Unit1
1. 美国人往往以从事的工作来对人们进行划分。家庭和教育背景这些特点被认为是不太重要的。
Americans tend to define people by the jobs they have/do. Such characteristics as their family and educational backgrounds are considered less important.
2. 他决不妥协的个性是他再也无法容忍他的雇主,并最终递交了辞职书的原因。
His uncompromising personality explains why he could no longer put up with his employer and eventually submitted his resignation.
3. 如果你真想学好英语,你就必须投入大量的时间和精力,否则你就不会有任何进步。 其他课程你也可以这么说。
If you really want to learn English well, you must put in a lot of time and energy, or you'll go nowhere. The same can be said of other subjects.
4. 有些演员的名声靠的是他们天生的美貌,但是达斯汀·霍夫曼(Dustin Hoffman)尽管身材矮小(short stature),还是出类拔萃,而使他与众不同的正是他精湛的演技。
Some actors’ fame is built on their innate beauty, but despite his short stature, Dustin Hoffman rose above and it is his excellent acting that set him apart.
5. 他负责管理之后,我们发现他与前任(predecessor)有明显的不同:他有干劲和激情,想出了很多新点子,并把工作重点放在如何鼓舞我们的士气上。
After he took charge, we discovered that there were striking differences between him and his predecessor. He had the drive and passion, came up with many new ideas, and focused his work on how to raise our morale.
6. 当邓小平宣布中国改革开放政策的时候,他被永远载入了史册。尽管障碍重重,他以不懈的努力为我国的现代化作出了永久性的贡献。
Deng Xiaoping made history when he declared China's reform and opening-up policy. Despite tremendous obstacles, he made lasting contributions to our country's modernization with his unrelenting efforts.
7. 为什么有人拥有天才级智商却被智商平平但很刻苦的人丢在后面?承认除了智商外,还有很多别的因素与一个人的成就有着很大的关系。
Why could someone with a genius IQ be left behind by a hardworking person with an average IQ? It has to be acknowledged that besides one's IQ, many other factors have much to do with one's achievements.
8. 这位教师真了不起,她能在教东西之前调动学生的积极性。这并不是因为她有天赋,而是因为她只想着在课堂上吸引他们的注意力。
This teacher is really remarkable in first motivating her students so she can really teach them something. It's not that she is talented, it's that she focuses completely or drawing their full attention in class.
Unit 2
1. 他瞪眼看着约翰,对他拒绝合作感到恼怒。
He glared at John and was annoyed by his refusal to cooperate.
2. 约翰真诚的讲话表达了他对那些在他于困境时给过他慷慨帮助的人们的感激之情。
John's sincere speech shows his gratitude to the people who rendered him generous help when he was in difficulty.
3. 他可说是一个集邮家。他曾经继续了两年去买一张珍邮这件事便是证明。
He is something of a stamp collector. The fact that once he saved up for two years to buy a rare stamp is proof of it.
4. 这些玫瑰的魅力怎么评价也不过分。他们以各种方式吸引住了所有的游客。
The beauty of these roses could not be overstated. They took/caught all the visitors fancy in one way or another.
5. 起先,他理所当然地认为该地区应当多造一些公路。然而仔细计算其费用后,他在作出最后决定前又不得不重新考虑了。
At first he took it for granted that they should build more highways in this area. Then a careful calculation of the expenditure compelled him to think twice before he made the final decision.
6. 每次收到我的礼物,不管多少,我的朋友比尔绝不忘记表示感谢。
Each time he receives a gift from me, no matter how small, my friend Bill never fails to acknowledge it.
7. 那位新闻记者决定找到那对老夫妻信中提及的年轻人。那封信赞颂了年轻人为改善他们的生活条件而付出的努力。
The journalist has decided to trace the young man referred to in the old couple's letter, which is a tribute to the young man's effort at improving their living conditions.
8. 虽然他厌烦了那些每天上门来吹嘘其产品的推销员,但他克制着没有将他们拒之门外。
Though he was fed up with the salesmen who knocked at his door and boasted about their products every day, he refrained from slamming the door in their face.
