第一篇：21世紀大學英語 讀寫第二冊句子翻譯答案（模版）

1.老伴60多歲中風去世時When his wife died of a stroke in her sixties, the 72-year-old retired professor was overwhelmed by grief.Life would be too difficult for him without anybody to rely on.2.兩位業余畫家上個月 Last month two amateur painters held an exhibition of their pictures in London.Many people went to see it, including a few celebrated professors.3.當20世紀80年代中期 When seven astronauts died in the Challenger disaster in the mid-1980s, it plunged the whole world into shock and grief.4.在結束了其第二屆宰相任期After completing her second prime ministry, she remained actively involved in political affairs.She came to the rescue several times when the government was in difficulty.5.大選失敗之后After his failure in the election campaign, Dr.Smith retired to a small village, where he tried his hand at farming.6.只要你一輩子不停的努力工作As long as you keep working hard all your life, you will recall your past with a glow of satisfaction.7.我們現在必須喚醒人們認識到環境 We must awaken people to the importance of environmental protection now, or it will soon be too late.8.那位官員因卷入一件That official was removed from office for being involved in a political scandal.Had he known this would happen, he might have acted differently.Reading Analysis

9.我們班女生占大多數 Female students constitute the majority of our class.By contrast, their class is made up of males only.10.美孩子通常每天看3小時電視 American children can usually watch TV three hours a day, whereas their Chinese counterparts have to work on their homework during most their after-school time.11.他開發的一系列新研究方法His development of a series of new research methods led to his huge success.He said he owed all this to his parents’ encouragement.12.討論直接涉及他的未來He resented being excluded from discussions that directly concerned his future.13.這些問題連續不斷地出現 The fact that these problems are continually showing up suggests that this new device has to be readjusted.14..張華是近年來涌入美國As one of the many Asian students who have surged into the best American universities in recent years, Zhang Hua says that many of his ideas are based on traditional Chinese philosophy.15.首先 楊先生努力工作 To start with, it is not merely money that makes Mr.Young work so hard.He is committed to educating the young and tires to motivate them to get ahead in life.16.我們剩下的時間不多了As time was running out, we drove even faster in the hope that we could make it to the airport in time.、1.當那份臨時性工作When this temporary job came to an end, George was offered a permanent job, which he accepted at once.2.為了確保他們To ensure that their ventures in Japan are profitable, the American companies need cultural translators even more than language translators.3.作為一名文化翻譯 As a cultural translator, George was eager to help the Japanese

employees who came to ask his advice on a great many matters, both within and outside of his field of expertise.4.喬治用某種方法說服Somehow or other, George persuaded the American manager to go along with the Japanese accountant’s decision, thus smoothing over the conflict between the two.5.美方經理與日方經理Conflicts and arguments do arise at times between the American managers and their Japanese counterparts.But since both parties have the good sense to compromise, these conflicts are prevented from escalating into big emotional battles.6.所有的日方雇員All the Japanese employees, the personnel manager included, appreciated George’s frequent help with the multitude of problems they run into.7.我的日語口語還不足以My spoken Japanese is not good enough to express myself well.Please don’t get offended if I sometimes say stupid things.8.張大夫對中醫有精深的理解with a solid understanding of traditional Chinese medicine and a good mastery of English, dr.Zhang is highly qualified to train foreign doctors who came to China to study Chinese medicine.Reading analysis

第二篇：21世紀讀寫第二冊參考句子翻譯

21世紀讀寫第二冊參考翻譯

Unit 1

1.When his wife died of a stroke in her sixties, the 72-year-old retired professor was overwhelmed by grief.Life would be too difficult for him without anybody to rely on.2.Last month two amateur painters held an exhibition of their pictures in London.Many people went to see it, including a few celebrated professionals.3.When seven astronauts died in the Challenger disaster in the mid-1980s, it plunged the whole world into shock and grief.4.After completing her second prime ministry, she remained actively involved in political affairs.She came to the rescue several times when the government was in difficulty.5.After his failure in the election campaign, Dr.Smith retired to a small village, where he tried his hand at farming.6.As long as you keep working hard all your life, you will recall your past with a glow of satisfaction.7.We must awaken people to the importance of environmental protection now, or it will soon be too late.8.That official was removed from office for being involved in a political scandal.Had he known this would happen, he might have acted differently.Unit 2

1.Female students constitute the majority of our class.By contrast, their class is made up of males only.2.American kids can usually watch TV three hours a day, whereas their Chinese counterparts have to do their homework most of the time after school.3.His development of a series of new research methods led to his huge success.He said that he owed all this to his parents’ encouragement.4.He resented being excluded from discussions that directly concerned his future.5.The fact that these problems are continually showing up suggests that this new device must be readjusted.6.As one of the Asian students who have surged into the best American universities in recent years, Zhang Hua says that many of his ideas are based on the traditional Chinese philosophy.7.To start with, it is not merely money that makes Mr.Yang work so hard.He is committed to educating the young and tries to motivate them to get ahead in life.8.As time was running out, we drove even faster in hopes that we could make it to the airport in time.Unit 3

1.When the temporary job came to an end, George was offered a permanent job, which he accepted at once.2.To ensure that their joint ventures in Japan are profitable, the American companies need cultural translators even more than language translator.3.As a cultural translator, George was eager to help the Japanese employees who came to ask his advice on a great many matters, both within and outside his field of expertise.4.Somehow or other, George persuaded the American manager to go along with the Japanese accountant’s decision, thus smoothing over the conflict between the two.5.Conflicts and arguments do arise at times between the American managers and their Japanese counterparts.But since both parties have the good sense to compromise, these conflicts are prevented from escalating into big emotional battles.6.All the Japanese employees, the personnel manager included, appreciated George’s frequent help with the multitude of problems they ran into.7.My spoken Japanese is not good enough to express myself well.Please don’t get offended if I sometimes say stupid things.8.With a solid understanding of traditional Chinese medicine and a good mastery of English, Dr.Zhang is highly qualified to train foreign doctors who have come to China to study Chinese medicine.Unit 4

1.Protecting children from the knowledge that they have failed is anything but beneficial to their growth and development.2.Emerson does not think there is a world of difference between success and failure.3.A mature person is one who is good at turning failure into success.4.She was so obsessed with becoming a success in ice skating that she never prepared herself for the challenges of the real world.5.He suffered a complete nervous breakdown when he learned that his company had gone bankrupt.6.When talking about his success, Mr.Smith is very prone to exaggeration.7.The company started by selling radios but now has branched out into selling computers as well.8.In fact, failure is nothing to be afraid of.Once we learn how to use it, it can make a positive contribution to our growth and development.Unit 5

