Section B 2 6 UNIT When enough is enough To master the reading skill To understand the text To...

Section B

2

6 Less is moreUNIT

When enough is enough


To master the reading skill

To understand the text

To practice the phrases and patterns

To learn about report writing

Objectives

Warming-up

Reading Skills

Text Study

Comparative Study

Contents

Unit Project

6 When enough is enoughUNIT

6UNIT

Warming-up

Lead-in

Background Information


1. Have you ever been troubled with making important choices in your life?

Tips

Tips

2. How do people feel about modern life full of options and materials?

Discuss and answer the following questionsLead-in

In our life today, choices have increased considerably. At the beginning of 20th century a commonplace store had only a few dozen categories with one or two options for each category, whereas modern supermarkets have up to 50,000 to 60,000 items in thousands of categories. But too many options won’t necessarily make people happy and satisfied. Ironically, people usually feel the opposite, less happier than when they had only limited choices.

Tips

Lead-in

Discuss and answer the following questions

1. Have you ever been troubled with making choices in your life?

Tips

In modern times, people can easily get access and enjoy the luxury of abundant materials, which was impossible back in the early 20th century. But people may take things for granted and become spoiled in the sea of materials. People are overburdened, feel it’s too much to deal with so many choices, and consequently feel their life is empty. Life with little or no choice is unbearable, and suitable options do increase our quality of life. But that does not mean the more the better.

Lead-in

Discuss and answer the following questions

2. How do people feel about modern life full of options and materials?

1. What do you know about Gap ？

2. How much do you know about Lao-tze?

Tips

Tips

It is an American multinational clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969. The company has five primary brands: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. It remains the largest specialty retailer in the United States. The Gap store has also found its place in big cities in China.

Tips

1. What do you know about Gap?

Tips

2. How much do you know about Lao-tze?

Lao-tzu was a philosopher of ancient China and the father of Taoism. He was best-known as the author of Dao De Jing ( 道德经 ). Most of his enlightening views are based on his philosophy of naturalness and non-action.

2UNIT

Reading Skills

Presentation of the Skill

Reading Skill Practice


Reading between the lines usually requires close, careful reading of the entire text, rather like detective work! But by using contextual clues, common sense, and our background knowledge, by connecting ideas and drawing conclusions, by forming and testing ideas about what the author is trying to say, we can usually “fill in the blanks” and discover the author’s real meaning.

Reading between the lines

Reading between the lines means making inferences about the author’s ideas from what is written and from what is not written. Writers don’t always express all their thoughts directly, but they give you hints or clues that help you “read between the lines”. Using these clues to give you a deeper understanding of your reading is called “inferring”.


Tips of reading between the lines

1. You have to make use of contextual clues, common sense, and your background knowledge.2. Connect ideas and draw conclusions from the reading passage.


3. Form and test what you have understood between the lines.

Example 1:

The next time you’re deciding between

rival options, one which is primary and the

other one which is secondary, ask

yourself this question: What would Xiang

Yu do? (Para. 1, Text A)


Question :

What inference can you make from the question “What would Xiang Yu do?”

In the author’s opinion, Xiang Yu was very intelligent in making difficult choices.


Possible answer:

Example 2:

General Xiang Yu was a rare exception to

the norm, a veteran leader who was highly

respected for his so many conquests and

who achieved the summit of success.

(Para. 3, Text A)


Question :

What inferences can be made from the statement?

It was exactly due to using these seemingly abnormal battle strategies that Xiang Yu successfully defeated his enemy and won his soldiers’ high respect.


Possible answer:

Read Text B and use its contextual clues, your common sense, and your background knowledge to answer the questions between the paragraphs. Then compare your answers with a classmate’s to see if you understand the author’s meaning the same way.


6UNIT

Text Study

Text Comprehension

Language Focus

Critical Thinking


1.Why did the author respond to the salesperson in haste?2.What can you infer from these paragraphs about buying jeans?(paras.I -4))3.How did the author probably feel about this purchasing experience?4.What does the paragraph intend to tell us?(para.6)5.What message does the author want to send out?6.What is indirectly said in these three paragraphs?(paras.11 -13)7.What is the author’s point of view implied in these paragraphs?8.What inference can you draw from these two paragraphs?(paras.14 -15)9. What does the author suggest?

