新视野大学英语第三版读写教程第二册unit3A教案

新视野大学英语第三版读写教程 第 2 册

Unit 3 section A

Journey through the odyssey years

奥德赛岁月之旅

1 Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. We think of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, with each unique phase bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. These challenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as the child's need

to learn, the adult's need to find the right career and build a family, and the senior's need for support and good health care.

1 我们大多数人都知道，根据不同的年龄和生活阶段，人生可与此平行划分为童年、青春期、成年和老年这四个阶段。 我们把这些阶段想象为婴儿在童年之前，中年在老年之前， 每个阶段都会面临一系列特有的挑战，如孩子对学习的需要，成人对找到合适的职业生涯和建立一个家庭的需要，以及年长者对得到帮助和良好医疗保健的需要。通过对它们的充分了 解，我们就可以战胜这些挑战。

1 Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. (Para. 1) Meaning: Most of us know about the different life stages that we describe according to different age groups: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.

2 We think of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, with each unique phase bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. (Para. 1)

Meaning: We sequence the life stages of infancy, childhood, middle age and old age according to their natural order, with each particular life stage facing its own featured challenges.

Sentence structure note:

“with＋名词/代词＋现在分词”作独立主格结构

“with＋名词/代词＋现在分词”构成独立主格结构，主要用作状语，可以表示伴随、方式、原因、时间等。

with 之后的名词和其后的现在分词构成主谓关系，其中现在分词表示主动或正在进行的动作。例如：

She sat down at the table, with each dish emitting a delicious smell. 她在餐桌旁坐了下来， 每道菜都散发出扑鼻的香味。（状语表示伴随）

The girl sat there quite silent with her eyes fixing on the wall. 女孩坐在那里一言不发，目不转睛地盯着墙壁。（状语表示方式）

With our food running out, we had to walk to a village for help. 由于我们的食物即将吃完，

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新视野大学英语第三版读写教程 第 2 册

我们不得不步行到一个村子寻求帮助。（状语表示原因）

With summer coming, it is becoming hotter and hotter. 随着夏季来临，天气变得越来越热。 （状语表示时间）

Usage note: peculiar, characteristic, unusual

peculiar, characteristic 和 unusual 都可用作形容词，都含有表示“有特点的；有特色的”等意思，但有细微差别。

1 从词义上说，peculiar 着重“独特性”，强调“与众不同的”特征；characteristic 常强调所指性质的典型性,也可以表示这些性质使某一事物区别于其他的事物；unusual 强调“少见的”， 与通常的情况“截然不同的”或“未曾预料的”特征。例如： The wine has a peculiar taste. 这种酒有种独特的味道。

It’s characteristic of her that she never complained. 从来不发牢骚是她的个性。

It was not unusual for me to come home at two or three in the morning. 凌晨两三点回家对我来说是很平常的事。

2 从用法上说，peculiar 通常和介词 to 搭配，表示“为某人或某物所特有”；characteristic 通常和介词 of 搭配，表示“某物或某人有…特性、特征、特色”；unusual 通常和介词 for 搭配，表示“对…不同寻常”。例如：

Great minds in general look at life in a way peculiar to themselves. 一般来说，伟大的思想家都以自己独特的眼光来看待生活。

With the friendly and generous care so characteristic of these people, they opened their house to over 50 guests. 这些人以特有的友好和慷慨关爱，在家接待了 50 多位客人。It’s not unusual for teenagers to go through a phase when they feel ashamed of their parents, afraid that they might not live up to their friends’ standards. 青少年经历为自己的父母感到羞愧的阶段是很平常的，他们生怕自己的父母达不到他们朋友所设的标准。

He asked me if there was anything unusual about the man who had robbed me, but I couldn't accurately describe the man. 他问我那个抢劫了我的男人是否有什么不寻常之处， 但我不能准确地描述那个男子。

3 These challenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as the child’s need to learn, the adult’s need to find the right career and build a family, and the senior’s need for support and good health care. (Para. 1)

Meaning: By familiarizing ourselves with the particular challenges such as the needs for different age groups: child, adult, and senior, we can surely overcome all these challenges. Meaning beyond words: If we stay positive and optimistic, we’ll successfully handle the challenges at different life stages.

2 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing.