1.The university offered Priscilla only a small loan and she had to come up with the rest of the

money herself.2.With the small income from her restaurant job, Mary could barely make(both)ends meet.That’s why she had found some cleaning work to do in the apartment building where she lived.3.In the first two semesters, she often stayed up late studying because she knew she had to get the highest GPA in her class to qualify for the scholarship.4.Anyone who wants to find employment in/with that company must have at least a master’s degree, if not a Ph.D.Otherwise he or she will not be accepted.5.Only if you throw yourself into your studies will you ultimately achieve your long-term goal of becoming an archaeologist.6.In the office Beth always looked happy and had a ready smile.But deep down, she was tired of being a secretary.She wanted to do something more creative.7.A migrant farm laborer from Mexico, my father was overjoyed when I was accepted by the University of Washington and became the first person in my family to attend college.8.When Priscilla looked back on her years of hard struggle, she said that it was no easy job to balance work and study.

第三篇：翻譯答案大學英語精讀第二冊

Unit1 1.她砰地關上門，一聲不吭地走了，他們之間那場爭執就此結束。Their argument ended when she slammed the door and left without a word.2.出席晚宴的客人對那個美國人威嚴的語氣感到有點意外。

The guests at the dinner party were slightly surprised at the commanding tone of the American.3.約翰尼已長大成熟，不再害怕獨自呆在家里了。Johnny has outgrown the fear of staying at home alone.4.當全部乘客都向出口處(exit)走去時，他卻獨自留在座位上，好像不愿意離開這架飛機似的。

While all the other passengers made for the exit, he alone remained in his seat as if unwilling to leave the plane.5.這封信必須交給威爾遜博士本人。

The letter is to be handed to Dr.Wilson himself.6.南希雖然很想參加辯論，但靦腆得不敢開口。

While she felt like joining in the argument, Nancy was too shy to open her mouth.7.你覺得什么時候最有可能在家里找到他？

What do you think is the likeliest time to find him at home? 8.獵人一看見有只狐貍從樹叢中出現并向他設下(lay)的陷阱(trap)方向跑去，臉上頓時閃出了興奮的表情。

The hunter’s face lit up with excitement as soon as he saw a fox emerge from among the bushes and run in the direction of / make for the trap he had laid.Unit2 1)會上有人建議任命一個十一人委員會來制定新章程。

It was suggested at the meeting that a committee of eleven be appointed to make a new constitution.2)這些青年科學家通過現場觀察，獲得了研究工作所需的第一手資料。

By making on-the-spot observations, the young scientists obtained first-hand information they needed in their research work.3)他很可能會因視力不好而被拒收入伍。

It is very likely that he will be rejected by the army because of his bad eyesight.4)委員會成員在新機場最佳選址(location)這一問題上持有不同意見。

The committee members have conflicting opinions as to the best location of the new airport.5)亨利創作的藝術品在許多方面比他兄弟的要好。

Henry's works of art are superior in many respects to those of his brother's.6)我們產品質量的穩步提高在很大程度上是由于設備有所改進。

The steady rise in the quality of our products owes much to the improvement of our equipment.7)吉姆本想按照自己的判斷行事，但他沒有這樣做，因為作為軍人他得服從命令。

Jim would have preferred to act on his own judgment, but he didn't because as a soldier he had to obey the order.8)如果讓我來決定我們是要一個沒有自行車的城市呢，還是要一個沒有汽車的城市，我會毫不猶豫地選擇后者。

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a city without bikes or one without cars, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.Unit3

1)她在當地一家銀行找到一份出納員的工作，但不久因不稱職而被解雇了。

She got a post as a cashier at a local bank.But she was soon fired because she proved to be incompetent.2)很明顯是他的年輕助手在經營這家書店。

It is obviously/clearly his young assistant who is running the book store.3)這項建議在會上一宣布，她就站起來提出異議。

No sooner had the proposal been announced at the meeting than she got to her feet to protest.4)比爾已向哈佛大學申請助教職位，但他得到它的可能性很小。

Bill has applied to Harvard University for a teaching assistantship, but his chances of getting it are slim.5)由于缺乏資金，他們正在想辦法吸引外資。

Being short of funds, they are trying to attract foreign capital.6)這個房間有股霉味，一定是好久沒人住了。

The room smells of stale air.It must have been vacant for a long time.7)就業余愛好而言，珍妮和她妹妹幾乎沒有什么共同之處。

As far as hobbies are concerned, Jane and her sister have little in common.8)不言而喻，青年人的教育對于一個國家的未來是至關重要的。

It is self-evident that the education of the young is vital to the future of a country.Unit4

1)那小女孩跑得太快，身體一下失去平衡，跌倒了。

The little girl ran so fast that she was thrown off balance and fell over / down.2)他致力于研究工作的精神(devotion to research)給我留下了很深印象，但我對他那些深奧的理論絲毫不感興趣。

I was impressed by his devotion to research but I did not have the slightest interest in his profound theories.3)千萬別說可能會被人誤解的話。

Be sure not to say anything capable of being misunderstood.4)我被他們互相矛盾的意見搞糊涂了，不知如何去做才是。

I was so bewildered by their conflicting advice that I did not know how to act/what to do.5)起初，這個復雜問題使他們感到灰心喪氣，但經過仔細思考后他們終于研究出了解決辦法。

At first this complicated problem frustrated them, but after thinking it over carefully they finally worked out a solution.6)體育代表團團長在少先隊員向他獻上一束鮮花時愉快地笑了。

The head of the sports delegation beamed with delight when a young pioneer presented him with a bunch of flowers.7)這學期我們都學習得不錯，我真不明白為什么我們的英語老師單單表揚了班長一個人。I really don't see why our English teacher should single out our monitor for praise since we have all done quite well this term.8)我相信比較高級的|(higher)|動物是由比較低級的（|lower）|動物進化而來（|develop from）的這一學說。

I believe in the theory that the higher animals developed from the lower ones.Unit6 1)只要你不斷努力，你遲早會解決這個難題的。

If / As long as you keep(on)trying, you will be able to resolve this difficult problem sooner or later.2)我們預料我們的計劃會受到抵制(resistance)。

We anticipate encountering / that we will encounter resistance to our plan / our plan will meet with resistance.3)吉姆的朋友說，他們那個城市的噪音污染十分嚴重，但是他們只好忍著。

