B2U5 The power of words
词汇¶
Reading 1¶
生词
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console
释义
vt. make sb. feel better when they are feeling sad or disappointed 安慰；慰藉
e.g. He consoled himself that he would see Kate again soon.
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therapy
释义
n. [C, U] a treatment that helps sb. feel better, grow stronger, etc., esp. after an illness 治疗；疗法
e.g. Many patients receiving these new therapies respond rapidly to them and get a lot of clinical benefit.
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betrayal
释义
n. [C, U] the act of betraying sb. / sth. or the fact of being betrayed 背叛；出卖
e.g. She wondered if he felt hurt at his best friend's betrayal but didn't have the courage to ask.
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monologue
释义
n. [C] (AmE also monolog) a long speech by one person 长篇独白
e.g. Blogs are not just about one person sharing in a monologue with everyone else listening.
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interior
释义
a. (only before noun) belonging to mental or spiritual life 内心的；精神的
n. [C, usu. sing.] the inner part or inside of sth. 内部；里面
e.g. Interior monolog is defined as the thoughts you have running through your brain or the things that you silently tell yourself.
e.g. The interior of the church was dark.
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timelessness
释义
n. [U] the quality of not changing as the years go past, or as fashion changes 永恒；不朽
e.g. It is said that all diamonds are symbolic of love, commitment, and timelessness, but adding yellow to the stone gives it even deeper meaning.
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subconscious
释义
a. existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness 下意识的；潜意识的
e.g. There are conscious thoughts that you're aware of and subconscious ones that you're not.
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mild
释义
a. 1) a mild illness or health problem is not serious 不严重的；轻微的
a. 2) not very strong or hot-tasting 不浓烈的；淡的；不辣的
e.g. She had a mild headache, and went to bed much earlier than usual.
e.g. I like this kind of cheese because it has a pleasant mild flavor.
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bibliotherapist
释义
/ˌbɪblɪəˈθerəpɪst/
n. [C] 阅读治疗专家
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grieve
释义
v. feel extremely sad, esp. because sb. you love has died （尤指因所爱之人去世而）感到悲痛
e.g. He died, and every day since then I have grieved for him.
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transient
释义
a. (fml.) continuing only for a short time 短暂的；转瞬即逝的；一时的
e.g. The trading data show that these events had minimal and transient effect on the price of gold and silver.
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transience
释义
n. [U] the state of continuing only for a short time 短暂；转瞬即逝
e.g. History is a combination of permanence and transience.
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memoir
释义
/ˈmemˌwɑː/
n. [C] 1) (fml.) a short piece of writing about a person or place that you knew well, or an event that you experienced 传略；实录
n. [C] 2) (~s) [pl.] a book by sb. important and famous in which they write about their life and experiences （名人）回忆录
e.g. Her memoir of her friend will be published soon.
e.g. Angelou's first volume of memoirs dealt with her childhood.
Reading 2¶
生词
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netspeak
释义
n. [U] 网络语言
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slang
释义
/slæŋ/
n. [U] very informal words and expressions that are more common in spoken language, esp. used by a particular group of people, e.g. children, soldiers 俚语
e.g. These are some slang words teens might use when talking about other people.
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abbreviation
释义
/əˌbriːviˈeɪʃn/
n. [C] a short form of a word or expression 缩略语，缩写 （形式）
e.g. The styling of abbreviations is inconsistent and includes many possible variations.
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stretch
释义
v. make sth. bigger or looser by pulling it, or become bigger or looser as a result of being pulled （使）变大；（使）变松；拉长
e.g. A spider's web can stretch considerably without weakening.
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crowdfunding
释义
n. [U] 众筹（向大众募集资金的做法，常在因特网上进行）
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selfie
释义
n. [C] (infml.) 自拍照片
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pre-existing
释义
a. (fml.) (only before noun) existing before a particular time or event 先于···存在的
e.g. But, this research doesn't consider the effects of pre-existing relationships.
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engagement
释义
n. 1) [U] when you become involved with sb. / sth. in order to understand them 密切关系
n. 2) [C] an agreement between two people to marry, or the period of time they are engaged 婚约；订婚期间
e.g. Virtual employee engagement activities are ways to improve the relationship between an organization and its remote workers.
e.g. The man knew about the engagement and brought them a bottle of champagne as a gift.
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accelerate
释义
v. if a process accelerates or if sth. accelerates it, it happens faster than usual or sooner than you expect （使）加快；（使）加速
e.g. More efforts will be made in the years ahead to accelerate the agricultural reform.
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lexicon
释义
/ˈleksɪkən/
n. [sing.] the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge（个人、语言或学科的）词汇
e.g. The word "cloud" is attached to many terms in the computing lexicon.
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TTFN
释义
abbr. (ta-ta for now) (BrE, infml.) used in emails and text messages to say goodbye to sb. 回头见（用于电子邮件和手机短信中）
e.g. Anyway, TTFN, and hopefully I'll have plenty of time to write when I get back.