2 有趣的是，关于人生阶段的观念正在发生变化。

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新视野大学英语第三版读写教程 第 2 册

4 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing. (Para. 2)

Meaning beyond words: Since the sentence states that the ideas about life stages are changing, it’s predictable that the following text will focus on this topic.

3 In previous times, people didn't have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought of adolescence. Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood was completed as soon as they graduated from college. They would now find a

sensible job which would lead to a career. Then during this career they would start a family, ideally before they turned 30.

3 在先前的年代，人们并没有一种固有的把童年和成年分开的想法。 一百年前，谁也没有想到过青春期。 直到最近，人们还很自然地认为：只要他们一从大学毕业，他们的成人入门阶段就结束了。 他们就会找到一份把他们引入职业生涯的合适的工作。 然后在此职业生 涯期间，他们会成家，三十岁之前成家更为理想。

5 In previous times, people didn’t have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought of adolescence. (Para. 3) Meaning: In the past, people didn’t have a clear concept about separating childhood from adulthood. Children were simply seen as youngsters. Likewise, people didn’t think about the life stage of adolescence a hundred years ago.

6 Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood was completed as soon as they graduated from college. They would now find a sensible job which would lead to a career. (Para. 3)

Meaning: People used to consider it normal: As soon as students graduated from college, they would become part of the adult community and find a practical and reliable job toward a career.

Meaning beyond words: Things are no longer the same as they were in the past. College graduates won’t find an ideal job right after they graduate from school. It’ll take longer time before they start with their career.

Usage note: sensible, sensitive

1 sensible 表示“明智的”，如：a sensible person（一个明智的人），a sensible plan（一个切合实际的计划）。

A sensible person makes good decisions and adjustments based on reason rather than emotion. 一个明智的人会根据理智而不是情感来做出合理的决定和判断。

sensible 还可以表示“知道的；觉察的”，be sensible of … 表示“感知某事；察觉到某事”。例如：

I am sensible of the suffering you are undergoing. 我清楚你正在经历的痛苦。 2 sensitive 在词义上表示“敏感的；易受影响的”。例如：

A sensitive person is easily upset by other people’s remarks or behavior. 敏感的人很容易因他人的言论或行为而生气。

You shouldn’t be so sensitive about what people say. 你不应该对别人说什么如此敏感。

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新视野大学英语第三版读写教程 第 2 册

sensitive to 表示 “对…过敏的；对…理解的”。例如：

Unfortunately, she is sensitive to penicillin, and I doubt whether any other drug will help her. 不幸的是，她对青霉素过敏，我不能确定是否有其他药物可以帮助她。

We’re trying to make people more sensitive to the difficulties faced by working mothers. 我们正在努力使人们更理解上班族妈妈所面临的困难。

7 Then during this career they would start a family, ideally before they turned 30. (Para. 3)

Meaning: While working on their career, they would get married to start their own family, preferably by age 30.

4 Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after high school graduation, continues through college, and then leads to starting a family and having a career, the so-called odyssey years. Recent trends show radical changes as young people are following a different agenda. They take breaks from school, live with friends and often return to living with their parents. Similarly, they fall in and out of love, quit one job and try another or even shift to a new career. So, we need to recognize this new stage, the odyssey years, which many now consider to be an unavoidable stage in reaching adulthood.

4 今天，我们同样需要认识一个新的人生阶段：从高中毕业到上大学，然后到成家立业， 即所谓的奥德赛岁月。 由于年轻人正按照一种不同的模式生活，最近的趋势出现了根本性的变化。 他们从学校休学，与朋友同住，也常回去与父母同住。 同样，他们恋爱又失恋， 辞掉一份工作又去寻找新的，甚至改行。因此，我们需要认识这个新阶段——奥德赛岁月。 现在许多人认为这是步入成年之前的一个难以回避的阶段。

8 Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after high school graduation, continues through college, and then leads to starting a family and having a career, the so-called odyssey years. (Para. 4)

Meaning: Today we are also required to recognize a new life stage which starts from high school graduation through college till they settle down with a family and a career. This new phase might be called the odyssey years, the years of self-discovery.

9 Recent trends show radical changes as young people are following a different agenda. (Para. 4)

Meaning: As young people are living a different lifestyle, the society has gone through tremendous changes.

Meaning beyond words: Young people tend to behave rebelliously, which is contrary to the traditional way and beyond the expectations of their parents.

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