21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿1

Good morning ladies and gentlemen:

　　The title of my speech today is "The Doors that Are Open to Us ".

　　The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. "I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!" she said. Don't be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student; to be exact, a college student at the age of 45.

　　Last year, she put aside her private business and signed up for a one-year, full-time management course in a college. "This was the wisest decision I have ever made," she said proudly like a teenage girl. To her, college is always a right place to pick up new ideas, and new ideas always make her feel young.

　　"Compared with the late 70s," she says, "now college students have many doors." My aunt cannot help but recall her first college experience in 1978 when college doors began to be re-opened after the Cultural Revolution. She was assigned to study engineering despite her desire to study Chinese literature, and a few years later, the government sent her to work in a TV factory.

　　I was shocked when she first told me how she (had) had no choice in her major and job. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.

　　The first door I see is the opportunity to study different kinds of subjects that interest us. My aunt said she was happy to study management, but she was also happy that she could attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history. To me, if college education in the past emphasized specialization, now, it emphasizes free and well-rounded development of each inpidual. So all the fine achievements of human civilization are open to us.

　　The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. My aunt remembers her previous college days as monotonous and even calls her generation "frogs in a well." But today, as the world becomes a global village, it is important that our neighbors and we be open-minded to learn with and from each other. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am ap*ing to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the United Kingdom where her daughter, my cousin, is now doing her master's degree in biochemistry. We are now taking the opportunity to study overseas, and when we come back, we'll put to use what we have learnt abroad.

　　The third door is the door to lifelong learning. As new ideas appear all the time, we always need to acquire new knowledge, regardless of our age. Naturally, my aunt herself is the best example. Many of my aunt's contemporaries say that she is amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She sim* responds, "Age doesn't matter. What * is your attitude. You may think it's strange that I am still going to college, but I don't think I'm too old to learn." Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions in 20xx, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like these people, my aunt is old but she is very young in spirit. With her incredible energy and determination, she embodies both tradition and modernity.

　　The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on. When I reach my aunt's age, I can be proud to say that I have walked through dozens of doors and will, in the remainder of my life, walk through many more. Possibly I will go back to college, too.

　　Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿2

　　The Doors that Are Open to Us

　　Good morning ladies and gentlemen:

　　The title of my speech today is "The Doors that Are Open to Us ".

　　The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. "I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!" she said. Don't be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student; to be exact, a college student at the age of 45.

　　Last year, she put aside her private business and signed up for a one-year, full-time management course in a college. "This was the wisest decision I have ever made," she said proudly like a teenage girl. To her, college is always a right place to pick up new ideas, and new ideas always make her feel young.

　　"Compared with the late 70s," she says, "now college students have many doors." My aunt cannot help but recall her first college experience in 1978 when college doors began to be re-opened after the Cultural Revolution. She was assigned to study engineering despite her desire to study Chinese literature, and a few years later, the government sent her to work in a TV factory.

　　I was shocked when she first told me how she (had) had no choice in her major and job. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.

　　The first door I see is the opportunity to study different kinds of subjects that interest us. My aunt said she was happy to study management, but she was also happy that she could attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history. To me, if college education in the past emphasized specialization, now, it emphasizes free and well-rounded development of each inpidual. So all the fine achievements of human civilization are open to us.

　　The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. My aunt remembers her previous college days as monotonous and even calls her generation "frogs in a well." But today, as the world becomes a global village, it is important that our neighbors and we be open-minded to learn with and from each other. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am ap*ing to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the United Kingdom where her daughter, my cousin, is now doing her master's degree in biochemistry. We are now taking the opportunity to study overseas, and when we come back, we'll put to use what we have learnt abroad.

　　The third door is the door to lifelong learning. As new ideas appear all the time, we always need to acquire new knowledge, regardless of our age. Naturally, my aunt herself is the best example. Many of my aunt's contemporaries say that she is amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She sim* responds, "Age doesn't matter. What * is your attitude. You may think it's strange that I am still going to college, but I don't think I'm too old to learn." Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions in 20xx, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like these people, my aunt is old but she is very young in spirit. With her incredible energy and determination, she embodies both tradition and modernity.

　　The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on. When I reach my aunt's age, I can be proud to say that I have walked through dozens of doors and will, in the remainder of my life, walk through many more. Possibly I will go back to college, too.

　　Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿3

　　From Walls to Bridges

　　I'm studying in a city famous for its walls. All visitors to my city are amazed by the imposing sight of the city walls, silhouetted by the setting sun with gold and shining lines. With old, cracked bricks patched with lichen, the walls are weather-beaten guards, standing still for centuries in protecting the city.

　　Our ancestors liked to build walls. They built walls in Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing and many other cities, and they built the Great Wall, which snakes through half of our country. They built walls to ward off enemies and evil spirits. This tradition has been maintained to this day as we still have many parks and schools walled off from the public. I grew up at the foot of the city walls, and I've loved them since my childhood. For a long time, walls were one of the most natural things in the world.

　　My perception, however, changed after a hiking trip to the Eastern Suburbs, a scenic area of my city. My classmates and I were walking with some international students. As we walked out of the city, we found ourselves flanked by taller and taller trees, which formed a huge canopy above our heads. Suddenly an international student asked me, "Where is the entrance to the Eastern Suburbs?"

　　"We're already in the Eastern Suburbs," I replied.

　　He seemed taken aback, "I thought you Chinese have walls for everything." His remark set off a heated debate. At one point, he likened our walled cities to "jails," while I insisted that the Eastern Suburbs were one of the many places in China that had no walls.

　　That debate had no winners, but I did learn a lot from this international student. For instance, he told me that universities like Oxford and Cambridge were not surrounded by walls; the campuses were just part of the cities. I have to admit that we do have many walls in China, and as we are developing our country, we must carefully examine them, whether they are physical or intangible. We will keep some walls but tear down those that impede China's development.

　　Let me give you an example.

　　A year ago, when I was working on a term paper, I needed a book on business law and found a copy in the law school library. However, the librarian turned down my request with a cold shoulder, saying, "You can't borrow this book, you are not a student here." In the end, I had to spend 200 yuan buying a copy; meanwhile, the copy in law school was gathering dust on the shelf.

　　At the beginning of this semester, I heard that my university has started not only to unify its libraries but also link them up with libraries of other universities, so my experience will not be repeated. Barriers will be replaced by bridges. Through an inter-library loan system, we will have access to books from any library. With globalization, with China integrated into the world, I believe many of these intangible walls will be knocked down.

　　I know globalization is a controversial issue, and it is hard to say whether it is good or bad. But one thing is for sure: it draws our attention to China's tangible and intangible walls and forces us to examine their roles in the modern world.

　　And how about the ancient walls in my city and other cities? Should we tear them down? Just the opposite. My city, like Beijing and other cities, is actually making a great effort to preserve the walls. These walls attract not only historians and archeologists but also many schoolchildren trying to study our history and cultural heritage. Walls have turned into bridges to our past and to the rest of the world. If the ancient builders of these walls were still alive today, they would be proud to see such great change in the role of their walls. They are now bridges that link East and West, South and North, and all countries of the world. Our cultural heritage will survive globalization.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇擴展閱讀

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展1）

——”21世紀(jì)杯”英語演講比賽決賽演講稿3篇

”21世紀(jì)杯”英語演講比賽決賽演講稿1

　　Honorable judges and dear fellow students,

　　Just as most people here,when I first saw the topic reform and opening-up policies,a voice came out,saying what a grand scale!Then those big events,such as China's accession to WTO,the launch of Shenzhou and the submersion of Jiaolong flashed through my mind.However,at this moment I stand on the stage as a member of Chinese youth,I'm not gonna draw a magnificent blueprint for you.What I exactly want is to find out the relation between Chinese youth and this era of reform and opening-up.

　　It is known to all that in the past 40 years,China has captured the opportunity provided by globalization and grown rapidly from nobody to the second-largest economy in the world.In this context,it could be said that we young people have had better resources than ever before.To be more specific,let's pick up some daily life's fragments: for example,one Sunday morning,you don't feel like going outside,so you pull out your smartphone and quickly order a takeout on APP to comfort your empty stomach.In another case ,there's been a discount on Taobao .After struggling with your equipment and the net speed,you finally got your favorite goods at the best prize,because the most complete sup* chain and logistic chain worldwide will solve the remaining work for you,so all you have to do is waiting. Not to mention the increasing number of people going abroad,with a Chinese passport,they are entitled to travel around the world and come back home safely.

　　But now I wonder how many of you have realized that this convenience,this sense of security does't come out of air,surely we could regard it as the product of reform and opening-up policies,nevertheless,do you really understand what are behind those achievements?There is a saying, if you live at ease , that is because there are a great many people who are working for you in silence.They might be the politicians and entrepreneurs who climb into the raging flow to explore and promote the system construction of market economy,they might be the intellectuals who devote their lives to prompting the engine of development,and they might be every single person we have access to.

　　In other words,we youth do not take it for granted,the more resources we possess means the more responsibility we will shoulder.When the 95s were claimed to be the new youth in China and the first millennial stepped into campus,baton of the era has also been approaching.Although China is moving firmly towards its goal of rejuvenation ,deficiencies and problems still exist.So in this sense,we youth ought to grow stronger to sustain the potentiality of development.With the baton in hands,do not afraid to embrace the mercurial society ,do not afraid to change the future.So that as the new youth we could feel more emboldened to say that facing the reform and opening-up policies we are not only the gainers but also the successors!Thank you!

