Supplementary Reading >> Culture Notes

I. Generosity

i. Definition

Generosity is the habit of giving freely without coercion. Often equated with charity as a virtue, generosity is widely accepted in society as a desirable trait. Generosity can also be spending time, money, or labour, for others, without being rewarded in return.

Generosity is not solely based on one’s economic status, but instead, includes the individual’s pure intentions of looking out for society’s common good and giving from the heart. Generosity should reflect the individual’s passion to help others.

ii. Generosity across America

(视频略)

II. Random Act of Kindness

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or a group of people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual or in some cases an animal. There will generally be no reason other than to make people smile, or be happier. Either spontaneous or planned in advance, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities.

Supplementary Reading >> Reading

I. Difficult Sentences

1. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was there, but he took no notice of her and the night noises of the hospital — the clanking of an oxygen tank, the laughter of night-staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans and snores of other patients.
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=每次护士来到病房，士兵总是在那儿，但他没有注意她，也没有注意夜晚医院里的嘈杂声——氧气罐的叮当声，夜班医护人员相互打招呼时的笑声，其他病人的叫喊声、呻吟声和打鼾声。)

2. And he proved, in a uniquely human way, that there are people who care what happens to their fellow men.
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=他以一种极富人情味的方式证明了世间自有关心别人境遇的人。)

3. He was rushed to the airport in time to catch the one plane that might enable him to reach his dying father.
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=被急急送到机场，刚好赶上唯一一架或许能让他赶到垂危老父身边的飞机。)

4. He was heavily sedated and only partially conscious after a massive heart attack he had suffered the night before.
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=前一夜，老人突发严重的心脏病，被用了大量镇静剂，此刻神智只是部分清醒。)

II. Words & Expressions

elderly: adj.  (of a person) old or ageing

- He is very active as an elderly man.

- 威廉年近五十，他的父母都上了年纪。

(=William is nearly 50, and his parents are elderly.)

collapse: vi.  (of a person) fall down, usu. unconscious because of illness, tiredness, etc.; fall down suddenly because of pressure

- The chair collapsed under her weight.

- 亨利倒下了，死于心脏病。

(=Henry collapsed and died of a heart attack.)

regain: vt.  recover; get (sth.) back again after losing it

- The government has regained control of the capital from rebel forces.

- She made an effort to regain her self-control.

- 她停下来换一口气。

(=She stopped to regain her breath.)

Collocation： 

regain courage   恢复勇气

regain balance   恢复平衡

regain health   恢复健康

regain consciousness 恢复知觉

now and again:  at irregular intervals; occasionally

- Now and again I go to town and do shopping there.

- We meet up for lunch now and again, but not as often as we used to.

- 我们的手指甲有时需要剪一剪。

(=Our fingernails need cutting now and again.)

start off:  start a journey; start a life, existence, or profession in a particular way

- We started off down the road.

- It started off as a bit of joke but then people started taking it seriously.

- 他跑步出发, 但很快就累得慢下来成了步行。

(=He started off at a run but soon got tired and slowed down to a walk.)

wade: vi.  walk with an effort (through water, mud, etc.)

- They had to wade knee-deep through mud to reach the victims.

- 没有桥，我们只能趟过小溪。

(=There’s no bridge; we’ll have to wade across the stream.)

military: adj.  of or for soldiers or armed forces

- He seems more like a military officer than a business executive.

- 恶劣的天气妨碍了军事行动。

(=Bad weather hindered the military operation.)

Collocation： 

military spending  军费支出

military training  军训

military forces   军事力量；军队

military discipline  军纪

enable: adj.  make (sb.) able to do sth. by giving him the necessary authority or means

- Saving enough money now will enable you to retire comfortably.

- Computerization should enable us to cut production costs by half.

- 飞机使人们能够在空中旅行。

(=Airplanes enable people to travel through the air.)

partial: adj.  of or forming the part; not complete

- The general has ordered a partial withdrawal of troops from the area.

- The accident left him partially paralyzed.

- 他还了一部分贷款。

(=He made a partial repayment of the loan.)

conscious: adj.  awake, aware of what is happening around, and able to think; noticing the existence or presence of sth.

- She’s out of surgery but not fully conscious yet.

- People have become much more conscious of the need to exercise regularly.

- 我意识到自己犯了一个错误。

(=I was conscious that I had made a mistake.)

outline: n. the main shape or edge of sth., without any details; a description of the main facts about sth.

- She drew the outline of the boat and then colored it in.

- In this paper we will give a broad outline of the research we have been doing.

- 先搭好框架, 再充实内容。

(=First make an outline and then fill in the content.)

toughen: vt.  make sth. or sb. tough, strong, or stronger

- The government wants to toughen (up) the existing drug laws/controls.

- Car windows are usually made from toughened glass.

- 军队生活使他锻炼得坚忍不拔。

(=His time in the army certainly toughened him up.)

limp: adj.  lacking strength or energy; not stiff or firm

- The green beans were limp from overcooking.

- 他身体忽然变得软弱无力，然后倒在地上。

(=His body suddenly went limp and he fell down on the floor.)

encouragement: n.  action of encouraging; thing that encourages

- Children need lots of encouragement from their parents.

- 她的成功对她的姐妹来讲是种激励。

(=Her success acted as an encouragement to her sisters.)

take no notice (of sb./sth.):  pay no attention (to sb. / sth.)

- I must take no notice of their politeness or kindness which was designed to trap me into giving information.

- If you take no notice of what I say, you’ll pay for it.

moan: n.  a long, low sound because of pain or suffering

- He tried to forget his wartime experience, but in his dreams he heard again the moans of the dying.

- 昨晚我们听到了萧萧风声。

(=We heard the moan of the wind last night.)

sympathy: n.  feelings of pity and sorrow for sb. else’s misfortune

- It’s not money she wants; it’s just a little sympathy.

- I have no sympathy for people who say they can’t find work but are really just too lazy to look for it.

- 一个悲伤的人渴望得到同情。

(=A man in sorrow craves for sympathy.)

cut (sb.) short:  interrupt

- John tried to say something, but Frank cut him short.

- He stiffened angrily and was about to speak when she cut him short.

- 我的旅行因雨而中断。

(=My trip was cut short, because of rain.)

serial: adj.  happening one after another in time or order

- A serial killer is a person who commits many murders, one after another, often over a long period of time.

- 她是图书管理员，负责定期刊物。

(=She’s a librarian, in charge of serial publications.)

pull out:  remove (sth.) by pulling

- He pulled out a chair and sat down.

- The agent pulled out a gun and shot him dead.

- 把这根铁丝拉长，一直拉到很细很细。

(=Pull out the wire until it is very thin.)