Jim's friends said that the noise pollution in their city was terrible, but they had to live with it.4)湯姆起初認為，憑他的知識、技術和經驗，一定能夠找到一份稱心如意的工作。

At first Tom thought that with his knowledge, skill and experience he was bound to find a satisfactory job.5)冷靜耐心地處理這個微妙(delicate)問題是明智的。

It would be wise / advisable to handle this delicate problem with calmness and patience.6)迪克以為，如果他拆不開那臺機器，那么很可能廠里別的工人也拆不開。

Dick thought that if he wasn't able to take the machine apart, chances were that no other worker in the plant could, either.7)你是否認為公共汽車司機應對乘客的安全負完全的責任？

Do you think bus drivers should take full responsibility for the passengers' safety? 8)你不必再去多想那些判斷上的失誤了。重要的是盡量避免再犯。

You needn't dwell on your mistakes in judgment any more.What's important is to try your best to avoid repeating them

Unit8 1)巨額投資(investment)使這一地區的經濟得以迅速發展。

Vast amounts of investment have enabled the economy of the area to grow rapidly.2)他們為新建一所醫院開展了一場籌款運動。

They launched a campaign to raise money for a new hospital.3)成功在于勤奮(diligence)，諾蘭醫生就是一個很好的例證。Success lies in diligence.Dr.Nolen is a case in point.4)他們都具有很高的道德標準，決不會受誘惑接受如此貴重的禮品。

Men of high moral standards, they are never to be tempted into taking such expensive gifts.5)有跡象表明，不少工廠正面臨著十分困難的局面。

There are indications that numerous factories are faced with a very difficult situation.6)警方找到誰是罪犯的重要線索后，在幾小時內就以武裝搶劫罪拘捕了他。

The police arrested the criminal on a charge of armed robbery several hours after they found an important clue to his identity.7)調查顯示，對某些人來說，退休往往會造成心理上的病痛。

Investigation has revealed that retirement tends to cause psychological troubles for some people.8)醫療隊并沒有一味抱怨當地醫院較差的工作條件。比如，好幾位醫生就曾用自己的錢購置了簡單的醫療器械。

The medical team did more than complain about the relatively poor working conditions at the local hospital.For instance, several doctors bought simple medical instruments with their own money

Unit9 1)一切都表明他的計劃出了毛病。

Everything points to the fact / indicates that something has gone wrong with his project / plan.2)作者認為，我們不應想當然地以為那些智力測驗得分高的人在實際工作中就一定能干得好。

The author argues that we should not take it for granted that those who score high on intelligence tests will naturally do well in practical work.3)我挑出幾條英語習語（idiom），考了一下我的同班同學。I picked out some English idioms and tried them on my classmates.4)三位教授被請來對新教員設計的教案作出評估。

Three professors were asked to make an evaluation of the teaching plans devised by the new teachers.5)這對我們來說是個很小的損失，不要大驚小怪。

It is a very small loss to / for us.Don't make such a fuss over it.6)他比任何對手的得分都高得多，證明他不愧為一個勝利者。

He scored far more points / much higher than any of his rivals and proved himself a worthy winner.7)這兩只動物外貌很相似，但它們屬于不同的種類。

The two animals are similar in appearance, but they belong to different species.8)我并不確切知道他申請的貸款（loan）銀行是否會給他。

I don't know for sure whether the bank will grant him the loan he has applied for.

第四篇：21世紀大學英語(第二冊)翻譯答案

第一單元

“‘在畫畫呢!’她大聲說道?！嗝从腥?。可你還在等什么呢? 把畫筆給我---大的那支?！偷赜霉P蘸起顏料，還沒等我緩過神來，她已經揮筆潑墨在驚恐不已的畫布上畫下了有力的幾道藍色。誰都看得出畫布無法回擊。我不再遲疑。我抓起那支最大的畫筆，迅猛異常地向我可憐的犧牲品撲了過去。自那以后，我再也不曾害怕過畫布?！?/p>

1.When his wife died of a stroke in her sixties, the 72-year-old retired professor was overwhelmed by grief.Life would be too difficult for him without anybody to rely on.2.Last month two amateur painters held an exhibition of their pictures in London.Many people went to see it, including a few celebrated professors.3.When seven astronauts died in the Challenger disaster in the mid-1980s, it plunged the whole world into shock and grief.4.After completing her second prime ministry, she remained actively involved in political affairs.She came to the rescue several times when the government was in difficulty.5.After his failure in the election campaign, Dr.Smith retired to a small village, where he tried his hand at farming.6.As long as you keep working hard all your life, you will recall your past with a glow of satisfaction.7.We must awaken people to the importance of environmental protection now, or it will soon be too late.8.That official was removed from office for being involved in a political scandal.Had he known this would happen, he might have acted differently.第二單元

儒教也為亞洲人的成功提供了另一個要素。在孔夫子的哲學中，家庭起著最重要的作用----這種定向引導人們為家庭的榮譽而學習工作，而不僅僅是為了他們自己。一個人永遠無法報答他的父母，而且在亞洲人中間還有一種責任感、乃至負罪感，這是一種如同新教哲學在西方一樣的強大力量。

9.Female students constitute the majority of our class.By contrast, their class is made up of males only.10.American children can usually watch TV three hours a day, whereas their Chinese counterparts have to work on their homework during most their after-school time.11.His development of a series of new research methods led to his huge success.He said he owed all this to his parents? encouragement.12.He resented being excluded from discussions that directly concerned his future.13.The fact that these problems are continually showing up suggests that this new device has to be readjusted.14.As one of the many Asian students who have surged into the best American universities in recent years, Zhang Hua says that many of his ideas are based on traditional Chinese philosophy.15.To start with, it is not merely money that makes Mr.Young work so hard.He is committed to educating the young and tires to motivate them to get ahead in life.16.As time was running out, we drove even faster in the hope that we could make it to the airport in time.第三單元

從一開始，喬治就被所有的日本雇員欣然接受。日方經理通常不信任任何被派去代表美方業主的人，但喬治生性隨和，沒有人把他看作是對自己職業的一種威脅。所以他們喜歡就廣泛的各類問題征求他的意見，包括大洋彼岸他們的合作伙伴的古怪行為。公司上下的工程師們都珍視喬治的專業知識和他友好而技能熟練的幫助，他們已養成了一有問題----任何問題，就找他幫忙的習慣。辦公室里的秘書們都熱衷于幫助這個討人喜歡的單身漢學習日語。