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展2）

——世紀(jì)杯英語演講比賽3篇

世紀(jì)杯英語演講比賽1

　　主要考察選手多方面能力：思維能力、邏輯能力和語言能力。思維能力是指選手在毫無準(zhǔn)備的情況下對某一問題的分析能力，對問題理解的深度和寬度等;邏輯能力主要指選手是否有全局觀，是否能合理搭筑整個演講的框架，所闡述觀點的層次性是否清晰;而語言能力則是指選手即席用英語進行交流溝通的能力，可檢驗選手的英語語言熟練度和準(zhǔn)確度如何。那么如何應(yīng)對即興演講呢?

　　即興演講的題目涉及方方面面，從經(jīng)濟、**、教育、文化、人生到國際問題，包羅萬象。這也是即興演講具有極強挑戰(zhàn)性的原因之一。 題目的范圍之大之廣對參賽選手提出了很高的要求。要求演講者*時養(yǎng)成讀書看報的習(xí)慣，關(guān)注周圍發(fā)生的焦點問題和國際時事，積累各個領(lǐng)域的素材，以便談?wù)撈鹉骋粋�話題時言之有物，有的放矢;要求演講者*時養(yǎng)成思考的習(xí)慣，多聽不同的聲音，從不同角度看問題，看問題有想法、有深度。這些都是賽前的準(zhǔn)備工作，應(yīng)多積累、豐富自己的知識內(nèi)容，強化自己的觀點。

　　好的內(nèi)容包括好的主題以及有說服力的材料做**。

　　1.強有力的材料做**

　　正如前面討論過的那樣，論據(jù)的類型最基本可分為三種：實例、統(tǒng)計數(shù)字以及引用別人的言語。對于即興演講來說，現(xiàn)場能夠找到恰當(dāng)?shù)慕y(tǒng)計數(shù)字是非常困難的。因此在即興演講時，引用別人的言語和用實例來證明是最常見的兩種方式。那么應(yīng)該選擇哪種類型的例子來做論據(jù)呢?在比賽現(xiàn)場上進行即興演講時，最切實可行的、最容易做到的就是用自己或自己周圍發(fā)生的例子來說明你的觀點，信手拈來，不用絞盡腦汁，演講起來最自如，最自信;這樣做無形之中也強化了自己的可信度，比較容易打動聽眾。

　　在選擇使用論據(jù)時，尤其是在競賽當(dāng)中，需要特別注意以下兩個原則。

　�。�1)演講的**材料要切題。

　　所選擇的**材料要為你的中心觀點或主題服務(wù)，不能偏離這一點，不能跑題。記得一個學(xué)生在參加比賽時，抽到的即興演講題目是，“*成為世界貿(mào)易**的成員對于我們國家有什么主要影響?”她在演講中講了一個很長的故事，一個年輕人在海邊拾貝殼，碰到了一個老人，以及和這個老人之間展開的對話。這個故事占了整個演講的三分之二，然后很牽強地把這個故事和她抽到的題目聯(lián)系在一起。盡管她的故事敘述得很流利，但在整個即興演講結(jié)束后，聽眾仍然不知她對這個問題的回答是什么?很顯然，演講者在賽前準(zhǔn)備了幾個故事，準(zhǔn)備在即興演講時使用。的確，在賽前要做充分的準(zhǔn)備，準(zhǔn)備各個領(lǐng)域的數(shù)據(jù)、例子、權(quán)威專家的話等，做好充分的調(diào)研，以便在比賽中游刃有余。但切記你所選擇的**材料一定要與主題相關(guān)，為主題服務(wù)，能夠幫助聽眾更加深入地了解你的觀點，決不能嘩眾取寵。不切題的即興演講絕不會得高分。

　　(2)演講的**材料要貼近聽眾。

　　演講的**材料最好是聽眾熟悉的，貼近聽眾，不僅有利于聽眾理解、接受和吸收你的信息，而且容易產(chǎn)生共鳴。筆者作為輔導(dǎo)教師參加過多次的全國英語演講比賽，在比賽中發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個很奇怪的現(xiàn)象。有很多學(xué)生舉例子或引用別人的'話時，往往愿意用**的例子或**名人說的話來**他們的論點。學(xué)生也許有些許擔(dān)心，“如果用土生土長的例子，外國評委可能會不知道，不了解背景，會影響他們對整個演講的評判�！比欢�在一次比賽中，一位來自**的演講專家在做點評時說到，“不用擔(dān)心我們會不了解，或聽不懂。問題是作為一個外國人，我們在這里希望聽到有關(guān)你們國家的人、事、思想、文化，而不是我們國家的名人如林肯、*，他們說了什么，干了什么。”他一語道破了問題的關(guān)鍵，演講者所說的要和你的聽眾拉近距離，講一些本地發(fā)生的事情，發(fā)生的事情對聽眾產(chǎn)生了什么樣的影響，用當(dāng)?shù)氐奈幕�、理念來解釋你的觀點，這樣更容易在聽眾中產(chǎn)生共鳴。但并不是說就一定不能用**的例子或觀點。要全方位地選擇論據(jù)，選擇恰當(dāng)?shù)牟牧蠟槟愕挠^點服務(wù)。

　　2.好的主題與觀點

　　(1)切題

　　切題最重要。一般而言，選手拿到的題目都是以問題的形式出現(xiàn)的。你需要表明在這個問題上的立場和觀點，決不可以含糊其詞，態(tài)度閃爍不定，站在中間，既談好處又談弊端。如果堅持這樣，那么評委和聽眾就會認(rèn)為你是在逃避，你的觀點不明確，態(tài)度不明朗，那也就很難勝出。這點在CCTV杯演講比賽中尤其重要，因為即興演講是為以后的辯論做準(zhǔn)備。

　　(2) 觀點的嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)性

　　觀點需要限制和修飾。要用發(fā)展性的眼光來處理你的觀點。表達觀點的語言本身要嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)，準(zhǔn)確，盡量避免絕對化的字眼，如 “never, every, all, nothing, nobody“等，這些絕對化判斷太容易遭到攻擊。

　　觀點本身能夠站得住腳，有充足的材料可以說明論證。

　　承認(rèn)你的觀點有修正和完善的余地。你的觀點可能只是你目前認(rèn)識的一個方面，或者是現(xiàn)階段你的一種想法，它仍然有完善的余地。

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展3）

——21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿 (菁選3篇)

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿1

Good morning ladies and gentlemen:

　　The title of my speech today is "The Doors that Are Open to Us ".

　　The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. "I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!" she said. Don't be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student; to be exact, a college student at the age of 45.

　　Last year, she put aside her private business and signed up for a one-year, full-time management course in a college. "This was the wisest decision I have ever made," she said proudly like a teenage girl. To her, college is always a right place to pick up new ideas, and new ideas always make her feel young.

　　"Compared with the late 70s," she says, "now college students have many doors." My aunt cannot help but recall her first college experience in 1978 when college doors began to be re-opened after the Cultural Revolution. She was assigned to study engineering despite her desire to study Chinese literature, and a few years later, the government sent her to work in a TV factory.

　　I was shocked when she first told me how she (had) had no choice in her major and job. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.

　　The first door I see is the opportunity to study different kinds of subjects that interest us. My aunt said she was happy to study management, but she was also happy that she could attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history. To me, if college education in the past emphasized specialization, now, it emphasizes free and well-rounded development of each inpidual. So all the fine achievements of human civilization are open to us.

　　The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. My aunt remembers her previous college days as monotonous and even calls her generation "frogs in a well." But today, as the world becomes a global village, it is important that our neighbors and we be open-minded to learn with and from each other. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am ap*ing to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the United Kingdom where her daughter, my cousin, is now doing her master's degree in biochemistry. We are now taking the opportunity to study overseas, and when we come back, we'll put to use what we have learnt abroad.

　　The third door is the door to lifelong learning. As new ideas appear all the time, we always need to acquire new knowledge, regardless of our age. Naturally, my aunt herself is the best example. Many of my aunt's contemporaries say that she is amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She sim* responds, "Age doesn't matter. What * is your attitude. You may think it's strange that I am still going to college, but I don't think I'm too old to learn." Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions in 20xx, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like these people, my aunt is old but she is very young in spirit. With her incredible energy and determination, she embodies both tradition and modernity.

　　The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on. When I reach my aunt's age, I can be proud to say that I have walked through dozens of doors and will, in the remainder of my life, walk through many more. Possibly I will go back to college, too.

　　Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿2

　　The Doors that Are Open to Us

　　Good morning ladies and gentlemen:

　　The title of my speech today is "The Doors that Are Open to Us ".

　　The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. "I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!" she said. Don't be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student; to be exact, a college student at the age of 45.

　　Last year, she put aside her private business and signed up for a one-year, full-time management course in a college. "This was the wisest decision I have ever made," she said proudly like a teenage girl. To her, college is always a right place to pick up new ideas, and new ideas always make her feel young.

　　"Compared with the late 70s," she says, "now college students have many doors." My aunt cannot help but recall her first college experience in 1978 when college doors began to be re-opened after the Cultural Revolution. She was assigned to study engineering despite her desire to study Chinese literature, and a few years later, the government sent her to work in a TV factory.

　　I was shocked when she first told me how she (had) had no choice in her major and job. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.

