B2U3 Just relax!
词汇¶
Reading 1¶
生词
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brutal
释义
a. 1) not pleasant and not sensitive to people's feelings 伤人的；不顾他人感受的
a. 2) very cruel and violent 野蛮的；凶残的
e.g. She spoke with brutal honesty — I was too old for the job.
e.g. Jensen is a dangerous man, and can be very brutal and reckless (不顾后果的).
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tease
释义
v. laugh at sb. and make jokes in order to have fun by embarrassing them, either in a friendly way or in an unkind way 戏弄；逗弄；拿···取笑（开玩笑）
e.g. I used to hate being teased about my red hair when I was at school.
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taunt
释义
/tɔːnt/
vt. try to make sb. angry or upset by saying unkind things to them （用语言）挑衅，侮辱，嘲弄，奚落
e.g. It's wrong for you to taunt him because of his size.
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tempt
释义
vt. 1) make sb. want to have or do sth., even though they know they really should not 诱惑；引诱；诱使
vt. 2) try to persuade sb. to do sth. by making it seem attractive 劝说；鼓励
e.g. Don't tempt thieves by leaving valuables clearly visible.
e.g. They tempted him to join the company by offering him a large salary and a company car.
词义辨析
tempt vt. 引诱，怂恿
temple n. 庙宇，寺院；太阳穴
temper n. 脾气；怒气；心情
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alongside
释义
prep. used to say that people or things do sth. or exist together at the same time 与···一起；与···同时
ad. & prep. next to the side of sth. 在（···）旁边
e.g. Most of the staff refused to work alongside the new team.
e.g. He crossed the street and walked alongside the park.
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distraction 一词多义
释义
n. 1) [C] a pleasant activity 娱乐；消遣
n. 2) [C, U] sth. that stops you paying attention to what you are doing 使人分心的事物
e.g. After a long day of work, I found boating a distraction.
e.g. I study in the library as there are too many distractions at home.
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graciously
释义
ad. in a polite, kind, and generous way, esp. to people of a lower rank 有礼貌地，仁慈地，和蔼地，亲切地（尤指对较低阶层的人们）
e.g. Mr. Martel graciously agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.
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bump 一词多义
释义
n. [C] a small raised area on a surface 凸起；隆起； 鼓包
v. hit or knock against sth. 碰；撞
e.g. Her bicycle hit a bump in the road and threw her off.
e.g. Tim was a clumsy boy, always bumping into the furniture.
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foreshadow
释义
vt. show or say that sth. will happen in the future 预示；是···的预兆
e.g. The storms of that year foreshadowed a long period of unstable weather conditions.
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sideline 一词多义
释义
n. 1) (~s) [pl.] the area just outside the lines that form the edge of a sports field （运动场的）场，边
n. 2) [C] an activity that you do as well as your main job or business, in order to earn more money 副业；兼职
e.g. Wenger stood on the sidelines shouting instructions to his team.
e.g. Jim works in a bank, but teaches French in the evenings as a sideline.
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shrink
释义
(shrank, shrunk)
vi. (always + ad. / prep.) move back and away from sth., esp. because you are frightened （尤因恐惧而）退缩，畏缩
v. become smaller, or make sth. smaller, through the effects of heat or water （使）缩小；（使）收缩
e.g. His anger was enough to make the others shrink away from him.
e.g. Your sweater will shrink if you wash it at too high a temperature.
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tackle
释义
vt. try to deal with a difficult problem 处理，对付（难题）
e.g. There is more than one way to tackle the problem.
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prospect
释义
n. [C, U] the possibility that sth. will happen 可能性；希望
e.g. There is every prospect of the weather remaining dry this week.
词义辨析
prospect n. 可能性；展望；前景，前途
prosperity n. 兴旺，繁荣，发达
project n. 项目，方案；专题研究；住宅区
property n. 财产，所有物；房地产；特性
[精选辨析] prospect = pro (向前) + spect (词根，看) → 向前看 → 前景，前途；展望 prosperity (n. 兴旺，繁荣) 是 prosper (v. 兴旺，发达) 的名词。 property 中含 proper (adj. 合适的，正当的) → 通过正当手段得到的“财产”
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hurdle
释义
n. [C] 1) one of a series of small fences that a person or horse has to jump over during a race （跨栏赛跑或马术比赛中用的）栏架
n. [C] 2) a problem or difficulty that you must deal with before you can achieve sth. 障碍；困难
e.g. She cleared all the hurdles easily and raced to the finishing line.
e.g. Finding enough money for the project was the first hurdle.
词义辨析
hustle vt. 猛推；催促 (某人做决定)
hurdle n. 障碍，难关；跳栏；跨栏赛跑
词组
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by choice
释义
if you do sth. by choice, you do it because you want to do it and not because you are forced to do it 自己选择的；自愿的
e.g. She repeated that she was very comfortable and lived here by choice.