Perhaps she took it for granted that it was not difficult for her to make a choice quickly and get what she wanted.

1.Why did the author respond to the salesperson in haste? (Para.1)

Tips

Note

Because she thought she could get the jeans she wanted right away.

原句：“ Do you want slim fit, easy fit, relaxed fit, baggy, or extra baggy?” she ventured. “Do you want stone-washed, acid-washed, button-fly or regular-fly, faded or regular?” （ Para.2, L1-2 ）解释 : Since the salesperson didn’t get specific information about the jeans I would like to buy, she carefully inquired about the style, material, design and color I preferred.

译文 : “ 您想要紧身的，合身的，休闲的，宽松的，还是特大宽松的？”她试探地问道。“您想要石磨的还是漂染的？钮扣门襟还是拉链门襟？褪色的还是普通的？”

The store has a full supply of jeans that are in

variety. Since there were too many choices of

jeans, the author simply didn’t know what particular

one

to choose.

2.What can you infer from these paragraphs about

buying jeans?(Paras.2-4)

Tips

原句：The jeans I chose were fine, but this simple transaction provoked a strong reaction in me. （ Para.5, L1-2 ）

译文：我选择的牛仔裤还不错，但这桩简单的买卖却

引起了我强烈的反应。

解释：Though the jeans I selected were good for me,

the simple act of buying the jeans made me feel very frustrated.

She was unhappy about too many choices and became impatient in this simple transaction. She probably even considered it nothing but torture.

3.How did the author probably feel about this

purchasing experience?(Para. 5)

Tips

4.What does paragraph 6 intend to tell us?

(Para.6)

Tips

Modern life provides people with more

options than they used to have, and

material choices are incredibly abundant,

but do people feel happier?

原句： It’s true that enforced restrictions with very limited or no choices make life unbearable, and having options does increase our sense of liberation and control. (Para.7, L1-2)

解释 : Life with little or no choice is unbearable, and suitable options do increase our quality of life.

译文：确实，在强行限制的生活中，非常有限的选

择或毫无选择让人难以忍受，而有选择无疑可增加我们的自由感和控制感。

5. What message does the author want to send

out? (Para.7) Tips

People in modern times are not really happy

even when they are surrounded with

abundant material goods and so many

options.

原句： Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Scientists verify that an overabundance of choice tends to bring a subtraction in well-being and happiness. (Para.8, L2-4)

解释 : The fact is contrary to our common sense. Scientists prove that too many choices are likely to bring us a deduction in health and happiness.

削弱我们的健康和快乐

Too many options and considerable

material possessions won’t necessarily

bring people happiness and satisfaction.

6. What is indirectly said in these three

paragraphs (Paras.8-10)

r

Tips

原句：We transfer our high expectations to our property, our residences, and our families – expecting them to be outstanding and beautiful. (Para.11, L4-6)

解释 : Our high expectations are shown by our desire for more possessions, beautiful houses, and excellence of our family members, expecting them to be exceptionally smart.

Human beings are greedy by nature, and

the tendency of thinking “the more the

better” could make them more selfish and

discontented with what they already

have..

7. What is the author’s point of view implied

in these paragraphs?(Paras.11-13)

r

Tips

原句：The success of 21st-century life turns out to be a bitter-sweet controversy and paradox. (Para.11, L4-6)

解释 : The success of 21st-century life has unexpectedly resulted in a contradiction that is both sad and happy.

译文：二十一世纪生活的成功变成了一个苦乐参半

的争议和悖论。

With so much affluence in the 21st century,

people become more materialistic and there is

no end to their expectations. Therefore, to be

happier, they should refrain from increasing

their appetite for more and more material

things and understand enough is enough.