　　The first door I see is the opportunity to study different kinds of subjects that interest us. My aunt said she was happy to study management, but she was also happy that she could attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history. To me, if college education in the past emphasized specialization, now, it emphasizes free and well-rounded development of each inpidual. So all the fine achievements of human civilization are open to us.

　　The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. My aunt remembers her previous college days as monotonous and even calls her generation "frogs in a well." But today, as the world becomes a global village, it is important that our neighbors and we be open-minded to learn with and from each other. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am ap*ing to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the United Kingdom where her daughter, my cousin, is now doing her master's degree in biochemistry. We are now taking the opportunity to study overseas, and when we come back, we'll put to use what we have learnt abroad.

　　The third door is the door to lifelong learning. As new ideas appear all the time, we always need to acquire new knowledge, regardless of our age. Naturally, my aunt herself is the best example. Many of my aunt's contemporaries say that she is amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She sim* responds, "Age doesn't matter. What * is your attitude. You may think it's strange that I am still going to college, but I don't think I'm too old to learn." Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions in 20xx, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like these people, my aunt is old but she is very young in spirit. With her incredible energy and determination, she embodies both tradition and modernity.

　　The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on. When I reach my aunt's age, I can be proud to say that I have walked through dozens of doors and will, in the remainder of my life, walk through many more. Possibly I will go back to college, too.

　　Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿3

　　From Walls to Bridges

　　I'm studying in a city famous for its walls. All visitors to my city are amazed by the imposing sight of the city walls, silhouetted by the setting sun with gold and shining lines. With old, cracked bricks patched with lichen, the walls are weather-beaten guards, standing still for centuries in protecting the city.

　　Our ancestors liked to build walls. They built walls in Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing and many other cities, and they built the Great Wall, which snakes through half of our country. They built walls to ward off enemies and evil spirits. This tradition has been maintained to this day as we still have many parks and schools walled off from the public. I grew up at the foot of the city walls, and I've loved them since my childhood. For a long time, walls were one of the most natural things in the world.

　　My perception, however, changed after a hiking trip to the Eastern Suburbs, a scenic area of my city. My classmates and I were walking with some international students. As we walked out of the city, we found ourselves flanked by taller and taller trees, which formed a huge canopy above our heads. Suddenly an international student asked me, "Where is the entrance to the Eastern Suburbs?"

　　"We're already in the Eastern Suburbs," I replied.

　　He seemed taken aback, "I thought you Chinese have walls for everything." His remark set off a heated debate. At one point, he likened our walled cities to "jails," while I insisted that the Eastern Suburbs were one of the many places in China that had no walls.

　　That debate had no winners, but I did learn a lot from this international student. For instance, he told me that universities like Oxford and Cambridge were not surrounded by walls; the campuses were just part of the cities. I have to admit that we do have many walls in China, and as we are developing our country, we must carefully examine them, whether they are physical or intangible. We will keep some walls but tear down those that impede China's development.

　　Let me give you an example.

　　A year ago, when I was working on a term paper, I needed a book on business law and found a copy in the law school library. However, the librarian turned down my request with a cold shoulder, saying, "You can't borrow this book, you are not a student here." In the end, I had to spend 200 yuan buying a copy; meanwhile, the copy in law school was gathering dust on the shelf.

　　At the beginning of this semester, I heard that my university has started not only to unify its libraries but also link them up with libraries of other universities, so my experience will not be repeated. Barriers will be replaced by bridges. Through an inter-library loan system, we will have access to books from any library. With globalization, with China integrated into the world, I believe many of these intangible walls will be knocked down.

　　I know globalization is a controversial issue, and it is hard to say whether it is good or bad. But one thing is for sure: it draws our attention to China's tangible and intangible walls and forces us to examine their roles in the modern world.

　　And how about the ancient walls in my city and other cities? Should we tear them down? Just the opposite. My city, like Beijing and other cities, is actually making a great effort to preserve the walls. These walls attract not only historians and archeologists but also many schoolchildren trying to study our history and cultural heritage. Walls have turned into bridges to our past and to the rest of the world. If the ancient builders of these walls were still alive today, they would be proud to see such great change in the role of their walls. They are now bridges that link East and West, South and North, and all countries of the world. Our cultural heritage will survive globalization.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展4）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第三冊第3課內(nèi)容講解60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第三冊第3課內(nèi)容講解1

　　1. Before you listen to the passage, predict the words that are missing in the printed version of the passage. Then when you hear the passage, mark where you hear differences between your predictions and what's actually on the tape. Don't worry about writing down exactly what you hear — just note where you hear differences.

　　The sense of _____ dominates every modern culture to such an extent that most people never _____. Relying mainly on _____ seems so natural — how could a culture favor _____ instead? What would such a culture be like? It's almost impossible to imagine. But _____ is in fact not as "natural" as we normally think. Although most humans are born with _____, no one is born knowing how to _____. We must learn _____, and many of the rules we learn vary _____. _____ is an excellent example: Before artists invented formal rules for portraying three dimensions, no one thought of distant objects as looking _____. If you doubt this, try explaining _____ to a young child.

　　2. If you had to lose one of your senses, which one would you choose to give up? And having lost it, what do you think you'd miss the most?

　　3. It's common to speak of "the five senses" — but are there only five? Some researcher say that we all have and use other senses as well. What others can you think of?

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第三冊第3課內(nèi)容講解2

　　Rachel Carson

　　A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that, for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmed and even lost before we reach *hood. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.

　　If children are to keep alive their natural sense of wonder without any such gift from the angels, they need the companionship of at least one * who can share it, rediscovering with the child the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. In a mood of self-defeat, they exclaim, "How can I possibly teach my child about nature — why, I don't even know one bird from another!"

　　I sincerely believe that for children, and for parents seeking to guide them, it is not half so important to know as it is to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused — a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love — then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, such knowledge has far more lasting meaning than mere information. It is more important to pave the way for children's desire to know than to put them on a diet of facts they are not ready to assimilate.

　　Even if you feel you have little knowledge of nature at your disposal, there is still much you can do for your child. Wherever you are and whatever your resources, you can still look up at the sky — its dawn and evening beauties, its moving clouds, its stars by night. You can listen to the wind, whether it blows with majestic voice through a forest or sings a many-voiced chorus around the corners of your apartment building, and in the listening, you can gain magical release for your thoughts. You can still feel the rain on your face and think of its long journey from sea to air to earth, and wonder at the mysteries of natural selection embodied in the perfume and flavour of a fruit. Even if you are a city dweller, you can find some place, perhaps a park or a golf course, where you can observe the mysterious migrations of the birds and the changing seasons. And with your child you can ponder the mystery of a growing seed, even if it's just one planted in a pot of earth in the kitchen window.

　　Exploring nature with your child is largely a matter of being open to what lies all around you. It is learning again to use your eyes, ears, nose and fingertips, opening up the disused channels of your senses. For most of us, knowledge of our world comes largely through sight, yet we look about with such unseeing eyes that we are partially blind. One way to open your eyes to unnoticed beauty is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?"

　　What is the value of preserving and strengthening this sense of awe and wonder, this recognition of something beyond the boundaries of human existence? Is the exploration of the natural world just a pleasant way to pass the golden hours of childhood or is there something deeper?

　　I am sure there is something much deeper, something lasting and significant. Those who dwell, as scientists or laypeople, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the problems or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner satisfaction and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

　　I like to remember the distinguished Swedish oceanographer, Otto Pettersson, who died a few years ago at the age of ninety-three, in full possession of his keen mental powers. His son has related in a recent book how intensely his father enjoyed every new experience, every new discovery concerning the world about him.

　　"He was an incurable romantic," the son wrote, "intensely in love with life and with the mysteries of the universe." When he realized he had not much longer to enjoy the earthly scene, Otto Pettersson said to his son: "What will sustain me in my last moments is an infinite curiosity as to what is to follow."

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第三冊第3課內(nèi)容講解3

　　misfortune

　　n. bad luck 不幸;災(zāi)禍

　　clear-eyed

　　a. 視力好的;目光炯炯的

　　awe-inspiring

　　a. 令人敬畏;令人驚嘆的

　　dim

　　vt. make less bright or unable to see clearly 使…暗淡;使…看不清

　　a. (of a light) not bright; not easy to see 昏暗的;模糊的

　　* angel

　　n. 天使

　　* preside

　　vi. have authority or control; direct 負(fù)責(zé);主持

　　inadequate

　　a. not good enough in quality, ability, size, etc. 不夠格的;不能勝任的;不充分的

　　confront

　　vt. stand or meet face to face; bring face to face 面對;遭遇

　　mood

　　n. state of mind or feelings 心境，心情;情緒

　　sincerely

　　ad. 真誠地;忠實地

　　sincere

　　a. free from falseness; true and honest 忠實的;真誠的

　　arouse

　　vt. cause to become active; excite 喚醒;激發(fā)

　　rouse

　　vt. 1. cause to become active; excite (=arouse) 喚醒;激發(fā)

　　2. wake (sb.) up 喚醒，使醒來

　　mere

　　a. nothing more than 只不過的，僅僅的

　　* assimilate

　　vt. take in and make a part of oneself; absorb 使同化;吸收

　　disposal

　　n. the act of getting rid of sth.; the power or right to use sth. freely 處理;支配

　　dispose

　　vt. 1. put in place; set in readiness 布置;配置

　　2. cause to have a tendency (to do sth.) 使有傾向;使愿意

　　majestic

　　a. showing power and greatness; dignified and impressive 雄偉的，威嚴(yán)的

　　* majesty

　　n. 1. greatness; a show of power as of a king or queen 雄偉;莊重;君王尊嚴(yán)

