as well.

Caller: All right, I will definitely check that out, and I’ll get in touch with my nephew, and, um, it’s going to depend pretty much on his schedule, I think, and then I’ll get back to you.

Worker: Well that, well that’s great. I encourage you to take a look at the website, and if you have any further questions just give us a call back. My name is Tom.

Caller: Thank you so much, Tom. My name is Rosemary.

Worker: Great. Thanks, Rosemary. Talk to you soon.

Caller: OK, bye.

Worker: Bye-bye.

Dialogue 2

Judy: I think one of the key things for me was motivation. I really wanted to learn the language well.

And I had to learn the language well because I was a, an immigrant, and uh I needed to learn the language because I couldn’t go back to the country l had come from. So I wanted to fit in with my peers, and um really be part of this new society.

Andrew: Uh yeah, I was basically in situations where I had to learn to speak Japanese. Judy: Oh! So you, too.

Andrew: Yeah, um, I worked in Japan, and I never really studied Japanese, I never took classes, I don’t know the grammar, I can’t really read and write. Um, but I basically found myself in situations where I had to speak it, and if you have to speak it, you pick it up usually.

Judy: Yeah, but, I mean, "pick it up"is, you know that’s easier said than done. Did you, how did you learn all that new vocabulary and…Andrew: Well…[J: … sentence structure…] well, probably the, actually probably the biggest factor was that,um but 1 had a girlfriend from Japan, and…

Judy: Oh that helps.

Andrew: Yeah, pretty well, it helps in some ways. Um… And so, um, I didn’t do any formal training or any formal studies, but it was a matter of every day hearing her speak and I’d pick up several new words every day. I wouldn’t take notes, l wouldn’t have a study session, it would just be an organic (natural) process…

Judy: Hmm, yeah…

Andrew: …during the course of our communication.

Judy: Oh, that’s nice. Well I did take classes at the beginning.

Andrew: Um-hmm. Where’d you take classes?

Judy: In high school, actually.

Andrew: Oh wow.

Judy: 'Cause 1 was 17. Andrew: Um hmm.

Judy: And so I took English as a second language classes, and um I was motivated and l was a pretty good student. I made flash cards to remember vocabulary. l um, copied my friend’s pronunciation, I mean the native speakers, um, that I was in contact with … I really wanted to sound like them.

Andrew: I think… I really thought about this and I think probably the biggest thing that helped me, that people never really talk about or they don’t really talk about in textbooks is the fact that I started thinking in Japanese. So you know I’d have a very limited knowledge of Japanese, and l did this too when I was studying French in high school. I did it naturally. I didn’t plan to, but I would naturally go about my day, and I’d start talking to myself in Japanese. Like, I’ll say these words in English but it d be like “OK let’s see, it’s 2:30, 1’ve got to, OK, I’ve got to be at the store at 3:30,and then, wait a second, OK, do I turn left here?"”I would be saying that to myself internally in Japanese, and that’s what made it so smooth because I was just in the habit of using it all the time.

Judy: …Yeah,um, that’s, that’s a little bit similar to something I did. l would rehearse…Andrew: A-ha.

Judy: …ahead of time if I knew the situation I was going to be in. I would prepare and rehearse, sometimes aloud, to hear myself what it was going to sound like. And, um, so when I was in the actual situation I had the vocabulary, I had the delivery (the manner or style of giving a speech), and I had the confidence.

Andrew: That 's interesting. Yeah. Um, I didn’t do something so formal, but again with the thinking patterns in another language, I mean I have a habit of just kind of you know singing songs or humming songs to myself during the day. And even though my ability at first was not very high, let’s say, in Japanese,um, I would just naturally start singing the same song and to the best of my ability translate the words to Japanese, or to French before that or to whatever language. And it would be a terrible translation, but, at first, but uh the point is that, um, you know in all these facets, in all these aspects of daily activity, um, you’ll be using the foreign language, and just applying it daily in so many ways. In other words,what I’m trying to get at, is that I think a lot of people just apply it in one particular case. They have to speak, they have to listen, that’s it. But you can really use it much more comprehensively throughout the day.

Passage 1

lt’s the world’s fastest growing economy and shows no sign of slowing down, so striking deals with Chinese businesses is now the top priority for every British company that wants to stay ahead in global trade. Now schools in the United Kingdom want to give their students a head start by teaching them Mandarin——and they are making it compulsory. Brighton College is a fee-paying private school on the south coast of Britain and already teaches Latin, Spanish and French to its 1,200 pupils. Students can choose between these languages, but from the autumn, which is the beginning of the new academic year in British schools, every student must study Mandarin whether they like it or not.

Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College, describes the move as “all the more radical” as there is "only a handful” of native Chinese pupils studying at the College. Mr. Cairns is considered something of a radical himself as he too will begin Mandarin classes in September—as a pupil in an ordinary class of students.

Cairns is convinced that teaching Mandarin is essential for his students that already have a good record in succeeding in business. With Mandarin added to a pupil’s portfolio, that record can be sustained and improved. He said, “One of my key tasks is to make sure pupils are equipped for the realities of the 21st century and one is that China has the fastest growing economy.””

Brighton College is following a national trend as studying Chinese to the British A-level standard looks set to overtake Spanish and German, according to recent figures showing the number of students taking language examinations.

The increase in popularity of Mandarin in comparison with Spanish has been the most surprising, with a 50 percent increase since 2001 to 2,062 candidates last year. Spanish attracted 2,561. It is predicted that if that level of growth continues, the studying of Mandarin in the UK could overtake Spanish in less than five years.

Passage 2

Every week millions of Britons use computers to access the Internet but how many of them actually know their iPods from their lMs (Instant Messaging)? Not many it seems. A recent survey from Nielsen/NetRatings—a global Internet,media and market research company—shows that while the British are crazy about buying and owning new technology they’re not so keen to keep up with the ever-changing jargon of 21st century technology.

According to Nielsen/NetRatings，people love having cutting-edge technology but often don’t understand the terms that describe what their devices actually do.

For example, 40% of online Britons receive news feeds but 67% don’t know that the official term for this service is Really Simple Syndication. Terms like WiFi and PDA are still meaningless to more than 30% of the British public who regularly work or surf online. Acronyms in particular bamboozle users. 75% of online Britons don 't know that VOD stands for video-on-demand, while 68% are unaware that personal video recorders are more commonly referred to as PVRs.

Millions of people keep in touch via Instant Messaging but 57% of online Brits said they didn’t know that the acronym for it was IM.

Alex Burmaster, an Internet analyst with Nielsen/NetRatings commented"The technology industry is perhaps the most guilty of all industries when it comes to love of acronyms 缩写. There is a certain level of knowledge snobbery 虚荣. If you talk in acronyms you sound like you really know what you are talking about and if others don’t understand then they are seen in some way as inferior."

This study shows that many people don’t completely understand much of the new technological jargon but things are slowly changing. Words such as “blogging”“and “podcasting” are now used and understood by enough people for these terms to have made it into the most recently published dictionaries in Britain.

Passage 3

Most Americans once knew little about Arabs and Muslims, their perceptions based mostly on Hollywood movies and TV news. Few seemed interested in the Arabic language. But that changed after the terrorist attacks in 2001, says Alaa Elgebali, director of the National Flagship 旗舰 Language Program for Arabic teaching at the University of Maryland.“There was more curiosity about what the Arab world is, what the Muslim world is, what do they think,who are they. Pursuing the language, of course, is a very good way to get to know that culture and how people think, so that is the main reason. Another reason, of course, is the geopolitical 地缘政治 interest in the area, so some of the students studying Arabic in the States are interested in it because of their interest in jobs that are related to national security.”

The Modern Language Association of America says the number of Arabic language students at U.S. universities rose from 5,000 before 9/11 to 12,000 now. Tyler Golson is enrolled in the two-year Arabic Flagship Program at the University of Maryland.“9/11 was kind of very hard for me and my family and l just was curious about why it happened. l knew nothing about the Arab world, I knew nothing about Islam 伊斯兰教, l knew nothing about any of that, so l just took my first class out of curiosity at college, and then l just fell in love with every thing about it."

Tyler plans to use his proficiency in Arabic to become a political analyst. He says the Flagship Program has used Arab satellite TV to expose him to different Arabic cultures. Arabic language instructor Jihan Mansour explains how the program uses Arab media as a tool for teaching. “It is really new in any Arabic flagship program, because it is from the media, the Arabic media. It is not like two native speakers speaking only about anything. It is from the media, news bulletins and interviews. and we also have here guest speakers every week speak with the students, give them lectures and use the sometimes the natives like Egyptian, Iraqi, Syrian (dialects), whatever.”

The Arabic teaching program provides students with a dedicated library of dictionaries, textbooks and a variety of Arabic publications and movies. Again the student, Tyler Golson. “You really cannot understand Arabic very well unless you know a lot about the culture, it 's very, a lot of the words and expressions are very idiomatic (习惯用语). They have a lot of cultural influences.” But Golson says there is no substitute for actually going and living in the Arab world.

His classmate,Noah Bonsey, attests 证明 to that."l lived for a semester last spring in Syria, in Damascus,and that was just an incredible experience and l kept in touch with some people from there and I will actually go back to visit again at the end of the summer for a little while.”

The Flagship Program includes trips to Syria, Egypt and Jordan to practice different dialects and deepen students’ understanding of the region.

News 1

David Harrison is a professor and field linguist. With recording equipment, a pen, and a logbook 日志, he travels to remote parts of the world to collect and preserve native languages on the verge of extinction.

“I work with the last speakers of endangered languages, and so when I sit down with an elder in, say, Northern Australia, India, or Siberia, I’m very aware of the recording we’re making,” Harrison said. “In some cases, it’s the first recording ever made of the language, and so I worry a lot about sound quality. In other cases, it may well be the last recording that we have an opportunity to make.”

It is all part of the Enduring Voices project, supported by National Geographic and Harrison’s own non-profit Living Languages Institute.

“I’ve called this the greatest conservation challenge of our lifetime, and I don’t mean to downplay（淡化） the challenge of conserving species and ecosystems, but languages are more critically endangered,” Harrison said. “They are going extinct faster, and these languages contain some of the secrets to human survival and adaptation on our planet.”

In his book, “When Languages Die,” Harrison says most of the world speaks one of 83 dominant 主流 languages, and he says we are losing a native language roughly every 10 days. “You have half the world’s languages, 3,500 languages, and they are spoken by 0.1 percent of the world’s population. So if you care about the distribution of knowledge, you have a huge amount of our collective human wisdom and knowledge that’s held by a tiny, tiny speaking population, and it’s under intense pressure from global languages and globalization,” he said.

The project team concentrates its efforts in regions identified as language hotspots 热点. Harrison explains, “A hotspot is a place where you have extreme diversity, high levels of endangerment, and low levels of scientific documentation.”

“These are the last three speakers of an oral language in Australia’s Northern Territory. Kolawaya is the whispered language of just a few remaining medicine men in Bolivia.”

Thanks in large part to the Enduring Voices project, there is new interest in native languages in some schools in Australia, North America, and elsewhere.

Project scientists cannot save all the languages heading for extinction. Their goal is to document what they can and make us aware that when a language is lost, knowledge is too.

News 2

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has apologized to the “Stolen Generations”. These were aboriginal（原住民） children who were taken from their families in an attempt to dilute indigenous 土著 (indiginity) culture. They were the victims of an assimilation（同化） policy that began in 1910 and lasted into the early 1970s.

Mr. Rudd said it was a dark period in the nation’s history and issued a formal apology in the nation’s parliament (议会) in Canberra. “For the pain, suffering, and hurt of these ‘Stolen Generations,’ their descendants, and for their families left behind, we say sorry,” he said. “To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry; and for the indignity and degradation 退化 thus inflicted 造成的 on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.”

The declaration has come 11 years after an official report on Australia’s past assimilation policies, which urged the government to issue a formal apology. The conservative former Prime Minister, John Howard, refused to take such a step, insisting that current generations of Australians should not apologize for injustices of the past. Opinion polls 民调 have suggested that many Australians agree with Mr. Howard’s stance and believe it was not necessary to say sorry.

Tribal elders are welcoming Prime Minister Rudd’s apology, saying that for the first time they feel embraced and valued by Australian society. Mr. Rudd says the problems faced by Australia’s aborigines—very high rates of ill-health, unemployment, and imprisonment—are so serious that he plans to assemble a so-called “war cabinet 内阁” to address them. However, tackling such disadvantage has been beyond governments in the past. Indigenous people, who comprise 包括 two percent of the country’s population of 21 million, have a life expectancy 17 years shorter than other Australians.