1.When this temporary job came to an end, George was offered a

permanent job, which he accepted at once.2.To ensure that their ventures in Japan are profitable, the American

companies need cultural translators even more than language translators.3.As a cultural translator, George was eager to help the Japanese employees who came to ask his advice on a great many matters, both within and outside of his field of expertise.4.Somehow or other, George persuaded the American manager to go along with the Japanese accountant?s decision, thus smoothing over the conflict between the two.5.Conflicts and arguments do arise at times between the American

managers and their Japanese counterparts.But since both parties have the good sense to compromise, these conflicts are prevented from escalating into big emotional battles.6.All the Japanese employees, the personnel manager included,appreciated George?s frequent help with the multitude of problems they run into.7.My spoken Japanese is not good enough to express myself well.Please don?t get offended if I sometimes say stupid things.8.with a solid understanding of traditional Chinese medicine and a good mastery of English, dr.Zhang is highly qualified to train foreign doctors who came to China to study Chinese medicine.第四單元

成功鼓勵人們重復過去的行為，因而遠不及失敗這個老師來得好。你可以從一次極糟的晚會中學會如何舉辦一次成功的晚會，從第一次不當的選房中學到下次選房時要注意些什么。即使一次看似徹底的失敗也能激發新的思路，引起方向的改變。

1.Protecting children from the knowledge that they have failed is anything but beneficial to their growth and development.2.Emerson does not think there is a world of difference between success and failure.3.A mature person is one who is good at turning failure into success.4.She was so obsessed with becoming a success in ice skating that she never prepared herself for challenges of the real world.5.He suffered a complete nervous breakdown when he learned that his company had gone bankrupt.6.When talking about his success, Mr.Smith is very prone to exaggeration.7.The company started by selling radios but now has branched out into selling computers as well.8.In fact, failure is nothing to be afraid of.Once we learn how to use it, it can make a positive contribution to our growth and development.第五單元

要做到工作學習兩不誤很困難?！拔乙恢卑疽箤W習，每天一大早又要去上班。我上課時很難集中思想，上班時也很難受，因為我實在太累了，”她說。不過她第一學期最后還是得了兩個A。.1.The university offered Priscilla only a small loan and she had to come up with the rest of the money herself.2.With small income from her restaurant job, marry could barely make(both)ends meet.That?s why she found some cleaning work to do in the apartment building where she lived.3.During her first semesters, she often stayed up late studying because she knew she had to get the highest GPA in her class to qualify the scholarship.4.Anyone who wants to find employment in/ with that company must have at least a master?s degree;if not a Ph.D.otherwise he or she will not be accepted.5.Only if you completely throw yourself into your studies will you ultimately achieve your long-term goal of becoming an archaeologist.6.In the office Beth always looked happy and had a ready smile.But deep down, she was tired of being a secretary.She wanted to do something more creative.7.A migrant farm laborer from Mexico, my father was overjoyed when I was accepted by the University of Washington and became the first person in my family to attend college.8.When Priscilla looked back on her years of hard struggle, she said that it was no easy job to balance work and study.第六單元

他被稱為“活著的最有才華的人”，“20世紀后期最偉大的天才”，以及“愛因斯坦的繼承人”。因《時間簡史》一書而聞名遐邇為眾人所知的斯蒂芬霍金是一個多重意義上的明星科學家?；艚鹕瞄L于用一種為非科學家所喜愛的文體揭示宇宙的奧秘，這種天賦使他聲譽鵲起，也使他的書在英國和美國都成了暢銷書。該書因在《星期日泰晤士報》十大暢銷書名單上持續了184周，并在全世界銷售了500多萬冊而在《吉尼斯世界紀錄大全》上贏得了一席之地——對一本科學書籍來說，這簡直是前所未聞的成功。

1.Stephen Hawking, a British scientist specializing in theoretical cosmology has been proclaimed the greatest genius of the late 20th century.2.Every time he releases a new record, the singer dreams of its/ it earning a place in the ?top-ten? list one the radio.3.Located to the northwest of London, Oxford University is well known/ noted far and wide for its academic excellence.4.An intellectual giant, Einstein was responsible for modern man?s new concept of time and space.5.This medical research is aimed at finding new treatments for inherited blood diseases, because the drugs now in use cannot cure these complicated diseases.6.This year is the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of our university.A private school initially, it has now become a world-famous university specializing in theoretical research.7.Two years ago, bob was feeling bored with his job as a restaurant manager.Luckily he won a scholarship to the state university.8.Asked what kind of student Stephen was at college, Prof.white, the then Chair of the Physics department, recalls: “ He impressed me as a very bright student with an instinctive insight into physics.”

第五篇：新視野大學英語第二冊讀寫教程課文翻譯

新視野大學英語二級讀寫教程翻譯（第一版）

Unit 1 時間觀念強的美國人

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美國人認為沒有人會停止不前。如果你不求進取，就會落伍。這種態度造就了一個決心投身于研究、實驗和探索的民族。時間是美國人注意節約的兩個要素之一，另一個則是工作。人們一直在說: “只有時間才能支配我們。” 人們似乎是把時間當作一個差不多是實實在在的東西來對待的。我們安排時間、節約時間、浪費時間、擠搶時間、消磨時間、縮減時間、對時間的使用作出解釋;我們還要因時間而收取費用。時間是一種寶貴的資源。許多人都深感人生的短暫。一旦人生的光陰逝去，就不能復返了。我們應當讓每一分鐘都過得有意義。

外國人對美國的第一印象很可能就是：每個人都顯得匆匆忙忙—常常是處于壓力之下。城里人看上去總是在匆匆地趕往他們要去的地方，在商店里他們焦躁不安地指望店員能馬上來為他們服務，或者為了想趕快買完東西，用肘來推搡他人。白天人人都急急忙忙地吃飯則部分地體現了這個國家的生活節奏。工作時間被認為是寶貴的。在公共用餐場所，人們等著別人吃完，這樣可以輪到他們，以按時趕回去工作。你還會發現汽車司機開車很魯莽, 人們推搡著在你身邊過去。你會懷念微笑、簡短的交談及與陌生人的隨意閑聊。不要覺得 這是針對你個人的，這是因為人們非常珍惜時間，而且也不喜歡他人不得當地“浪費”時間。