　　2. [M-] 陛下(對帝王、王后等的尊稱)

　　* chorus

　　n. 1. a song sung by many singers together 合唱曲

　　2. a group of singers singing together 合唱隊

　　selection

　　n. the act of selecting; sb. or sth. that is selected 選擇;被選出的人(或物)

　　* embody

　　vt. 1. represent (a quality, idea, etc.) in a physical form 體現(xiàn);使具體化

　　2. contain, include 包含

　　* perfume

　　n. 1. a sweet or pleasant smell 芳香，香氣

　　2. 香水

　　flavo(u)r

　　n. a taste; a special quality 味道;風(fēng)味;特色

　　vt. give a particular taste to 給…調(diào)味

　　migration

　　n. the movement of a group (often of animals, birds, etc.) from one area to another 遷移;移居;(鳥類等的)遷徒

　　* migrate

　　vi. 1. (of animals) travel regularly to a different area according to the seasons of the year (動物的)遷徒

　　2. change one's place of living; move from one place to another, especially to find work 遷移;(農(nóng)業(yè)季節(jié)工人等)外出找工作

　　* migrant

　　n. 遷移動物;移居者;農(nóng)業(yè)季節(jié)工人

　　* ponder

　　vt. think about carefully; consider 沉思;考慮

　　strengthen

　　vt. make stronger 加強，強化

　　awe

　　n. a feeling of respect mixed with fear and wonder 敬畏;驚嘆

　　recognition

　　n. the act of recognizing; the state of being recognized 認(rèn)同;認(rèn)出;承認(rèn)

　　* weary

　　a. very tired; bored 疲倦的;厭倦的

　　reserve

　　n. anything kept for later use 儲備物

　　vt. 1. keep for a special purpose 保留;儲備

　　2. (AmE) book (美)預(yù)訂

　　* reservation

　　n. 1. doubt or uncertainty, esp. when one's agreement with sth. is in some way limited 保留;保留意見

　　2. (AmE) booking; reserved seat or accommodation 預(yù)定;預(yù)定的座席(或住處等)

　　symbolic(al)

　　a. 象征性的

　　symbol

　　n. (of) a sign, shape or object which represents a person, idea or an item 象征;標(biāo)志;符號

　　ebb

　　n. a flowing of the tide away from the shore 退潮，落潮

　　tide

　　n. the regular rise and fall of the ocean, caused by the attraction of the Moon 潮汐

　　* bud

　　n. a small swelling on a plant that will grow into a flower, leaf, or branch 牙;花蕾

　　* heal

　　v. (cause to) become sound or healthy again 治愈;痊愈

　　infinitely

　　ad. 無窮地，無限地

　　* finite

　　a. having an end or a limit 有限的

　　* refrain

　　n. a part of a song that is repeated, esp. at the end of each verse (歌曲中的)疊歌，副歌

　　vi. (from) hold oneself back (from) 忍住;克制

　　oceanographer

　　n. 海洋學(xué)家

　　possession

　　n. 1. the act or state of possessing or being possessed 擁有;具有

　　2. (often pl.) personal property [常復(fù)數(shù)]所有物;

　　keen

　　a. 1. good, strong, quick at understanding 敏銳的'

　　2. (on, to) eager or anxious to do sth. 熱切的

　　intensely

　　ad. greatly or extremely; strongly 極度地;強烈地

　　intense

　　a. great or extreme; strong 極度的;強烈的

　　intensity

　　n. 1. 強烈，劇烈

　　2. 強度，烈度

　　concerning

　　prep.(fml) about; with regard to; in connection with 關(guān)于

　　earthly

　　a. of this world as opposed to heaven; material rather than spiritual 塵世的，世俗的

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第三冊第3課內(nèi)容講解4

　　preside over

　　direct (a commi* or other formal group of people); have or exercise control or authority over (sth.) 主持(委員會等);掌管(某事)

　　wish for

　　have a desire for; long for 想要;希望得到

　　pave the way (for)

　　make smooth or easy (for); be a preparation (for) 為…鋪*道路;為…作準(zhǔn)備

　　at sb.'s disposal

　　available for one to use as one wishes 由某人支配或使用

　　wonder at

　　be surprised by or curious about 對…感到驚訝

　　natural selection

　　the theory developed by Charles Darwin that plants and animals best suited to the conditions around them survive while those not suited to the conditions die out 自然選擇(指生物界適者生存不適者被淘汰的現(xiàn)象)

　　a matter of sth./doing sth.

　　a question of; an instance or a case of 一個…的問題;一件…的事

　　open up

　　make or become open or accessible 打開;開放

　　be weary of

　　be tired of; be bored with 對…感到厭倦

　　look about

　　look around; examine the place or state of affairs 掃視四周;觀察(事態(tài))

　　be in possession of

　　have in one's possession; maintain control over 擁有;**

　　as to

　　about; concerning 關(guān)于;有關(guān)

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展5）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊Unit1內(nèi)容講解60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊Unit1內(nèi)容講解1

　　text a

　　listening

　　first listening

　　before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　grade

　　分?jǐn)?shù)

　　concentrate

　　全神貫注

　　schedule

　　時間表

　　pressure

　　壓力

　　selectively

　　有選擇地

　　relevant

　　有關(guān)的

　　skip over

　　跳過;略過

　　approach

　　方法

　　second listening

　　listen to the tape again. then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. the purpose of this listening passage is ____.

　　a) to describe college life

　　b) to give advice for college success

　　c) to warn against being lazy at college

　　d) to increase college enrollment(入學(xué)人數(shù))

　　2. according to the listening passage, the most important key to getting good grades at college is _____.

　　a) asking questions in class

　　b) doing assignments ahead of time

　　c) working as hard as you can

　　d) learning how to study effectively

　　3. which of the following does the listening not say you should do?

　　a) organize your time and materials.

　　b) write down every word the professor says in class.

　　c) treat studying like business.

　　d) study together.

　　pre-reading questions

　　1. based on the title, guess what the text is about.

　　2. look at the subheadings, 1-8, in the text. which of these activities do you already do? in which areas do you feel you need improvement?

　　3. are there any "secrets" to your own success as a student? in other words, do you have any special study techniques which have been very successful for you?

　　secrets of a students

　　edwin kiester & sally valentine kiester

　　alex, now a first-year student in natural sciences at cambridge, played football for his school in manchester and directed the school production of a play — but he left school with five a's. amanda, studying english at bristol university, acted in plays at her school and played tennis regularly. yet she still managed to get four a's.

　　how do a students like these do it? brains aren't the only answer. the most gifted students do not necessarily perform best in exams. knowing how to make the most of one's abilities counts for much more.

　　hard work isn't the whole story either. some of these high-achieving students actually put in fewer hours than their lower-scoring classmates. the students at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that others can easily learn. here, according to education experts and students themselves, are the secrets of a students.

　　1. concentrate! top students allow no interruptions of their study time. once the books are open, phone calls go unanswered, tv unwatched and newspapers unread. "this doesn't mean ignoring important things in your life," amanda explains. "it means planning your study time so that you can concentrate. if i'm worried about a sick friend, i call her before i start my homework. then when i sit down to study, i can really focus."

　　2. study anywhere — or everywhere. a university professor in arizona assigned to tutor underachieving college athletes, recalls a runner who exercised daily. he persuaded him to use the time to memorise biology terms. another student stuck a vocabulary list on his bathroom wall and learned a new word every day while brushing his teeth.

　　3. organize your materials. at school, tom played basketball. "i was too busy to waste time looking for a pencil or a missing notebook. i kept everything just where i could get my hands on it," he says. paul, a student in new mexico, keeps two folders for each subject — one for the day's assignments, the other for homework completed and ready to hand in. a drawer keeps essentials together and cuts down on time-wasting searches.

　　4. organize your time. when a teacher set a long essay, alex would spend a couple of days reading round the subject and making notes, then he'd do a rough draft and write up the essay. he would aim to finish a couple of days before the assignment was due so that if it took longer than expected, he'd still meet the deadline. amanda stuck to a study schedule that included breaks every two hours. "trying to study when you're overtired isn't smart," she advises. "even a short break to stretch or get some fresh air can work wonders."

　　5. learn how to read. "i used to spend hours going through irrelevant material," amanda remembers. "but then i got used to reading quickly; if the first sentence of a paragraph wasn't relevant, i'd move on to the next paragraph." "the best course i ever took," says an oklahoma student, "was speed-reading. i not only increased my words per minute but also learned to look at a book's table of contents and pictures first. then, when i began to read, i had a sense of the material and i retained a lot more." to such students, the secret of good reading is to be an active reader — one who keeps asking questions that lead to a full understanding of the material being read.

　　6. take good notes. "before writing anything, i pide my page into two parts," says amanda, "the left part is about a third of the page wide; the right, two-thirds. i write my notes in the wider part, and put down the main ideas on the left. during revision, this is very useful because you can see immediately why the material is relevant, rather than being worried by a great mass of information." just before the end of lesson bell rings, most students close their books, put away papers, talk to friends and get ready to leave. but a smart student uses those few minutes to write two or three sentences about the lesson's main points, which he scans before the next class.