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(all) to oneself
释义
for only sb. to have or use; not shared 独有；专用
e.g. I'm going out, so you'll have the place to yourself.
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run out (of)
释义
1) use all of sth. and not have any more left 用完，耗尽（某物）
2) (of a supply of sth.) be used up （供应品）被用完，被耗尽
e.g. Few of us would know what to do if the supermarkets ran out of food.
e.g. We must act now because time is running out.
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be sick (and tired) of
释义
(also be sick to death of) (spoken) be angry or bored with sth. that has been happening for a long time 对某事感到气愤（厌倦）
e.g. I'm sick of your rudeness — I won't have it any longer!
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take sth. out on sb.
释义
treat sb. badly when you are angry or upset, even though it is not their fault 向（某人）发泄（不满等）；拿（某人）出气
e.g. When he's under pressure at work, he takes it out on me.
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a bump in the road
释义
(infml.) a problem that arises and interferes with forward progress (usu. only temporarily) 前进中的问题（通常是暂时的）
e.g. The project hit a bump in the road when Tom suddenly resigned.
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move on
释义
start doing or discussing sth. new 开始做（别的事）；换话题
e.g. When you finish, move on to the next exercise.
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stand on one's own (two) feet
释义
be able to do what you need to do, earn your own money, etc. without help from others 自立；独立自主
e.g. Jack's never learned to stand on his own two feet.
拼写易错
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a. 无比的；无双的；空前的
拼写
unparalleled
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ad. 永久地；长久地
拼写
permanently
Reading 2¶
生词
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safekeeping
释义
n. [U] the state of being kept safe, or the action of keeping sth. safe 安全保管 ; 妥善保管
e.g. My passport was in the inner pocket of my bag, for safekeeping.
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hobbyist
释义
n. [C] a person who is very interested in a particular hobby 爱好者
e.g. The computer hobbyists are going to love this project.
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pine needle
释义
n. [C] 松针；松叶
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venture
释义
n. [C] a new business activity that involves taking risks 风险项目；风险投资；冒险事业
e.g. The company's latest venture in the tech industry proved to be a success.
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corporation
释义
n. [C] a big company, or a group of companies acting together as a single organization 大型公司；企业集团
e.g. She didn't want to work for a big corporation where everything was so impersonal.
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disposable
释义
a. 1) available to be used 可以使用的
a. 2) intended to be used once or for a short time and then thrown away 一次性的；用完即弃的
e.g. The nation's disposable earnings amounted to 586 billion dollars.
e.g. She joined Kiley at the counter, holding a disposable cup with coffee in it.
词义辨析
disposal n.
disposable a.
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amusement park
释义
n. [C] 游乐场
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prosperity
释义
n. [U] the state of being successful, esp. financially 兴隆；发达；繁荣；昌盛
e.g. A country's future prosperity depends, to an extent, upon the quality of education of its people.
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unrest
释义
n. [U] a political situation in which people protest or behave violently 动荡；动乱；骚动
e.g. Due to the economic downturn, there's growing social unrest in the country.
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recession
释义
n. [C, U] a difficult time when there is less trade, business activity, etc. in a country than usual （经济）衰退，萧条
e.g. We should concentrate on sharply reducing interest rates to pull the economy out of recession.
词义辨析
recession n. 经济衰退，经济不景气
concession n. 让步，认输；特许；租地营业权
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discontented
释义
a. unhappy or not satisfied with the situation you are in 不满的；不满足的；不愉快的
e.g. He felt discontented with the way his life had turned out.
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equate
释义
vt. consider that two things are similar or connected 使等同；同等看待
e.g. Some people equate fame with success, but I don't think so.
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dual
释义
a. (only before noun) having two of sth. or two parts 双的；双重的；两部分的
e.g. The piece of furniture serves a dual purpose as a cupboard and as a table.
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duality
释义
/dju:ˈæləti/
n. [U] (fml.) the state of having two of sth. or two parts 双重性
e.g. His poems reveal the duality of his nature, the joy and hope, the fear and despair.
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utopian
释义
/ju:ˈtəʊpiən/
a. having a strong belief that everything can be perfect, often in a way that does not seem to be realistic or practical 乌托邦的；空想完美主义的
e.g. He was pursuing a utopian dream of world prosperity.
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side hustle
释义
n. [C] (mainly AmE, infml.) a piece of work or a job that you get paid for doing in addition to doing your main job 副业
e.g. Even if you love your job and find your work fulfilling, you can still benefit from a side hustle.
