Luster看这里![英语阅读基础版】第26期

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Work Hard, and Stay Young

掌握“美式发音”技巧，一个句子就GO了！

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"YOUTH," as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is "the time of life when one is young, especially: the period between childhood and maturity." For most people, that time usually comes sometime between their teenage years and thirty years of age. It's a time when we are relatively healthy, carefree and imaginative. Basically, it should be one of the greatest times of our lives.

Not long ago, Wang Yuan, a member of the popular boy band TFBoys, performed a song adapted from the classic Han Dynasty folk song (汉乐府民歌) A Song in Slow Time (《长歌行》) on a variety show called Everlasting Classics (《经典咏流传》). Part of the song is meant to encourage the youth to work hard or else they will come to regret it as they get older. "One who mis-spends his youth, in old age will grieve (悲痛) in vain (徒劳地)," translates the end of the song.

Many in the audience agreed with Wang, and some have pointed out that he has demonstrated the same spirit as he expressed in the song. The 18-year-old has been admitted to the prestigious (久负盛名的) Berklee College of Music and is working hard towards his goal of further developing his music career.

But ... is youth the only time to have goals and work towards them? Recently, I came across a poem by Samuel Ullman*, titled "Youth." This poem describes youth as a state of mind, not a physical condition. He believed that as long as our minds are full of wonder and enthusiasm, we will never truly grow old. By his standards, upwards of half the people I know would be considered "elderly," myself included (occasionally). Think back to this winter vacation. Did your "elderly" state of mind stand in the way of the plans you had made? Did a friend or a family member ever invite you somewhere? How many times did you say "no"?

I get it. Your home, your couch, your bed ... are all incredibly comfortable. Who doesn't want to kick back (轻松休息) and fool around on their cell phone for a few hours? I'm not saying that you can't be productive from home, but if you have any goals in mind, achieving them from your couch would be a true work of imagination. You don't wait for them to fall on your lap; you go out and get them.

Youth is the best time of our lives. So work hard, play hard and stay young!

教案

PRE-READING

1. Can you recite the classic Han Dynasty folk song A Song in Slow Time (《长歌行》)? What's your understanding of the folk song?

Note:

《长歌行》 A Song in Slow Time

青青园中葵， Green the mallow (锦葵) in the garden,

朝露待日晞。 Waiting for sunlight to dry the morning dew (露珠);

阳春布德泽， Bright spring diffuses (传播) virtue (美德),

万物生光辉。 Adding fresh luster (光泽) to all living things.

常恐秋节至， Yet I dread (惧怕) the coming of autumn,

焜黄华叶衰。 When leaves turn yellow and the flowers fade.

百川东到海， A hundred streams flow eastwards to the ocean,

何时复西归？ Nevermore to turn west again;

少壮不努力， And one who mis-spends his youth,

老大徒伤悲。 In old age will grieve (悲痛) in vain (徒劳地).

(杨宪益、戴乃迭译)

2. Have you ever read the poem "Youth" by Samuel Ullman? What is youth in your opinion?

Note:

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

...

WHILE READING

Sentences

1. Not long ago, Wang Yuan, a member of the popular boy band TFBoys^①, performed a song adapted from the classic Han Dynasty folk song A Song in Slow Time^② on a variety show called Everlasting Classics.

① 该短语在这个句子中作同位语，对Wang Yuan进行解释说明。

② 过去分词短语adapted from ... A Song in Slow Time 在这个句子中作后置定语，对a song进行修饰限定。

2. Part of the song is meant to^① encourage the youth to work hard or else^② they will come to regret it as^③ they get older.

① 短语be meant to do sth.在这个句子中理解为“意在、旨在”。

② or else的意思是“否则，要不然”，相当于otherwise。

③ as在这个句子中引导了一个时间状语从句，作“当……的时候”理解。它表示主句和从句的动作同时发生，具有延续的含义。

Vocabulary

Complete each sentence using one word from the box in its correct form. Note that there is one word more than you need and you can use each word only once.

relatively greatest encourage expressed wonder comfortable

1. All the ________ I got from my coach in the training sessions has helped me.

2. You will find this pattern very useful anytime you want to ________ yourself when you are in a bad mood.

3. It was a ________ occasion which we will cherish for many years to come.

4. Given the failure of the previous plan, this one turned out to be a ______ success.

5. The ________ majority of people seem to agree with this view.

Key: encouragement express wonderful relative great

Translation

1. 如今交通比过去拥挤得多，尤其是在高峰期。(especially)

2. 我们最终到达山顶时的激动心情难以用言语来形容。(describe)

3. 政府制定了所有食品企业都必须达到的卫生标准。(standard)

Possible answers:

1. Nowadays traffic is much heavier than before, especially at rush hour.

2. Words can hardly describe how excited we were when we finally reached the top of the mountain.

3. The government has set health standards that all food companies must reach.

Comprehension

Choose the best answer.

1. Why does the author mention Wang Yuan's admission to the Berklee College of Music in this article?

A. To show how excellent the singer Wang Yuan is.

B. To express his appreciation of Wang Yuan.

C. To demonstrate that the song mirrors Wang Yuan's attitude toward his life.

D. To introduce people's reaction to Wang Yuan's performance on the variety show.

2. The author cites Samuel Ullman's "Youth" as an example to ______.

A. introduce this classic poem to readers

B. make a comparison with A Song in Slow Time

C. tell readers how to stay young forever

D. inspire readers to keep a young state of mind

3. According to the article, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Youth is the best time for people to achieve their goals.

B. Most people are "old" in terms of their state of mind.

C. The only way for people to achieve their goals is to get into action and work hard.

D. People should work hard towards their goals when they are still young.

Key: CDA

after reading

As teenagers, you are in the best period of your life. After reading the article, what are your feelings about youth? What should you do in order not to mis-spend youth? Write an article in 120-150 words.

责任编辑: 鲁达

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