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doh
释义
/dəʊ/
interjection
(also d'oh) (spoken) used humorously when you have just realized that you have done or said sth. stupid 噢，呀（幽默用法，意识到自己做错事或说错话时发出的感叹语）
e.g. "Doh! That was the biggest mistake in my career," said Jack.
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directory
释义
n. [C] a book or list of names, facts, etc., usu. arranged in alphabetical order （通常按字母顺序排列的）姓名地址录，名录，电话簿
e.g. I couldn't find your number in the telephone directory.
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blur
释义
v. 1) make the difference between two ideas, subjects, etc. less clear （使）（想法、主题等）难以区分，模糊
v. 2) become difficult to see, or make sth. difficult to see, because the edges are not clear （使）（某物）模糊不清
e.g. She tends to blur the distinction between her friends and her colleagues.
e.g. The writing blurred and danced before his eyes.
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prevalent
释义
a. common at a particular time, in a particular place, or among a particular group of people 普遍的；盛行的；流行的
e.g. One prevalent quality we have found in teens' statements about themselves is a strikingly positive emotional tone.
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linguistics
释义
n. [U] the study of language in general and of particular languages, their structure, grammar, and history 语言学
e.g. As a specialist in linguistics, I have studied how the conversational styles of men and women differ.
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acronym
释义
/ˈækrənɪm/
n. [C] a word formed from the initial letters of other words 首字母缩略词
e.g. More typically, acronyms are pronounced as new single words, as in UNESCO.
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LOL
释义
abbr. (laughing out loud) used in emails, text messages, etc. to show that you think sth. is funny 大声笑（用于电子邮件、手机短信等中表示认为某事很好笑）
e.g. The dog kept running around chasing its tail. LOL.
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longevity
释义
/lɒnˈdʒevəti/
n. [U] 1) the amount of time that sth. lasts 持续时间
n. [U] 2) the amount of time that sb. / sth. lives 寿命
e.g. By offering services to help expand the longevity of their products, they are promising quality and durability to consumers.
e.g. The new study appears to be the first to specifically look at the relationship between optimism and longevity.
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eligible
释义
/ˈelɪdʒəbl/
a. having the right to do or obtain sth. 合格的；有资格的
e.g. If you are a teenager living in certain parts of the province, you could be eligible for this program.
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revisit 一词多义
释义
vt. 1) (fml.) consider or discuss sth. again 重新考虑；再次讨论
vt. 2) (written) return to a place you once knew well 重游；再访
e.g. We need to revisit this proposal as soon as the budget is clearer.
e.g. Ten years later, I revisited the school to find out what had changed.
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usage
释义
n. 1) [U] the way in which sth. is used, or the amount of it that is used 使用方法；使用量
n. 2) [C, U] the way that words are used in a language （词语的）用法
e.g. It involves changing product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users.
e.g. The dictionary focuses on the more usual words of the language and avoids rare usages of these words.
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fuzzy
释义
a. 1) unclear or confused 糊涂的；不明确的
a. 2) not clear in shape or sound（形状或声音）模糊的
e.g. There's a fuzzy line between parents' and schools' responsibilities.
e.g. Some of the photos were so fuzzy that it was hard to tell who was who.
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appearance 一词多义
释义
n. 1) [sing.] when sth. new begins to exist or starts being used 首次出现（使用）；问世
n. 2) [C, U] the way sb. / sth. looks to other people 外表；外观
e.g. The industry has changed greatly with the appearance of new technologies.
e.g. We are often attracted to somebody first by their physical appearance.
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jargon
释义
n. [U] words and expressions used in a particular profession or by a particular group of people, which are difficult for other people to understand — often used to show disapproval （难懂的）行话，术语（常含贬义）
e.g. I'm going to explain it without jargon, and without making it unnecessarily complicated and complex.
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timeless
释义
a. not appearing to be affected by the process of time passing or by changes in fashion 不受时间影响的；永不过时的
e.g. Lu Xun, an influential Chinese writer, essayist, and translator, produced that timeless classic, and many more.
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impose
释义
vt. 1) force sb. to have the same ideas, beliefs, etc. as you 将（想法、信仰等）强加（于某人）
vt. 2) if sb. in authority imposes a rule, punishment, tax, etc., they force people to accept it 强制推行；强制实行
e.g. I can't understand why she always tries to impose her own ideas on the rest of the team.
e.g. The court has the power to impose an unlimited fine for this offence.
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worrisome
释义
a. (fml.) making you anxious 令人焦虑的
e.g. The scientists report that some of the signs they have found are worrisome.
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fascinating
释义
a. extremely interesting 迷人的；非常有趣的
e.g. With the accompaniment of the piano, the poems sounded fascinating and became really popular.
词组
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one's fair share
释义
if one has had their fair share of sth., e.g. problems, success, or adventure, a lot of it has happened to them（问题，成功或冒险经历等）相当多的
e.g. He'd had more than his fair share of adventure.