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meditative
释义
/ˈmedɪtətɪv/
a. 1) relating to the practice of emptying your mind of thoughts and feelings, in order to relax completely or for religious reasons 冥想的；默想的
a. 2) thinking deeply and seriously about sth.; involving deep thought 深思的；沉思的；思考的
e.g. She closed her eyes and went into a meditative state.
e.g. When he entered the room, she was in a meditative mood.
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paycheck
释义
n. [C] (BrE paycheque) (esp. AmE) the amount of wages sb. earns 薪金；工资
e.g. The new bill could mean a larger paycheck for state employees.
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purity
释义
n. [U] the quality or state of being pure 纯；纯洁；洁净；纯正；纯粹
e.g. The color white is the color of purity and that is why women typically wear white when they get married.
词组
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by nature
释义
essentially or innately 生性
e.g. She was by nature a very sensitive person.
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have a hard time doing sth.
释义
be difficult for sb. to do sth. 做某事很难
e.g. I had a hard time persuading him to accept the offer.
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lead sb. to do sth.
释义
cause sb. to do sth. 导致某人做某事
e.g. What led him to reconsider his position?
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look to
释义
depend on sb. to provide help, advice, etc. 指望；依靠
e.g. They're looking to the new manager to make the company profitable.
拼写易错
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a. 难以分辨的；难以区分的
拼写
indistinguishable
词义辨析
indistinguishable adj. 难以分辨的，难以区分的
distinguishing adj. 独特的，有区别的
identifiable adj. 可辨认的，可识别的
indispensable adj. 必不可少的，不可或缺的
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n. 特权；特殊待遇
拼写
privilege
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a. 必然发生的；不可避免的
拼写
inevitable
课文¶
Reading 1¶
A love letter to long-distance running
Dear Running,
亲爱的跑步：
1 This letter wasn't easy to write. I realize we're on a break, but please know that wasn't by choice. I was told I need some "time to myself." To let myself "recover" — and in the process, self-discover. Still, I can't help but miss you.
1 写这封信着实不容易。我明白我们现在处在分手阶段，但是请你理解，这不是我情愿的。有人告诉我，我需要一些“自己的时间”，以便让我“恢复”，并在此过程中发现自我。但是，我无时无刻不在想念你。
2 I miss the way you challenge me. Every Day. Pushing me farther and faster, you encourage me to go past the limits and expectations I set for myself — miles and miles past them. And I miss the confidence you give me — you don't just know my body; you understand and appreciate it: the sweat-dripping, heart-pounding, breathtaking times we share, then the fulfillment I get as we finish happily together.
2 我想念你挑战我的方式。每一天。你鼓励我跑得更远、更快，让我超越自己设定的极限和期望——好几英里好几英里地超越。我想念你给我带来的信心——你不仅了解我的身体，还理解和欣赏它。我们一起度过了挥汗如雨、心跳加速、呼吸急促的时刻，我们一起开心地跑完一段路程，这带给我一种成就感。
3 On those good days, our relationship is joyful. But on our bad days, the pain is unparalleled. I hate your brutal honesty, and how you hold nothing back from me. While I try to stay tough, I can't help but wonder how you can hurt every inch of my body so deeply. It's that ever-unanswered paradox — how can something that gives me such pleasure also cause so much pain? How is it that the body you shape is the same one you hurt?
3 在那些美好的日子里，我们的关系令人愉快。但是，在糟糕的日子里，痛苦也是前所未有的。我讨厌你近乎残酷的诚实，也讨厌你毫无保留地向我坦诚一切。当我努力保持坚强时，我不禁想知道你怎么能把我身体的每一寸都伤得如此之深。这是一个永远无解的悖论∶一件给我带来如此快乐的事情又怎么会引起那么多痛苦？你塑造的身体怎么同时又是你伤害的对象？
4 Yet lately, the mental pain is almost unbearable. I try to keep things fresh between us — new routes, and new techniques — so we don't lose interest in each other. Still, I'm being told to stay away from you. "Take some time off," they tell me. "Try something else instead." But you tease me, taunt me, tempt me to remain loyal to you, even though we both know you're not what I need right now.
4 但是最近，我承受的精神痛苦几乎到了无法忍受的地步。我通过采用新路线和新技术尽力保持我们之间的新鲜感，这样我们就不会对彼此失去兴趣。但是，我仍然被告知要远离你。他们告诉我：“休息一段时间，试试其他方法。”但是，即使我们俩都知道你现在不是我所需要的，你却依然戏弄我、嘲讽我、诱使我继续对你保持忠诚。
5 Most of my friends hate you — "How can you LOVE running?" they ask. Your name doesn't sit well in our society, either — "running out of money," "running out of time," "running out of reasons / room / patience / options." I'm sick of having to explain you. Others just don't understand. They don't know you like I do. Our love-hate, push-pull relationship cannot be put into words. A lot of times (namely 6 a.m. when it's 35 degrees and raining) I don't love you; I hate you. Still, I always find myself running back to you.