Debate

Suppose you play two roles, as the pro and con side of a debate. Debate whether too much teaching does not make good and effective education.

As the pro side, I argue that too much teaching does not necessarily make good and effective education. While teaching is certainly an important aspect of education, there are other factors that contribute to effective learning, such as hands-on experience, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Firstly, too much teaching can lead to information overload and overwhelm students, making it difficult for them to retain information. When students are bombarded with too much information, they may become disengaged and lose interest in the subject matter.

Secondly, excessive teaching can stifle creativity and independent thinking. If students are simply being told what to do and what to think, they may not develop the critical thinking skills necessary to solve real-world problems. In contrast, hands-on experiences and opportunities to apply knowledge in a practical setting can enhance learning and encourage creativity.

Thirdly, too much teaching can lead to a passive learning environment, where students are not actively engaged in the learning process. Effective education should involve active participation and engagement, where students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and participate in discussions.

As the con side, I argue that teaching is an essential aspect of effective education, and that too little teaching can be just as detrimental as too much teaching. Teaching provides students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their chosen field of study.

While it is true that too much teaching can lead to information overload and overwhelm students, it is important to strike a balance between teaching and other forms of learning, such as hands-on experience and critical thinking.

Moreover, effective teaching involves more than just providing information. A skilled teacher can create an engaging and interactive learning environment that encourages students to participate and think critically.

In conclusion, while there is a risk of too much teaching leading to information overload and stifling creativity, teaching is still an essential aspect of effective education. The key is to strike a balance between teaching and other forms of learning, and to create an engaging and interactive learning environment that encourages critical thinking and problem-solving.

Unit 3. Higher Education

Interview 1

Steve: I know a new study has some parents wondering whether high-price college educations are really worth it. The study shows less than half of college seniors know the Battle of Yorktown ended the American Revolution. In fact, the results from the non-profit Intercollegiate校际 Study Institute show college kids averaged an “F” on the civics (the study of the rights and duties of citizenship) test. So, is the traditional college education really all it’s cracked up to be these days? 是宣扬的全部 Joining us now is Las Vegas radio host Heidi Harris. Heidi, thanks for joining us.

Heidi Harris: Thank you, Steve. Good morning.

Steve: Well, kids do not seem to be learning their civics or their history lessons. Why not, do you think?

Heidi Harris: Well, they are too busy with gender studies. You know, I just, for kicks this morning, looked on the website of Cornell University, and they have courses often on things like Cyber-Feminism, Gender and International Development. They even have a course there on gossip. And I’m wondering if parents realize when they spend a fortune sending their kids to college, if these are the courses the kids should be taking. If the kids want to take them in addition to regular college courses, it’s fine. But they’re spending all their time learning tolerance and these women studies programs, or women learn to play boys against girls. And I don’t think it benefits them in the long term because when they leave, they don’t have an education.

Steve: You don’t think tolerance is a legitimate goal?

Heidi Harris: I think it’s a legitimate goal, but I don’t think that’s why parents send their kids for. Tolerance should be something taught in the home by the parents before the kids get to college. That’s not what college is there for. It’s there to teach you skills and give you an education. Things you can use later on in your life. But I don’t think they are getting that in colleges, and this study has proven that.

Steve: Now, why do you think it’s important for all of us to know that the Battle of Yorktown ended the American Revolution? I knew that a long time ago then forgot. Is it really essential?

Heidi Harris: Well, I don’t know whether it’s essential in day-to-day life, but I think what this study reveals is that there’s a lot of missing information with kids. They don’t understand, for example, why we have our Constitution. They don’t understand why we have the rights we have, and I think that’s important for kids to understand because they appreciate America. And to me, that’s the important thing. Or to understand world history. Tolerance is fine, but I think parents send their kids to college to get an advanced education, and they’re just not getting it anymore.

Steve: Now, one school even has a YouTube course where kids watch a YouTube video. [H: Yes.] Is this in your view a waste of time, or is it really the wave of the future?

Heidi Harris: Well, you know what, it may be the wave of the future. That’s one of the colleges in California that you mentioned, and I have to laugh about the YouTube course. [S: Alright.] Listen, if people want to take these things after hours, that’s their business. But I think parents should know these things before they send their children to colleges, especially these expensive ones, that these are the kind of things their kids are learning. And what does a course on YouTube really benefit you when it comes to job prospects? I have a relative who graduated from an Ivy League college recently. A lot of the kids she graduated with were working in coffee shops because they weren’t prepared after their parents spent all this money to go out the real world and earn a living.

Steve: OK. Heidi Harris from Las Vegas, thanks for joining us.

Heidi Harris: Thank you. Steve.

Interview 2

A new study reveals that a growing number of college students are entering the real world with significant debt, with some owing more than $100,000. To discuss this issue, Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com, joins us in Studio B.

Chapter: Making Cents now. Out of paying off that college loan. There is a new study. It says a growing number of students are in a major hole from the minute they enter the real world because they are already, some of them, more than 100,000 dollars in debt. With us now in Studio B is Greg McBride, he is the senior financial analyst 高级金融分析师 for Bankrate.com. Now I guess there are two kinds of debts, good debt and bad debt. Where does this go?

Greg McBride: Well, student loan debt is traditionally considered good debt, but the problem for many students and their families is that the cost of colleges has been going up at 6% to 8% a year, far faster than the income, far faster than the standard of living. That means debt’s taking on a bigger and bigger role in financing education.

Chapter: How much debt is too much debt for, for one student?

Greg: Well, one guideline is that you look at the first year’s salary in your field after graduation, and use that as, as a barometer 晴雨表, something that indicates a change, but even then…

Chapter: Is that right?

Greg: Well, you are talking big payments even in that instance, for example, 30,000 dollars worth of debt. If you are gonna repay that over 10 years, you are talking more than 300 dollars a month at, in payments every month for 10 years.

Chapter: There is more than one way to skin a cat and there is more than one way to get a loan for college. There are government programs. There are so many kinds of grants 赠款, a sum of money given by a government or public body for a particular purpose. What’s the best advice for people who are looking for these loans to try to keep themselves from going under.

Greg: I understand that loans are just one piece of the bigger college financing puzzle. Take advantage of the other opportunities. Things like a 529 college savings plan, let you save on a tax advantage basis.

Chapter: Now, that’s an interesting thing that we’ve talked about here before. It’s state by state, different rules state by state, is that right?

Greg: Well, the rules are varied from state to state. You are generally, whether or not you are getting an in-state tax break, but every state offers them. You don’t have to invest in your state’s plan.

Chapter: And you do get a federal tax break?

Greg: You do get it as under current rules you get to withdraw that money free of tax at the other end.

Chapter: And, now there are, there are limits per year and a maximum overall but you can get up to 100,000 dollars tax-free save, right?

Greg: Essentially, yes. I mean you can actually put, put away, er, you know, the generally account limits were limited at about 320,000 dollars. So, I mean you can really put money away in these accounts and withdraw tax-free to pay for that educated…

Chapter: You’re putting a couple hundred bucks away if you’re especially talking about a brand new kid. I mean that’ll save your butt later on.

Greg: It’s important to start early and that really reduces that reliance on debt later. Another thing, leave no stone unturned 不遗余力地, looking at grants, scholarships, even on-campus jobs. I mean every dollar you get that way is seen as another dollar you don’t have to borrow later.

Chapter: The kinds of jobs that so many students, fresh off students, like to go into, er, charity stuff, volunteer work. This debt is eliminating 消除 a lot of that, isn’t it?

Greg: I think that’s the social cost, Chapter. Really, I mean, you know, when you consider that, you know, people may pass up a rewarding career in charitable work, or non-profit organization because they have to get a higher salary someplace else to pay off that debt.

Chapter: Yeah, who wouldn’t be… Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com. Greg good you could be here.

Greg: Thank you.

incur: to bring (some thing unwelcome) upon oneself.

Passage 1

Universities in Britain and their Attraction for Overseas Students

Universities in Britain are a magnet for overseas students. Currently, there are over 200,000 students from outside Britain who are studying at British universities. Chinese students are the largest single group with 50,000 studying in the UK. The British government predicts that the total number of overseas students will reach around 900,000 by 2020, with a quarter of them being Chinese.

But why is the UK such a popular destination for university students? The reasons are plenty.

Quality of Courses

The quality of your course is guaranteed. All courses are assessed by an independent system, so you can be assured that your course is officially approved and has wide international recognition.

Flexibility

The British education system is very flexible in order to provide for the needs of a modern, complex society.

Cost-Effectiveness

Degree courses are usually shorter and more intensive than in other countries. There are lots of scholarships available. You normally need 3 A-levels, which are the exams taken by people leaving school at 18, in order to enter an undergraduate degree course. You also need an IELTS score of at least 5.5, but many universities offer foundation or access courses to prepare students for their studies.

Personalized and Independent Approach

British universities offer a personalized but independent approach. The emphasis is on creative and independent thought, which helps develop the skills you will need to compete in the global job market. Tutors not only teach but also provide support and guidance. As a result, international students have a very low drop-out rate and very high pass rate.

Ease of Becoming an International Student

It is very simple to become an international student in the UK. The British Council offers a free and impartial 公正的 service to anyone who is interested in studying in the UK, and an organization called UCAS assists you in finding a course and making an effective application.

Cosmopolitan Place

The UK is a dynamic and cosmopolitan place. The countryside is beautiful, and the theatres, museums, architecture and rich history make it a fascinating place to live and study. Why not give it a go?

Passage 2

Most students in the UK leave school or sixth-form college at the age of 18 and go to study for three years in a university, but in recent years many students have chosen to take a one-year break between finishing school and starting university. This period is called a gap year and is a time when British students can broaden their horizons by visiting foreign countries. Tens of thousands of gap year travelers leave Britain every year, with Australia as the most popular destination. While some volunteer for charity work in developing countries, others will enjoy eco-tourism or simply backpack 背包旅行 through many countries. Many other gap year travelers try their hand at teaching English to the locals in the countries they visit. Students who take a gap year often say the experience helps them get a better perspective on the world and broadens their cultural awareness 文化意识.

An important part of any gap year is learning about the culture and society of other peoples. It can be very important to learn about local norms in order to avoid a culture clash, such as when Westerners wear clothes that are seen as unacceptable in more conservative countries. Developments in communications technology mean it is easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and family at home. Many gap year students maintain a travel blog or upload their snaps 照片 to photo-sharing websites so that others can see their adventures.

China is becoming an increasingly popular destination for British students. Gap year programs in China might include coaching sports in Chinese schools, learning Kung Fu or even teaching English. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll meet some British gap year travelers in your home town soon. Don’t forget to practice your English with them!

Passage 3

Two Chinese students, who are studying at British universities, have been awarded prizes for being the best international students in their respective host countries.

Psychology student Yusi Liu was crowned Welsh International Student of the Year, while Yuhuai Zhang, who studies management, was named Northern Ireland’s International Student of the Year. Both students join 12 regional finalists in next month’s final, where one will become the UK’s top international student.

Yusi and Yuhuai were among more than 2,000 students from 130 countries who participated in the International Students Awards, a competition run every year by the British Council to find international students who have contributed to life in the UK.

Entrants 参赛者 in the competition were asked to write a letter in English describing their academic successes, extra-curricular achievements, and community involvement. Yusi wrote about her volunteer work with autistic 自闭症 children and elderly people, while Yuhuai was the first Chinese national to become a student officer in his university.

Both students told us how integrating with their adopted communities had helped them improve their English skills. Yuhuai said, “Through socializing, voluntary job, my internship and student union work, I have learned a lot of vocabulary I didn’t learn in class.”

Yusi agreed, “I joined a lot of volunteering work and got a part-time job which is related to my subject, and so I helped a lot of people with mental health issues. A lot of what I learn working with people helps me get a better understanding in my lectures.”

Studying in parts of the UK with strong regional accents has helped both of them gain a more realistic approach to speaking English. Yuhuai said, “As long as you can understand others and make yourself understood, vocabulary and good sentence structure are more important than accent.”

News 1

Stephanie Smith recently graduated from Washington, D.C.'s George Washington University and found work with the U.S. Travel Industry Association. “I’m currently working at an umbrella organization for all of the U.S. travel industry, and I am currently doing communications and public relations for them,” Smith said. Stephanie is just one of thousands of young people now working in the travel industry who found their jobs with the help of a university degree in the rapidly expanding field of Tourism Studies. Smith explains (why she chose the Travel and Tourism program), “And it is really interesting to be behind the scenes, and I chose the program because of that, and I wanted to really focus my previous work in marketing into a specific industry."