許多剛到美國的人會懷念諸如商務拜訪等場合開始時的寒喧。他們也會懷念那種喝著招待客人的茶或咖啡的禮節性交往, 這也許是他們自己國家的一種習俗。他們也許還會想念在飯店或咖啡館里談生意時的那種輕松悠閑的交談。一般說來，美國人是不會在如此輕松的環境里通過長時間的閑聊來評估他們的客人的，更不用說他們會在增進相互間信任的過程中帶他們出去吃飯，或帶他們去高爾夫球場。既然我們通常是通過工作而不是社交來評估和了解他人的，我們就開門見山地談生意。因此時間老是在我們的耳朵里嘀嗒嘀嗒地響著。因而我們千方百計地節約時間。我們發明了一系列節省勞力的裝置；我們通過發傳真、打電話或發電子郵件與他人迅速地進行交流, 而不是通過直接接觸。雖然面對面接觸令人愉快，但卻要化更多的時間, 尤其是在馬路上交通擁擠時。因此我們把大多數個人間的拜訪放在下班以后的時間里或周末的社交聚會上進行。

就我們而言，電子交流的缺乏人情味與我們手頭上事情的重要性之間很少有或完全沒有關系。在有些國家里, 沒有當面接觸就做不成大生意, 需要面對面的交談。在美國，最后協議通常也需要本人簽字。然而現在人們越來越多的是在電視屏幕上見面，開電信會議不僅能解決本國的問題，而且還能— 通過衛星—解決國與國之間的問題。美國無疑是一個電話王國。幾乎每個人都在用電話做生意、與朋友聊天、安排或取消社交約會、說聲 “謝謝”、購物、或去獲得各種信息。電話不但能免去你的走路之勞，而且還能為你節約大量時間。其部分原因在于這樣一個事實：美國的電話服務是一流的，而郵政服務的效率則差勁多了。有些初來美國的人很可能來自其它的文化背景，在那里人們認為工作太快是一種失禮。在他們看來，如果不是花一定時間來處理某件事的話，則這件事就好像是無足輕重的，不值得給予適當的重視。因此，人們覺得用的時間長會增加所做事情的重要性。但在美國，能迅速而又成功地解決問題或完成工作，則被視為是有水平、有能力的標志。通常，工作越重要，投入的資金、精力和注意力就越多，其目的是 “使工作開展起來”。

UNIT2 世界各地的環境保護

--------世界上大部分地區不存在環保意識。絕大多數國家只顧經濟發展，而不顧經濟發展對全球生態環境的影響。但近年來，隨著環境損害的日益嚴重，世界各地已經出現了許多變化的跡象。下面就是幾個正在采取環境保護新舉措的國家的例子。

加拿大

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當歐洲的探險者剛踏上新大陸時，后來成為加拿大東部和新英格蘭的沿海漁場盛產鱈魚及其他魚類。號稱大淺灘的海域是當時世界上產魚最多的漁場。

500年以后的今天，過度捕撈已使魚的數量減少到危險的程度。針對這一情況，加拿大關閉了這一捕鱈海域，并對其他魚類的捕撈量也作出嚴格限制。

加拿大在20世紀70年代也曾采過取類似措施來保護鯡魚的數量，最終鯡魚的數量得到了恢復。但是專家們說，由于時下的濫捕，某些魚類可能永遠也恢復不到原來的數量了。政府也面臨著來自加拿大漁民的抗議。因為禁漁和捕魚數量的減少，現在己有大約4萬漁民失業。

哥斯達黎加

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這個中美洲國家為保護其熱帶雨林的生態多樣性，已制訂出世界上最為雄心勃勃的的規劃之一。這個國家許多地區的樹木已被砍伐殆盡，而且土地流失范圍十分廣。但是人們制訂了一系列新的環境保護法，還新建了占四分之一國土面積的公園和自然保護區，目的是要保護哥斯達黎加現存的森林。巴西

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巴西是全世界最大的熱帶叢林-亞馬遜雨林的生長地。幾十年來，巴西政府一直在致力于開拓和開發亞馬遜雨林，給這個地區及其居民帶來了嚴重的環境災難。

但在1991年，在世界各地環境保護者的壓力下，巴西徹底改弦更張。它取消了原本旨在鼓勵砍伐亞馬遜雨林的稅收優惠，而且還批準了給新的森林保護項目提供資金的計劃。

養牛場場主、礦工和移民們反對這個措施，繼續破壞森林, 雖然破壞速度比過去已放慢。去年，礦工們為了爭奪印第安人的土地而殺死了一群居住在亞馬遜雨林里的印第安人后，沖突擴大了。巴西政府承諾，將保護該地區的土著居民，但人們對這個承諾的可信度仍心存疑慮。

東歐

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東歐各國，包括波蘭、匈牙利、捷克和斯洛伐克共和國，被認為是世界上工業化國家中污染最嚴重的。開挖煤礦時逸出的重金屬已經污染了這個地區的許多水域。河流、土地及森林的污染是如此嚴重，以至現在其中的許多在生物學上來講已經死亡。

通過簽訂一系列專門性條約，東歐國家已與許多其它國家，包括美國，設立了用來凈化環境和改善該地區發電廠的特別基金。此外，德國和捷克共和國已簽訂了一項條約以保護易北河，使之不再進一步被污染。專家們說該條約可被視為保護該地區其它河流，包括奧德河和多瑙河在內，的典范。

加納

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加納的人口一直在以每年3.2%的速度增長。這種人口激增已導致了該國許多地方森林的消失及對現存農田過度耕作。森林正在以每年278平方英里的速度被砍伐。

針對這一情況，政府鼓勵當地村莊建立更多的共有農田。為恢復荒地的地力，它資助人們種植諸如木薯、玉米、棉花之類的經濟作物和植樹造林。觀察家們稱該計劃已成功地鞏固了該國的農業基礎，而且還給村民們帶來了新的財源。但是要知道這些措施是否會產生足夠的影響來減緩砍伐森林的速度，尚須時日。印度尼西亞

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印度尼西亞人傳統上偏愛大家庭，他們的主要宗教伊斯蘭教不贊成節制生育。但是這個人口達1.88億的國家正在為了給其人民提供足夠的食物、住房和工作機會而苦苦掙扎。印尼政府近幾年來已發動了一場大規模的廣告宣傳運動來鼓勵節制生育，并提出了鼓勵措施，如提供免費去沙特阿拉伯的麥加-伊斯蘭教的誕生地-的機會。

印尼政府已成功地擴大了實行節制生育的范圍，節育人口已從20年前的10%增加到今天的49%。其結果是每個婦女從平均生育5.6個孩子下降到平均生育3個。印尼政府希望到2005年的時候，每個婦女的平均生育數可下降到2.1個。但是因為該國的人口基數十分大，要想達到政府的人口目標，印尼還必須再轉變幾百萬人的思想，讓他們接受節制生育的觀念。