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come and go
释义
be present for a short time and then go away 断断续续；时来时去
e.g. The pain in my leg comes and goes.
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speed up
释义
move or happen faster, or make sth. move or happen faster （使）加快速度
e.g. The world's clock has sped up as nations around the globe are reinventing themselves at a faster and faster pace.
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through/by word of mouth
释义
through / by oral communication 口口相传
e.g. Much of this information is picked up by word of mouth from previous students.
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stick around
释义
(infml.) remain in or near a place 待在某地；待在附近
e.g. Without hesitation, she replied, "I don't know. Let's stick around and find out."
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keep up with
释义
manage to do as much or as well as other people 跟上；保持同步
e.g. He found it difficult to keep up with the rest of the class.
课文¶
Reading 1¶
Have a lover, have friends, or read books?
1 The understanding that literature can comfort, console, and heal has been around since ancient Greek and Roman times. It is no coincidence that the ancient Greek god Apollo was the god of medicine as well as poetry.
1 文学作品的安抚、慰藉和疗愈功效，早在古希腊和古罗马时代就为人所知了。难怪古希腊太阳神阿波罗同时是医药之神和诗歌之神。
2 One of the greatest arguments for using literature as therapy was proposed by Michel de Montaigne, who believed there were three possible cures for loneliness: have a lover, have friends, and read books. But he argued that love was too fleeting and betrayal too common, and while friendship was better it always ended with death. Therefore, the only therapy that could endure through life was the companionship of literature.
2 米歇尔・德・蒙田曾提出了将文学作品作为疗愈方法的伟大论断。蒙田认为，治愈孤独有三种方法可选：恋爱、交友和读书。但他认为，爱情转瞬即逝，背叛也是司空见惯；相比之下，友情更佳，却会随着其中一方的死亡戛然而止。因此，唯一能伴随终生的疗法就是与文学为伴。
3 Why were the ancient Greeks and Romans right to suppose literature heals the soul? Why did Montaigne trust we could endure loneliness through a lifelong relationship with books? Why, despite all the distractions of modern life, do books still get published and writers' festival events get sold out? The answer lies in the power of stories.
3 为何古希腊人和古罗马人认为文学能疗愈灵魂的观点是正确的？为何蒙田相信如果我们终身与书为伴，便能忍受孤独？为何在纷纷扰扰的现代生活中，书籍依旧在出版，作家节活动的门票依旧有人买？答案都在于故事的力量。
4 Stories have been around since time began. They tell us what it is to be human, giving us a context for the past and an insight towards the future. A narrator's voice replaces our stressed, internal monologue and takes us out of our life and into the world of a story. Paradoxically, we think we are escaping ourselves but the best stories take us back deeper into our interior worlds. It is difficult to access emotional language and this is why we have writers. They remind us of the universality and timelessness of emotions, helping us better understand our own.
4 自有时间以来，就有故事。故事告诉我们何为人性，教我们了解过去、洞见未来。叙述者的声音取代了我们焦虑的内心独白，让我们跳出当下的生活，进入故事的世界。矛盾的是，我们以为阅读让我们逃避自我，但最好的故事却让我们更深入自己的内心世界。想要掌握情感语言着实困难，所以才有了作家。他们提醒我们情感的普遍性与不朽性，帮助我们更深刻地了解自己的情感。
5 What stories have shaped you? It's a question worth reflecting on, as this shaping is often subconscious. The act of making it conscious will allow your future reading to perhaps have a different effect; you will be "reading" your life from now on, allowing you to live it more fully and understand it better.
5 哪些故事塑造了你？这一问题值得审慎思考，因为此类塑造通常是在潜意识中进行的。使这种塑造变成有意识的行为，可能会让你未来的阅读产生不同的效果；从今往后，你就是在“阅读”自己的人生，这会让你更充实地度过自己的一生，并且更好地了解自己的人生。
6 Recently, more studies are telling us what the ancient Greeks and Romans already knew: Reading improves our mental health. In 2009, research at the University of Sussex found reading could reduce stress levels by 68 percent, working better at calming nerves than listening to music, going for walks, or having a cup of tea. Subjects only had to read silently for six minutes to slow down their heart rate and ease tension in their muscles.
6 近来，越来越多的研究表明，阅读能改善我们的心理健康，对于这一点，古希腊人和古罗马人早已知道。2009年，萨塞克斯大学的一项研究发现，阅读能减少68%的压力，在镇静安神方面比听音乐、散步或喝茶更有效。研究对象只需安静阅读六分钟，就能降低心率、缓解肌肉紧张。
7 A 2013 study found reading literary fiction can help us become more empathetic, by giving us the experience of being emotionally transported to other places and relating to new characters. Other studies have shown reading can improve sleep quality and ease mild symptoms of depression and anxiety.