8. What is inferences can you draw from these

two paragraphs?(Paras.14-15) Tips

•Use your college years to stir your heart …•Withstand the pressure….•Specify what truly matter to you…•Learn when enough is enough…

Tips

9. What does the author suggest ?(Para.17)

Not long ago, I ___________ a Gap store

to buy a pair of jeans. But I tried on pair

after pair of jeans for almost two hours

because it was hard to make a decision due

to too many _________. The purchasing

experience raised my concern that it should

not be so tiring and ____________. In fact,

as options increase ____________, people

feel their life is empty and meaningless. The

rushed into

options

troublesome

out of control

To be continued

______________ of choice and greed on

material possessions lead to the _________ of

happiness . People become greedier than

before and many ____________ are

dissatisfied and depressed with their lives, for

they care too much about their lives and what

they have. The success of 21st century life

________ to be a paradox since people have

more than enough but feel unfulfilled. As a

result, people should realize that he who knows

enough is enough will always have enough.

overabundance declining

maximizers

turn out

Practical Phrases Specific Meanings1. out of control 失去控制2.not have the remotest idea 一无所知3. be dissatisfied with 对某事或某人不满4. be depressed about 对…感到沮丧5. struggle to do 努力做某事6. turn out to be 结果是；最终成为7. settle for 勉强接受；将就

失去控制

(deal with / get out of control)

I am dealing with customers who have let their debts get out of control all the time.

out of control短语逆译

短语应用我一直在与那些债务失控的客户打交道。

意群提示

一无所知 not have the remotest idea短语逆译

(have the idea of / what you mean)

Please explain what you said just now, for I don’t have the remotest idea of what you mean.

短语应用请你解释一下你刚才说的。我一点也不明白你的意思。

意群提示

对某事或某人不满

( be less likely to / genuine happiness )

Those who are always dissatisfied with what they have are less likely to enjoy the genuine happiness of life.

be dissatisfied with短语逆译

短语应用那些总是对自己拥有的不知满足的人不大可能享受生活的真正幸福。

意群提示

对…感到沮丧

(intelligent and penetrating questions)

The young man was depressed about his learning because he was not able to ask intelligent and penetrating questions in class as others did.

be depressed about短语逆译

短语应用这位年轻人对自己的学业感到沮丧，因为在课堂上他不能够像其他人那样提出机智和尖锐的问题。意群提示

努力做某事

(bitter-sweet / feel unfulfilled )

Sometimes life is bitter-sweet, but as long as you have struggled to achieve what you want, you won’t feel unfulfilled regardless of the result.

struggle to do短语逆译

短语应用生活有时是有喜有乐，但只要你已经努力去获取你想要的，无论结果如何，你就不会感到不满足。意群提示

结果是；最终成为

(bicycle tour / a stroke of luck )

During our bicycle tour, it didn’t rain, which turned out to be a stroke of luck for us.

turn out to be短语逆译

短语应用在我们的自行车之旅中，没有下雨，对我们来说真是出乎意料的好运。

意群提示

勉强接受；将就

( be reluctant to / harsh and unjust )

The new immigrants had to settle for the conditions though they were reluctant to accept the harsh and unjust regulations.

settle for短语逆译

短语应用尽管新移民不愿意接受苛刻和不公平的规则，但还是勉强接受了条件。意群提示

Functional Patterns Functions & Usages

1.Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Sb. verify that…

用于表达“令人惊讶的相反事实”。

2. Studies show that… 用于引证，表达“研究表明……” 。

3. When it comes to sth. or doing sth.…

用于引出话题，表达“当谈到 / 就…而言”。

句型提炼

令人惊讶的是，正好相反。科学家验证，过多的选择往往会削弱我们的健康和快乐。

原句译文

逆译练习

Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Scientists verify that an overabundance of choice tends to bring a subtraction in well-being and happiness. .（ Para.8, L2-4 ）

1.Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Sb. verify that…

句型提炼

应用提示

用于表达“令人惊讶的相反事实”。

句型应用

(overabundance of materials / turn out to ) Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Investigations conducted by the sociologists verify that the overabundance of materials provided by parents to their children turns out to make the children dissatisfied.

