新视野大学英语第三版第二册课文Journey through the odyssey ye

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1、新视野大学英语第三版第二册课文Journey through the odyssey ye ; 新视野三版 读写 B2 U3 Text AJourney through the odyssey years1 Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and oldage. We think of infancy before childhood and mi

2、ddle age before old age, with each unique phase bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. Thesechallenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as the childs need to learn, the adults need to find the right career and build a family, and the seniors need for support and good he

3、alth care. 2 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing.3 In previous times, people didnt have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought ofadolescence. Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood w

4、as 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, ideal y before they turned 30.4 Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after high school grad

5、uation, continues through college, and then leads to starting a family and having a career, the so-cal ed odyssey years. Recent trends show radical changes as young people are fol owing adifferent agenda. They take breaks from school, live with friends and oftenreturn to living with their parents. S

6、imilarly, 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.5 People who were born prior to the 60s or 70s in the last century

7、tended to frame their concept of adulthood based upon achieving certainaccomplishments: moving away from home, becoming financial y independent, finding the right spouse and starting a family. But that emphasis on stability did not remain static. Today, young people are unlikely to do the same. Duri

8、ng the odyssey years, a high proportion of young people are delaying marriage, child bearing, and even employment.6 The odyssey years can saddle young people with enormous pressure tomove forward quickly. As the sole heir and focus of their parents expectations, hopes and dreams, some react with reb

9、ellious and prideful attitudes and 1 behavior toward their parents. They often resent the pressure theyre feeling and keep a distance from their parents or even run away from home. Their confusion comes from the difficulties to make parents understand them and the fluid journey of discovery they nee

10、d in this phase of their lives. To get away from this confusion and upset, many young people resort to computer games, iPods, iPhones, or iPads, to help distract them from their pain and stress. 7 Likewise, their parents are feeling more anxious. They maymake allowances for a transition phase from s

11、tudent life to adult life, but they get upset when they see the transition of their grown childrens lives moving away from their expectations and stretching five years to seven years, and beyond. The parents dont even detect a clear sense of direction in theirchildrens lives. They look at them and s

12、ee the things that are being delayed. 8 Its hard to predict whats next. New guidelines havent been established yet, and everything seems to give way to a less permanent version ofitself. Theres been a shift in the status and balance of power between the genders, too. More women are getting degrees t

13、han men. Male wages have remained stable over the past decades, while female wages have boomed. 9 Apart from anything else, this has had an implicit effect oncourtship. Educated women can get many of the things they want, such as security, accomplishment, and identity without marriage. However, both

14、 genders are having a harder time finding suitable mates to build their lives with. Considering all of this, its beneficial to know that even though graduates are delaying many things after college, surveys show they still hold highly traditional aspirations. For example, this contemporary generatio

15、n rates parenthood even more highly than previous generations did!10 This new phase will likely grow more pronounced in the comingyears. Nations around the world have witnessed similar trends toward delaying marriage and spending more years than ever shifting between higher education and settling do

16、wn with a career and family.11 Nevertheless, graduates shouldnt be deceived into thinking they can back off simply because things have become more difficult. A large number of people chasing relatively fewer opportunities can create strong competitive pressure. So, from the outset, keep your resume

17、professional and up-to-date. 12 To reinforce this essential message, success moving through the odyssey years will come to those who dont expect to achieve their goals right away but know that they must have the strength, capacity and confidence to endure over the long term. If youre a little late w

18、ith your goals, dont feel like a failure! Stay 2strong, be positive, and keep focused! Someday you will look back and wonder at the vast changes as you passed through the odyssey years.Language Points:1 Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life

19、 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 eac

20、h 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“w

21、ith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。示例：*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

22、 running out, we had to walk to a vil age for help.由于我们的食物即将吃完，我们不得不步行到一个村子寻求帮忙。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, unusualpeculiar, 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，但有细微差异。*1 从词义上说，peculiar 着重“独

23、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 3预料的特征。示例：*The wine has a peculiar taste. 这种酒有种独特的味道。 *Its 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

24、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。示例：*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 opene

25、d 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。Its 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规范。He asked me if there was anything un

26、usual about the man who had robbed me, but I couldnt 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 childs need to learn, the adults need to find the right career and build a family, and the seniors

27、 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, wel success

28、ful y handle the challenges at different life stages.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, its predictable that the fol owing text will focus on this topic.5 In previous ti

29、mes, people didnt 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 didnt have a clear concept about separating childhood from adulthood. Children were simply seen as youngsters. Likewise, 4peopl

30、e didnt 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

31、 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 wont find an ideal job right after they

32、graduate from school. Itl take longer time before they start with their career. Usage note: sensible, sensitive1. sensible 表示“明智的，如：a sensible person一个明智的人，a sensible plan一个切合实际的方案。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。

33、*sensible 还可以表示“知道的；觉察的，be sensible of 表示“感知某事；发觉到某事。 示例：*I am sensible of the suffering you are undergoing. 我分明你正在经历的痛苦。2. sensitive 在词义上表示“敏感的；易受影响的。示例：*A sensitive person is easily upset by other peoples remarks or behavior. 敏感的人很容易因他人的言论或行为而生气。*You shouldnt be so sensitive about what people say.

34、 你不应该对别人说什么如此敏感。*sensitive to 表示 “对过敏的；对理解的。示例：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忙她。Were 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. 5