Transcript 幻灯片 1

Unit Four
American Dream
What is American Dream?
• The belief that everyone in the US
has the chance to be successful, rich
and happy if they work hard--Cambridge Advanced Learner's
Dictionary
• An American social ideal that
stresses egalitarianism平均主义 and
esp. material prosperity---Merriam
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
•
A phrase connoting hope for
prosperity and happiness, symbolized
particularly by having a house of one's
own. Possibly applied at first to the
hopes of immigrants, the phrase now
applies to all except the very rich and
suggests a confident hope that one's
children's economic and social condition
will be better than one's own. --American Heritage New Dictionary of
Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
• The American Dream is the faith
held by many in the US that through
hard work, courage, and
determination one can achieve a
better life for oneself, usually
through financial prosperity. (eg. a
college education, a steady job, a nice
house /and a family to fill it, and live
better than their parents did)
• These were values held by many early
European settlers, and have been passed
on to subsequent generations. What the
American Dream has become is a
question under constant discussion, and
some believe that it has led to an
emphasis on material wealth as a
measure of success and/or happiness.
• Now people look towards a new American
Dream with less focus on financial gain
and more emphasis on living a simple,
fulfilling life.
Literary works
• Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832 –1899)
• 19th-century American author who wrote over
130 dime novels.
• Many of his works have been described as rags to
riches stories, illustrating how down-and-out boys
might be able to achieve the American dream of
wealth and success through hard work, courage,
determination, and concern for others.
• He is noted as a significant figure in the history
of American cultural and social ideals.
Literary works
• The Jungle (1906) by Upton Sinclair
• The Great Gatsby (1925) by Scott F.
Fitzgerald
• A Farewell to Arms (1929) by E. Hemingway
• Death of a Salesman (1949) by Arthur
Miller
• The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J.D.
Salinger
• Suggested Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness
Tony Trivisonno’s American Dream
Immigration to the United States
The United States has become the home
of immigrants from all over the world.
--- in search of a place to practice their
religion freely
--- seek asylum from political or economic
persecution
---in hopes of building a better life for
themselves and their families
This map shows the numbers of people (in thousands)
who immigrated to the US between 1820 and 1990.
Ellis Island
• Ellis Island was the
first stop for most
immigrants from
Europe in late 19th
and early 20th
centuries.
• Entrance to the
museum.
• Located in New York Harbor near the
Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island is a
symbol of immigration in the United
States. For decades, immigrants were
quarantined on the island until their
entry was approved. Today Ellis Island
is a museum that commemorates the
millions of United States citizens who
entered the country there.
Symbol of freedom: Statue of Liberty
Citizenship Ceremony
• About 1,500 immigrants
recite the Oath of
Allegiance to the US
during a citizenship
ceremony. As part of the
oath, immigrants must
promise to give up any
foreign allegiance and
to obey the Constitution
and laws of the United
States.
Read the following quotations and give your
interpretation
• All men who have achieved great things
have been great dreamers. ---Orison Swett
Marden
• If you can imagine it you can create it. If
you can dream it, you can become it. --William Arthur Ward
• What we need is more people who
specialize in the impossible. ---Theodore
Roethke
• Luck is when opportunity knocks and you
answer. ---Anonymous
• Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the
life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws
of the universe will be simpler.--- Henry David Thoreau
• Within our dreams and aspirations we find our
opportunities. --- Sue Ebaugh
• If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,
and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he
will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. -- Henry David Thoreau
• You see things; and you say "Why?" But I dream things
that never were; and I say "Why not?"
---George Bernard Shaw
Text Organization
• 1. How many parts can the text be divided
into? And what’s the main idea of each part?
• roughly two parts
• The first part revolves around the life story
of Tony Trivisonno. ( from Para 1 to Para 29)
• The main idea: with determination, vision
and perseverance, Tony Trivisonno fulfilled
his American dream.
• The second gives the author’s reflections on
the story of Tony (from Para 30 to Para 33).
In this part, the author gives his own
understanding of why Tony could make his
dream come true.
Text Organization
• 2. As is already mentioned, the first part of
the text centers on the life story of Tony. The
story is, actually, made up of several events
which go a long way towards Tony’s realizing
his ambition. Go through the first part again
and list the main events.
• 1) Tony volunteered to work as a help at Mr.
Crawford’s house.
2) Tony asked for a job clearing snow at Mr.
Crawford’s factory.
3) Tony learned to become a skilled worker.
4) Tony bought a house with Mr. Crawford’s help.
5) Tony bought a farm and sent for his family
back in Italy.
Language Study
• comprehend understand sth. fully 全面了解、
理解、领会
• I cannot comprehend how you could have
been so stupid.
• He comprehends that he must improve his
work, or fail the course.
比较comprehensible 和
comprehensive
comprehensible capable of being
understood; clear, intelligible能理解的
a book that is comprehensible only to
specialists
Her writing is quite comprehensible.
Comprehensive: that includes nearly
everything（几乎）包罗万象的；全面的
She has a comprehensive grasp of the
subject.
Our company has a comprehensive health
plan that covers expenses for doctors,
hospital, medicine and dental care.
• turn away refuse to allow sb. to enter a
place; refuse to give help or support to sb.
不准某人进入某处；拒绝帮助或支持
某人
• The security guard turned away people
who didn’t have invitations to the party.
• Hundreds of people had to be turned
away from the stadium because it was
full.
• assume accept sth. as true before there is
proof 假定；假设；设想；以为
• I assume that the present situation is going to
continue.