UNIT3 跨國婚姻

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我和蓋爾計劃舉行一個不事張揚的婚禮。在一起相處的兩年中，我們經歷了一對情侶在學著相互了解、理解和尊重時常常出現的磕磕碰碰。但在這整整兩年間，我們坦誠地面對了彼此性格中的弱點和長處。

我們之間的種族及文化差異不但增強了我們的關系，還教會了我們彼此間要寬容、諒解和開誠布公。蓋爾有時不明白為何我和其他黑人如此熱衷于種族問題，她好像忘記了美國社會中種族仇恨更加微妙的表現形式，這一點令我感到驚訝。

作為一對居住在美國、異族通婚的夫妻，我和蓋爾對未來不抱絲毫幻想。相互信任和尊重是我們倆永不枯竭的力量源泉。

許多夫妻因為錯誤的理由結了婚, 結果在10年、20年或30年后才發覺他們原來是合不來的，他們在婚前幾乎沒有化時間去了解彼此，他們忽視了嚴重的性格差異，指望婚姻會自然而然地解決各種問題。我們希望避免重蹈復轍。下列事實強調了這樣一點：已經結婚35年的蓋爾父母正經歷著一場充滿怨恨、令人痛苦的婚變，這件事給了蓋爾以毀滅性的打擊, 并一度給我們正處于萌芽狀態的關系帶來了負面的影響。

當蓋爾把我們計劃舉辦婚禮的消息告訴她家人時，她遇到了一些阻力。她的母親德博拉過去一直贊成我們的關系，甚至還開過玩笑，問我們打算何時結婚，這樣她就可以抱外孫了。但這次聽到我們的消息時，她沒向我們表示祝賀，相反卻勸蓋爾想想清楚自己的決定是否正確。

“這么說我跟他約會沒錯, 但是如果我跟他結婚，就錯了。媽媽，是不是因為他的膚色？” 蓋爾后來告訴我她曾這樣問她母親。

“首先我必須承認, 剛開始時我對異族通婚是有保留的，也許你甚至可以把這稱為偏見。但是當我見到馬克時，我發現他是一個既討人喜歡又聰明的年輕人。任何一個母親都會因為有這樣一個女婿而感到臉上有光的。所以，這事跟膚色沒有關系。是的, 我的朋友們會有閑話。有些朋友甚至對你所做的事表示震驚。但他們是生活在一個和我們不同的世界里的人。因此要明白，馬克的膚色不是個問題。我最大的擔心的是你也許跟我當初嫁給你爸爸一樣，是因為錯誤的原因而嫁給馬克的。當年我和你爸爸相遇時，我也把他看作是個可愛、聰明、討人喜歡和善解人意的人。一切都是多么新鮮、多么令人興奮。而且我們倆人都認為-至少在表面上是如此-我們的婚姻是理想婚姻，而且一切跡象都表明是會天長地久的。直到后來我才明白，在我們結婚時，我并不十分理解我所愛的人-你的爸爸?！? “但是我和馬克呆在一起已有2年多了,” 蓋爾抱怨道?！拔覀儌z一起經歷了許許多多的事情。我們彼此已很多次看到對方最糟糕的一面。我可以肯定時間只會證明我們是彼此深情相愛的?！?/p>

“你也許是對的。但我還是認為再等一段時間有好處。你今年才25歲?！?/p>

蓋爾的父親戴維-我還未見過他的面-以知女莫若父的態度來對付我們的決定。他問的問題基本上和蓋爾母親的問題相同: “干嗎這么匆忙？這個馬克是什么人？他是什么公民身份?” 當他得知我在公民身份部門遇到的問題時, 就懷疑我是因為想留在美國而娶他的女兒的。

“不過爸爸，你這話講得太難聽了,” 蓋爾說。

“那么干嗎要這樣著急？拖一段時間再說，拖一段時間再說,” 他重復說著。

“馬克以前是有過公民身份方面的問題，但他總是在自己處理這些問題,” 蓋爾辯解道。“ 事實上，當我們在討論結婚的時候，他清楚地表明了這樣一點：如果我對任何事情有懷疑, 我完全可以取消我們的計劃?！?/p>

她的父親開始引用統計數據說明異族通婚的夫妻離婚率比同族結婚的夫妻要高，而且還列舉了接受過他咨詢的、在婚姻上有麻煩的異族通婚夫婦的例子。

他問道：“你考慮過你以后的孩子可能會遭受的苦難嗎？”

“爸，你是個種族主義分子嗎?”

“不，當然不是。但你必須得現實一點。”

“也許我們的孩子會遇到一些問題。但誰的孩子不會呢？ 但是有一樣東西他們將會永遠擁有：我們的愛和奉獻。”

“那是一種理想主義的想法。人們對異族通婚生下的孩子是會很殘酷的。”

“爸爸，到時候，我們自己會操心的。但是假如我們在做什么事之前，必須把所有的疑難問題全部解決的話，那么我們幾乎就什么都干不成了?！?/p>

“請記住，回心轉意是永遠不會太遲的?！?/p>

UNIT4 到國外求學

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選擇去美國完成中學學業的巴西青年所面臨的挑戰。

830號班機。起飛時間：晚上十時四十五分。

乍一看，這不過是又一架飛往加州洛杉磯市的普通班機。然而對于飛機上的38個年齡在15到18歲之間的年輕乘客來說，這是一次全新經歷的開始： 他們將遠離家人去國外留學，度過他們生命中的10個月。美國平均每年要接待78，000名中學學歷程度的外國學生，其中3，000個來自巴西。他們都是因為同樣的原因赴美的--學會流利的英語、完成中學學業以及盡可能了解有關美國生活方式的方方面面。在每個學期結束時，只要這些學生能通過期末考試，美國當局就會向他們頒發證書，巴西是承認這種證書的。

對大多數學生來說，至少要經過6個月的精心籌劃才能作出到國外學習的決定。“對我來說，” 17歲的格洛里亞·馬卡托說: “學會講英語及體驗這種經歷比從美國政府那里拿到一張證書更為重要。” 其他人則向往能繼續上大學。桑德羅·羅德里戈·德·巴洛斯明確表示: “我想做一名音樂指揮家，而且我已經選擇好了美國最好的音樂學院。”