Today, travel and tourism is a trillion-dollar industry in the United States alone. Worldwide, that figure is believed to be $6 trillion (U.S.). And in many developing countries, stimulating growth in the tourism sector（行业、部门） is seen as an effective tool for lifting entire economies. “Politicians, in particular, have become very sensitive to how important tourism is to local economies," Dr. Sheryl Ellitt, an associate professor of Tourism Studies at George Washington University, said. “Tourism can start on a very, very small scale without tremendously huge investments. There are special forms of ecotourism and cultural tourism that fit many developing countries. So developing countries can get on board 加入进来, can get involved with the tourism sector and realize very, very good economic benefits in a very, very short term,” she said.

That is certainly the hope for nations like Afghanistan, which boasts world heritage sites such as Bamiyan as well as many other spectacular scenic treasures. Though they once drew as many as two million visitors a year, the industry collapsed during the nation’s 30 years of conflict. Sheryl Elliott believes that success can be recreated, and that the benefits are not just financial. She adds, “In a way, I think that tourism actually - if planned correctly, if done correctly - can actually protect and promote cultural identity and cultural heritage."

One lesson these students are learning is that enhancing the experience of visitors today can not only help preserve the past but also serve as an engine for future economic growth.

News 2

At the Los Angeles branch of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, students watch from a distance as workers count stacks of bills, with $20,000 in each bundle. Nearby pallets（托盘） hold millions upon millions of dollars in currency.

Visiting teenagers Ricardo DeLeon and Cherae Harris are impressed, and a little bit jealous of the people who work here.

RICARDO DELEON: I liked all the money.

CHERAE HARRIS: Those people have to go through so much temptation, just going through all of that money, I swear. They must have a pretty closed system to be able to let people work there and get their hands on all of that money and trust them not to take it.

Security is tight here. The U.S. Federal Reserve System, or Fed, has branches around the country, and has never been robbed. It is the nation’s central bank, where other banks keep their money.

The Los Angeles facility, part of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, has the second largest cash vault 金库 in the United States. It holds funds for Southern California, Las Vegas, and much of Arizona. The largest Fed cash vault in the country is in East Rutherford, New Jersey, outside New York City.

Andrea Abrams is education coordinator（协调人） for the Los Angeles office, where she leads student tours and financial workshops. Today, she will give these students from Bellflower, California, a short course on money.

“We start the workshop off by [asking] what do you already know about money, or what does money mean to you? And a lot of the students say things like, you need money to survive, money makes the world go round,” said Andrea Abrams. “They know they need it. They’re just not always sure how to get it and how to hang onto it once they have it.”

She tells students to start saving. If they put away $15 each day, with a five percent rate of return, they will have $1 million at age 65. They learn that some investments pay a higher rate of return, but that a higher return generally means a riskier investment.

These students are already making economic decisions. They are part of an after-school program that exposes them to business. Teacher Estelle Rubio Delgado says they are assigned to banks, offices, and retail stores as interns.

“There’s no guarantee that they’ll get hired, but once we put them through the training process and helped them with their resume and how to dress, and how to go through an interview, we’ve got our fingers crossed that most of them will get hired,” said Estelle Rubio Delgado.

Student Cherae Harris is working part time at a home loan company. She wants to study psychology, and says this introduction to finance should help her plan for college. Ricardo DeLeon is studying banking, and hopes to pay his way through technical college to study computers.

Andrea Abrams tells them that successful financial planning requires a budget, with careful monitoring of income and expenses. She says most students get the point, and are fascinated by the huge amounts of money they see here.

They are most intrigued to see old currency shredded to make way for new bills.

“Typically, when they witness us shredding 粉碎 the $27.4 million a day, which we do here in Los Angeles, their immediate reaction is. well, I don’t mind that it’s worn out,” she said. “I’ve love to have some of that worn-out money. When they understand that we’re replacing the money of the economy and then just shredding the worn-out currency to keep the amount stable, it dismays 惊愕 them but at the same time, really helps reinforce the concepts of monetary policy in that way.”

Students in San Francisco are also learning about money through an organization called the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. It held a recent competition where students outlined business plans. High school student Ugo Ugamba has designed a cap with a battery that powers lights in a flashing logo. Vivian Chau created a bottled tea mixed with jelly, similar to the jellied milk tea that many students buy in San Francisco’s Asian cafes. Huong Cheng won first prize for her plan to start a business that sends student volunteers to a home for senior citizens.

“The students will do small tasks that the elderly just need help on. They read a book with them, take them out for a stroll, help them carry their groceries—small things that that a volunteer is able to do,” said Huong Cheng.

Half the profits earned by the volunteer workers will support their high school clubs, and the other half will go to Cheng’s business. These students are getting help from adult professionals, including Neville Richardson, a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. He asks the budding entrepreneurs some questions.

“How much do you want to actually make? And how much time can you realistically dedicate to this business, with school, possibly a part-time job to help you fund your business, and who are your funders? So they’re getting a little lesson in capital acquisition（资本获取）,” said Neville Richardson.

He says these lessons will serve the students well in later life.

Debate 2

debate on the topic that whether boycotting foreign goods is ultra-nationalism

The question of whether boycotting foreign goods is ultra-nationalism is a complex and contentious one, and it depends on the context and motivation behind the boycott. In general, a boycott of foreign goods can be seen as a form of economic nationalism or protectionism, which aims to promote domestic industry and limit reliance on foreign imports. However, the motives behind such a boycott can vary widely, and not all forms of economic nationalism are necessarily linked to ultra-nationalism.

On one hand, a boycott of foreign goods can be seen as a legitimate expression of consumer choice and political activism. In some cases, consumers may choose to boycott products from a particular country or company as a way to express disapproval of their policies or actions, such as human rights abuses or environmental violations. Such boycotts can be seen as a peaceful and nonviolent form of protest that allows consumers to use their economic power to support their values and beliefs.

However, in some cases, a boycott of foreign goods may be motivated by more extreme forms of nationalism or xenophobia. For example, a government or political group may encourage a boycott of foreign products as a way to promote domestic industry and reduce reliance on foreign countries. While this may have economic benefits, it can also foster an us-vs-them mentality that pits one nation against another and promotes a narrow, exclusionary form of nationalism.

Ultimately, whether a boycott of foreign goods is ultra-nationalism depends on the context and motivations behind the boycott. While a boycott motivated by concerns about human rights or environmental issues may be seen as a legitimate expression of consumer activism, a boycott driven by extreme nationalism or xenophobia can be seen as a form of exclusionary nationalism that promotes division and hostility between nations.

Unit 4. Economy

Interview 1

A: The basic premise 前提 (a statement or idea that forms the basis for a theory, argument, or line of reasoning) is that the music industry is in crisis. Can you tell us more about it?

B: Well, what has replaced physical product sales is illegal peer-to-peer file sharing across the internet. This means that the industry, which is decreasing in volume by about 15-20 percent a year, is on the way to oblivion. If cooperation from internet service providers (ISPs) on a worldwide basis is not forthcoming, the movie industry will follow suit.

A: Where do you place the blame primarily?

B: The blame lies very directly with the ISPs around the world who sell broadband subscriptions that are primarily used to illegally download content, whether it’s music, films, television programs, or books. We would like the ISPs to prevent the flow of illegal content through filtering, and also join us in a new business model where they would collect revenue on behalf of content owners and share that with record and film companies.

A: Why has it been so difficult to get these people on board for a shared arrangement?

B: Personally, I believe the ISP industry has been quite cynical. They have claimed that it is not possible to filter, which is not true. Several courts in Europe, including in Belgium and Denmark, have determined that this is not a good enough excuse. Sooner or later, the ISPs must take responsibility for this because the deluge 洪水 of illegal content is clogging up their pipes, and they are unable to deal with the vast amount of illegal material passing through their systems.

A: Baidu.com has been singled out by the music industry as one of the worst offenders. It’s the biggest Chinese search engine, listed on Nasdaq, and it’s been subject to being deliberately named. We couldn’t get Baidu to talk to us, but they issued a statement in which they say they believe in copyright protection. They have announced a series of partnerships with companies including EMl, Rock Music Group, and more than half of the domestic recording companies in China. They take intellectual property rights seriously, so they say they will continue to work to fight piracy on the internet. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

B: It sounds very good.

Interview 2 Cosmetic products

baby hormone

putting day after day toxic exposure

unfortunately cancer fatality pollution diseases.

• self-proclaimed make-up addict Stacy Malkman
• Mascara 染眉毛油
• Four-di’oxin 二噁英
• Toxin 毒素
• Urinary tract 尿束
• Irritation
• Hair relaxer 卷发矫直剂
• choking 呛住
• QIV skin whitening scream contains
• take sb’s word for it (that…) accept sth on sb’s authority.
• FDA (Food and Drug Administration) 食品及药物管理局
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) 环境保护局
• foundation 粉底霜
• 致癌物质 (Carcinogen)
• Hormone disrupting chemicals

Interviewer: It is estimated that on any given morning, the average person uses up to 20 cosmetic products before they leave the home. But is it possible that we are exposing ourselves to harmful chemicals that can affect our health? Author and self-proclaimed 自称的 make-up addict Stacy Malkan is challenging the cosmetics industry by releasing her book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry. And she joins us in our studio with more. Welcome!

[Stacy: Hello, thank you.] This is alarming because everybody, men and women, we use all kind of products. Let’s take a look at this list that we put together from your book, some of the problems that we will find. We’re talking lead in lipstick, some of the other things you have as phthalates in lotions (used on skin), neurotoxins in the mascara we use and coal tar in shampoo (for washing the hair). First of all, why is this in there and how bad is this?

Stacy Malkan: Well, many products, unfortunately, and we are talking about shampoos, deodorants, lotion, make-up, even baby shampoos, contain carcinogens, hormone-disrupting chemicals, chemicals that have never been tested for health effects. And we’re putting these chemicals on our bodies, in our hair, on our babies, day after day, and the toxic exposures are adding up.

Interviewer: OK, and what it will do in to us?

Stacy Malkan: Well, we see, unfortunately as we know, many increases in er, certain types of cancer, infertility 不孕不育, learning disabilities, there’s a lot of evidence showing that chemical pollutants are contributing to those increases in chronic diseases. So we think that it’s a good idea to reduce toxic exposures wherever we can, you know, starting with the products we are putting on our bodies.

Interviewer: OK, now let’s talk about some of the things that you brought. [S: Yeah.] Because, you
know, here’s the, that shampoo there [S: Yes.] that we probably all used at one time or another.

Stacy Malkan: Yes,we analyzed a dozen popular baby shampoos and children’s bubble baths and
found that all of them contained one, four-dioxin which is a probable human carcinogen according to the EPA, was not listed on the labels. Companies don’t have to tell us about contaminants or fragrance chemicals. So often toxins that aren’t on the label are in the products. This is a very cute product, you know, obviously meant to appeal to children, [I: Bubble bath, ah-ha.] has a warning label right on it that says prolonged exposure may cause urinary tract irritation. [I: Let me turn this around, yeah, I haven’t seen that before.] and actually many children’s products have that, [I: Really?] You don 't really want kids sitting in the tub for a long period of time with these chemicals.

Interviewer: OK, you know I’m looking at this choking hazard warning sign; I don 't think I would even notice there’s the other one. OK.

Stacy Malkan: And I found this, you know, at ground level, where a child will find it and grab it not let go of it.

Interviewer: OK, lipstick, we wear it every day!

Stacy Malkan: Well, lipstick, yes, we found 61% of lipsticks contain lead, including some high-end brands, this is a $24.2 tube of lipstick that definitely does not need to contain lead, [I: OK,and finally these products.] er, some of the more toxic products, very disturbingly, are targeted at women of color. We see skin whitening creams, this has hydroquinone, highly toxic, banned in Europe, legal, er, in the US. And then, here’s another example of a product hair relaxer, targeting children. You know, that’s a five-year-old on the cover.

Interviewer: Now I have to ask you have there been scientific studies to prove to us that these are harmful to us because, we are, were just going to take your word for this,but I’m sure there are some people who would say this is not true.