7 2013年的一项研究表明，阅读文学作品能提高我们的移情能力，因为在阅读过程中，我们体验到我们的情感转移至别处，并与作品中新的人物产生联系。其他研究则显示，阅读能改善睡眠质量，缓解轻度抑郁和焦虑症状。
8 As a bibliotherapist, I am continually reminded that all forms of literature can help people in all sorts of ways. A person who is grieving may need a predictable plot and an ordered fictional world; a man searching for direction or coming to terms with retirement may need a novel that reflects and explores the transience of life; a mother of young children may reach for a novel that illustrates the curve of life and reminds her that although her life is messy and tiring, she is in just one chapter for now.
8 作为一名阅读治疗专家，我时刻被提醒，不同类型的文学作品能以不同的方式给予人们帮助。一个深陷悲痛的人可能需要沉浸在一个情节老套、井然有序的小说世界里；一个正在寻找人生方向或勉强接受退休这一现实的人也许需要读一本展现、探究生命稍纵即逝的小说；一位年幼孩子的妈妈或许需要一本阐明人生轨迹的小说，以此来提醒自己，当前的生活虽是一团乱麻，让人心力交瘁，但她只是处于人生的一个阶段。
9 Sometimes it is not the content of the stories themselves but just knowing you have control by choosing to read or listen that provides the calming effect. All stories offer a safe, calm world with a beginning, middle, and end. We have the power to start or stop and choose how long we stay in the story's world.
9 有时候，并非是故事的内容，而是你对于阅读或聆听的掌控感，给了你镇静的效果。所有故事都为读者提供了一个安全平静的世界，那里有开篇、主体和结局。我们可以自己决定阅读何时开始，何时结束，以及在故事世界里徜徉多久。
10 Time spent listening to authors talk about their work and their own understanding of the power of literature also allows us, as readers, to reflect on stories that have shaped us.
10 花时间聆听作家讲述自己的作品以及他们对文学力量的理解，也能让作为读者的我们反观那些影响过自己的故事。
11 "Why do stories matter so terribly to us, that we will offer ourselves up to, and later be grateful for, an experience that we know is going to fill us with grief and despair?" questions Helen Garner in her collection, Everywhere I Look.
11 作家海伦・加纳在她的作品集《我目光所及之处》中问道：“为什么故事对我们如此重要，以至于我们明知它会让我们充满悲伤和绝望，仍要全身心投入其中，并在以后的日子里对此满怀感激呢？”
12 Robert Dessaix, in his memoir What Days Are For, explores narrative as an "optimistic form": "Is that why I'm reading a novel in the first place? … It's optimistic in the sense that you keep turning the pages, one after the other … in the hope of something transforming happening. Isn't that it? In the hope of a transforming answer to your particular questions."
12 罗伯特・德塞在他的回忆录《何为岁月》中探讨了叙事这一“乐观主义形式”：“那不就是我看小说的初衷吗？之所以说它是‘乐观的’，是因为你一页接一页地翻下去，希望转机发生。期待自己的特定问题会有柳暗花明的答案，那不就是乐观主义吗？”
13 Both authors are exploring their identity as readers and the impact reading can have. The writers' festivals are more than an event celebrating authors; they also celebrate the power of literature and the power of you, the reader.
13 两位作家都在书中探索自己的读者身份，探索阅读对人的影响。作家节并不只是为作家举办的节日，它同时还是向文学的力量致意，向作为读者的你的力量致敬。
Reading 2¶
The evolution of language: How netspeak changes the way we speak
1 Every year, hundreds of new words and phrases that come from Internet slang are added to the dictionary. Some of them are abbreviations, like "UR" for "you are" or "your" and "U" for "you." Others are words that have been stretched into parts of speech different to those originally intended — for instance, when "trend" became a verb ( "It's trending worldwide" ). Others still have emerged as we adapt our language to new technologies, for example, "crowdfunding," "selfie," and "cyberbullying."
1 每年都会有数百个来自网络俚语的新词和短语被添加到词典中。其中，有的是缩略词，如“UR”表示“you are（你是）”或者“your（你的）”，“U”表示“you （你）”；有的则是词性被延伸，与原来的不同了，例如，“trend（趋势）”现在可用作动词（“It's trending worldwide”，它正风靡全球）；还有一些词的出现是为了让我们的语言适应新科技，例如“众筹”、“自拍”、“网络霸凌”。
2 You might notice how many of these "new" words are actually just appropriated, meaning they are pre-existing words that are combined or given entirely new meanings. For example, "social network" became a word in the Oxford English Dictionary back in 1973, referring to the physical activity of networking in a social atmosphere. In the 1990s, people began using the term to refer to virtual engagement, and that became an official definition in 1998.
2 你可能会注意到，实际上很多“新”词只是旧词新用。换言之，它们是早就存在的词，只是被合并或赋予了全新的含义。例如，早在1973年，《牛津英语词典》中就收录了“social network”一词，意思是“在社交氛围中建立关系网的实际活动”。到了二十世纪九十年代，人们开始用这个词来表示“虚拟社交”。在1998年，该意义成了正式定义。
3 Why are so many new words and phrases emerging from the Internet, and why is it happening at such an accelerated pace? Actually the Internet isn't the only technological phenomenon that's changed the way we talk. Radio, television, and telephone have contributed their fair share of new words and phrases to our lexicon over the last century.
