实用英语综合教程第一册课文选读4

　　UNIT 1

　　Text A

　　PRE-READING TASK

　　Exercise 1

　　Consider the questions before reading the passage.

　　1. Is your college life the same as you expected?

　　2. What came into your mind when you became a college student?

　　3. Are people around you at college nice and friendly to you?

　　Now compare your answers with those of your neighbours'.

　　College - A New Experience

　　1. College is a new and different experience for me. I'm away from home, so I have many things to adjust to. Being on my own, talking with friendly people, and having Fridays off -- these are just some things I like about college.

　　2. Living at college, first of all, gives me a sense of responsibility, of being on my own. My parents aren't around to say, "No, you're not going out tonight" or "Did you finish your homework?" Everything I do has to be my decision, and that gives me the responsibility of handling my own life. During the second week I was at college, I had to go out and look for a bank where I could open an account. Before that I looked in the phone book since I had no clue about any banks around here or where they were located. Someone told me about a good bank: Continental Federal Savings. I went to the bank and made decisions for myself -- whether to have a checking or savings account and whether or not to get a MASTER card. That was one example of having responsibility now that I'm on my own and of making my own decisions.

　　3. Friendly people: that's another aspect I like about college. On my first day (and even now) people were nice to me. I came to Marymount University here in Virginia from New York and -- even though I'd been here before -- I was a bit confused about where I was going. My mother and I drove in, not knowing the building we were supposed to go to, and the guard was especially nice: with a smile, he told us what building we were looking for and where we could park our car. My room was on the first floor of New Gerard, and I knew I had to go through some glass doors -- but my mother and I didn't know which ones. Some upperclassmen saw me and asked, "Are you a new student?" When they found out I was looking for New Gerard, one said, "Oh, just follow us; that's where we're going." Even now I feel comfortable in the dorm because there are friendly people around to talk with.

　　4. Finally -- to add to my likes of college -- I love having Fridays off; I wouldn't be able to cope with five days of classes in a row. Also, I love to sleep in. One Thursday night, my roommate and I and the people across the hall went to Georgetown. We got in rather early the next morning, and my roommate (Juanita) and I decided to sleep in, something I couldn't do in high school.

　　5. I do like things about college -- being on my own, talking with friendly people, having Fridays off, but this doesn't mean I don't think about things at home. Although I like college, I can still get homesick: New York is a pretty good place, too.

　　New Words

　　adjust

　　v. 调整，适应于

　　responsibility

　　n. 责任，责任心

　　tonight

　　ad. on or during the night of today 在今夜

　　n. the night of today 今夜

　　handle

　　v. 1. to deal with; control 处理，应付，操纵

　　2. to treat 对待，处理

　　account

　　n. 1. 账目，账户

　　2. a written or spoken report or story 报道，叙述

　　clue

　　n. something that helps to find an answer to a question, difficulty, etc.线索，暗示

　　locate

　　v. to fix or set in a certain place 把...设置在，使...坐落于

　　continental

　　a. 大陆的

　　federal

　　a. 联邦的，联邦制的

　　savings

　　n. 储蓄(金)

　　aspect

　　n. a certain side of many-sided state of affairs, idea, plan, etc. (问题、事物等的)方面

　　confuse

　　v. 使...困惑，把...弄糊涂

　　upperclassman

　　n. (美)高年级学生，大学三(四)年级学生

　　dorm

　　n. (=dormitory)集体寝室，宿舍

　　cope

　　v. to deal successfully (with something) 妥善处理

　　roommate

　　n. 住同室的人

　　homesick

　　a. feeling a great wish to be at home, when away from it想家的，患怀乡病的

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　adjust to

　　适应于

　　on one's own

　　独立地

　　have ... off

　　休假

　　first of all

　　首先

　　look for

　　寻找

　　open an account

　　开账户

　　make a decision

　　作出决定

　　now that

　　既然，因为

　　find out

　　了解到，发现

　　add to

　　给...增添

　　cope with

　　处理

　　in a row

　　连续地

　　sleep in

　　迟起，睡懒觉

　　Proper Names

　　Continental Federal Savings

　　大陆联邦储蓄银行

　　MASTER card

　　万事达信用卡

　　Marymount University

　　玛丽芒特大学

　　Virginia

　　弗吉尼亚州(美国州名)

　　New York

　　1. 纽约州(美国州名)

　　2. 纽约市(美国城市)

　　New Gerard

　　新吉拉德大楼

　　Georgetown

　　乔治敦区(华盛顿市内西部一住宅区)

　　Juanita

　　胡安妮塔(人名)