Stacy Malkan: Yeah,well, what we know is that some of these chemicals are unknown to cause cancer, health effects. You know, the companies will say it’s just a little bit of toxin [: Right.] in the baby shampoo. Yes, it’s true but we’re using these products every day and then the exposures are adding up.

Interviewer: Well, what about the FDA, what about the EPA? Isn’t somebody regulating this industry?

Stacy Malkan: Well, most people are surprised to find out “No." Companies can put any chemical nearly into personal care products, no safety testing, without telling us everything that’s on the label. So, this industry needs to be regulated. And that’s what we’ re working toward.

Interviewer: All right, raising awareness. OK, what can we do if we don’t want to use any of these. I
mean if you want to use the right stuff? What do you do?

Stacy Malkan: OK, simplify. Looking for, er, look at product labels, look for fewer chemicals, try to avoid synthetic fragrance, we also have a database where you can look up products called“Skin- deep free database" at safecosmetics.org. So, you know, there are tocsin 托克逊 resources for us to do our own research and until the industry is regulated, that’s what we have to do.

Interviewer: OK, I know you’ re wearing a little foundation, I don’t see your lipstick on it. Is that on purpose?

Stacy Malkan: Well, I do wear makeup, I love makeup. I believe all makeup can and should be safe.

Interviewer: OK, and you, we have some help now. So, if you’d like to know more about all of this, you can go to our website abc7chicago.com, click on “see it on TV” and the website you
mentioned will be there too. Thank you very much.

Stacy Malkan: Yes, safecosmetics.org.

Interviewer: And you were speaking of the Sunday event, which is also on our site.

Stacy Malkan: Yes, Sunday at the Green Festival, check out the Green Festival Sunday at noon.

Interviewer: OK, thank you so much for joining us today.

Stacy Malkan: Thank you.

Passage 1

And now a message from the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

The President: Good morning. This week, the Commerce Department reported that GDP grew at an annual rate of six-tenths of a percent in the first quarter. This rate of growth is not nearly as high as we would like. And after a record 52 months of uninterrupted job growth, April was the fourth month in a row in which our economy lost jobs, although the unemployment rate dropped to five percent.

My Administration has been clear and candid 坦率 on the state of the economy. We saw the economic slowdown coming, we were up front about these concerns with the American people, and we’ve been taking decisive action.

In February, I signed an economic growth package to put more than $150 billion back into the hands of millions of American families, workers, and businesses. This week, the main piece of that package began being implemented, as nearly 7.7 million Americans received their tax rebates 退税 electronically. Next week, the Treasury Department will begin mailing checks to millions more across the country. And by this summer, it expects to have sent rebates to more than 130 million American households. These rebates will deliver up to $600 per person, $1,200 per couple, and $300 per child.

This package will help American families increase their purchasing power and help offset the high prices that we’re seeing at the gas pump and the grocery store. It will also provide tax incentives for American businesses to invest in their companies, which will help create jobs. Most economic experts predict that the stimulus will have a positive effect on the economy in this quarter and even a greater impact in the next. And Americans should have confidence in the long-term outlook for our economy.

While getting more money back in the hands of Americans is a good start, there are several additional steps that Congress needs to take to ease the burdens of an uncertain economy. Americans are concerned about energy prices. To increase our domestic energy supply, Congress needs to allow environmentally safe energy exploration in northern Alaska, expand America’s refining capacity 精炼能力, and clear away obstacles to the use of clean, safe nuclear power.

Americans are concerned about rising food prices. Yet, despite this growing pressure on Americans’ pocketbooks, Congress is considering a massive farm bill. Instead, they should pass a fiscally responsible bill. Americans are concerned about making their mortgage payments and keeping their homes. Yet Congress has failed to pass legislation I have repeatedly requested to modernize the Federal Housing Administration that will help more families stay in their homes, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure they focus on their housing mission, and allow state housing agencies to issue tax free bonds to refinance sub-prime loans.

Americans are concerned about their tax bills. With all the other pressures on their finances, American families should not have to worry about the Federal government taking a bigger bite out of their paychecks.

So Congress should eliminate this uncertainty and make the tax relief we passed permanent. America is now facing a tough economic period, but our long-term outlook remains strong. This week we saw evidence that our economy is continuing to grow in the face of challenges. This should come as no surprise. No temporary setbacks can hold back the most powerful force in our economy - the ingenuity 聪明才智 of the American people. Because of your hard work and dedication, I am confident that we will weather this rough period and emerge stronger than ever. Thank you for listening.

Passage 2

Well, U.S. markets will open 90 minutes late on Wednesday as moments of silence are observed on Wall Street. Maggie takes a look at how the events of September 11th have changed New York City’s status as the financial capital of the world.

Reporter: Out of the ashes of the World Trade Center, new life is emerging in New York’s financial district. Images of rebuilding and return have replaced those of destruction. But it is far from business as usual on Wall Street. Of the companies affected by 9/11, 81% were financial firms, and some have decided not to come back.

“What they’re saying is and what they are saying privately to us is that they are not comfortable in this environment committing to a situation where it is as unstable as it is and the future of downtown is so undecided.”

Vacancy rates 空置率 downtown, which were about 8.7% before 9/11, are now running at 20%. For those that remained, security concerns have meant moving at least some of their business out. The New York Stock Exchange has set up a backup trading system at a secret location, rumored to be outside of the city. Financial giants like Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs have accelerated their move across the river to New Jersey. But while business continuity has caused the physical perimeter（物理周界） of Wall Street to expand, the spirit is still intact 完好无损的.

“The fact that New York City as a whole remains the financial center and the capital of the world in terms of business is unquestionable and we are at least as strong today and probably stronger than we were before.”

Whether that will continue is another question. Not only has the address of some of Wall Street’s players changed, but so has the origin.

“Let’s face it. For the first time, we have a number of foreign companies that don’t have any national allegiance 效忠于国家, let’s say, to New York or to the United States. We have Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse First Boston, UBS, all playing a much broader role in financial markets than they ever have before. Who’s to say that the growth in the next five to ten years won’t be in Brussels? Or in Singapore in the Far East?”

No one can say for sure. But traders contend 争论 the small money is on New York.

Passage 3

It’s that time of year when the British taxpayer learns about the increase in the cost of beer, cigarettes, petrol and other goods in the upcoming year. The Budget is an annual financial statement that reviews the taxation levels. It includes a statement of the government’s medium-term financial strategy and the short-term economic forecast.

The government uses taxes to control the economy and raise revenue 收入 to meet yearly expenditures（支出）. However, people are mainly interested in how tax and benefit changes will affect them. For example, if income tax 所得税 goes up, they will have less money, but parents may be happy because child benefit has risen.

The Chancellor 大臣 of the Exchequer 财政部, also known as the finance minister or simply “the chancellor,” prepares and delivers the Budget speech. Several traditions surround the speech, such as the chancellor rising to his feet in the House of Commons at 12:30 pm. Members of Parliament listen without interruption, and the chancellor may even drink alcohol during the speech, although water is now preferred.

The statement lasts about an hour, after which the leader of the opposition gets a chance to respond and criticize the government’s plans. Four days of general debate follow.

This year’s Budget is the first since Gordon Brown became prime minister, and Alistair Darling, his replacement at the Treasury, will give his first Budget speech as Chancellor.

News 1

Residents of several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and South Korea, are angry about surging fuel and food costs and are protesting against their governments. Protests have gained momentum/gained steam in the past month, with demonstrators blocking traffic and, in some cases, disrupting the flow of fuel and food supplies. Politicians in many of these countries are also struggling with inflation. Rising costs have forced governments throughout the region to reduce the subsidies they have long given on fuel.

Mark Thirlwell, program director for international economy at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Australia, says subsidy（补贴） cuts were bound to happen with oil prices holding over $130 a barrel. “Their initial reaction in many cases is to use subsidies to defray （付出、偿付） the impact of higher fuel prices, higher food prices,” Thirlwell explained. “As that situation has been sustained for longer and longer and as you’ve actually seen prices bid up higher and higher, the budgetary 预算的 burden has gotten greater in each case.”

The problem for many governments is that most of the inflation problem is global, not local. High worldwide demand, supply bottlenecks, and international monetary policy all help push up oil prices. Food prices are soaring because of tight supplies and rising demand.

That leaves governments with little room to maneuver（这使得政府几乎没有回旋的余地）, and in countries that have long subsidized 有补贴的 fuel or food for their citizens, budgets are being overburdened, forcing leaders to do such things as cut subsidies, raise taxes, or accept growing deficits 赤字.

In Malaysia, for example, government leaders recently raised fuel prices by 41 percent after being faced with a $17-billion-bill to underwrite fuel subsidies. In a country used to cheap subsidized gasoline, protests erupted quickly. In India, politicians are desperate to tame 驯服、减少 inflation–now at a seven-year high. If they fail, a voter backlash in next year’s national elections is likely.

Thirlwell says governments that cut subsidies, or are not fiscally strong enough to handle the burden of rising inflation, face the strongest protests and the strongest risks of political upheaval（动乱）. “On the one hand, it’s fiscal pressures which say, well, our ability to sort of defray（付出） or provide subsidies or ameliorate（缓和） these price increases is limited, on the other hand we know there is real political cost involved here if we let inflation get out of control because the voters will punish us for this,” Thirlwell said.

Robert Broadfoot of the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy in Hong Kong says several governments are making a number of mistakes in handling inflation and public concerns. “In India, you have elections coming up and members of the ruling coalition 联盟 don’t want anything that is going to cost them votes, which means don’t get rid of the subsidies,” he said. “So the politicians are making mistakes, and this is a time when the countries really can’t afford it.”

Broadfoot says the Indian government’s bill for fuel subsidies is expected to be almost $60 billion this year because the retail price remains far below the cost of oil. He says considering that citizens already have taken to the streets to protest recent price increases, the Indian government can expect more strife 纷争 if it is forced to slash subsidies again.

Soaring fuel and food costs also are taking a toll on developed economies such as Hong Kong, where groups are demanding that the government freeze prices or reduce taxes. In South Korea, truck drivers blocked roads to air their frustration over rising fuel prices and lower incomes.

Some countries are handling the problems better than others. Broadfoot says Indonesia should be applauded, despite recent protests over cuts to fuel subsidies.

"The current president is taking some hard decisions, like they’ve really reduced their subsidies on fuel, and yet he’s done it in a way that’s made it digestible for the population, " Broadfoot noted. “He’s giving poor Indonesian cash handouts, which make it a lot easier. So there have been protests but not of a scale that can bring the government down.”

Indonesia raised retail fuel prices by 30 percent last month.

Many people, including government leaders, hope that relief will soon be in sight. But Thirlwell, like many analysts, warns not to expect inflation to slow.

"'Over time, high prices will produce a supply response, and we’ll see some of the, the sting out of current prices come out, " Thirlwell said, “But, there is always a question mark as well if there is any disruption to supply, any questions on supply, then rather than a sort of a slight retreat in prices we actually have the potential for another big spike 大幅飙升.”

A number of Asian countries, including India and Indonesia, face elections in the coming year. How each government handles inflation will likely affect the next campaigns. Being popular with the public is usually a top priority for elected leaders. But many economists and political analysts warn such popularity can come at a higher price than some countries can afford.

News 2

The prices of crude oil 原油 have reached record levels, but the bad news, analysts say, is that they have not peaked yet.

John Mitchell, an energy analyst at the London research center Chatham House, tells VOA that prices will continue to rise unless there is a sharp drop in demand. He notes that the response to the high prices takes time to take effect, but people are already making changes, such as switching from big cars to small cars.

“I would certainly be very surprised if we saw prices anything like this high in one or two years’ time,” he said.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who is visiting London, also says there are no quick fixes and prices would keep rising. He met with Alistair Darling, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer 财政部, to discuss oil prices and other economic issues.

Darling said there is a need for a global response to the international nature of the problems faced by economies today, such as the credit crunch 信贷紧缩 affecting every country in the world, the huge threat posed by very high oil prices and the inflationary 通货膨胀的 effect that can have, and rising food prices.

Chatham House’s Mitchell says that while the high prices are causing difficulties in rich countries, they are wreaking havoc（在发展中国家却造成了破坏，浩劫） in developing nations. He predicts trouble, riots, protests, and great political difficulties for the importing countries.