3 为什么会有这么多的新词和短语在互联网出现，而且速度如此之快？事实上，互联网并不是唯一改变我们说话方式的技术。在过去的一个世纪里，广播、电视和电话也为我们的词库贡献了相当多的新词和短语。
4 For example, the origin of TTFN (ta-ta for now) can be traced back to a 1940s radio series. Similarly, the word "doh" that was made famous by a TV cartoon series became an official word in the Oxford English Dictionary, "used to comment on a foolish or stupid action, especially one's own." And don't forget "Give me the 411," the American slang phrase for "Give me all the details," which refers to the telephone number for local directory assistance.
4 例如，TTFN（ta-ta for now，回头见）这个表达的起源可以追溯到二十世纪四十年代的一部广播剧。同样，因一部电视动画片而出名的“doh（呀）”一词被《牛津英语词典》收录，“用于感叹愚蠢的行为，尤其是自己的行为”。还有，别忘了“Give me the 411”这个美式俚语，它的意思是“告诉我所有的细节”。“411”是当地的查号服务电话。
5 But the more time we spend online, the less time we spend listening to the radio or watching TV — and smartphones have blurred the distinction between phones and the Internet. At this point, the Internet could be seen as probably the most prevalent influence on our day-to-day dialog.
5 但是，我们花在互联网上的时间越多，听广播或看电视的时间就会越少——而且智能手机已经模糊了电话和互联网之间的界限。这么看来，互联网对我们日常对话的影响很可能是最主要的。
6 Think about how quickly Internet trends come and go. The fast pace of change on the Internet means we are adopting more words, and doing it faster than ever before. "Language itself changes slowly, but the Internet has sped up the process of those changes so you notice them more quickly," says a professor of linguistics at Bangor University. You can imagine how much longer it took new words to spread through word of mouth than it does today with the Internet.
6 想一想互联网上的潮流是如何的来去匆匆。互联网上的快速变化意味着我们正以前所未有的速度接纳更多的新词。班戈大学的一位语言学教授说：“语言本身变化缓慢，但互联网加快了这些变化的过程，所以你更快地注意到了它们。”可以想象，与如今迅速的互联网传播相比，过去的口口相传模式需要多花多少时间。
7 So, how do new words, like the acronym "LOL," make it all the way to the dictionary?
7 那么，像首字母缩略语“LOL”这类的新词是如何一路走到词典里的呢？
8 The secret of a new word's success is its longevity, says a senior editor in the New Words Group at the Oxford English Dictionary. In order for a new word to make it into the dictionary, the general population must use it and keep using it. A word must be in use for at least five years to be considered. So, love it or hate it, when words like "LOL" become common, widespread, well understood, and stick around for more than five years, they're eligible for a spot in the big book.
8 《牛津英语词典》新词团队的一位高级编辑说，一个新词成功的秘诀在于它的经久不衰。要让一个新词进入词典，人们必须使用它，并且一直使用它。一个词至少要被使用五年才可能被考虑纳入词典。因此，不管你喜不喜欢，当像“LOL”这样的词变得常见、应用广泛、易懂，并被持续使用五年以上时，它们就有资格在词典中占有一席之地。
9 There are plenty of Internet slang words that don't make it in, like "wurfing" (the act of surfing the Internet while at work). But to say that word was rejected would be wrong — that word, among many others, will be revisited if its usage grows. The dictionary is a living, breathing document, and there's always a chance a previously down-voted word will make it into the mainstream vocabulary in the future.
9 也有很多网络俚语没能入选，比如“wurfing”（在工作时上网的行为）。但如果就此说这个词被拒了，那就错了——这个词和其他很多词一样，如果使用量增加，就将会被重新考虑纳入词典。词典是活的、会呼吸的文件。曾被否决的词在未来进入主流词汇的机会始终存在。
10 That's where even the word "slang" gets a little fuzzy. Is a word considered "slang" until it graduates into an official word in the dictionary? When exactly does a word become "real"? The fact is, only when a word becomes "real" — that is, widely used and understood — is it considered for a place in the dictionary. "When we see the word in the dictionary, it has already been used for a long time. We see it in the constant appearance of slang and jargon. Language is not so much a creator and shaper of human nature as a window into human nature."
10 因此“俚语”的界定也变得有些模糊。一个词在成为词典里的正式词之前是否一直属于“俚语”？一个词到底什么时候才能成为“真正的”词？事实是，只有当一个词成为“真正的”词，即被广泛地使用和理解，才可能被考虑纳入词典。“当我们在词典中看到这个词时，它其实已经被使用了很长时间。我们从词典中不断出现的俚语和行话中能看到这一点。与其说语言是人性的创造者和塑造者，不如说它是了解人性的一个窗口。”
11 As it turns out, dictionary editors look to us when they vote on whether a word should have a place in their dictionary. Dictionaries are fantastic resources, but they are a reflection of humanity and they are not timeless. If you ask dictionary editors, what they'll tell you is that they're just trying to keep up with us as we change the language. They're watching what we say and what we write and trying to figure out what's going to stick and what isn't.