5 我的大多数朋友都讨厌你。“你怎么会爱跑步？”他们问。你的名字在我们的社会中也不受待见——“没有钱了”，“没有时间了”，“没有理由/空间/耐心/选择了”。我厌倦了替你解释，那些人就是不明白，他们不像我那样了解你。我们之间爱恨交加、若即若离的关系无法用言语表达。很多时候（也就是说：早上6点，气温达到35度，天下着雨），我并不爱你，我恨你。不过，我总是发现自己又跑回到你身边。
6 So I guess it's true … I really can't resist "the chase." While it hasn't been easy, our relationship is deep and dynamic — you know sides of me I've never shown anyone before. All my weaknesses, celebrations, highs and lows, you've experienced them right alongside me. My mom's cancer? You were my cure. My dad's alcohol addiction? You were my distraction. School, jobs, travel, relationships, family — in every stage of my life, you've been my escape, and I've taken comfort in your company.
6 所以，我想这是真的，我真的无法抗拒”追逐”你。虽然我们之间的关系并非一帆风顺，但是它深厚且充满活力。你知道我以前从未向其他人展示的方面，我所有的弱点、值得庆贺的事情、高潮和低谷，你都陪着我一起经历。我妈妈得了癌症？你帮我疗愈哀伤。我父亲的酒瘾？你帮我排遣烦恼。学校、工作、旅行、人际关系、家庭——在我生活的每个阶段，你都是我的港湾，而我在你的陪伴下感到安慰。
7 But never mind the negatives, we've seen beautiful things together. Sunrises, beaches, mountains — you name it, we've run it. You've taken me to places I'd never have the courage to explore alone. You're the one I wake up to every morning, and you help me fall asleep at night. You've so graciously let me take both pain and pleasure out on you.
7 不必纠结那些负面因素，我们一起欣赏了美好的事物。日出、海滩、山脉——只要能想到的地方，我们都跑过了。你带我去了我以前没有勇气独自探索的地方，你每天早晨迎接我醒来，每天晚上助我入眠。你是如此仁慈地让我把痛苦和快乐全都抛给你。
8 Until recently, you were my rock.
8 直到不久之前，你还是我依靠的磐石。
9 Now, I find myself fighting to forget our past. I'm trying hard not to need you because I know you can't be there for me forever, and I won't always be able to give you what you need. I will age. My body will weaken. While it scares me to admit, our time together will, for lack of better words … run out.
9 现在，我发现自己正在努力忘记我们的过去。我正在努力摆脱对你的需要，因为我知道你不可能永远在我身边，而且你需要的东西，我也无法一直给予你。我会变老，我的身体会衰弱。虽然承认这点有点可怕，但是我们在一起的时间所剩无几（我想不出更好的表达方法）。
10 Although the doctor reassures me this is just "a bump in the road," it's a foreshadowing of the uncertain future ahead of us. Someday I'll find myself back here, back on the sidelines permanently. But you? You'll be fine. You'll move on to other younger, newer models with miles ahead of them. I'll shrink back in envy as you race past me together, and I'll feel even more broken, like overused goods.
10 尽管医生安慰我说这只是“暂时的问题”，但这预示着我们未来的不确定性。有一天，我会发现自己永远只能站在运动场外。而你？你一如既往。你会去寻找其他更年轻的新人，他们前程无量。当你们一起从我面前跑过时，我会黯然后退，嫉妒不已；我会觉得自己更加残缺，如同一件被消耗过度的商品。
11 Yes, our road ahead is unclear, but we've tackled tough courses together before. And I'm excited by the prospect of taking each hill, each curve, each hurdle, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, just like we've always done. Because I'm not ready for a negative split. Not yet. I can't ask you to change — I know you never will — so I'll continue to give you my best, all of me, and expect nothing in return except simply the pleasure of your presence. I'll never forget, nor regret, our times together. I may not always be able to run, but because of you I have strength to at least stand on my own two feet, no matter how aged and cracked they may be.
11 是的，我们前面的道路尚不明确，但我们之前曾共同经历过艰难的路途。我很高兴我还可能像往常一样爬上每座山、跑过每个弯道，跨过每个栏架，一步一个脚印，一步一步向前。我对后段加速还没有作好准备，还没有。我不能要求你作出改变——我知道你永远也不会——因此，我将继续全心付出，全力以赴，除了享受和你在一起的简单快乐之外，别无所求。我永远不会忘记、也不会后悔我们在一起的时光。也许我不能一直跑下去，但是由于你的缘故，我至少有足够的力量可以靠自己的双脚站立，无论它们变得多么衰老、伤痕累累。
12 Gotta run.
12 我得去跑步了。
Love you always, Me
永远爱你的我
Reading 2¶
Our parents discovered leisure. We killed it.