　　7. ask questions. "if you ask questions, you know at once whether you have got the point or not," says alex. class participation is a matter of showing intellectual curiosity. in a lecture on economics, for example, curious students would ask how the chinese economy could be both socialist and market-driven, thus interesting themselves not only in whats, but also in whys and hows.

　　8. study together. the value of working together was shown in an experiment at the university of california at berkeley. a graduate student there who observed a first-year calculus course found that asian-american students discussed homework, tried different approaches and explained their solutions to one another while the others studied alone, spent most of their time reading and rereading the text, and tried the same approach time after time even if it was unsuccessful.

　　after all, the secrets of a students are not so secret. you can learn and master them and become an a student, too.

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展6）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課程6內(nèi)容詳解60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課程6內(nèi)容詳解1

　　Leonid Fridman

　　There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious.

　　We all know what a nerd is: someone who wears thick glasses and ugly clothes; someone who knows all the answers to the chemistry or math homework but can never get a date on a Saturday night. And a geek, according to "Webster's New World Dictionary," is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is a revealing fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to such a freak.

　　Even at a prestigious educational institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is widespread: Many students are ashamed to admit, even to their friends, how much they study.

　　Although most students try to keep up their grades, there is but a small group of undergraduates for whom pursuing knowledge is the most important thing during their years at Harvard. Nerds are looked down upon while athletes are made heroes of.

　　The same thing happens in U.S. elementary and high schools. Children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than idle away their time at parties with their classmates, become social outcasts. Because of their intelligence and refusal to conform to society's anti-intellectual values, many are deprived of a chance to learn adequate social skills and acquire good communication tools.

　　Enough is enough.

　　Nerds and geeks must stop being ashamed of what they are. Those who don't study hard must stop teasing those who do, the bright kids with thick glasses. The anti-intellectual values that have spread throughout American society must be fought.

　　There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S.. In most industrialized nations, not least of all our economic rivals in East Asia, a kid who studies hard is praised and held up as an example to other students.

　　In many parts of the world, university professorships are the most prestigious and materially rewarding positions. But not in America, where average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than professors of the best universities.

　　How can a country where typical parents are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics instead of going dancing, or of their son reading Weber while his friends play baseball be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan? How long can America remain a world-class power if we constantly put social skills and physical strength over academic achievement and intellectual ability?

　　Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, as we have done for a major portion of this century without making an effort to also cultivate a pro-intellectual culture at home? Even if we have the political will to spend a lot more money on education than we do now, do we think we can improve our schools if we laugh at our hardworking pupils and fail to respect their impoverished teachers?

　　Our fault lies not so much with our economy or with our politics as within ourselves, our values and our image of a good life. America's culture has not adapted to the demands of our times, to the economic realities that demand a highly educated workforce and innovative intelligent leadership.

　　If we are to succeed as a society in the 21 st century, we had better do away with our anti-intellectualism and teach our children that a good life depends on exercising one's mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one's abilities.

　　Not until the words "nerd" and "geek" become terms of praise rather than insults do we stand a chance.

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課程6內(nèi)容詳解2

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. The main purpose of this listening passage is to_________.

　　A) argue against higher salaries for athletes

　　B) offer solutions to current economic problems

　　C) complain about the lack of respect for intellectuals

　　D) describe changes in the English language

　　2. What is the meaning of the words "nerd" and "geek"?

　　A) They are insulting terms which are applied to smart students.

　　B) They are used in the U.S. to describe students from other countries.

　　C) A nerd is a good student and a geek is a poor student.

　　D) A nerd is a poor student and a geek is a good student.

　　3. The passage says that in nations other than the U.S.,_________.

　　A) hardworking students are praised

　　B) professors are paid better salaries

　　C) more respect is given to intellectuals

　　D) all of the above

　　4. The passage suggests that the words "nerd" and "geek" should_________.

　　A) be made illegal

　　B) become words of praise, rather than insults

　　C) be used to describe athletes instead of students

　　D) all of the above

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展7）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程Unit8內(nèi)容介紹60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程Unit8內(nèi)容介紹1

　　When a seven-year-old boy declared that he had fallen in love with a seven-year-old girl, the *s laughed, and the young ones did not understand why. In their eyes, their love was serious and important indeed.

　　Young and in Love

　　Jeanne Marie Laskas

　　Ryan has never had a girlfriend. Not because he is against the idea, but because it has never actually occurred to him. He is 7.

　　When Ryan's father tells him about Katie, a girl who will also be at the weekend getaway, Ryan starts bouncing around as if hit with an electric charge. Maybe it's just that there will be a kid the same age there. He gets so sick of being the only kid around when he and his dad do stuff.

　　Or maybe it's that Katie is reported to like a lot of the same things Ryan likes. Maybe it's the words his father says, the words that Ryan will not be able to get out of his ears: "They say she has 311 Pokemon cards."

　　Ryan has never met anyone with 311 Pokemon cards. He himself has 204. He gathers all of his and puts them in a box, so that he can show them to the girl named Katie.

　　The place is filled with grown-ups when he arrives, old friends drinking beer. Ryan wanders around, saying, "Where's Katie?" until someone points to the family room. He charges in there, hoping it's true.

　　He sees her there curled up on a couch with her mother, watching "Rug-rats." She has long brown hair and big green eyes. "I'm Ryan!" he announces.

　　She looks at him. She says something Ryan has never heard before. She says: "I have pneumonia."

　　Ryan has never met anyone with pneumonia before. There is no denying it any longer. This girl is special.

　　He says, "Do you want to see my Pokemon cards?" She stands up, takes him away to compare collections. She does not brag about the fact that she has more cards than he does, which you have to admit is a class act.

　　A half-hour goes by. Ryan and Katie return to the family room, where many of the grown-ups have gathered. "He asked me to be his girlfriend!" Katie announces.

　　"I have a crush on her!" Ryan says.

　　"I had two boyfriends before," Katie says. "But they were annoying. Not like Ryan. He is the best boyfriend I have ever had."

　　Katie and Ryan can't understand why the grown-ups are laughing; they don't understand that sweethearts don't just come out and say these things. Love isn't like this. Love is something that happens in code. Love is a complicated game of pretending not to love, not to care, so that the other one will have no choice but to love and care. At least this is how it works when you're... mature.

　　They spend the day comparing Pokemon cards. It feels as if they could do this forever. Katie gives Ryan a Psyduck card, and not just because she has six of them. She gives it to him because Psyduck is her very favorite Pokemon character.

　　When it is time to go, Ryan asks if someone can please show him a map, so he can see how far away Katie lives. His father tells him it's a few hundred miles. Ryan feels like throwing up. Katie says, "How about e-mail?" Katie has all the good ideas. Katie's mom and Ryan'a dad agree to set up accounts for the kids.

　　On the drive home, Ryan holds his Psyduck card. He flips it over. He places it next to his cheek. As soon as he walks in the door, he turns on his dad's com*r. For his screen name he chooses Psyduck plus a few of Katie's favorite numbers, and KRKRKR for a password, as many K's next to as many R's as he can fit. In his message he says, "Dear Katie, Hi it's me. What's up? I was just wondering (what was up.) I miss you. Love, Ryan."

　　He awaits her response. He waits an hour. By the second hour, he is sitting at the com*r in tears. "What happened?" he wails to his dad. He wonders if she forgot about him, if any of it was really true. The answer could mean everything. This is love at ground zero. This is a trial run for a heart that will one day occupy a man.

　　"You've got mail," the com*r says. And there she is. "Dear Ryan," she writes. "I just got home. I miss you. I am so glad I am your girlfriend. Love, Katie."

　　Ryan is so happy he can hardly type the words back. "I got your message!" he writes. "It was a great message. It's the only message I have ever got, so it is and always will be my favorite."

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程Unit8內(nèi)容介紹2

　　girlfriend

　　n. 女朋友

　　weekend

　　n. 周末

　　getaway

　　n. a period of rest and relaxation, esp. a short one (離開大城市的)短暫休假

　　bounce

　　vi. 1. jump up and down 蹦蹦跳跳

　　2. strike a surface and rebound 反彈

　　charge

　　n. 電荷;電量

　　vi. rush forward 向前沖

　　dad

　　n. 爸爸

　　grown-up

　　n. **

　　beer

　　n. 啤酒

　　* couch

　　n. 長沙發(fā)

　　pneumonia

　　n. 肺炎

　　deny

　　vt. say that (sth.) is not true 否認(rèn);不承認(rèn)

　　collection

　　n. 收藏(品)

　　brag

　　v. say or declare sth. in a proud way 自夸，吹噓

　　class

　　n. (口)高質(zhì)量;出色的風(fēng)度

　　class act

　　(美俚)出類拔萃的人;出色的事物

　　annoy

　　vt. make (sb.) angry 使煩惱，使生氣

　　sweetheart

　　n. 心上人，戀人

　　code

　　n. 代碼;密碼

　　complicated

　　a. difficult to explain or understand 復(fù)雜的，難懂的'

　　mature

　　a. fully grown or developed 成熟的

　　e-mail

　　n. electronic mail 電子郵件

　　* flip

　　vt. turn (sth.) quickly 快速翻動;轉(zhuǎn)動

　　cheek

　　n. 臉頰

　　screen

　　n. 屏幕

　　password

　　n. 口令，密碼

　　await

　　vt. wait for 等待

　　wail

　　vt. 哭著說

　　trial

　　n. 試;試驗

　　trial run

　　試行;試車;試航;試演

　　occupy

　　vt. take up (a place) 占據(jù)

　　purpose

　　n. an intention or plan 目的

　　mail

　　n. 郵件

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　be sick of

　　be tired of 厭倦

　　curl up

　　sit or lie with legs drawn up 蜷縮

　　brag about

　　say or declare (sth.) in a very proud way 夸口，吹噓

　　go by

　　pass (時間)過去

　　have a crush on

　　(口)非常喜歡;狂熱地愛上

　　come out

　　appear in public 露面

　　throw up

　　vomit 嘔吐

　　set up

　　establish or arrange 建立

　　flip over

　　turn over (quickly) 快速翻過來

　　in tears

　　crying 哭泣著，流著淚

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展8）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課文Foreword60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課文Foreword1

　　Bill Gates

　　The past twenty years have been an incredible adventure for me. It started on a day when, as a college sophomore, l stood in Harvard Square with my friend Paul Allen and pored over the description of a kit com*r in Popular Electronics magazine. As we read excitedly about the first truly personal com*r, Paul and I didn't know exactly how it would be used, but we were sure it would change us and the world of computing. We were right. The personal com*r revolution happened and it has affected millions of lives. It has led us to places we had barely imagined.