11 事实证明，词典编辑们在决定一个词是否该在他们的词典中占有一席之地时，依据的是我们的使用情况。词典是极好的资源，但它们只是人性的映射，不是永恒的。如果你问词典编辑，他们会告诉你：他们只是试图在我们改变语言时跟上我们的步伐。他们在观察我们说什么，写什么，并试图弄清楚什么会留存，什么不会。
12 There will certainly be changes in language that we don't like simply because many of us don't like change, but we should be less quick to impose our likes and dislikes about words on other people. Language change isn't worrisome. On the contrary, it's fun and fascinating.
12 当然，这其中肯定会有一些我们不喜欢的语言变化，只因我们中的许多人不喜欢变化。但我们不应该急于把自己对词语的好恶强加给别人。语言演变并不令人担忧；相反，它很有趣、很迷人。
13 So, no matter whether you think netspeak vitalizes or destroys language, there's no denying how revealing it is of the culture that invents and uses it — and the ease with which we adapt our language to new technologies and concepts. Just try to enjoy being part of the creativity that is continually remaking our language and keeping it robust.
13 因此，无论你认为网络语言是赋予语言以活力，还是毁灭了语言，都不能否认它彰显了孕育并使用它的文化，也反映了我们如何轻而易举地改变语言，使之适应新技术和新概念。试着享受参与创造的乐趣吧，这种创造力不断重塑着我们的语言，并使其充满活力。
视听说¶
Listening & speaking¶
News report
Scientists are trying to find out how humor affects our brain, health, and quality of life. Dr. Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in California, explains, "Humor, when it's actually funny, has various benefits. Laughter triggers the release of chemicals responsible for your happiness. The release of these chemicals in response to humor decreases stress, reduces pain, and in the process strengthens the immune system. The use of humor enables people to not only decrease negative emotions but distance themselves from misfortune and hardship." He also says that if you consider that positive emotions increase creative and flexible thinking, then it makes sense that humor can contribute to overcoming challenges.
A few studies prove that theory, including a recent study published in an academic journal, where humor therapy was performed on 40 patients suffering kidney failure. The study, on patients who watched 30 minutes of comic shows twice a week over an eight-week period, showed that humor therapy can in fact reduce blood pressure. Dr. Gabriel, an associate professor of psychology at SUNY, University at Buffalo, concludes: "If we can feel more relaxed and less stressed, our bodies will be better at fighting diseases."
Conversation
M: What are you searching for?
W: I'm trying to find the English translation of a Chinese song I've just listened to.
M: Hmm, that's interesting. I've noticed that you always have great interest in lyrics when listening to a new song, instead of just the melody itself.
W: Yes, I believe lyrics are the soul of a song.
M: Are they? When I judge a song, my primary concern is always the melody — whether the music is pleasing to the ear. Lyrics just play a secondary role.
W: Well, just think about those famous folk songs. The music itself is usually quite simple — sometimes just a single melody that is repeated over and over, without even a single key change. But the lyrics can be so touching that they almost make us cry.
M: Just as a famous writer once said, if you want to move people, you need to tell them touching stories about individuals.
W: Exactly! That is the power of lyrics. First of all, songwriters use lyrics to express themselves or to tell a story. For example, in a musical, the lyrics play a very important role in advancing a scene or the overall play. More importantly, lyrics can influence you, making you think about life or even bringing a change to your life.
M: But there're also a lot of music forms like jazz, electronic, or classical music that don't need words to express their message.
W: I agree that a song may be on your playlist if its melody sounds good. However, it's the lyrics that will make you want to listen to it again and again. Through the lyrics, you feel better connected to the song.
M: Yes, there is something in what you say.
Passage 1
There are many positive aspects of having a global language. Mutual understanding, great career opportunities, and reduced administrative costs are some of the advantages a global language would give to us. However, there are negative aspects as well.
A global language might be more favorable to native speakers who take advantage of the possibility of thinking and working quickly in their mother tongue. Perhaps a global language will make people unwilling or unable to learn other languages and make other languages unnecessary. One of the risks of having one dominant language is that the chosen language may become very technical and "inadequate" for non-native speakers, e.g. the Inuit, who have many words for snow because they need it. They would probably be unable to express themselves properly if they had only one word for snow. Also, the introduction of a global language might lead to discrimination against minor languages and cultures. Losing one's language equals to losing one's identity. English is referred to as a "killer language," which means that it is learned at the cost of other languages, rather than additively.
We need a global language for communication, politics, trade, and security, but at the same time we are worried about language death, the advantages native speakers will have, and all the disadvantages non-native speakers will face. Even if a global language might be important, different languages are of importance for their culture and for the development of their native speakers. Languages make the world more interesting and more alive.