The plain facts of supply and demand are widely blamed for the rising prices. However, some reports are also blaming market speculators（市场投机者） for driving prices higher, as well as growing tension in the Middle East, especially the continuing speculation 猜测 that Israel might attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Unit 5 War and Conflicts

Interview 1

O’Reilly: Our military analysts, I think, are the best in the business here at FOX. And they think that this is now Vietnam in the sense that it’s a war of attrition 消耗战 gradual wearing down through prolonged attack or pressure. That the al-Qaida and the Sunni fanatics 狂热分子 have said, “We’re going to wear the United States of American down. OK. We’re going to bomb them down." Just like Ho Chi Minh did in Vietnam. And sooner or later, probably sooner, the American public’s going to turn on the action and demand they pull out 撤出. The American public is now against the war, according to the polls. Is the war of attrition being won by the terrorists and the Sunnis?

Rice: Well, I don’t see this as a war of attrition. And I think the Vietnam analogy is really faulty. You don’t have, for instance, a big conventional army 常规军队 on the other side of the line as you did with the North Vietnamese army with lots of outside help from China and Russia, the Soviet Union and others. And you certainly don’t have a, quote, “resistance movement" that could be thought of as at least as popular. This is not a popular movement by any stretch of the imagination 无论从哪个角度看. And that’s why it will not take hold in Iraq. And it will eventually die.

O’Reilly: But it’s been a successful movement in the sense that most Americans are now against the Iraq war. They don’t feel it’s going well.

Rice: I also see an American public that says, “We shouldn’t leave until the job is done." They don’t want to prematurely…

O’Reilly: No, they don’t want to cut and run.

Rice: No. Because…

O’Reilly: They just think we’re not doing well there.

Rice: But I think the reason it’s hard for people to see that we’re doing well is it’s a lot easier to see the violence every day. And there was horrible violence today again.

O’Reilly: Is it press driven 媒体推动, then?

Rice: Well, it is easier to put a picture on television of a suicide bomb than to show the kind of process that’s going on of where people are registering to vote and people are alive…

O’Reilly: But most of the press, and we talked about this earlier, in the first segment, most of the press on TV is anti the Iraq action. You see, you have an administration that is up against a tremendous press juggernaut 巨头 that doesn’t like you.

Rice: Well, it’s also hard…

O’Reilly: You know that.

Rice: Well, quite apart from what the press may or may not like, there is also the problem that the press reports on a daily basis headlines every day - when in fact this is a somewhat longer term process in Iraq. And where the political process has been moving just inexorably 无情地 along. That’s harder to see, that’s harder to report on. But you know, there are times when people see it. When 8.5 million Iraqis went out and voted…

O’Reilly: Yeah, that was big.

Rice: People knew that we were in Iraq for the right reasons.

O’Reilly: Yeah, but the truth of the matter is, that our correspondents 通讯员 here at FOX News can’t go out for a cup of coffee in Baghdad.

Rice: No. But the people.

O’Reilly: That’s tough - that’s tough!

Rice: No, it’s tough. But would they have wanted to go out for a cup of coffee in Baghdad when Saddam Hussein 萨达姆-侯赛因 was in power? I don’t think so.

O’Reilly: No, no. But…

Rice: So it takes time.

O’Reilly: But after three years you expect a little security in the country.

Rice: No, it takes but there is security in 13-13 of the 16 provinces in that country are relatively stable. We just turned over, in Najaf in the south, control of that holy city to the Iraqi forces. You can go to most of that country, and it’s fine. There is a part of the country, and unfortunately Baghdad, the capital.

O’Reilly: Yeah, Baghdad’s the big one.

Rice: … a part of it, where there is a persistent terrorist insurgent 叛乱分子 presence that is going to have to be rooted out. But Iraqi forces are getting better; they’ re doing a lot of the fighting themselves.

O’Reilly: I hope so. All right. Iran. Now, this is America’s biggest enemy, next to North Korea, I think, in the world. Would I be wrong in saying that?

Rice: Well, Iran is certainly a state, today…

O’Reilly: They’re our enemies.

Rice: Yeah, I would say this is a state that is 180 degrees from the interests of the United States. That’s right.

O’Reilly: They’re helping the terrorists. They’re infiltrating 渗透 them into Iraq. They’re harboring 港口->窝藏 al-Qaida.

Rice: They do very little for their own people, in terms of human rights and democracy.

O’Reilly: They’re developing nuclear activity where they could hand it off to al-Qaida if they wanted, or they could sell it to rogue 流氓 states. And they re basically saying to you, the secretary of State, to the president, to the world, we don’t care. They don’t believe you have the military capability to hurt them, because you re bogged down 越陷越深 in Iraq. And it looks to me like this is just going to happen, that we re going to have to deal with these people. Do you see it the same way?

Rice: Iran is a state that is moving in the wrong direction. I would say 180 degrees in the wrong direction. But on one border they have now an Afghanistan that is a democratic state, an ally of the United States in the war on terror, a military ally of the United States. On the other hand, they have a not yet-finished project in Iraq, but one that, when it is, will be a non-theocratic 非神权的, Shi’a-majority 什叶派占主导的 state that is the center, now, of a non-theocratic Islamic-related democracy.

Interview 2

Laws of war vs international human rights.

Geneva Conventions.

The don’ts

• Fire on ambulances
• Shoot on non-combatants
• Torture prisoners

The dos

• allow prisoners to communicate with their families
• allow red cross to visit a prisoner
• Spare civilians.

House-and-garden common rules

Emblems of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent)

The Red Cross, Red Crescent, and the Red Crystal.

Terry Gross, host: This is Fresh Air, I’m Terry Gross. Journalist Michael Ignatieff spent a year traveling to the sites of volatile regional wars. He wanted to learn how war is changing, and what that means for the safety of relief workers. In a recent New Yorker article called “Unarmed Warriors," he wrote about the International Committee of the Red Cross, the new risks its unarmed members face in war zones, and the new controversies surrounding the group’s position of neutrality. I asked him why he wanted to write about the Red Cross.

Michael Ignatieff: … As a group I was very drawn to them because I thought they could take me into the whole world of what involves people in that kind of humanitarian relief work. From being interested in the Red Cross, I then became interested in the laws of war and came to see that the laws of war are a very different moral tradition than, say, the human rights tradition. And I began to see that there are two traditions at work out there in the humanitarian movement: One of them is international human rights, which most Americans can identify with, and then there’s this very different tradition called the laws of war tradition, which is basically trying to make sure that if people are going to fight, conduct the fighting according to certain rules… and that’s what the Red Cross is trying to do.

Terry Gross: The international committee of the Red Cross is trying to disseminate information about the Geneva Conventions, about the International Laws of War. What are they trying to do? How are they trying to educate people who are fighting, about these codes?

Michael Ignatieff: Well, I think first of all we need to back up a little and just understand what the codes are. They’re these things called the Geneva Conventions, which were ratified by hundreds of countries and the basic document dates to 1864 and then it was revised in 1949. They’re a bunch of rules that are quite simple … they simply say,“Don’t fire on ambulances, don’t shoot on non-combatants, don’t torture prisoners, allow prisoners to communicate with their families, allow the Red Cross to visit you if you’re a prisoner of war, spare civilians…" I mean, they re very house-and-garden common rules, and in lots of combat situations they function more or less adequately. In the Gulf War, for example, when a hundred thousand Iraqi prisoners were taken, the United States subscribed to the Geneva Conventions, released them according to those conventions. That’s… So it’s a system that … it’s easy to laugh at … people say, you know,“You can’t wage a war that’s civilized." Well, in fact, the Geneva Conventions have done a lot to civilize certain aspects of war, and so they have a lot of legitimacy… I think something very interesting is going on there… an attempt to say, “The standards of decency 正派 that ought to prevail 占上风 in the world are not white, western European values; they’re human universals, and if you look deeply enough into your own traditions of warrior culture, you will find them." And that’s what the Red Cross is trying to do … they’re just beginning that work, but they’re putting out comic books that tell the story, they’ re running radio soap operas to tell the story. They re not just sitting there reading out the Geneva Conventions; they’re trying to translate them into new languages, and it’s one of the most interesting bits of work that’s going on.

Terry Gross: Yes, it tends to work.

Michael Ignatieff: . Yes, I think what I’m trying to get at here is that… it’s a sort of counterintuitive thought. One of the oldest moral traditions, that all human societies have, is the warrior tradition. The tradition of warriors’ honor. The idea that a warrior has a very dangerous and therefore sacred responsibility; that is, his job is to protect the community and to engage in the infliction 加害 of death. Because that’s a very dangerous and a very serious task, men have to be trained for it, and they’re trained not to simply unleash their aggression 侵略, but to control it and discipline it, and you know, and use it for the benefit of the community. And those traditions then mean that there are certain people you can kill and there are certain people it’s wrong to kill. There’s certain ways of waging war that are honorable, and certain ways of waging war that are dishonorable. Most modern military… most modern military forces attempt in some way or the other to subscribe to those very ancient codes; and I think we forget … partly because war has become so awful and so horrible and so devastating, we’ve come to equate war with pure barbarism and pure savagery. It seems to us to be a zone where morality cannot prevail at all. And so it’s a rather counterintuitive thought that in fact the warrior’s honor is one of the oldest moral traditions in the world, and the Red Cross is trying in a way to simply institutionalize that culture… remind people that in their own cultures they can find elements of the warrior’s honor which should restrain their people.

Passage 2 Killing in Jerusalem

Mercaz Harav Yeshiva, a religious seminary in Jerusalem.

Jerusalemite 耶路撒冷

There was grief in Jerusalem on Friday as thousands of Israelis converged 汇聚 on the Mercaz Harav yeshiva to mourn the victims of Thursday night’s terror attack. Funerals for the victims took place at cemeteries 公墓 across the city.

The attack was the worst to occur in Israel in two years and shocked many Jerusalemites who have grown accustomed to relaxed security measures in recent years as terrorist attacks have greatly diminished 减少.

While there was grief there was also anger at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva. The yeshiva is a stronghold 堡垒 of the Jewish settler movement and many settler leaders have studied there. Reuben, a former student, who did not wish to give his last name, expressed the feelings of many who came there to mourn on Friday.

“It is about time that we stopped messing around and fooling around with our country," said Reuben. “We are here in the Middle East, full of terrorists who have sworn since we came here, rightfully to our land, they swore to kill us. And this is no time to play around or have any dialogue. If they want to kill us, we should kill them.’

Others in the crowd like Mandel Nadler said they appreciated the outpouring 涌流 of support for Israel in the wake of the attack -especially from the United States.

“We appreciate the United States support for Israel’s fight against terrorism," said Nadler.“This is a world problem, it is a religious problem and social problem. We very much appreciate the United States’ and its citizens’ support for those of us here who are trying to fight against terrorism and make the world safe for all normal people.""

Police identified the gunmen as a 25-year-old Palestinian man, Ala Abu Dheim, who lived in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber. Police say he worked as a driver. Family members say he did not belong to any Palestinian militant group. They say he was quiet and religious, but had become increasingly agitated in recent days over the deaths of more than 120 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip 加沙地带 by Israeli forces in their operations against Palestinian militants firing rockets at southern Israel.

Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld says a car used by the gunmen was found near the yeshiva. He says the focus of the police investigation now is how the gunman managed to obtain a Kalashnikov rifle and a large number of ammunition 弹药 clips.

“We are continuing the investigation looking for the possibility if he might have received specific orders to carry out the attack in terms of equipment," said Rosenfeld. “to arrive in Jerusalem with an AK-47, Kalashnikov rifle, with over eight clips, and that is something that has to be coordinated obviously with other individuals.’

Senior Israeli government officials said Friday they have no plans to suspend negotiations with the moderate Palestinian government of President Mahmoud Abbas who has condemned the attack.

However they say the attack shows that Mr. Abbas must do more to control Palestinian militancy in the West Bank, saying that the gunmen who carried out Thursday night’s attack could not have done so without some sort of help from Palestinians in the West Bank.

Passage 3 A Veteran Mother’s Memories

Marine Corps: 海军陆战队。

Reach out for: hold.

counterpart.

be processed out of.

As a mom, I needed to hear their voices. I needed to know that everything at home was OK. So, it wasn’t a distraction for me. Now, some of my male counterparts 同行 felt that it was a little bit of a distraction. I think that’s when the gender thing comes in. We handle things a little differently. The men knew that their wives at home were taking care of things. They weren’t worried about it. Me, on the other hand, I was really concerned. So, I needed to call home or email and hear something back from them to let me know that they’re OK. That way I could focus on what I had to do for the Marine Corps.