　　We are all beginning another great journey. We aren't sure where this one will lead us either, but again I am certain this revolution will touch even more lives and take us all farther. The major changes coming will be in the way people communicate with each other. The benefits and problems arising from this upcoming communications revolution will be much greater than those brought about by the PC revolution.

　　There is never a reliable map for unexplored territory, but we can learn important lessons from the creation and evolution of the $120-billion personal-com*r industry. The PC — its evolving hardware, business applications, on-line systems. Internet connections, electronic mail, multimedia titles, authoring tools, and games — is the foundation for the next revolution.

　　During the PC industry's infancy, the mass media paid little attention to what was going on in the brand-new business. Those of us who were attracted by com*rs and the possibilities they promised were unnoticed outside our own circles.

　　But this next journey, to the so-called information highway, is the topic of endless newspaper and magazine articles, television and radio broadcasts, conferences, and widespread speculation. There has been an unbelievable amount of interest in this subject during the last few years, both inside and outside the com*r industry. The interest is not confined only to developed countries, and it goes well beyond the large numbers of personal-com*r users.

　　Thousands of informed and uninformed people are now speculating publicly about the information highway. The amount of misunderstanding about the technology and its possible dangers surprises me. Some people think the highway is sim* today's Internet or the delivery of 500 simultaneous channels of television. Others hope or fear it will create com*rs as smart as human beings. Those developments will come, but they are not the highway.

　　The revolution in communications is just beginning. It will take place over several decades, and will be driven by new "applications" — new tools, often meeting currently unforeseen needs. During the next few years, major decisions will have to be made. It is crucial that a broad set of people — not just technologists or those who happen to be in the com*r industry — participate in the debate about how this technology should be shaped. If that can be done, the highway will serve the purposes users want. Then it will gain broad acceptance and become a reality.

　　I'm writing this book The Road Ahead as part of my contribution to the debate and, although it's a tall order, I hope it can serve as a travel guide for the forthcoming journey. I do this with some misgivings. We've all smiled at predictions from the past that look silly today. History is full of now ironic examples — the Oxford professor who in 1878 dismissed the electric light as a gimmick; the commissioner of U.S. patents who in 1899 asked that his office be abolished because "everything that can be invented has been invented." This is meant to be a serious book, although ten years from now it may not appear that way. What I've said that turned out to be right will be considered obvious and what was wrong will be humorous.

　　Anyone expecting an autobiography or a treatise on what it's like to have been as lucky as I have been will be disappointed. Perhaps when I've retired I will get around to writing that book. This book looks primarily to the future.

　　Anyone hoping for a technological treatise will be disappointed, too. Everyone will be touched by the information highway, and everyone ought to be able to understand its implications. That's why my goal from the very beginning was to write a book that as many people as possible could understand.

　　The process of thinking about and writing the present book took longer than I expected. Indeed, estimating the time it would take proved to be as difficult as projecting the development schedule of a major software project. The only part that was easy was the cover photo which we finished well ahead of schedule. I enjoy writing speeches and had thought writing a book would be like writing them. I imagined writing a chapter would be the equivalent of writing a speech. The error in my thinking was similar to the one software developers often run into — a program ten times as long is about one hundred times more complicated to write. I should have known better.

　　And here it is. I hope it stimulates understanding, debate, and creative ideas about how we can take advantage of all that's sure to be happening in the decade ahead.

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程第一冊課文Foreword2

　　foreword

　　n. a short introduction at the beginning of a book 序言，前言

　　incredible

　　a. unbelievable; extraordinary 難以置信的;了不起的

　　sophomore

　　n. a student in the second year of college or high school(中學(xué)、大學(xué))二年級學(xué)生

　　pore

　　vi. (over) study with close attention 專心閱讀;鉆研

　　description

　　n. saying in words what sb. or sth. is like 描寫，描述

　　kit

　　n. a set of all the parts needed to assemble sth. 配套元件

　　*com*

　　v. calculate ( a result, answer, sum, etc.) esp. with a com*r(尤指用計算機)計算

　　barely

　　ad. only just; hardly 僅僅;幾乎不

　　upcoming

　　a. about to happen 即將來臨的

　　PC (abbr.)

　　personal com*r 個人計算機

　　reliable

　　a. that can be relied on; dependable 可靠的; 確實的

　　territory

　　n. (an area of) land, esp. ruled by one government **

　　*creation

　　n. the act or process of creating sth. 創(chuàng)造; 創(chuàng)作

　　evolution

　　n. 1. the gradual change and development 演變，發(fā)展

　　2. (the theory of) the development of the various types of plants, animals, etc., from earlier and simpler forms 進化(論)

　　evolve

　　vt. 演化，發(fā)展，逐步形成;進化

　　application

　　n. 1. (an instance of) putting to practical use 應(yīng)用，運用

　　2. a com*r software program 應(yīng)用軟件程序

　　on-line

　　a. 聯(lián)機的，聯(lián)線的

　　Internet

　　n. 因特網(wǎng)，國際互聯(lián)網(wǎng)

　　connection

　　n. 連接，連結(jié);聯(lián)系，關(guān)系

　　electronic

　　a. 電子的

　　multimedia

　　n.& a. 多**(的)

　　title

　　n. (多**)題標(biāo);標(biāo)題;題目

　　author

　　vt. 寫作;創(chuàng)造

　　n. 作者

　　foundation

　　n. 基礎(chǔ)

　　infancy

　　n. 嬰兒期;幼兒期;初期

　　attract

　　vt. cause to like, admire, notice, or turn towards; arouse (interest, etc.); prompt 引起…的注意(或興趣等)，吸引;引起(興趣等);激起

　　possibility

　　n. 1. (often pi.) power of developing, growing, or being used or useful in the future [常用復(fù)數(shù)] 發(fā)展前途，潛在價值

　　2. the state of being possible; likelihood 可能;可能性

　　so-called

　　a. called or named thus but perhaps wrongly or doubtfully 所謂的，號稱的

　　endless

　　a. without end, or seeming to be without end(似乎)無窮盡的;沒完沒了的

　　conference

　　n. a meeting for discussion 會議，討論會

　　confine

　　vt. (to) restrict or keep within certain limits 限制，使局限

　　speculate

　　vi. 猜測;投機

　　amount

　　n. 量，數(shù)量;總數(shù)，總額

　　misunderstanding

　　n. 誤解，曲解

　　misunderstand

　　v. 誤解，誤會

　　delivery

　　n. 傳送;投遞;運載

　　*simultaneous

　　a. happening or being done at the same time 同時發(fā)生的，同時進行的

　　channel

　　n. 頻道;水道;海峽

　　create

　　vt. cause (sth. new) to exist; produce (sth. new) 創(chuàng)造;創(chuàng)作

　　unforeseen

　　a. not known in advance; unexpected 未預(yù)見到的;意料之外的

　　crucial

　　a. (to, for) of deciding importance 決定性的;至關(guān)重要的

　　technologist

　　n. an expert in technology 技術(shù)專家

　　contribution

　　n. 捐款;捐獻;貢獻

　　debate

　　n. a formal argument or discussion(就…)進行辯論

　　v. have a debate about; take part in a debate 辯論;討論

　　purpose

　　n. that which one means to do, get, be, etc.; intention 目的;意圖

　　acceptance

　　n. 接受

　　*forthcoming

　　a. happening or appearing in the near future 即將到來的，即將出現(xiàn)的

　　misgiving

　　n. [復(fù)數(shù)] 疑慮，擔(dān)憂

　　prediction

　　n. sth. that is said or described in advance 預(yù)言

　　gimmick

　　n. (騙人的)玩意兒

　　*commissioner

　　n. (*廳、局、處等部門的)長官;委員;專員

　　*patent

　　n. 專利;專利權(quán)