Questions:
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What might the Inuit think of English when it comes to describing snow?
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What does losing one's language mean?
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What's the speaker's attitude toward English as a global language?
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Which of the following statements would the speaker agree with?
Passage 2
There is a famous quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein: "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." This perfectly summarizes the idea that the language you speak can change your worldview. This concept, the fundamental idea behind the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, has been around for a very long time. It's so tempting to think that our language can change the way we see the world. It could also be used to explain why people who speak other languages may seem different from us.
In 1931, Sapir studied the language of a group of people living in Canada's Pacific Northwest Coast. He observed that instead of describing a falling stone as "the stone falls," the language uses a special verb to say "it stones down." Sapir claimed that this meant they had a different perception of the action and the object. Benjamin Lee Whorf, one of Sapir's students, expanded on this idea. He did a study of the Hopi people, a Native American tribe living in northeastern Arizona. Whorf determined that the Hopi language had no grammar to deal with time, and so the Hopi people had no concept of time. From this, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis was born.
However, not everyone was buying this. The linguist Ekkehart Malotki disagreed with Whorf completely in his book Hopi Time, in which he goes into great detail about Hopi words and expressions for time. Thus far, we haven't found a solid answer to the Sapir-Whorf debate ― whether language affects worldview or not.
Questions:
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Which of the following is the basis of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
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What can we conclude about the people who say "it stones down", according to Sapir?
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What did Whorf claim about the Hopi people?
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What can be concluded from the passage?
Viewing & speaking¶
Further listening¶
News report
Recent research has investigated the connections between the Chinese language's increasing global popularity and China's growing cultural power.
One fifth of the people on this planet speak Chinese. The Chinese language has the largest number of first-language speakers in the world, and more than 80 percent of China's population speaks Mandarin Chinese. The study of the Chinese language opens the way to important fields such as China's politics, economy, and history. The global demand for Chinese language education has kept pace with the country's economic development. According to a recent survey, 38 percent of human resources and financial directors in Europe — as well as Australia and New Zealand — expect Chinese to become the most valuable business language — other than English — in the near future.
However, learning Chinese means learning about a culture and a people. To learn about the Chinese civilization well, it is essential to know its rich heritage of novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and, more recently, films. They reflect the values, the struggles, the joys, and the sadness of this great people. These works help you understand what is behind the language, what makes it powerful, and how it actually functions in society.
Questions:
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What is the news report mainly about?
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Which of the following statements about Mandarin Chinese is true?
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What is an essential part of learning about the Chinese civilization?
Conversation
M: Today we'll talk about persuasion. Hello, Susan! Thank you very much for being here with us today.
W: I'm very pleased to be with you.
M: My first question is: What is persuasion?
W: To put it simply, persuasion is the ability to get what you want by using words.
M: So how can we make ourselves more persuasive?
W: By using some skills. Successful people all share a common ability to use language in ways that evoke vivid thoughts, feelings, and actions in their audience.
M: Can you share with us some of the skills?
W: OK. First of all, you should establish your credibility, showing confidence and authority through body language, intonation, etc.
M: I see. If people trust you, they will accept what you say more readily.
W: Yeah. The second skill is to use logic and reason to convince your audience.
M: You mean facts like examples, data, and the findings of research?
W: Exactly. And finally, the skill to appeal to the emotions of your audience.
M: Should we use the skills together or focus on one of them?
W: Deciding which of them to use is a matter of knowing your audience and purpose, as well as the right place and time.
M: OK! And are the skills of persuasion something that we are born with or that we can learn through training?
W: Some people are born with the talent of knowing what to say at precisely the right time, but the rest of us have to learn those skills to get what we want. And fortunately, they are learnable and teachable.
Questions:
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What is the topic of the conversation?
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What is the common ability of successful people, according to the woman?
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What is important in deciding which persuasion skill to use?
Passage 1
Albert Einstein said, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." Fairy tales are imaginative stories with rich visual and contextual elements that evoke emotions in children.
In fairy tales, it's always clear that this isn't the real world. The characters might be unfamiliar to the children but the problems and the feelings that are dealt with are themselves often very true to life. Fairy tales give children a way to understand some of the really confusing and difficult feelings that they can't yet express for themselves. Besides, the simple, good-versus-bad storyline of fairy tales and the characters within them help children deal with uncertainty. They allow kids to explore the idea that life isn't always easy and that things can go wrong. Listening to fairy tales also taps into the ability to use our imagination. Fairy tales inspire and build on children's imagination, taking them to new heights.
At the same time, as the "good" characters are usually rewarded at the end, it's a way of reinforcing positively the importance of being kind, thoughtful, and true. This desire to learn and experience more leads children to pick up books and gain more narrative experiences to inspire their journeys in life.
Questions:
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What does the quote from Albert Einstein imply?
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How can children benefit from reading fairy tales?
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Why is it important that "good" characters are usually rewarded at the end?