1 My great aunt loved to press flowers. Often she'd hike the mountains, searching for new plant life. She'd look up her treasures in botany books, then label and press them for safekeeping. A few times, she couldn't find entries at all; she'd discovered plant species that no one had named. She was a hobbyist by nature（天生的兴趣爱好者）. When not caring for family, she would dry pine needles and weave them into beautiful decorations. But she was also a product of her time（时代产物）. In the post-war era（战后时期）, hobbies were what people did in their spare time, after work: basketball, cooking, writing poems. These were activities people didn't feel whole without.
1 我的姨奶奶喜欢压花。她经常爬山，在山上寻找新的植物。她会在植物学书籍中查找自己发现的宝物，然后给它们贴上标签，做成压花，以便好好保存。有几次，她在书上根本找不到条目，她发现了尚未命名过的植物种类。她是个天生的植物爱好者。当不需要照顾家庭时，她会晾干松针并将它们编织成漂亮的装饰品。但她也是她那个时代的产物。战后，业余爱好是人们在下班后的业余时间里所做的事：打篮球、烹饪、写诗。没有这些活动，大家会觉得生活不完整。
2 My great aunt died not long ago, but she would have a hard time understanding how my generation uses its spare time. For many of us, the hobby is dead. Our work lives have merged with our free time, and hobbies are now oftenindistinguishable from second jobs. In a culture obsessed with productivity（在一种执迷于生产力的文化里）, the hobby has become the next venture.
2 我的姨奶奶不久前去世了，如果她还活着，她会很难理解我这一代人是如何利用业余时间的。对我们许多人来说，业余爱好已经不存在了。我们的工作已经与我们的业余时间融为一体，如今的业余爱好通常与第二份工作没有区别。在一种执迷于生产率的文化中，业余爱好已成为下一个商业项目。
3 After the US survived two world wars and the economic fragility they caused, leisure became more accessible for the American middle class. With economic recovery and technological development, corporations were able to offer structured workweek（固定的工作时间（安排合理的））, job security（工作保障）, higher pay, and paid vacations, and also let their employees go home at 5 p.m. From disposable income（可支配的收入） a leisure industry（一个休闲产业） was born — and welcomed by 60 million people. The American road trip, summer camps, and amusement parks all competed for spare dollars. People built model planes in their spare time and learned to cook fancy foreign food. Youth culture emerged because, for the first time in American history, children were generally not expected to help with work.
3 美国挺过了两次世界大战及其导致的经济不稳定之后，它的中产阶级比之前更容易获得休闲时间。随着经济的复苏和技术的发展，企业能够提供规律的工作时间、工作保障、更高的薪水、带薪假期，还让员工在下午5点下班回家。由于有了可支配收入，休闲产业应运而生，并受到了六千万人的欢迎。美国的公路旅行、夏令营和游乐园相互争夺这些闲钱。人们在业余时间制作飞机模型，学习烹饪精美的外国食物。青年文化也出现了，因为在美国历史上，人们第一次不指望孩子来帮忙干活。
4 Leisure came to define a person's identity during this time, in many cases replacing career identity（职业身份）. Having a hobby was not only possible; it was a status symbol（低位的象征）. It meant one had time to relax, a privilege previously enjoyed only by the very wealthy. The "automatic nature" of many jobs led "an increasing number of workers to look not to work but to leisure for satisfaction（look to sth/sb to do sth for… 指望（某人做某事/从…中获得…））," wrote a US writer in the 1950s.
4 这期间，休闲开始定义一个人的身份。在许多情况下，它取代了职业身份。拥有业余爱好不仅是可能的，而且还是地位的象征。这意味着人们有时间放松身心，而这种特权以前只有非常富有的人才能享有。一位美国作家在二十世纪五十年代写道，许多工作的“自动化性质”导致“越来越多的工人指望从休闲活动中获得满足感，而不是从工作中获得满足感”。
5 However, post-war prosperity gradually disappeared, replaced by civil unrest（内乱）, oil shortages（石油短缺）, and economic uncertainty. The idea of a job for life and a solid pension（稳定的养老金） disappeared from many professions. By the time of the recession starting in 2008, traditional jobs simply weren't available to many young people. And those who did work were discontented.