Because as a single parent, they gave me the option to either go or not to go. If I went, of course I had to have someone to watch him. If I did not go, I had to face the choice of being processed out of the Marine Corps. Very hard decision for me at the time, so I called my mother so she could help me out a little bit. And her words were basically, “Did you sign the paper? Did you sign the contract, Tomika?" I said,“Yes, ma’am," and she said, “ Well, you know what you have to do then."

He was so big. And I looked at him, I’m thinking,“Wow, Maxine, what have you been feeding my son?" … you know? He was so big, and he looked so good. I wanted to hold him, but I didn’t want to just push myself on him because he was so young, and he probably didn’t really remember who I was anyway. Even though four months to me is a short time, but for a baby, I’m sure it was a pretty long time not to be with your mom. So, I reached out for him, he was in her arms, and he kind of looked at me like, “God, I think I know this lady," but he didn’t come to me immediately. He held onto Maxine. And I understood. I really did. (gets emotional) Wow! Whew! And um… it really kind of hurt… but um… but I understood. And um… I let her hold him, and I just looked at him and I told him that I love him… and that’s pretty much how it was coming home… really happy but kind of bittersweet because, you know, you want your baby to know you you know, you know, to reach out for you. And it kind of didn’t happen that way, but I understood.

News 1

Although there is no formal cease -fire in Gaza, the reduction in attacks from both sides indicates that Israel and Hamas are holding back as Egypt attempts to mediate an end to the violence. The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has inflamed public anger in the Arab world, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas briefly called off talks with Israel over the issue. Israelis are angered over rocket attacks from Gaza as well as last week’s killing of eight Israelis in a Jewish seminary.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki says Egypt has been warning the Gaza crisis risks undermining the entire peace process. “Of course, if you have a situation like the one that you have in Gaza, it is a great disturbance to any peace effort that is serious and that is credible," he said. “Stabilizing the situation with Gaza will tremendously benefit the focus that we should all be putting on the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians and helping both parties to go forward in trying to reach a deal."

It is not just Gaza that has strained the peace process in recent months, and there are signs that Arab governments may retreat from the Arab peace initiative re-launched last year, which promises Israel normal relations with all Arab states in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from all land captured in the 1967 Arab- Israeli war.

Egyptian newspaper columnist Fahmy Howeidy says a particularly sensitive issue is the continued building of West Bank settlements, a practice the U.S.-mediated Annapolis accord signed in November was supposed to forbid.

“Even after the Annapolis conference, they promised they would not have more settlements, but later on, 48 hours [after] they came home from the United States, the orders came out to continue building settlements," he said.

This week, the Israeli government approved construction of 750 new homes in a settlement east of Jerusalem, a move the United Nations has condemned. Israel says the Annapolis agreement does not prohibit it from building new homes in existing settlements, and does not include East Jerusalem.

Hesham Youssef, a senior aide to Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, says some Arab governments feel they have taken more political risks in pursuing peace than the Israeli government has. “We are not reconsidering the Arab peace initiative," he said. “The message is that the Arab peace initiative cannot remain on the table forever without a positive response coming from the other side." Youssef acknowledges there have been growing calls to reconsider, not just the Arab peace initiative, but the very idea of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian states side-by-side.

“There are a number of people now, so far in an informal way, talking about the failure of all the efforts leading to a two-state solution,” he added.“And there are those arguing that maybe people should start reconsidering this approach and thinking more in the context of a one-state solution with people having equal rights and responsibilities.”

One of those people is Hassan Nafaa, an Egyptian political scientist now heading a think tank 智囊团 in Jordan. In a recent column in Egypt’s flagship state-run newspaper, he argued that the Palestinian state as currently envisioned would be “crippled at birth" and incapable of guaranteeing Palestinians their rights.

“I myself wrote an article, a recent article in al-Ahram newspaper that there is no room for two-state solutions and I think this is echoed in all quarters of the Arab world, because the Israelis are continuing to build their settlements," he explained. “There is not really any, almost any, possible land for a Palestinian state left. So where you will build a Palestinian state?"

But the Arab League’s Youssef says it is not just pundits and commentators who worry about the future of the two-state solution.

“It is an issue that is being discussed in diplomatic circles as well, but it has not been adopted by anyone as an official position so far, he noted.“But with the continuation of the failure of the peace efforts, people will be thinking about all kinds of ideas. And we hope that we will be able to achieve peace on the basis of international legitimacy, on the basis of international law, on the basis of UN resolutions, rather than start opening a Pandora’s box that would lead to all kinds of difficulties to all sides."

A generation ago, there was little talk of a two-state solution. Until the Oslo accords were signed in 1993, the Palestinian leadership had formally refused to accept the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, and most Arab governments took the same stance, with the exception of Egypt and later Jordan. Many analysts view the failure of the Israelis to halt settlement construction as a lost opportunity for the peace process in the region. Abdullah EI-Ashaal is a former advisor to the Egyptian foreign minister who now teaches international law and political science at several universities in Cairo.

“Israel is losing because the Arab world was accepting Israel in the area," he explained.“The Arab peoples were about to accept Israel, but now they do not know. They are accepting what? They are accepting someone who is killing every day? The two-state solution? OK, all the Arab world welcomed the two-state solution and they wanted to see any concretization 具体化 of this plan, but nothing has been taking place."

The Arab League’s Deputy Secretary-General for Palestinian Affairs, Mohammed Sobeih, said Arab heads of state will be considering their continued support for the Arab peace initiative when they meet in . Damascus at the end of the month.

News 2

belligerent 好战

communal 社区

Unit 6 Politics

Listening Strategies

Claustrophobia 幽闭恐惧症

Anorexia nervosa 厌食症

Schizophrenia 幻听症

Passage 1 Gorden Brown’s visit of India

• bail out 纾困
• empowerment 赋权
• deploy 部署
• forge 打造
• dire 严峻的
• governance 治理
• dog 緊跟
• ideologue 思想家

Gordon Brown has arrived in India for a two-day visit, pledging to forge stronger trade links and cooperate against terrorism. But the fate of Northern Rock continues to dominate his tour. The Prime Minister denied he’s already struck a deal with Sir Richard Branson. Our political editor Gary Gibbon reports from Delhi.

Well Gordon Brown’s here in India to talk about aid, trade and counter-terrorism. He attended a women’s empowerment event when he arrived here in Delhi. And a short while after that, he had this to say about how he wanted more international cooperation on counter-terrorism.

“What I would like to see is greater contact between our two countries in winning the battle of hearts and minds,isolating extremist ideologues who are trying to poison young people and the views that they have.”

Tomorrow Gordon Brown’s gonna be talking about what he calls global governance, changes to institutions like United Nations. He wants India to have a seat on the Security Council. But he wants a lot else as well. He’s talking about a sort of force, a bit like the Blue Berets, the military forces that the United Nations currently deployed to troubled countries. He wants a backup as it were a blue suit force which could include teachers, judges, doctors, people who can come in when a country is in dire difficulty. But there is another issue that is dogging him around here and it is in a way personified by the ever-present, Sir Richard Branson, boss of Virgin. He’s been following the Prime Minister on his tour and insisting at every turn that there are no secret negotiations going on between the two of them when it comes to the sale of Northern Rock. This is what the Prime Minister himself had to say about that today.

“I can reassure people entirely that any negotiations about Northern Rock will be taking place in London. If a number of commercial companies are expressing interest in the future of Northern Rock, then it is right that the government explore all options available to us.”

But as l said the Prime Minister is gonna be talking about the United Nations and other matters tomorrow when he’s here in Delhi but his heart and mind are gonna be very much back in London where the Chancellor will be making a very important statement about Northern Rock. The Prime Minister wants people to think that he’s no longer on the back foot on Northern Rock, he’s taken a grip of the situation and that he is not bailing out whoever buys Northern Rock. Will it look like that? Will it sound like that? will people think that the government is actually making a sweetener for Richard Branson or whoever buys Northern Rock? That will be the key moment tomorrow. Gordon Brown will be watching from a distance here in Delhi.

Passage 3 Israel’s celebration of its 60th anniversary of Independence

Showcase

Pre-eminently: more important/powerful than any others

Hamas

Grumble: complain.

We shall now see 60 soldiers, each holding a banner 旗帜 signifying 60 years of our state.

Military preparedness guaranteed Israel’s survival 60 years ago—something Israelis have never forgotten.

Celebrations this year showcased the country’s military might 威力, a reminder to Israelis, if one was needed, that their country should remain the pre-eminent military power in the Middle East—-in the face of threats from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and other enemies of the Jewish state.

The cost of the celebrations—budgeted at $28 million-—-has many Israelis grumbling: complaining.

Ron Avni, an earthquake expert at Ben Gurion University in the southern city of Beersheba, organized a petition 请愿书 drive against the festivities. Avni says the money could have been better spent.

“First let them find a budget for all the things that the country needs," said Avni."Money should not be wasted on the festivities whose primary purpose is to give a stage to 提供舞台 the politicians.”

Israelis are also preoccupied（翻译为困扰） this Independence Day by allegations 指控 of political corruption surrounding Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Police have begun a new investigation into the Prime Minister’s ties to an American businessman linked to past questionable campaign contributions 竞选捐款 in Israel.

The director of a leading conference center in Jerusalem, Uri Dromi, says Israelis are used to questions about their Prime Minister, but the latest allegations come at a bad time.

“This series of scandals really bothers Israelis. Especially on Independence Day when really you want to focus on the celebrations, festivities and achievements, and all people do is look at the Internet and try and get from sources what is going on with this recent scandal."

Many Israelis fear that Mr. Olmert’s negotiations with the Palestinians could be put on hold 被搁置, suspended if his government loses support because of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Palestinians marked Israel’s Independence Day with observances to commemorate 纪念 what they describe as the al-Naqba, or the catastrophe- -their description of the loss of their homes after 700,000 Palestinians fled the fighting in 1948.

Speaking at one such observance, moderate Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad said current Israeli-Palestinian talks were full of problems, but that was all the more reason for 更加说明了 Palestinians to never give up the effort for a state of their own.

Supplementary 1 – World Must Stop the Use of Chemical Weapons

Chemical weapons are used on civilians. (against the Geneva Convention)

The monster refers to the Assad regime (政权).

Starve and Surrender Campaign.

The priority should be to help the starving and the injured who had been left behind. The monster should be held to account. (take responsibilities)

Chemical weapons are one used on Syrian people. A monster targeted Syrian people.

The United State will response.

Emotional Intelligence


Try not to be subjective. Don’t blame on others or situations.

1. label own feelings. “I feel angry” instead of “This is a ridiculous situation”
2. Take more responsibilities. “I feel jealous”

Help us make decisions.

Respect the feelings of others. How would this person feel. Show that we care. Empathy and understanding.

Energy. Turn anger into energy. Productive energy.

Positive value from emotion.

Don’t criticize, advise, control or lecture. Just listen with empathy, and in a non judgmental way.

Debate

As the pro side, I strongly believe that people should be promoted for their strong professional ability rather than for degrees. Here are a few reasons why:

Firstly, having a degree doesn’t necessarily equate to having strong professional ability. Degrees are simply pieces of paper that indicate that someone has completed a certain course of study. However, there are many cases where people with degrees are unable to perform well in their jobs, while others without degrees excel in their fields. Promoting based on degrees alone can lead to hiring people who may not be qualified for the job.

Secondly, promoting people based on their professional ability is more equitable. Not everyone has the opportunity to pursue higher education, whether it’s due to financial constraints or other reasons. Focusing on professional ability rather than degrees ensures that people are rewarded based on their skills and hard work rather than their access to education.

Thirdly, the job market is constantly evolving, and it’s essential for companies to hire and promote employees who are able to adapt and learn new skills quickly. A degree may be an indicator of someone’s ability to learn and complete a course of study, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will be able to adapt to new technologies or ways of working. Promoting based on professional ability ensures that companies are hiring employees who are able to meet the demands of a changing job market.

On the con side, it can be argued that degrees are a useful way to measure someone’s level of education and knowledge in a particular field. They can also serve as a signal to potential employers that a candidate is dedicated and hardworking. Additionally, some professions require certain degrees or certifications in order to practice, such as medicine or law.

However, it’s important to recognize that degrees aren’t the only way to gain knowledge and skills. There are many opportunities for people to learn outside of formal education, such as through online courses, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. By promoting based on professional ability rather than degrees, companies can ensure that they are hiring the best candidates for the job, regardless of their educational background.