　　*abolish

　　vt. put an end to, do away with 取消，廢除

　　humorous

　　a. funny and amusing; having or showing a sense of humour 幽默的;滑稽的`;富有幽默感的

　　autobiography

　　n. a book written by oneself about one's own life 自傳

　　treatise

　　n. 專著;(專題)論文

　　retire

　　vi. stop working at one's job, profession, etc., usu. because of age 退休，退職

　　primarily

　　ad. mainly; chiefly 主要地;首要地

　　technological

　　a. of or related to technology 技術(shù)的;工藝(學(xué))的

　　implication

　　n. 含意，暗示

　　process

　　n. 過程;進程

　　estimate

　　vt. 估計，估量

　　n. 估計

　　project

　　vt. make plans for 設(shè)計，規(guī)劃

　　n. 規(guī)劃，計劃;(工程)項目

　　chapter

　　n. (書的)章，回

　　equivalent

　　n. sth. that is equal in meaning, amount, value 相等物;等值物;等量物

　　a. 相等的;等值的;等量的

　　complicated

　　a. very difficult to understand 復(fù)雜的;難解的;難懂的

　　stimulate

　　vt. excite (the body or mind), encourage 刺激;激發(fā);促使

　　advantage

　　n. 有利條件，優(yōu)勢;好處;利益

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　communicate with

　　share or exchange opinions, news, information, etc. with 與…交流

　　arise from

　　result from 由 … 產(chǎn)生，由 … 引起

　　bring about

　　cause to happen 帶來，造成

　　go on

　　take place or happen 發(fā)生

　　go beyond

　　exceed 超過;越過

　　tall order

　　a task difficult to perform 難以完成的任務(wù)，過高要求

　　get around to /get round to

　　find time for (sth. or doing sth.) 抽出時間去做

　　look to

　　give one's attention to 展望

　　ahead of schedule

　　before the planned or expected time 提前

　　run into

　　1. meet (difficulties, etc.) 遭遇(困難等)

　　2. meet by chance 偶然碰見，撞見

　　take advantage of

　　make use of 利用

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展9）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程The Future課文解讀60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程The Future課文解讀1

　　What will our future be like? What might happen in the year 2144? How far can your imagination take you into the future? Let's see what a newspaper in New Zealand tells us.

　　The Future

　　Will the future be one of robots and spaceships, or meditation and organic food? Today and next Wednesday The Post steps into the future, and asks the experts what they think the world of tomorrow will be like.

　　Imagine you are holding the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post. It won't be made of paper, but a thin screen that can be folded up and put in your pocket or bag. You'll use the same screen tomorrow, when the day's news will be beamed to its tiny modem via satellite.

　　The modem will chatter away all day, updating stories from around the world as they happen, complete with moving pictures and sound. A retina scanner will follow your eye, scrolling each page as you get near the bottom. The paper's com*r will record which stories interest you most and design a custom menu every time you switch it on.

　　Let's see what's happening today. Again, the big local story is the disappearing apartment blocks at Happy Valley. Built over an old landfill, this expensive new development is slowly sinking into the ground. Engineers suspect plastic milk bottles dumped with their caps screwed on in the late-20th century are bursting under the weight of the buildings. "People back then," says Wellington's Mayor in a live interview, "were pretty stupid."

　　Overseas a power failure at a cryo-prison in Alabama during the holiday weekend saw 50,000 inmates thawed prematurely, and in Bangladesh monsoon floods have wiped out hundreds of villages. Some things don't change.

　　In reality, we can't predict what the pages of this newspaper will contain 144 years from now because we can't predict the future. But in two weeks we will arrive in the new millennium, a date long held up as the future, but which will soon represent a new beginning.

　　Thirty years ago it was expected that by 2000 commuters would fly to work on highways in the sky, that robots with pinnies would do the vacuuming, that humans would have colonised our near planets and the moon.

　　Our cars are still stuck firmly on the ground, although even the most basic family runabout has a powerful electronic brain which tells it how much fuel to use and figures out in milliseconds how to save the occupants in a crash.

　　We still do the vacuuming ourselves, although our ovens tell us when food is ready. We can download whole libraries through our home com*rs and view snaps of friends on the other side of the world seconds after they are taken.

　　We have yet to live anywhere other than Earth, although missions into space have allowed us to develop new medicines, information chips and superconductors to make life better down here.

　　Who would have believed we'd be altering the genetic make-up of animals so they can grow replacement organs for us? Who'd have believed the drink machine in the foyer dials for supplies when it senses it's getting low?

　　At the dawn of the new millennium the future seems to be coming at us at a frightening pace, with the world seeming to change almost weekly.

　　What then, will it be like in 100 years? 500? 1000? Will it be a technological future with space hotels, rocket cars, genetically engineered people and automated homes? Or will it be an organic future with a new emphasis on spirituality and nature?

　　Will humankind still be blighted by war? Will we be able to cure cancer? Will we still get married? What sort of world will our children inherit?

　　Over the past few months The Post has been asking experts in their fields to take an educated, but fanciful, guess. None claims to be able to tell the future, but by tracking current trends they can give us an idea of what to expect in the world of tomorrow.

　　You won't be around to read the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post, but this is the next best thing.

　　Welcome to the future.

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫基礎(chǔ)教程The Future課文解讀2

　　robot

　　n. an automatic machine that can perform the actions of a person 機器人

　　spaceship

　　n. a vehicle used for travelling in space 航天器;宇宙飛船

　　organic

　　a. 1. not using artificial chemicals in the production of plants and animals for food 施有機肥料的

　　2. of, found in, or formed by living things 生物體的;有機體的

　　expert

　　n. a person with special knowledge, skill or training in a particular field 專家;能手

　　edition

　　n. one printing of a book, newspaper, etc. (書、報等的)版次

　　fold

　　vt. bend (sth.) so that one part is over another 折疊

　　beam

　　vt. transmit (a signal) in a particular direction 定向發(fā)射(無線電信號等)

　　modem

　　n. (計算機)調(diào)制解調(diào)器

　　via

　　prep.through 通過

　　* update

　　vt. make (sth.) more modern or up-to-date 更新

　　retina

　　n. 視網(wǎng)膜

　　scanner

　　n. 掃描器

　　scroll

　　vt. (on a com*r display) move a cursor smoothly, causing new data to replace old on the monitor (象展開卷軸般)將文字顯示于屏幕

　　design

　　vt. plan or arrange so as to make sure that sth. fulfils your purpose 設(shè)計

　　custom

　　a. made specially for inpidual customers 定制的;定做的

　　switch

　　vt. turn (an electrical device) on or off 用開關(guān)把(電器)開啟(或關(guān)掉)

　　disappear

　　vi. cease to be seen 消失;不見

　　apartment

　　n. a set of rooms on one floor of a building 公寓;單元房

　　valley

　　n. a stretch of land between hills or mountains 谷，山谷

　　landfill

　　n. an area built up from deposits of solid garbage 用垃圾填筑而成的地面

　　suspect

　　vt. believe without certain proof; guess 推測，猜想;認(rèn)為

　　dump

　　vt. throw away (garbage, rubbish, etc.) in a heap or a place set apart for the purpose 傾倒(垃圾等)

　　screw

　　v. fasten (sth.) by turning or twisting 擰緊

　　mayor

　　n. the chief executive of a city or a town *

　　overseas

　　ad. across the sea; abroad 到**;***

　　cryo-prison

　　n. 冰凍**

　　inmate

　　n. any of a number of people living together in an institution, esp. a prison (尤指**中的)被收容者

　　thaw

　　vi. change from a frozen to a liquid state 融化;化凍

　　* prematurely

　　ad. before the proper or usual time; too early 比(正常)時間提早地;過早地

　　monsoon

　　n. 季風(fēng)

　　contain

　　vt. have or hold within itself 包含，容納

　　millennium

　　n. a period of 1000 years 一千年

　　highway

　　n. a main public road 公路;交通要道

　　pinny

　　n. 圍裙

　　vacuum

　　vi. clean with a vacuum cleaner 用吸塵器打掃

　　colonise

　　vt. make into a colony 在…開拓**地

　　firmly

　　ad. in a firm way 牢固地;穩(wěn)固地;堅定地

　　runabout

　　n. 敞蓬小轎車

　　electronic

　　a. 電子的

　　millisecond

　　n. 毫秒

　　occupant

　　n. a person who occupies a car, house, etc. 占用者，居住者

　　crash

　　n. an accident in which a vehicle hits sth., usu causing damage, and often injury or death (車輛等)碰撞;撞毀

　　oven

　　n. 烤箱

　　download

　　vt. transfer (a program, data, etc.) from a larger com*r system to a smaller com*r 下載(計算機程序、資料等)

　　snap

　　n. short for snapshot (口)快照，簡照

　　chip

　　n. 集成電路片;微(型)電路

　　superconductor

　　n. 超導(dǎo)體

　　alter

　　v. become or make different; change (使)改變;變更

　　* genetic

　　a. 基因的.