正如他們所說的那樣，事情并不總是那么順利。甚至那些計劃在美國完成兩個學期中學課程的年輕學生也很難找到接待家庭。很少有學生在到達這個國家時，就把一切細節都安排妥貼了的。格洛里亞·馬卡托是其中的一個幸運者。在出國前，她收到了2封信及幾張她的新“父母”的照片。格洛里亞說: “我認為一切都取決于你怎樣回答巴西這邊的海外留學公司寄給你的問卷調查。舉個例子說吧, 我是不惜紙墨的。我甚至描寫了我的四條狗，還說我每個星期天都去做禮拜。” 她達到了目的。美國人篤信宗教（絕大多數美國人都是基督教徒), 而且寵物在他們心里占有特殊的地位。雖然可以減免一小部分所得稅, 接待海外留學生的美國家庭是不向學生收錢的。

每個孩子的個人用品、娛樂、長途電話及衣服都得自己掏錢。每個月的這些費用加起來就要 200 到 300 美元。怕萬一生病，每個學生都得辦一張醫療幫助卡。健康保險不包括艾滋病、人工流產和自殺后的治療，也不支付治療牙齒和配眼鏡的費用。

事實上，大多數學生在離家時，都知道他們將在沒有原來所習慣了的父母照顧的情況下自己生活, 學會自己照料自己。然而，他們沒有人會獨自整理行裝。父母們一直在給他們出主意，甚至幫他們裝箱打包。這些小青年在做這類事的時候常常顯得缺乏實踐經驗。他們帶了許多不必要的東西。一個來自巴西南部的學生把2個大箱子塞得滿滿的，此外，還得考慮她隨身攜帶的行李。結果她無法一個人帶著這么多東西踏上旅途。

對許多學生來說，在機場與親友告別是他們最難受的時候。即使朋友們及家人支持他們出國留學, 但在此時此刻說聲再見卻是很困難的。帕特里夏·卡格利恩說: “拋下你所愛的人，特別是男朋友, 是很不容易的。我在飛機起飛的時候哭了，到了飛機上還在哭。”

學生們在等待美國國內班機把他們帶到在美國的臨時家庭時又緊張了一陣。從那以后，每個人都得自己照料自己了。沒有人真正知道自己該如何去適應這新的環境。雖然大多數外國學生將留在加利福尼亞州，但也有人要被送往德克薩斯、亞利桑那、愛達荷、俄克拉荷馬及弗吉尼亞等州去。

幾天以后，普遍的抱怨就是食物了?！半m然我的適應能力很強，可我真的很想念米飯和豆類菜肴。這里的食物看上去不太有營養?！?費爾南多·安德雷德哀怨地說。大多數年輕人遇到的另一個大問題，就是他們遠在他鄉、倍思親人。

留學計劃中有一條與時間有關的重要規定，這是由接待家庭的 “父母” 制定的。根據這條規定, 這些十幾歲的孩子們在周末晚上必須回家。“他們真的很嚴格吶,” 剛學完第一學期的朱莉安娜·馬蒂尼說?！澳惚仨氃谕砩鲜c半以前到家。如果做不到,就會受罰。”

剛到美國時, 有些孩子對英語幾乎一竅不通。在這種情況下，唯一的解決方法就是請私人語言教師。這樣就增加了留學的費用，加上飛機票，估計費用大約為3,800 美元。

UNIT5 我為女兒抽煙哭泣

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我的女兒會抽煙。她做家庭作業時，腳擱在前面的長凳上，計算機嗒嗒地跳出幾何題的答案。我看著那包已抽了一半、她隨意扔在緊靠手邊處的駱駝牌香煙。我拿起香煙，走到廚房里去仔細察看，那里的光線好一點--謝天謝地，那是有過濾嘴的。可我心里卻感到十分難過。我想哭。事實上，站在廚房煤氣灶旁邊, 我確實哭過。我手里捏著一支雪白雪白的香煙，制作得非常精致。那可是會致我女兒于死地的東西啊。當她抽“萬寶路”及“運動員”牌香煙時，我硬起心腸, 不讓自己感到難過。我認識的人當中沒有那個抽過這兩種牌子的香煙。

她不知道我父親、也就是她外公生前抽的就是駱駝牌香煙。但是在他開始抽機制卷煙之前--那時他很年輕、也很窮，但眼睛炯炯有神--他抽的是用阿爾伯特親王牌煙絲自己手工卷制的香煙。我還記得那鮮紅的煙絲罐頭，上面有一張維多利亞女王的丈夫阿爾伯特親王身穿黑色燕尾服、手拿一支手杖的圖片。

到40年代末、50年代初，我的家鄉喬治亞州的伊頓鎮上已沒有人再自己手工制作卷煙了（而且幾乎沒有女人抽煙）。煙草業，再加上好來塢電影--影 片中的男女主角都是老煙鬼--把像我父親那樣的人完完全全爭取了過去, 他們無可救藥地抽煙上了癮。然而我父親看上去從來就沒有像阿爾伯特親王那樣時髦。他還是一個貧窮、過于肥胖、為養活一大家人而拼命干活的男人。他渾身漆黑，嘴里卻總叼著一支雪白的香煙。

我記不清父親是什么時候開始咳嗽的, 也許開始時并不明顯, 他早晨一下床點燃第一支香煙時才有點微咳。到我16歲, 也就是我女兒現在這般年齡時，他一呼吸就呼哧呼哧的，讓人感到不安；他上樓時每走三、四級樓梯就得停下來休息一會兒。他常常一連咳上一個來小時。

肺病把我父親折磨得虛弱不堪, 一個嚴冬，他死于被叫做“窮人的朋友”的疾病--肺炎。他咳嗽了這么多年，我想他的肺部已沒有什么完好的地方了。去世前幾年，他的呼吸已經很虛弱了，他總得倚靠著某個東西。我記得有一次全家聚會，當時我女兒才2歲，他抱了她一會兒，好讓我有時間給他倆拍張照片。但是很明顯，他是費了好大勁的。他生命行將結束前, 主要是因為他的肺功能已極度受損，他才戒了煙。戒煙后他的體重增加了幾磅，但當時他太瘦了，所以沒人注意到這一點。

我到第三世界國家去旅行時，看到了許多像我父親和女兒那樣的人。到處都有針對他們這兩類人的巨大廣告牌：強壯、自信或時髦、年齡較大的男人, 以及漂亮、“世故”的年青女人，都在吞云吐霧。就像在美國的市中心區和印第安人的居留地上發生的事一樣。在這些貧困的國家里，那些本應該化在食物上的錢卻流進了煙草公司。久而久之，人們不但缺少食物，而且還缺少空氣，這樣不但大大地削弱了孩子們的體質，還使他們染上了煙癮，最終還會致他們于死地。我在報紙及我訂閱的園藝雜志上看到, 煙蒂的毒性是很強的：一個嬰兒如果吞下了一個煙蒂，就很有可能會死去； 沸水加一把煙蒂就成了很有效的殺蟲劑。