In conclusion, while degrees can be a useful indicator of knowledge and dedication, promoting based on professional ability is a more equitable and practical approach. By focusing on an individual’s skills and ability to adapt to new challenges, companies can ensure that they are hiring and promoting the best candidates for the job, regardless of their educational background.

Delivering a lecture can be a challenging task, even for experienced speakers. To ensure that your presentation is effective and engaging, it is important to avoid common pitfalls that can detract from your message. Here are some pitfalls to avoid while delivering a lecture:

1. Being unprepared: Lack of preparation can make a lecture seem disjointed, confusing, and unprofessional. It is important to plan your lecture carefully, rehearse it, and make sure that you have all the necessary materials and equipment.
2. Speaking too quickly: Speaking too quickly can make it difficult for your audience to follow your message. It is important to speak clearly and at a reasonable pace, pausing periodically to allow your audience to absorb what you are saying.
3. Using jargon or technical language: Using too much jargon or technical language can alienate your audience and make them feel confused or intimidated. Try to use language that is accessible and understandable to a wide range of people.
4. Not engaging your audience: Lectures can be dry and boring if the speaker does not engage the audience. Try to involve your audience in your presentation, by asking questions, soliciting feedback, or using interactive activities.
5. Not staying within the time limit: Going over time can frustrate your audience and disrupt the schedule for the rest of the event. Make sure to plan your lecture carefully and stick to your allotted time.
6. Reading from notes: Reading from notes can make you seem unprepared or unengaged with your audience. Try to speak from memory or use slides or other visual aids to help you remember your points.
7. Failing to tailor your message to your audience: Different audiences have different interests and knowledge levels. It is important to tailor your message to your audience, using examples and language that will resonate with them.
8. Using too many slides: Using too many slides can overwhelm your audience and distract from your message. Try to use slides sparingly and only when they are necessary to illustrate a point.
9. Not practicing your delivery: Practicing your delivery can help you identify and correct any issues with your presentation. Make sure to practice your lecture multiple times before delivering it to a live audience.
10. Ignoring nonverbal cues: Nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language, can provide valuable feedback on how your audience is receiving your message. Pay attention to these cues and adjust your delivery accordingly.

Aristotle’s ethical theory

Objective: To learn to understand academic speaking. i.e. how to introduce and explain concepts.

As an AI language model, I do not have personal beliefs, biases, or preferences. However, I can present arguments for both sides of the debate.

Pro Side: Girls Can Be as Smart as Boys

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that girls are less intelligent than boys. Intelligence is not determined by gender but is rather a result of a combination of factors, including genetics, environment, and education. Studies have shown that girls and boys have similar cognitive abilities, and there are many examples of female scientists, scholars, and leaders who have made significant contributions to society.

Furthermore, gender stereotypes and social biases can negatively impact girls’ academic performance and limit their opportunities for success. By treating girls and boys equally and providing them with the same educational resources and opportunities, we can ensure that both genders can achieve their full potential and excel in their respective fields.

Con Side: Girls Cannot Be as Smart as Boys

Research has suggested that, on average, men score higher than women in certain cognitive abilities, such as spatial reasoning and mathematics. These differences may be due to biological factors, including hormonal differences and brain structure. Additionally, girls and boys may have different learning styles and preferences, which can impact their academic performance.

Furthermore, historical and cultural factors have contributed to gender-based inequalities in education and the workforce. Although progress has been made to address these issues, there is still a gender gap in certain fields and industries, which may suggest that men are naturally more suited for these roles.

Overall, while there may be some cognitive differences between girls and boys, it is important to recognize that individuals vary greatly in their abilities and potential. By providing equal opportunities and support, both girls and boys can reach their full potential and contribute to society in meaningful ways.

Gone with the Wind 1

1. Why did Scarlett O’Hara come to the Twelve Oaks Plantation?

2. What was the first thing that Scarlett did when she entered the Wilkes’ house? Why?

3. Could you describe the character Ashley?

4. Could you describe the character Scarlett?

5. What did Rhett Butler think of the coming war?

6. Scarlett O’Hara came to the Twelve Oaks Plantation to attend a barbecue party hosted by the Wilkes family.

7. The first thing Scarlett did when she entered the Wilkes’ house was to look for Ashley, whom she was obsessed with and hoped to see again.

8. Ashley is described as a quiet, thoughtful, and somewhat melancholy young man with a love for literature and a sense of duty to his family and the Southern way of life. He has blonde hair and a dreamy, remote expression in his eyes.

9. Scarlett is described as a headstrong, vain, and manipulative young woman who is determined to get what she wants and is not afraid to use her charm and wit to achieve her goals.

10. Rhett Butler believes that the war is inevitable and that the South will ultimately lose. He is critical of the Southern aristocracy and their romanticized view of war.

Gone with the Wind 2

1. Where did Scarlett tell Ashley her secret?

2. Did Ashley love Scarlett? How do you know it?

3. Why did Ashley refuse to marry Scarlett?

4. Who witnessed Scarlett and Ashley’s talk?

5. Who did Scarlett agree to marry?

6. Scarlett told Ashley her secret at the lumber mill.

7. Ashley loved Scarlett but not in the way she wanted. He loved her like a sister or a friend, not romantically. This is implied by his actions and words throughout the chapter.

8. Ashley refused to marry Scarlett because he did not love her romantically, and he was already engaged to Melanie. He also felt that Scarlett was not suitable for the kind of life he wanted to live.

9. Rhett witnessed Scarlett and Ashley’s talk.

10. Scarlett agreed to marry Charles Hamilton, Melanie’s brother.

Gone with the Wind 3

1. What happened to Charles Hamilton and at the same time what did Scarlett discover about herself?

2. Did Scarlett love her baby son?

3. Why did Scarlett seem angry and unhappy most of the time?

4. Who invited Scarlett to leave for Atlanta?

5. Why did Scarlett become happy at last?

6. Charles Hamilton died in the war, leaving Scarlett a widow. At the same time, Scarlett discovered that she was not the fragile, helpless woman she thought she was and was actually strong and resourceful.

7. Scarlett did not love her baby son, Wade, as she was more concerned about her own desires and ambitions.

8. Scarlett was angry and unhappy most of the time because she felt trapped in her circumstances and unable to pursue her desired lifestyle. She also struggled with her feelings for Ashley and her own selfish desires.

9. Rhett Butler invited Scarlett to leave for Atlanta as he saw potential in her to become a successful businesswoman and saw an opportunity for his own profit.

10. Scarlett became happy at last when she realized that she could achieve success and wealth through her own efforts and hard work. She also began to see Rhett in a new light and considered the possibility of a future with him.

Gone with the Wind 4

1. What did Scarlett do first when she reached the party?

2. Who invited Scarlett to dance? Did Scarlett agree?

3. Who stopped Aunt Pittypat from telling Scarlett’s parents her behavior at the party?

4. Scarlett was secretly reading Ashley’s letter to his wife Melanie. What did Scarlett find in the letter that Ashley wrote to his wife?

5. What did Rhett Butler do those days?

6. Scarlett tried to find Ashley Wilkes as soon as she reached the party.

7. Rhett Butler invited Scarlett to dance, and Scarlett agree with pleasure.

8. Rhett Butler stopped Aunt Pittypat from telling Scarlett’s parents about her behavior at the party.

9. In Ashley’s letter to Melanie, Scarlett found that he loved her but had chosen to marry Melanie because she shared his values and beliefs.

10. Rhett Butler spent those days gambling, drinking, and attending social events in Atlanta.

Gone with the Wind 5

Please answer the following questions related to Chapter 8 of Gone with the Wind .

1. How was the war going on near the town of Gettysburg?

2. How did the two girls feel when they found that Ashley was not on the dead list?

3. Why did Scarlett want to scream and cry when she read the list?

4. How had Ashley changed when he came home for Christmas?

5. What did Ashley ask Scarlett to do on his leaving?

6. The war near the town of Gettysburg was going badly for the Confederacy. The Union army had gained the upper hand, and the Confederate forces were retreating.

7. Scarlett and Melanie feel relieved and grateful when they find out that Ashley is not on the dead list. The news that Ashley is still alive brings them a glimmer of hope.

8. Scarlett wants to scream and cry when she reads the list of the dead and wounded because she sees the names of many of her acquaintances and neighbors from Atlanta, including men she had flirted with or hoped to marry.

9. When Ashley comes home for Christmas, he has changed in several ways. He is more conservative and serious than he used to be. He is also more critical of Scarlett’s behavior and values, which causes tension between them.

10. Before leaving for war again, Ashley asks Scarlett to look after Melanie and take care of their family.

Debates

As the pro side, I argue that the government should levy higher taxes on high-profit enterprises. These companies make significant profits, and they have the capacity to contribute more to the society they operate in. Higher taxes would allow the government to fund essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Firstly, it is essential to note that high-profit enterprises benefit from a range of resources provided by the government. These resources include public infrastructure, an educated workforce, and a stable economic environment. Therefore, it is only fair that these companies contribute their fair share to the government that provides them with these resources.

Secondly, high-profit enterprises often have the financial resources to engage in aggressive tax planning strategies, which enable them to pay lower taxes than their fair share. By levying higher taxes, the government can prevent these companies from taking advantage of tax loopholes and ensure that they pay their fair share of taxes.

Finally, higher taxes on high-profit enterprises would promote income equality. In recent years, income inequality has been a growing concern in many countries. High-profit enterprises are among the most significant contributors to this inequality. By levying higher taxes, the government can redistribute wealth and ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes.

On the other hand, as the con side, I argue that the government should not levy higher taxes on high-profit enterprises. These companies create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and drive innovation. Higher taxes would reduce their capacity to invest in their business, and this could lead to lower profits and job losses.

Firstly, high-profit enterprises create jobs, which contribute to the overall economic growth of the country. If the government levies higher taxes on these companies, they may have to reduce their workforce or reduce the investment they make in their businesses. This could lead to job losses, reduced economic growth, and potentially, recession.

Secondly, high-profit enterprises drive innovation. They invest heavily in research and development to create new products and services that benefit society. Higher taxes could reduce their capacity to invest in innovation, leading to slower economic growth and reduced competitiveness.

Finally, high-profit enterprises already contribute significantly to the government through taxes, both directly and indirectly. They pay corporate taxes, sales taxes, and employee taxes. Levying higher taxes on these companies could reduce their overall capacity to contribute to the government and society.

In conclusion, while the government may have a case to levy higher taxes on high-profit enterprises, it is also essential to consider the potential negative impact on economic growth, job creation, and innovation. A balanced approach that considers both the benefits and costs is necessary to ensure that the government can fund essential services while also promoting economic growth and job creation.

As the pro side, I argue that high salary for government officials will foster probity and honesty. Firstly, when government officials are paid well, they are less likely to be susceptible to corruption, as they have less incentive to engage in illegal activities for financial gain. This means that they are more likely to be honest and focused on serving the public interest rather than their personal interests.

Secondly, high salaries for government officials attract talented and qualified individuals who may otherwise choose careers in the private sector, where the salaries may be higher. By attracting and retaining talented individuals, the government can ensure that they have the necessary expertise to make informed decisions and implement effective policies, which will ultimately benefit the public.

Thirdly, high salaries can also serve as a deterrent to bribery and other forms of corruption. If government officials are well-paid and have a secure income, they are less likely to succumb to offers of financial gain in exchange for favors or access to government resources.

As the con side, I argue that high salary for government officials will not necessarily foster probity and honesty. Firstly, there is no guarantee that high salaries will attract the most qualified and talented individuals. Other factors such as job satisfaction, working conditions, and opportunities for career advancement may be equally important in attracting and retaining top talent.

Secondly, high salaries alone do not guarantee probity and honesty. There are many examples of wealthy individuals who have engaged in corrupt activities despite having no financial need. Corruption is a complex issue that involves a variety of factors, including personal values, cultural norms, and the legal and institutional frameworks that govern public life.

Thirdly, high salaries for government officials can also lead to resentment and distrust among the public. If government officials are seen as being overpaid, it can undermine public confidence in the government and create a perception of elitism and entitlement.

In conclusion, while high salaries for government officials may have some benefits in terms of attracting and retaining qualified individuals and deterring corruption, they are not a panacea for ensuring probity and honesty in government. Other factors such as institutional reforms, cultural norms, and public oversight are also important in creating a culture of integrity in government.

Supplementary - Do you have emotional intelligence

As the pro side of the debate, I argue that a doctor should always tell a patient the truth about their medical diagnosis, even if it is a fatal disease. The reasons for this are numerous, and I will outline some of the most important ones below.