5 但是，战后的繁荣逐渐消失，取而代之的是内乱、石油短缺和经济的不确定性。终身从事一份工作并拥有稳定的养老金这一概念在许多行业中消失了。始于2008年的经济衰退之后，许多年轻人根本无法获得传统的工作，而那些从事这些工作的人也不甚满意。
6 With fewer reasons to stay in one job, workers began to explore a wider variety of options（探索更多不同的选择）. For some, these options included turning a hobby into a business. Young people turned to what they loved, what they were good at, with an entrepreneurial mindset aimed toward self-employment（带着自我创业的企业家心态）. According to a 2015 poll, older Americans' primary concern about their first job was earning money or learning skills. By contrast, 57 percent of millennials prioritized doing something that they found enjoyable and that made a difference. Half said they would take a pay cut（减薪） to find work that matched their values, and would change jobs as their values changed.
6 由于终身从事一份工作的理由越来越少，人们开始探索更多不同的选择。对于一些人来说，这些选择包括将业余爱好变成一项事业。年轻人带着一种自我创业的企业家心态，转向了自己喜欢和擅长的领域。根据2015年的一项民意调查，老一代美国人做第一份工作时主要关注赚钱或学习技能。相比之下，57%的千禧一代优先考虑做他们认为令人愉快的并且让他们觉得有所作为的事情。一半的千禧一代表示，他们为了找到与其价值观相符的工作宁愿减薪，并会随着自己价值观的改变而更换工作。
7 Instead of viewing work as inevitable and hobbies as core to one's identity, as in the post-war era, today's professionals strive to equate their career with leisure（努力将职业和休闲等同起来）. An article published this month calls this new phenomenon "the journey of duality."
7 战后，人们把工作视为不得不为之，把业余爱好视作自己个人身份的核心。而如今的职场人士并非这样，他们努力将职业与休闲等同起来。本月发表的一篇文章将这种新现象称为“双重旅程”。
8 Loving what one does is a utopian ideal（乌托邦式的理想）. Few will argue against it. But it's worth remembering a couple of things. Hobbies were something a majority of people could enjoy, while the side hustle（副业） is more common among the middle class. And even those who enjoy leisure careers might be better off taking a break（稍事休息） from being productive. That's tough when we're being conditioned to（习惯于（被训练成）去做…） love our jobs. But perhaps we can copy the post-war pattern regarding boundaries between leisure and work（休闲与工作的界限）. We still need to know when to put work down and pick up something else, whether it's family game night, playing basketball, or just being with nature — happiness simply for the sake of it.
8 热爱自己的工作是一种乌托邦式的理想。很少有人会对此表示反对。但是有几件事值得我们记住。爱好在过去是大多数人都可以享有的东西，但如今副业在中产阶级中更为常见。即使是那些把休闲发展成工作的人，也最好在忙碌之余稍事休息。对我们这些从小被教育要热爱工作的人来说，这很难，但也许我们可以复制战后关于休闲与工作之间划分界限的模式。我们仍然需要知道什么时候放下工作去做一些其他事情，无论是家庭游戏之夜、打篮球，或是与大自然共处——仅仅为了快乐而快乐。
9 For my great aunt, flower collecting was a path to peace outside the home. It was a meditative return to nature（对自然的冥想式回归）, something she could own and be alone with. It was not work. Still, I can't help but imagine（情不自禁地想象） her today, perhaps earning a paycheck（获得一份薪水） as she searches for new plant species, hiking 47 hours per week among the hills. Would it ruin the purity of（破坏…的纯粹性） her hobby? Or would it enhance her life（改善生活）?
9 对于我姨奶奶来说，搜集花朵是走出家庭获得平静的一种方式，是对自然的沉思式回归，是她可以拥有并独自享受的，这不是工作。而我仍然不禁想象，如果今天她为了一份薪水去寻找新的植物物种，每周在山上徒步47个小时，这会破坏她的爱好的纯粹性吗？还是会改善她的生活？
10 Maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing. Then again（话说回来（而且，其次，还有），…）, I'm a millennial.
10 也许这也不是最糟糕的事情。话说回来，我是千禧一代。
视听说¶
Listening & speaking¶
News report
A recent report on the leisure market in China reveals that as Chinese society has experienced great changes over the last few decades, leisure activities have also developed a lot. This is forcing leisure service providers to look beyond their immediate consumer bases, which requires quite detailed knowledge about this market.
The report reveals that, with rising incomes, Chinese people who want to have a balanced lifestyle are increasingly attracted to leisure activities such as going to concerts, cycling, swimming, camping and mountain climbing.
Together with this trend, sports equipment and devices are gradually becoming a growing business opportunity. Indeed, the "sports and leisure" market is showing a linear（a. 直线的） rising tendency, which has a potential market worth over 10 billion RMB in China.
According to the report, one of the main reasons behind Chinese people's shifting to personal-style leisure experience is that an increasing number of people are working longer hours and they are in need of something new and different to release stress. People also travel on a regular basis. Seventy-four percent of the respondents say that they spend more of their leisure time with family and friends.
Conversation
W: Good morning! I have with me in the studio Mal Smith, the author of a recent report on leisure habits. Mal, your report says our leisure habits are changing. Could you explain?