作為一個母親，我感到深深的痛苦。有時我有一種無能為力的感覺。我記得自己懷孕時，吃東西的時候是多么當心啊！之后在教她如何安全穿過馬路時，又是多么耐心?。∮袝r我納悶：自己這樣做到底是為了什么? 難道是為了她今后大半輩子有氣無力地掙扎著呼吸，然后再像她外公那樣自己把自己毒死？

我特別喜歡一條寫在受傷害婦女收容所里的語錄： “人間平安，始于家庭?！?我認為世上所有東西都是如此。我還想起了另一條寫給那些想戒煙的人們的語錄： “每個家庭都應該是禁煙區?！?抽煙是一種自我毀滅，而且也毀滅著那些不得不坐在你身邊的人。那些人偶爾也會取笑或抱怨抽煙，可常常只能無可奈何地坐在一邊看。我現在意識到了，當我還是一個孩子時，許多年中我實際上是一直坐在旁邊，看著我父親自殺。對那些生意興隆的煙草公司的巨頭們來說，能在我家取得這樣一種勝利，肯定是夠滿意了。

UNIT6 人如其名

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在她人生最初的24年里，人們一直叫她黛比--一個和她漂亮的容貌和優雅的風度不相配的名字?！拔业拿掷鲜鞘刮矣X得自己應該是一個女廚子,” 她抱怨道。“我真的不想要黛比這個名字。”

一天，在填寫一張申請一個出版業工作職位的表格時，這位小姐一時沖動,用她的中名林恩替換了她的名字黛比。“這是我一生中干過的最漂亮的事,”現在她對人這樣說?！拔乙煌Ｖ狗Q自己為黛比，我就對自己感到比較舒坦了……而且其他人也開始更認真地對待我了。” 在成功地通過那次工作面試兩年后，這位昔日的女服務員現在成了一位成功的雜志編輯。朋友和同事們都叫她林恩。

當然, 黛比(或林恩)的職業成就并不是改名帶來的，但是它肯定給她帶來了好處，雖說改名僅使她對自己的才能增加了一點點自信。社會科學家認為你叫什么名字會影響你的生活。自古至今，名字不僅被用來識別人，而且也被用來描述人。圣經上說： “……人如其名 ……”，此外韋伯斯特大詞典也對名字作了如下的定義： “表達某種特點的一個或幾個字, 這種特點被認為反映了某人或某事的本質、或描述了某人某事，常表示嘉許或不喜歡的意思。” 請好好注意這幾個詞：“嘉許或不喜歡?！?不管是好是歹，諸如友好或拘謹，相貌平?；蚱翄趁牡绕焚|特征已經和你的名字連在了一起，甚至在他人見到你這個人之前就已經知道了你的這些品質和特征。

名字已成為特定形象的組成部分, 任何一個被稱為“相貌平常的珍妮”或“普普通通的喬”的人都能證明這一點。后面的那個名字特別使我煩惱，因為我的名字也叫喬。有些人認為這個名字使我更適合于做一個棒球運動員而不是，比如說，藝術評論家。然而，盡管有此不利，我確實曾一度努力想成為一名評論家。即使如此，一家著名雜志一直拒絕把“喬”作為我的文章的作者署名，而是用我名字的首字母 J.S.來代替它。我懷疑假如我的名字是比較文雅的阿瑟、或艾德里安的話，我的名字早已完整地出現在雜志上了。

當然, 有積極含義的名字對你是有好處的，甚至能促進你結交新友。最新調查表明：美國男人認為蘇珊是最有吸引力的女性名字，而女人則認為里查德和戴維是男人中最有吸引力的名字。我認識一個女人，她拒絕了一次由第三方安排的、與一個叫哈里的男人的約會，因為“這人聽上去沒勁”?？删驮趲滋旌蟮囊粋€晚間聚會上，她走到我身邊，催逼著我把她介紹給一個給人以深刻印象的男人；他們倆人整個晚上都在互送秋波。“哦”，我說“你指的是哈里呀?！彼犃撕蟾械胶軐擂?。

雖然我們中大多數人會認為自己沒有這樣的偏見看法，但在某種程度上，我們都有對名字產生固定看法的毛病。老老實實地坦白：你碰到一個名叫奈杰兒的木匠會不會感到驚訝呢？ 或是一個叫伯撒的物理學家呢？抑或是一個叫梅爾的教皇呢？ 正如我的一位女性朋友在照看一批托兒所里的四歲兒童時所發現的那樣, 我們常常把由名字引起的固定想法加到他人身上?！霸谕袃核?有一次我想叫一個名字為朱利安的、活躍的小男孩靜靜地坐下來看書, 同時把一個喜歡沉思的、名叫羅里的孩子推出去打球。因為他們的名字，我把他們的性格給搞混了！”

很明顯，這樣的偏見也會影響課堂效果的。在一項由圣迭戈州立大學的赫伯特·哈拉里及喬治亞州立大學的約翰·麥克戴維主持的研究中，與名叫邁克和戴維的作文卷子相比，教師老是給卷上名字為埃爾默和休伯特的男孩寫的文章打較低的分數, 實際這是同樣的兩份卷子。但是教師的偏見不是造成課堂得分差別的唯一原因。坦普爾大學的托馬斯·V·巴斯博士和路易莎·塞雷達里恩發現：那些名叫琳達、戴安娜、芭芭拉、卡羅爾及辛迪之類的女孩們在評分客觀公正的智力測驗和學業成績測驗中的成績比那些名字不太有吸引力的女孩要好。（一個與之配套的研究表明：女孩受同齡人歡迎的程度也與她們的名字受歡迎的程度有關系。雖然對男孩來說這種關系不太明顯。）

雖然你父母很可能打算讓你的名字一輩子用下去，但記住, 他們選這個名字的時侯，也許還沒有見過你呢。而且, 當他們選擇這個名字時，他們所重視的希望和夢想也許不符合你的希望和夢想。假如你的名字看上去不再跟你相配時，不要苦惱；你不必一輩子用這個名字。影星們經常改名，而且是懷著某種決心這樣做的，你也可以這樣做。

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