Passage 2
My friend used to commute to work daily on a train. After getting off the train, he always walked a short distance to his office building. Every morning, he passed an old man who was always at the same spot with a cup in hand, hoping to get a bit of change from passersby. For most people, this person was someone to be ignored as if he didn't exist. But my friend would always say good morning to him and bid him a good day. The old man would smile back, say good morning, and remain there until all the commuters had gone on their way.
Occasionally, my friend would drop a dollar or two in the old man's cup on his way to work as the old man said hello. This went on for several years until one day, on his last day at work before retirement, my friend stopped for a few minutes to talk with the old man. He told the man that he would no longer be passing by because this was his last day at work. The old man took his hand and shook it warmly, saying that he had always looked forward to seeing my friend pass by, but not because he dropped a few dollars in his cup. He said he would miss my friend because he was one of the few people out of thousands who ever said hello when passing by. And my friend was the only one who ever bid him a good day. The old man also said that my friend's warm words always brightened his day and helped him to continue on, despite being ignored by thousands of others who saw him daily.
Questions:
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Which of the following statements is true about the speaker's friend?
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What would the speaker's friend always do when he passed by the old man?
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What did the speaker's friend do on his last day of work?
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What did the old man thank the speaker's friend for?
写作¶
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Motion 1：Reading is more important a way to learn the world than travelling.
Travelling Is a More Important Way to Learn the World Than Reading
While reading opens windows to knowledge, travelling opens the door and lets us step into the world. In my view, travelling is a far more important way to understand the world because it transforms abstract ideas into vivid, unforgettable experiences.
First, travel brings reality to life. No description in a book can replace standing on a bustling city street, smelling spices in a lively market, or hearing the soft chatter of passersby. These direct sensations deepen our understanding in ways that words simply cannot.
Second, travelling teaches us to communicate, adapt, and empathize. When we talk with locals, navigate unfamiliar cultures, or face unexpected situations along the way, we gain practical wisdom that reading alone cannot offer.
Finally, travel changes our attitudes. It breaks stereotypes, challenges our comfort zones, and encourages open-mindedness. Books inspire us, but travelling reshapes who we are.
To truly know the world, one must experience it firsthand, for only then does knowledge become living, breathing insight.
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Motion 2: Text language and netspeak will gradually replace formal written language.
Text Language and Netspeak Will Gradually Replace Formal Written Language
Text language and netspeak will gradually replace formal written language. As screens become our main channel of communication, the language we use is shifting with every tap and swipe.
Firstly, text language reshapes how we express ideas. Shortened spellings like “u,” “b4,” or “thx” strip messages down to their essence, enabling faster and more effortless communication. In a world driven by speed, this simplicity naturally challenges the slower, more structured style of formal writing.
Secondly, netspeak brings creativity and emotion into everyday expression. From “LOL” to “TMI,” and from emojis to reaction memes, it conveys tone, humor, and personality in ways traditional writing often cannot.
Lastly, digital platforms push this shift forward. When millions repeat the same shortcuts every day, these expressions gradually take root and feel normal.
In conclusion, formal writing may not disappear overnight, but the rise of text language and netspeak is unmistakable.
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Motion 3: English as a global language is a killer language.
English as a global language is a killer language
English, as a global language, is often praised for connecting people worldwide. However, it also acts as a killer language, quietly threatening the survival of other tongues. A killer language is one whose dominance causes other languages to weaken or disappear.
Firstly, English creates an unfair advantage. Native speakers effortlessly access global knowledge, business, and technology, while non-native speakers struggle to keep up. This power imbalance limits opportunities for millions.
Secondly, English accelerates the loss of linguistic diversity. More schools are adopting English as one of the main languages of instruction, conferences increasingly rely on English, and many young people gradually use their mother tongue less. This shift is not “free choice”; it is systemic pressure caused by the overwhelming power of English. As a result, local languages and cultural traditions are quietly fading from daily life.
Thirdly, English spreads cultural influence subtly. Its dominance carries Western ideas and values, overshadowing local cultures and customs, gradually narrowing the rich variety of human expression.
In conclusion, although English facilitates communication, its global dominance comes at a steep cost: the disappearance of languages, cultures, and unique identities.
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Motion 4: English as a second language should be a compulsory course at Zhejiang University.
English as a Second Language Should Be Compulsory at Zhejiang University
English should be a compulsory course at Zhejiang University. It is the bridge that connects students to the wider world.
Firstly, English opens doors to countless opportunities. With it, students can attend international conferences, collaborate with peers globally, and access the latest research. Without this skill, the world feels like a locked library—full of treasures, yet unreachable.
Secondly, English broadens minds and sparks creativity. Reading foreign literature, watching global media, and engaging with diverse ideas allow students to think critically and solve problems from fresh perspectives. It is like stepping into a new landscape, where every horizon offers inspiration.
Finally, while some may worry that compulsory courses limit freedom, the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. English equips students to excel academically, communicate globally, and embrace opportunities beyond borders. By making it mandatory, Zhejiang University ensures its students are ready to turn ambition into achievement.