　　makeup

　　n. combination of things, people, etc. that form sth.; composition of sth. (事物、人等的)組合;構(gòu)成

　　replacement

　　n. 1. the act of replacing 代替;替換

　　2. a person or thing that takes the place of another 接替者;替換物

　　organ

　　n. a part of an animal body or plant serving a particular purpose 器官

　　foyer

　　n. an entrance hall or large open space in a theatre, hotel, etc., where people can meet or talk (劇場、旅館等的)門廳，休息廳

　　pace

　　n. rate of progress or development (進步或發(fā)展的)速度;節(jié)奏

　　weekly

　　ad. once a week or every week 每星期;每周一次

　　technological

　　a. 技術(shù)的

　　rocket

　　n. 火箭;火箭發(fā)動機

　　genetically

　　ad. 因基因決定地

　　engineer

　　vt. 設(shè)計;建造

　　automate

　　vt. cause (sth.) to work automatically 使自動化

　　emphasis

　　n. stress 強調(diào)

　　spirituality

　　n. 精神性;靈性

　　humankind

　　n. 人類

　　blight

　　vt. spoil or ruin 損害

　　cancer

　　n. 癌癥

　　inherit

　　vt. receive (property, a title, etc.) as a result of the death of the previous owner or be born with (a physical or mental quality) that a parent, grandparent or other relative has 繼承

　　fanciful

　　a. showing imagination rather than reason and experience 幻想的;想像的

　　track

　　vt. follow the course or movements of 跟蹤;追蹤

　　current

　　a. of the present time; happening now 現(xiàn)時的，當(dāng)前的

　　trend

　　n. the way or direction things tend to go 趨勢;動向

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　step into

　　enter 走進，進入

　　fold up

　　make smaller in size by folding 折疊

　　chatter away

　　clatter continuously from vibration (機器)不停地咯咯作響

　　switch on

　　turn on 打開(電燈、收音機等)

　　screw on

　　旋，擰;旋牢

　　wipe out

　　destroy completely 徹底摧毀;消滅

　　hold sb./sth. up

　　show sb./sth. as an example 舉某人(某事物)作為范例

　　other than

　　except 除…之外

　　come at

　　move towards in a threatening manner 沖向

21世紀(jì)杯全國英語演講比賽稿60篇（擴展10）

——21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程Unit6內(nèi)容60篇

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程Unit6內(nèi)容1

　　One summer holiday, a teenager volunteered to work in a soup kitchen and got her first big lesson there. What was the lesson she drew from the experience? Let's read the following story.

　　Becoming a Better Person

　　Laura Hennessey

　　In the summer of 1992 I got my first big lesson in community service. I can still remember how I felt the first day of my volunteer assignment. I thought I was one of the most selfless teenagers around, giving a whole month of my precious summer to work in a soup kitchen.

　　At 7 a.m. every morning, I would walk to the bus stop in my suburban neighborhood, board the 67A and settle in for the hour-long ride into, what seemed to be, another world. Goodbye air-conditioning, big grassy yards and pedigree dogs. Hello smelly soup kitchen, sweltering street corners and trash-filled alleyways. I felt like a saint.

　　Two experiences from that month in the soup kitchen still stand out in my mind. One day the kitchen got a huge cardboard box filled with unpeeled baby shrimp. Needless to say, I, with the help of other volunteers, spent the whole morning sorting through and peeling a million little shrimp for the gumbo. I couldn't eat shrimp for years.

　　The second experience was far more influential than the shrimp incident, but it was also much more difficult. Part of our job at the soup kitchen was to come up with activities for the neighborhood kids. We would see the same kids almost every day, so we got to know them quite well. I became particularly fond of a young boy named Bruce.

　　One rainy day Bruce, who was normally very outgoing and laughed easily, sat motionless, all alone at a big table in the corner. We tried to get him to join in the fun with the other kids, but he refused to take part in the silly games. Eventually, I approached him and sat down to talk.

　　"Hi, Bruce. How are you?" No response. "What's wrong, Bruce? Are you sad?"

　　"No."

　　"Are you angry at somebody?"

　　"No."

　　"OK, Bruce. Are you tired?"

　　"No."

　　"Are you sick?"

　　Once again Bruce replied, "No."

　　I was beginning to get a little frustrated and starting to realize that maybe Bruce just wanted to be left alone. But then, he finally filled me in. He said, in his meek voice, "I'm hungry; my mom forgot to feed me."

　　I smiled as my heart simultaneously broke. "Well then, Bruce. Let's find you some food." Then, hand in hand, we went into the kitchen and found the only food that was around that time of day — a couple of doughnuts. Bruce eagerly ate the tasty sweets, and I felt like a hero.

　　When I got off the bus that day I hurried home to fill my mom in on my day. I relayed the story to her in a tone tinged with excitement. Then, slowly, I saw a look of concern and worry spread across my mother's face. She then sat down with me and said, "Laura, that's great that you were there for him today, but you have to realize that it is only one day. What's going to happen tomorrow, or next week or a month from now, when you are no longer there? You really have very little control over this little boy's diet, let alone his life."

　　Her words struck me hard, but in that instant I realized a great many things about what it means to "make a difference." For a brief moment I felt useless, and I wanted to give up my dreams of changing the world for the better. But that moment quickly passed when I realized that giving up my dreams would mean giving up a very important part of myself. Quitting was not an option.

　　It was then that I knew service was going to be a part of my life for the rest of my life. It's not about becoming a saint or a hero. It is about becoming a better person.

　　(642 words)

21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語讀寫教程Unit6內(nèi)容2

　　community

　　n. a group of people living together and/or united by common interests, background, nationality, etc. 社區(qū)

　　assignment

　　n. a piece of work given to a particular person or group (分派的)任務(wù)，工作

　　selfless

　　a. caring only for others and not for oneself 無私的;毫不利己的

　　teenager

　　n. a young person between 13 and 19 years old (指13歲19歲的)青少年

　　soup

　　n. 湯

　　kitchen

　　n. 廚房;灶間

　　suburban

　　a. of, for or in an outer area of a town or city 郊區(qū)的

　　soup kitchen

　　(救濟貧民、災(zāi)民等的)施粥所，(免費或以極低價格供應(yīng)湯和面的)施食處

　　* air-conditioning

　　n. the system that uses machines to control the temperature in a building, esp. to keep it cool and dry 空調(diào)系統(tǒng)

　　grassy

　　a. covered with growing grass 覆蓋著(青)草的;長滿草的

　　pedigree

　　a. (of an animal) of known descent, pure-bred, and of good stock (動物)純種的，有系譜證明的

　　smelly

　　a. having a bad smell 有(強烈或難聞)氣味的'

　　sweltering

　　a. unpleasantly hot 悶熱的

　　trash

　　n. rubbish 垃圾，廢物

　　activity

　　n. sth. done esp. for interest or pleasure (尤指娛樂或興趣方面的)活動

　　alleyway

　　n. a narrow passage 小巷，胡同

　　saint

　　n. 圣人

　　cardboard

　　n. & a. 硬紙板(制的)

　　unpeeled

　　a. 未削皮(或剝殼)的

　　shrimp

　　n. 蝦，小蝦

　　needless

　　a. not needed; unnecessary 不需要的;不必要的

　　sort

　　vt. group; arrange; pick out 把…分類;整理;揀選

　　* peel

　　vt. remove the outer covering from 削去…的皮;剝?nèi)ァ�的�?/p>

　　gumbo

　　n. 秋葵湯(一種用秋葵英調(diào)濃的雞湯、肉湯或海味湯)

　　influential

　　a. having great influence 有影響(力)的

　　fond

　　a. (of) having a great liking or loving for sb. or sth. 喜愛的

　　rainy

　　a. having a lot of rain 多雨的

　　normally

　　ad. usually; in the usual way 通常;正常地

　　outgoing

　　a. friendly; sociable 友好的;外向的;爽直的

　　motionless

　　a. without any movement 不動的，靜止的

　　approach

　　v. come nearer (to) 靠近

　　response

　　n. (to) 1. a re* 回答

　　(to) 2. (an) action done in answer 反應(yīng)

　　frustrate

　　vt. 1. cause (sb.) to feel annoyed or discouraged 使受挫折

　　2. prevent the plans or efforts of (sb. or sth.) from being achieved 挫敗，阻礙

　　meek

　　a. quiet, gentle, and accepting others' actions and ideas without argument 溫順的，順從的

　　simultaneously

　　ad. happening or being done at exactly the same time 同時發(fā)生地;同時完成地

　　doughnut

　　n. 油炸面圈餅

　　tasty

　　a. having a strong and very pleasant flavor 美味的

　　* relay

　　vt. pass (a message) from one person to another 傳達，傳遞(信息)

　　tinge

　　vt. (with) (usu. pass.) give a slight degree of a quality to [常用被動態(tài)]使帶有一點…性質(zhì)

　　excitement

　　n. the state or quality of being excited 興奮;激動

　　diet

　　n. 1. the sort of food and drink usually taken by a person or group 日常飲食

　　2. a limiting of what a person eats or drinks, for medical or personal reasons 特種飲食;規(guī)定飲食

　　instant

　　n. an extremely short moment of time 片刻，剎那

　　brief

　　a. 1. short in time 短暫的

　　2. containing few words 簡短的

　　useless

　　a. not of any use 無用的

　　option

　　n. thing that is or may be chosen; choice 可供選擇的事物;選擇

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　settle in

　　get used to new surroundings; make oneself comfortable and prepare to stay somewhere for a period of time 適應(yīng)新環(huán)境;安頓下來;舒舒服服地坐下

　　stand out

　　become very noticeable as a result of being different 清晰地顯出

　　needless to say

　　of course 不用說，當(dāng)然

　　come up with

　　think up (a plan, response, etc.); produce 想出(計劃、答復(fù)等);提出

　　join in

　　become involved in (an activity with other people) 參加

　　take part in

　　have a share in (some activity) 參加

　　fill in

　　tell (sb.) about recent events 給…提供最新情況

　　hand in hand

　　手拉著手地;密切關(guān)聯(lián)地

　　feel like

　　感覺好似

　　no longer

　　not any more 不再

　　let alone

　　更不用說

　　a great many

　　a very large number of 許許多多的

　　give up

　　stop doing or owning 放棄