Text comprehension
I. C (This statement goes to extremes. Though the author stresses the notion that we should
find our true selves and be faithful to them in college, she does not mean we should ignore others in pursuit of our true selves.)
II. 1. F; 2. T; 3. F; 4. T; 5. F
III. 1. Refer to Paragraphs 1 and 2. She felt “first-gradish” on her arrival at the campus. The “first-gradish” feeling refers basically to naivety and anxiety, so she attempted to behave in a perfect way with the hope that no one would notice she was a freshman.
2. Refer to Paragraph
3. She chose to sit in the front row and to the side. This was because
the freshman manual suggested sitting near the front to show that one is an intelligent and enthusiastic student, but as she was not confident enough to sit in the professor’s direct line of vision, she chose a side seat in the front row.
3. Refer to Paragraph 6. She felt as if her life had punged into total failure and the doom
of life had come.
4. Refer to Paragraph 9. The football player got up, hands held high above his head in a
victory clap, which is an expression of fun. At this moment, Evelyn realized that she had been too serious and on the contrary her slip could be a moment of fun for other people and herself alike. Everyone may have done something dumb, but they have all survived after all.
5. Refer to Paragraphs 13 and 14. She understood that one could live his college life as an
experiment. She should not be afraid of making mistakes because it is only through trial and error that one can find his real self and finding is real self is the ultimate purpose of a college education. The college allows one to make massive mistakes. And even after graduation, she was still making mistakes of which she was no longer afraid.
IV. 1. I planned to keep silent and act in such a way that nobody would notice that I was only
a newcomer in college.
2. For three days, I had not been to the cafeteria due to my feeling of humiliation and shame. Instead, I stayed alone in my room and ate junk food of various kinds from a vending machine which was in just the right place to aid me in avoiding others.
3. It didn’t matter whether or not you were widely accepted or admired; you did not have to behave to the liking of everybody else.
Structural analysis of the text
Unlike a piece of expository writing, which usually expresses the main idea in a thesis statement, in a piece of narrative writing, the point is shown through dialogues, actions or events.
The three incidents that are treated expansively in this essay are related to one another by their implicit messages—the author made mistakes and her reaction toward the mistakes. It was in this process that the author achieved significant insight into life and herself.
Rhetorical features of the text
“I knew everyone would stare. Forget it. I settled into my chair and tried to assume the scientific pose of a biology major, bending slightly forward, tensing my arms in preparation for furious note-taking, and cursing under my breath”(Paragraph 5). “Keeping myself upright and getting out of the mess was not going to be easy, and this flailing of my feet was doing no good. Just as I decided to try another maneuver, my food tray tipped and I lost my balance” (Paragraph 6). The italicized parts in the selections offer vivid pictures of what she did or how she looked in the embarrassing situations.
Vocabulary
I. Explain words
1. I had just the feeling of a newcomer at college without the strength a mature student might possess
2. my apparent confidence
3. some food to appease my hunger (as well as my anxiety)
4. going with the tide was no longer crucial to one’s success
5. foolish and glaring mistakes
II. Fill in the blank
1.distress
2.clutched
3.pose
4.sneaked
5.preoccupation
6.shackles
7.curse
8.deliberation
III. Fill in the blank
1.assure
2.discretion
3.relaxation
4.humiliate
5.strategy
6.embarrassment
7.maneuverable
8.immaturity
IV. Fill in the blank
1.lived up to
2.headed for
3.seek out
4.has broken out
5.groped for
6.trying…on
7.go out to
8.tipped off
V. synonym and antonym
1.vague (indistinct)
2.inconspicuously (unobtrusively)
3.self-restraint (self-control)
4.clever (intelligent, sensible)
5.manner (behavior)
6.excited (agitated)
7.sneak
8.mature (sophisticated)
VI. Explain in your own words
1.became popular
2.respect
3.keep up
4.lead to
5.understand
6.found
e
8.start
Focus of the unit
I. (There are five main types of nominal clauses: that-clauses, interrogative subclauses, nominal relative clauses, nominal to-infinitive clauses and nominal –ing clauses. Nominal clauses function like noun phrases. They may serve as subject, object, complement, appositive, and prepositional complement.)
1. c
2. d
3. b
4. f
5. a
6. e
7. h
8. g
II. Rewrite the sentences
1.My decision to resign was wise.
2.Their readiness to accept the peace agreement really surprised the diplomatic world.
3.My determination to pass the test helped me.
4.Her failure to get into college disappointed her parents.
5.My willingness to cooperate was appreciated.
6.His refusal to help surprised me.
7.The proposal that we should import more equipment is to be discussed at the meeting.
8.Who can have told you that puzzles me.
III.
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. B
IV.
1.I spent the afternoon seeking out each of my classrooms so that I could make a perfectly
timed entrance before each lecture.
2.He wore glasses and a false beard so that nobody would recognize him.
3.The stranger spoke very slowly so that I could understand what he said.
4.She locked the door so that she wouldn’t be disturbed.
5.John whispered so that others couldn’t hear him.
6.Please arrive early so that we can start the meeting on time.
7.John has bought a bicycle so that he may save money on bus travel.
8.The lecturer showed some slides so that he might illustrate his point.
V.
1. Although/ Though
2. yet
3. however/ though
4. however/nevertheless/though
5. Although/Though…still/nevertheless
6. Despite/In spite of
7. although/though
8. however
9. However
10. Despite/In spite of
VI. omitted
Translation
I.
1. 事实上，不管我如何摆出一副成熟的样子，我感觉自己还是有一点大一新生的菜鸟气。
2. 新生手册上建议坐在前排，在教授面前摆出一副聪敏、朝气的架势。
3. 整整三天，我独自品尝的只有耻辱和羞愧。
偏巧门口有台快餐机，于是那三天我吃的全是里面各色垃圾食品。
4. 我曾以为那些笑声是恶意捉弄菜鸟新生的，原来不过是大学校园里的开心一刻。
II.
1.It distressed me a great deal to hear the news that he had suffered repeated failures.
2.He assumed an air for cheerfulness, even though he lost favor with his boss.
3.Gulliver met with extraordinary adventures and saw a strange assortment of people.
4.He will be furious with you if you repeat the same mistake.
5.We were all greatly drawn by his frank views, humorous words and genial manner.
6.After cheers and applause died down, the Nobel Prize winner began his speech.
7.He is gifted with a sort of insight and foresight, so he rarely runs with the crowd.
8.I feel realities are after all very harsh, so one can hardly live up entirely to his ideals.
III. 我上大学的头几天颇为难忘，爸妈驾车离开，将我独自留在校园里，我手足无措。
不管如何努力装成熟，我就是摆脱不了大一新生的感觉。
我花了好几个小时，搞清我选修课程所在的各个教室。
第二天早上，我坐在教室的前排，打开美国文学选集，抖擞精神准备听课。
但老师却说“欢迎选修生物课”，我意识到自己坐错了教室。
我用铁一样的意志，摆出了一副生物专业学生的姿态，一直坚持到讲座结束。
下课以后，我感到我的胃需要加点营养，于是匆匆赶往自助餐厅。
但不幸的是，当我端着餐盘朝桌子走去时，脚底一滑，盘子翻倒，我失去了平衡，扑倒在地上。
好几天，我都倍感羞辱。
过后，我渐渐地意识到自己把这种微不足道的小事看得过重了。
在大学里，重要的是做自然的“我”，发现真正的“我”，而不是试图把一切都做得尽善尽美。