M: Well, we've got growing engagement with digital technology, especially in terms of communication. That means we don't draw a clear line between work and play anymore. When we leave the office, we often take our work with us. That impacts not only the amount of leisure time we have, but also the way we think about leisure.
W: I suppose we should not use the same device for work and for leisure.
M: Right. I also think the fact that we're more mobile today has an impact on how we use our leisure time. Now it's more like living in a digital tribe than in a physical space tribe. It doesn't require that we meet people in a pub or a community center to build a relationship as we did in the past.
W: Lots of our pubs as community centers are essentially closing now.
M: Yes, people are spending more time just at home rather than going out for leisure. We may not be so eager to chat with other people because we spend so much time playing on mobile devices. But digital technology is only for maintaining shallow relationships over long distances. It's not as good for building deeper relationships with the people immediately around us.
W: So what do you think of the future of our leisure?
M: Well, I'm optimistic. I think now more people are becoming aware of the limitations of digital entertainment and have realized that leisure activities involving face-to-face communication need to take place on a regular basis. This may be achieved in the same way we've done it in the past, like hanging out in a pub with friends. Or maybe we will explore more new ways.
Questions:
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What is affected by the growing engagement with digital technology?
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Why did people choose to meet others in a pub in the past?
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What can digital technology be used for, according to the man?
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What is the man's attitude toward the future of leisure?
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What does the man think of the future of our leisure?
Passage 1
Having a hobby that you enjoy — whether that's drawing, dancing, or just relaxing on the beach — has all sorts of well-documented benefits, from lower levels of stress to an increased sense of belonging and purpose. But do you know that hobbies can also improve your work performance?
According to professional counselor（n. 顾问） Rebecca Weiler, when you're engaged and fulfilled（a. 满意的；满足的） in your life outside of work, like when you're pursuing meaningful hobbies, the happiness you get spills over（蔓延；扩散）. It can make you more focused and enthusiastic when you're on the job.
Another point is that the skills you gain as a result of your leisurely pursuits can also make you better at your job and make you a more appealing candidate for potential employers. For example, someone who performs in an improvisational（a. 即兴的） group as a hobby could be attractive to an employer because they can think on their feet and may also be more comfortable about presenting themselves in front of a group of people.
So, having a hobby that you love not only has a serious impact on your quality of life, but is also good for your job. But what if you don’t actually have a hobby you enjoy? You're not alone. According to Weiler, trying to find meaningful hobbies is one of the primary reasons that her clients — especially young people — seek counseling.
Passage 2
If you want to understand the Finns（Finn，n. 芬兰人）, first go to a Finnish sauna（n. 蒸汽浴；蒸汽浴室）. The word "sauna" means a bath house in Finnish and is the only Finnish word used in everyday English. The sauna has been central to the national identity for two thousand years.
Although saunas and similar heated spaces are well known in many cultures throughout history, Finland is unique in the sense that the sauna has become a key part of everyday life. In previous centuries, the sauna was traditionally important, not only as a place for keeping clean but also as a cleaner environment where childbirth would take place and the sick would be nursed.
For Finnish people, saunas also help them embrace a sense of inner peace. "The sauna is for your mind. It really helps you calm down in a modern society where it is never quiet," says the chairman of the Finnish Sauna Society. "You enter this place for deep thought. It's most closely associated with your mental well-being."
Besides purifying the body and mind, saunas are places where the Finns meet to socialize. It is perfectly normal to receive an invitation to a sauna from a Finnish business contact you have never met before. In fact, most of Finland's embassies（embassy，n. 大使馆） around the world feature a sauna. The sauna has always been considered a peaceful space, and heated arguments are considered to be against "sauna etiquette（n. 礼仪；礼节）." Most Finns use the sauna weekly to relax and connect with family and friends. Maybe that's the secret to being the happiest people in the world!
Viewing & speaking¶
Further listening¶
News report
Recently there has been much discussion around competitive socializing, but what is it? Actually competitive socializing is not a new concept. It is having competitive fun with friends, as many amateur（a. 业余的） team sports are mainly based on friendship circles. What makes competitive socializing different is the addition of advanced technology and consumer-driven opportunities.
Competitive socializing includes any activity or occasion that brings people together to play a game. The most common competitive socializing activities are mini-golf, escape rooms, VR games and bowling.
The competitive socializing market is diverse but "fragmented（a. 成碎片的）." It has a large number of independent operators, but lacks overall brands and sector leaders. In the UK, London tends to lead with new leisure trends, but slowly the operators are branching out and brands are now all across the UK.
Competitive socializing is seen as a counter-culture to the increasingly "online" lives of younger generations. Games and sports always bring people together in real life, and competitive socializing is no exception. Playing board games is a good choice because board games are socially interactive and usually nonviolent while competitive.