Unit3
1. 汤姆因一问题而心神不宁但又一筹莫展,直到他学会以不同的策略把它解决才不心烦。
Tom was hung up on the problem but could do nothing about it until he learnt to solve it with different tactics.
2. 横向思维帮助他提出了原来似乎已走进死胡同的新理论。
Lateral thinking has helped him to advance his new theory which had seemed to reach a dead end.
3. 我们最新的建设计划的框架已获得地方政府的批准。它是否会按时实施对这座沿海城市的发展具有极为重大的意义。
The framework of our latest construction plan has been affirmed by the local government. Whether it will be carried out on time is of the utmost significance to the development of this coastal city.
4. 在设法寻找一个解决问题的办法的过程中,爱德华在思想上陷入了僵局,但后来他改变了观察角度,以一种完全意识不到的方式解决了问题。
While trying to find a solution to the problem, Edward reached an impasse in his thinking, but later he changed his point of view and solved the problem in an entirely unexpected fashion.
5. 许多人认为计算机机房将最终取代图书馆,想吸收新知识的学生最终将现在计算机机房里学习一切。
Many people believe that computer labs will eventually take over from the libraries and students who want to take in new knowledge will end up learning everything in the computer lab.
6. 昨天他的汽车几乎迎头撞上了一辆卡车。如果他继续这样随便开车某位确信他最后一定会被送进医院的急诊室。
Yesterday his car crashed into a truck almost head-on. If he does not stop driving so carelessly, I am sure he will wind up in the emergency room of a hospital.
7. 这幅画的机构设计有一个缺点。你为什么不擦掉那几条垂直线,把它简化一点呢?
There is a flaw in the structural design of the painting. Why don't you erase the vertical lines and simplify it a little bit?
8. 约翰本该在很久以前就把烟戒掉了。毕竟健康对每个人来说都是最重要的。
John should have given up smoking a long time ago. After all, health is of the utmost importance to everybody.
Unit4
1. 学校应避免仅按学生考试成绩来判别孰优孰劣并以此对待他们。相反,好的教育体制应使每一位学生都能达到良好的水准,成为全面发展的(well-rounded)人。
Schools should avoid deciding who is superior only in terms of students' exam results and treating them accordingly. Instead, a good educational system should enable every student to measure up to good standards as well-rounded people.
2. 大学生课后有问题时,往往在办公时间之外不容易找到老师。这是由于教师繁忙的学术研究,而不是他们对学生漠不关心。
As often as not, when college students have questions after class, their teachers are not readily available except during office hours. This is due to teachers' busy academic research, rather than their indifference to the students.
3. 这个班级由40名学生组成,他们中大部分按英语水平过去常被归在中等之列。但由于这位老师从不在言辞中表露出不耐烦,学生们对他的教学方法产生了积极的反应,从而没有辜负他的期望。
This class consists of forty students, most of whom used to be labeled average in terms of English level. But as this teacher has never shown any verbal impatience, the students have reacted positively to his teaching methods and lived up to his expectations.
4. 在美国,教书变得越来越难了,部分原因是学生越来越多样的种族背景以及需要另外的培训才能掌握的更为复杂的教学技术。
Teaching is becoming increasingly demanding in the United States, due in part to the diversity of students' racial background and the complexity of educational technologies that require additional training.
5. 美国人经常被归类为保守型,虽然这一归类带有成见。实际上,英国在名族特性方面与其他欧洲国家相比并没有太大的差异。英国人有礼貌,爱整洁,讲秩序,充满自信。
The English are, as often as not, labeled conservative. Obviously this label is prejudiced. In reality, Britain is not very different from other European countries in terms of national characteristics. The British are polite, neat, orderly and confident.
6. 那些年轻人在成长过程中有着要求独立的强烈愿望。他们宁可通过自己的努力来渡过生活中的困难,也不愿意带着负罪感求助于他们的父母。
Some young people grow up with a strong desire for independence. They would rather try hard to go through life on their own than turn to their parents