First and foremost, it is the ethical obligation of a doctor to be honest with their patients. Patients trust their doctors to provide them with accurate information about their health, and withholding information or lying to them is a violation of that trust. Patients have a right to know about their medical condition, so that they can make informed decisions about their treatment and care.

Secondly, withholding or lying about a diagnosis can have serious consequences for the patient’s health. If a patient is not aware of their condition, they may continue to engage in behaviors that worsen their condition, or they may not seek out necessary treatment. Additionally, if a patient is not prepared for the reality of their diagnosis, it can cause significant emotional distress and psychological trauma.

Thirdly, telling the truth allows for better communication between the doctor and patient. When a patient is aware of their diagnosis, they are more likely to ask questions and seek out information about their condition. This can help the doctor provide better care, and can also help the patient feel more in control of their situation.

Lastly, telling a white lie about a fatal diagnosis is ultimately futile. The truth will inevitably come out, either through the progression of the disease or through the patient seeking a second opinion. When the truth is finally revealed, the patient will feel betrayed and may even pursue legal action against the doctor.

In conclusion, it is the ethical responsibility of a doctor to be honest with their patients about their medical conditions, even if it is a fatal disease. Not only is it necessary for the patient’s well-being and trust in their doctor, but it also allows for better communication and ultimately avoids unnecessary legal consequences.

As the con side of the debate, I argue that in certain situations, it may be appropriate for a doctor to tell a white lie to a patient about a fatal diagnosis. While honesty is generally the best policy, there may be instances where withholding or distorting the truth is in the best interest of the patient.

Firstly, in cases where the patient’s mental or emotional health is already fragile, telling them the truth about a fatal diagnosis could cause more harm than good. For example, if the patient is suffering from severe depression or anxiety, hearing that they have a terminal illness could trigger a downward spiral that could worsen their condition or even lead to suicidal thoughts.

Secondly, in cases where the patient is elderly or has a limited life expectancy, telling them the truth may not be necessary. In these situations, the patient may prefer to focus on enjoying their remaining time with loved ones, rather than being consumed by thoughts of their impending death.

Thirdly, in cases where the patient is unable to understand or process the information about their diagnosis, telling them the truth may be pointless. For example, if the patient has advanced dementia, they may not be able to comprehend the diagnosis or the implications of it.

Lastly, in some cultures, it is considered taboo or even disrespectful to discuss death or terminal illness openly. In these cases, telling a white lie may be a way to respect the patient’s cultural beliefs and traditions.

In conclusion, while honesty is generally the best policy, there may be situations where it is appropriate for a doctor to tell a white lie to a patient about a fatal diagnosis. Each case must be evaluated on an individual basis, taking into consideration the patient’s mental and emotional health, life expectancy, ability to comprehend the information, and cultural beliefs.

As the pro side, I argue that a man who steals an egg would likely steal an ox. This is because stealing is a behavior that can become habitual, and the act of stealing one item can lead to the belief that it is acceptable to steal larger or more valuable items. Additionally, if the man was willing to steal the egg, he may be motivated by a sense of desperation or a lack of moral compass, making him more likely to continue stealing regardless of the potential consequences.

As the con side, I argue that it is not necessarily true that a man who steals an egg would steal an ox. Stealing an egg may have been a one-time act of desperation, or the man may have rationalized it as a minor offense. Additionally, the act of stealing an egg may not indicate a willingness to steal larger or more valuable items, as each act of stealing is context-specific and depends on factors such as the availability of the item, the perceived risk of getting caught, and the perceived value of the item.

In conclusion, while there are arguments to be made on both sides, it is ultimately difficult to definitively state whether a man who steals an egg would steal an ox without more information about the individual and their circumstances.

Certificates or Comprehensive Abilities

As the pro side, I argue that job recruitment should put more weight on comprehensive abilities rather than on certificates only. Certificates and degrees are important, but they do not always accurately reflect an individual’s capabilities and potential to succeed in a job. Here are some points to consider:

1. Certificates don’t always accurately reflect skills: Having a degree or a certificate does not necessarily mean that the person has the necessary skills to excel in the job. Certificates only prove that the person has completed a particular course or program, but they do not guarantee that the person has the necessary knowledge or expertise to perform the job.
2. Comprehensive abilities are essential for job performance: In many professions, comprehensive abilities such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills are more important than the specific technical knowledge provided by a certificate. Employers should look for candidates who have a combination of technical knowledge and comprehensive abilities.
3. Comprehensive abilities are transferable: Comprehensive abilities are transferable skills that can be applied to different jobs and industries. A person with strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, for example, can apply these skills to any job, regardless of the industry or field.
4. Certificates can be expensive: Obtaining certificates and degrees can be expensive, and this can be a barrier for some individuals, especially those from low-income backgrounds. Employers should not exclude talented individuals who cannot afford to obtain certificates or degrees.

As the con side, I argue that certificates are necessary to demonstrate an individual’s knowledge and expertise in a particular field. Here are some points to consider:

1. Certificates provide a standard measure of knowledge: Certificates and degrees provide a standard measure of knowledge and expertise in a particular field. Employers can use certificates as a benchmark for evaluating candidates and making hiring decisions.
2. Certificates can increase credibility: Certificates and degrees can increase a person’s credibility and legitimacy in their field. This can be important for individuals who want to advance in their careers and take on leadership roles.
3. Certificates can be required for certain professions: Some professions require specific certificates or degrees as a prerequisite for employment. For example, doctors and lawyers must have specific degrees and certifications to practice.
4. Certificates can demonstrate commitment: Obtaining a certificate or degree requires time, effort, and dedication. Employers may view candidates with certificates as more committed and motivated than those without.

In conclusion, while certificates and degrees can be important in demonstrating knowledge and expertise, comprehensive abilities are essential for job performance and success. Employers should take a holistic approach when evaluating candidates, considering both technical knowledge and comprehensive abilities.

Gone with the Wind 6

1. In the hot summer of 1864, what happened to Atlanta?

2. Why didn’t Scarlett and Melanie escape with Aunt Pittypat?

3. What could Scarlett see from the front of her house during the horrible night?

4. Who came to help Scarlett and Melanie escape?

5. Did Rhett drive Scarlett home? Why not?

6. In the hot summer of 1864, Atlanta was captured by Union forces during the American Civil War.

7. Scarlett and Melanie did not escape with Aunt Pittypat because they believed that they would be safer staying in Atlanta with Melanie’s new baby, Beau.

8. From the front of her house during the horrible night, Scarlett could see the glow of fires and hear the sounds of explosions as Union forces continued their destruction of Atlanta. She also saw wounded and dying soldiers on the streets and heard the cries of women and children who were caught in the crossfire.

9. Rhett Butler came to help Scarlett and Melanie escape from Atlanta.

10. Rhett did not drive Scarlett home after they escaped from Atlanta because they had a falling out during the journey. Rhett had expressed his love for Scarlett, but she rejected him and insulted him, causing him to leave her on the road.

Gone with the Wind 7

1. When Scarlett saw the burned plantation homes on the road, how did she feel?

2. Who did Scarlett want to see most at this time? Why?

3. What happened to Ellen?

4. What were the situations in Scarlett’s family?

5. Describe Scarlett’s facial expression when she stood up again from the burned ground. What did she promise?

6. When Scarlett saw the burned plantation homes on the road, she felt shock and horror. She had never seen such destruction before and was devastated to see the homes of her friends and neighbors burned down.

7. At this time, Scarlett wanted to see Ashley Wilkes the most because she was deeply in love with him.

8. Ellen, Scarlett’s mother, was died of typhoid fever before Scarlett returned to Tara.

9. Scarlett’s family was facing difficult situations. Scarlett’s father, Gerald O’Hara, had died, leaving the family with a large plantation to manage and no male heirs to help. Scarlett’s sisters were struggling to cope with their losses and the challenges of running a plantation.

10. When Scarlett stood up from the burned ground, she had a determined and resolute expression on her face. She promised herself that she would do whatever it takes to save Tara, her family’s plantation. She would not let the destruction and chaos of the war defeat her.

Gone with the Wind 8

1. What was the life condition in Tara?

2. Why did Scarlett ask Will to stay in Tara?

3. Who came to Tara surprisingly?

4. How had Ashley changed?

5. Why did Scarlett decide to return to Atlanta?

6. The life condition in Tara was tough and challenging due to the war’s effect, including economic hardship, food shortages, and the risk of Union Army raids.

7. Scarlett asked Will, a former slave who remained loyal to the family, to stay in Tara to help her manage the farm and protect her family.

8. Rhett Butler came to Tara surprisingly. He showed up at Tara unexpectedly and offered to help her through the difficult times.

9. Ashley Wilkes was Scarlett’s love interest and a symbol of the old southern way of life. Over time, he became disillusioned with the Confederate cause and lost his idealism, which Scarlett found disheartening.

10. Scarlett decided to return to Atlanta to find a way to make money and support her family.

Gone with the Wind 9

1. What was Scarlett’s plan?

2. What factory did Scarlett decide to buy?

3. Did she have enough money?

4. Was Scarlett still angry with Rhett? What was her new thought?

5. Was Scarlett successful in persuading Rhett to lend money to her?

6. Scarlett’s plan was to win back Ashley Wilkes, the man she was obsessed with, and make him leave his wife, Melanie Hamilton.

7. Scarlett decided to buy a sawmill in Atlanta called the “Lumber Mill.”

8. Scarlett didn’t have enough money to buy the sawmill.

9. Scarlett was still angry with Rhett for leaving her, but she also started to realize that she had feelings for him and that she might have been wrong about him all along.

10. Yes, Scarlett was successful in persuading Rhett to lend her the money for the sawmill, but it came at a steep price. Rhett demanded that Scarlett become his mistress in exchange for the loan.

Gone with the Wind 10

1. After Scarlet left Rhett’s hotel room, who did she meet in the street?

2. How did Frank manage to earn money?

3. What was Scarlett’s new idea on how to get money for the factory?

4. What was Suellen’s reaction to Scarlett’s stealing of her fiancé?

5. What was Ashley’s plan and did he manage to materialize it?

6. After Scarlett left Rhett’s hotel room, she met Ashley Wilkes in the street.

7. Frank Kennedy managed to earn money by running a general store in Atlanta and also by becoming a partner in the lumber business with Scarlett.

8. Scarlett’s new idea to get money for the factory was to marry Frank Kennedy, a wealthy businessman, after her second husband, a former convict named Rhett Butler, divorced her.

9. Suellen was upset with Scarlett for stealing her fiancé, Frank Kennedy, but she eventually forgave her and married Will Benteen, a former suitor.

10. Ashley’s plan was to move to New York City and start a new life there as a businessman. However, he was not successful in his endeavors and eventually returned to Atlanta, where he continued to struggle financially.

Gone with the Wind 11

1. Was Frank happy at Scarlett’s buying a factory?

2. What kind of men did Scarlett find to work for her factory? Why?

3. Did Rhett come back to Atlanta and who did he make friends with?

4. Did Scarlett get along well with Frank?

5. What happened to Frank at last, according to Rhett?

6. Frank was happy at Scarlett’s buying a factory because it would mean a steady income for their family.

7. Scarlett found convicts to work for her factory because they were the only ones who would work for such low wages.

8. Yes, Rhett came back to Atlanta and he made friends with Ashley Wilkes, who was Scarlett’s former love interest.

9. Scarlett did not get along well with Frank.

10. According to Rhett, Frank was killed by the Ku Klux Klan after he was mistaken for a Republican organizer.

Gone with the Wind 12

1. Was Scarlett sad at Frank’s death? What was her untraditional habit?

2. Who came to visit Scarlett?

3. How did Scarlett defend herself in front of other people’s disagreement in Atlanta?

4. Why did Rhett come to visit Scarlett?

5. Did Scarlett agree to Rhett’s marriage proposal?

6. Scarlett was initially sad at Frank’s death, but she quickly started to think about how she could use the situation to her advantage. Her untraditional habit was that she did not follow traditional mourning practices and wore bright colors instead of black.

7. Melanie Hamilton, Scarlett’s former sister-in-law, came to visit Scarlett after Frank’s death.

8. Scarlett defended herself in front of other people’s disagreement in Atlanta by using her wit, charm, and manipulative skills.

9. Rhett came to visit Scarlett because he wanted to express his condolences and offer her support during her time of grief.

10. Scarlett did not immediately agree to Rhett’s marriage proposal, but she did express some interest and asked him to wait and give her some time to think about it.