Questions:
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Which of the following is true of competitive socializing?
A. It is a way of socializing among friends.
B. It is having fun with competitive friends.
C. It combines professional team sports with advanced technology.
D. It is a new concept describing friendly competitions.
解答
答案：A（不是 B）
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What is the feature of the competitive socializing market?
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Why is competitive socializing seen as a counter-culture to the "online" lives of younger generations?
Conversation
M: What do you usually do in your free time, Mary?
W: I usually go for a walk with my husband on weekends. It refreshes my mind and makes me feel good. But my favorite leisure activity is golf.
M: Golf? Why is that?
W: It's great fun! Playing golf can always help me reduce anxiety and relieve stress. It frees me from all my troubles and problems. When playing golf, I focus only on the task at hand — getting that ball into the hole!
M: Oh, really? I'm afraid playing golf is not a relaxation for me. I tried it once, and it took me about four hours to play an 18-hole course! It was so tiring!
W: Ha-ha, that's exactly the other reason why I like golf. It is good exercise and keeps me healthy. It has been proved that golf plays a role in preventing and treating many chronic diseases, such as heart disease. I even lost some weight playing golf!
M: But I think leisure activities shouldn't be so physically demanding. Some people would rather spend their free time painting, reading, listening to music or meditating. For me, I like watching movies.
W: What kind of movies do you like?
M: I like comedies. When life doesn't treat me so well, a good comedy can cheer me up and drag me out of a bad mood. I also like science-fiction movies and prefer watching them in movie theaters for better visual and sound effects. How about you? Do you enjoy watching movies?
W: Sometimes. I like detective movies because of the suspense and mystery. I also enjoy the sensation brought by thrillers. They always give me goose bumps.
Questions:
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What does the woman usually do in her free time?
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Which of these is mentioned by the woman as a benefit of playing golf?
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Why does the man like comedies?
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What does the woman say about movies?
Passage 1
Individuals, in all cultures or societies, experience what we would label as leisure, and possess（vt. 拥有） free time that is not devoted to productive tasks. However, participation in leisure activities clearly varies across populations and cultures.
Each culture has an impact on its society's leisure, influencing to some degree what people do in their leisure time, what leisure activities are given priority over others and how much time and money people spend on different leisure activities. You just can't take the standard leisure model of one culture and expect it to be successful in another culture. Even within a country, there are significant cultural differences from one area of the country to another.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently conducted a study of social trends in 18 countries. According to the study, the French spend the most time eating and drinking, almost twice as much time as the residents of Canada and the United States. Mexicans spend the least time eating and drinking.
When we looked into how people spend their leisure time around the world, we found significant differences in the percentage of leisure time spent visiting and entertaining friends. People in Turkey spend one third of their leisure time with friends and New Zealanders about one quarter, in contrast to people in Australia, Germany, Japan and Spain, who spend less than five percent of their time visiting and entertaining friends.
Questions:
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What does the speaker say about participation in leisure activities across the world?
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In which country are people said to spend the least time eating and drinking?
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Which of the following is true about the leisure time people spend with friends?
Passage 2
It has been known that spending too much time playing video games will cause damage to students' health and their academic studies. However, it is less well known that playing video games for an adequate（a. 足够的；充分的） amount of time may bring young people certain benefits like better decision-making skills, improved motor skills, and sometimes even greater vision（更广阔的视野）. It has also been proved that moderate（a. 适度的） game playing can help people manage stress.
Many people, especially psychologists and medical researchers, believe depression, stress, and other kinds of mental disorders（n. 疾病） are a result of "patterned" thinking. They say that every day people wake up feeling like it is just another day and they follow the same boring routine. Slowly, their mind gets used to the pressure and the things that make them stressed every day. So, they live in a state of constant stress. Video games break this pattern and provide a mental "breather" to the mind. It's all about re-focusing the brain on something else and getting it to a different zone.
A study was released by the University of Utah regarding the effects regular gaming has on children who are diagnosed with illnesses like depression. In this experiment, kids who played games, including those specially designed for the study, showed great signs of self-empowerment（自强） and improvement in their resilience（n. 适应力） and fighting spirit.
Questions:
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Which of the following is not mentioned as a positive impact of video games?
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Where do scientists find mental disorders come from?
A. The boring nature of everyday life.
B. The "patterned" thinking.
C. The pressure from parents.
D. Irregular sleeping patterns.
解答
答案：B（不是 A）
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What can we learn from the study released by the University of Utah?
A. Children who play games regularly have better school performance.
B. Children become more creative by playing more games.
C. Children tend to fight against each other in games.
D. Children with depression become more resilient through gaming.
解答
答案：D（不是 C）