• We must assume him to be innocent until he
is proved guilty.
assume ignorance, indifference, an air of
concern
The look of innocence she assumed had
us all fooled.
begin to act in or exercise sth; undertake;
take on 开始从事；承担；担任
The winner of the election assumed the
office of senator.
compliment sb. on sth. express praise or
admiration of sb.（对某人）表示赞美
或敬佩
I comprehended her on her skillful
performance.
She complimented the nine-year-old boy
on his good manners.
work out calculate sth. 计算；算出
I’ve worked out your share of the
expenses at $10.
develop, formulate 想出；制订出
The president worked out a solution to
the company’s problems.
capacity 1) the ability to contain, hold or
absorb 容量，容积
a hall with a seating capacity of 2000
That restaurant has a 100 seat capacity.
2) ability to produce, experience,
understand or learn sth. 生产、体会、理
解或学习的能力
She has an enormous capacity for hard
work.
This book is within the capacity
of younger readers.
turn sb./sth. down reject or refuse to
consider (an offer, a proposal, etc. or
the person who makes it) 顶回或拒不
理会（好意、建议等或提议的人）
--He tried to join the army but was
turned down because of poor health.
--He asked Jane to marry him but she
turned him down/turned down his
proposal.
delighted very pleased; showing delight
非常高兴的；显示愉快的
I’m delighted at your success/to hear of
your success/that you succeeded.
I am delighted to accept your invitation
to dinner.
“Will you come to the party?” “I’d be
delighted to!”
for sale available for purchase 待售；供
出售
We don’t want our car anymore; it is for
sale.
比较 on sale available for a lower price
than usual 廉价出售；降价销售
I bought this coat on sale, for $20 less
than the original price.
wreck sth. or sb. ruined 被严重破坏之
物；受到了严重损害的人
After the accident, his car was a wreck.
He is a wreck after drinking for so many
years.
a ship lost at sea 海上失事船只
Some divers like to dive for wrecks in
the ocean.
call on visit sb. 拜访，访问
We called on our new neighbors last
weekend.
request that sb. do sth. 要求
The governor called on the state
residents to conserve water.
down payment a part payment at the
time of buying sth. 定金
We made a down payment on the
refrigerator and agreed to monthly
payments on the rest.
odds and ends a mix of items, bits and
pieces 零星东西；残剩的东西
We moved all our things from one
apartment to another, except for a few
odds and ends, like an old lamp.
send for ask for sb. to come, summon 派
人去叫；召唤
send for a taxi, an ambulance, a doctor
send for sb. to repair the TV
hunt 1)search for 搜寻；寻找
I hunted for my hat everywhere and
finally found it.
Police are hunting an escaped criminal.
2) chase and capture or kill 打猎
Every autumn, many people hunt deer in
this area.
sponsor 1) a person, business, or
group that helps pay for sth. (cultural or
sporting event, TV shows, etc) 发起人；
赞助者，资助者
The sports equipment store is the
sponsor of the local baseball team; it
pays for uniforms and transportation.
2) act as a sponsor 发起；赞助，资助
A beer company sponsored the baseball
game by paying for television
advertising.
pass away: die (euphemism)
Her father passed away just last week.
check on sth. examine sth. to discover if
it is true, safe, correct, etc. 检查某事物
（是否真实、安全、正确等）
I checked on my facts before going to
the meeting.
see (to it) that make sure that 一定注意
到…；务必…
See to it that you’re ready on time.
homey like home; cosy 像家一样的；
舒适惬意的
-y 这是一个口语色彩特别浓厚的后缀，
常用来构成临时语，表示“有点…
的”“带有…味道或色彩的”等意思。
Examples:
It was all very neat and christmasy.
She looks actressy.
He is unquestionably brainy, determined
and decided.
There is something goosey about him.
stature one’s height 身材，身高
Most professional basketball players are
tall in stature.
level of respect, reputation 名望，地位
He is a man of great stature in the
government.
rung a step on a ladder 阶梯
To be safe, you should go up a ladder
one rung at a time.
a position or level of importance in a
group or organization 职位的高层
She has reached the highest rung of
management and won’t be promoted any
more at work.
after all in spite of what has been said,
done or expected 毕竟；终究
So you’ve come after all.
After all, what does it matter?
Quotes
• Do not, for one repulse, give up the purpose that
you resolved to effect. (W. Shakespeare)不要只因
一次失败，就放弃你原来决心想达到的目的。
• Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone
you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.
(Mark Twain)不要放弃你的幻想。当幻想没有
了以后，你还可以生存，但是你虽生犹死。
• Ideal is the beacon. Without ideal, there is
no secure direction; without direction, there
is no life.( Leo Tolstoy)
• 理想是指路明灯。没有理想，就没有坚
定的方向；没有方向，就没有生活。(俄
国作家 托尔斯泰)
• If you would go up high, then use your own
legs! Do not let yourselves carried aloft; do
not seat yourselves on other people's backs
and heads. (F. W . Nietzsche , German
Philosopher) 如果你想走到高处，就要使
用自己的两条腿！不要让别人把你抬到
高处；不要坐在别人的背上和头上。(德
国哲学家 尼采.)
• Living without an aim is like sailing without
a compass. (Alexander Dumas, French
Writer) 生活没有目标就像航海没有指南
针。 (法国作家 大仲马. A.)
• The important thing in life is to have a great aim ,
and the determination to attain it. (Johan Wolfgang
von Goethe , German Poet and dramatist)人生重
要的事情就是确定一个伟大的目标，并决心实
现它。(德国诗人、戏剧家 歌德)
• The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will
be our doubts of today. (Franklin Roosevelt) 实现
明天理想的唯一障碍是今天的疑虑。 (美国总
统 罗斯福. F .)
• If winter comes , can spring be far behind ? ( P. B.
Shelley , British poet )