典型例句令人惊讶的是，正好相反。社会学家所做的调查证明，父母给孩子过多的物质满足反到使他们不知足。

意群提示

研究表明，与那些愿意接受少一点的人相比，最大化追求者对他们的生活较少乐观，也有更多的不满和更多的压抑。

原句译文

逆译练习

Studies show that maximizers are less optimistic, more dissatisfied with, and more depressed about their lives than others who are willing to settle for slightly less. （ Para.12, L4-6 ）

句型提炼

Studies show that…

句型提炼

应用提示

用于引证，表达“研究表明……”

句型应用

(angry protesters / general manager )

The latest report shows that English hundreds of angry protesters attacked the residence of the general manager yesterday afternoon.

典型例句最新报到表明，昨天下午数百名愤怒的抗议者攻击了总经理的住所。

意群提示

说到组织和规划我们的生活，人们说我们是坐在“驾驶座”上。。

原句译文

逆译练习

We are told we’re in the “driver’s seat”, when it comes to organizing and planning our lives.(Para. 14, L1-2)

句型提炼

When it comes to sth. or doing sth., ……

句型提炼

应用提示

用于引出话题 , 表达“当谈到 / 就…而言”。

句型应用

(go for an excursion / light up )

When it came to going for an excursion instead of going on working, all the people got rather excited and their faces lighted up.

典型例句当谈到明天外出郊游而不继续工作时，大家都变得激动万分，眉飞色舞。

意群提示

1.匆匆 /匆忙 2.合身的 3.休闲的 4. 一无所知 5. 引起强烈反应 6.让人疲惫不堪 7.护发产品 8. 过多的选择 9.减少

in hasteeasy fitrelaxed fit

not have the remotest idea of

provoke a strong reaction

render sb. a wreck

hair-care products

overabundance of choice

bring a subtraction in

10. 幸福感 11.日益增多的证据 12. 大量增加 13.精辟言论 14. 将期望转移到 15.日益膨胀的意愿 16. 接受少一点 17. 将明灯照在 18.激活心扉

the measure of happinessaccumulating evidence

tremendous increase in

penetrating message of

transfer one’s expectation to

ever-increasing desire for

settle for slightly less

angle a bright light onto

stir one’s heart

a. As options increase out of

control, people often

begin to feel their life is

crashing down on them.

随着选择失控般地增加，人们常常开始感到他们的生活正在崩溃。

b. The more we control our

own fate, the more we expect

to control it. The more we

have, the more we want to

have!

我们越控制我们自己的命运，我们就越希望控

制它。我们拥有的越多，我们想要的就更

多。

c. They’re floating in a vast

ocean of choices and

material goods but finding

they’re still unfulfille

d.

他们正漂浮在一个充满选择和物质产品的汪洋大海里，但他们仍不满足。

1. How would you describe the author’s feeling about purchasing the jeans ?

2. In what way do people feel unhappy when given too many options?

3. Why does the author say “enough is never enough”?

Tips

Tips

Tips

Tips

1. How would you describe the author’s feeling about purchasing the jeans ?

The following four words can best describe the author’s feeling:

•Frustrated…•Bored…•Confused…•Upset…

Tips

2. In what way do people feel unhappy when given too many options?

•Don’t know which option they wanted most.•Seem to them there is never the best option.•Want everything lest they miss a “perfect” one.

Tips

3. Why does the author say “enough is never enough”?

•Human beings are greedy by nature.•Many believe “the more, the better”.•Most people are too materialistic.

Group discussion:

Make comparison

between one of Lao-

tze’s saying and an

English saying.

Tips

How do you understand the famous Chinese saying“ 知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久。” by Lao-tze and the English saying “Enough is enough.”?

More than 2,000 years ago, the famous Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, laid down what attitude we should have towards life: We should be satisfied with whatever we have; be overjoyed with whatever is available to us. When we think that we already have everything in our life, we feel as if we owned the whole world.

Tips

How do you understand the famous Chinese saying“ 知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久。” by Lao-tze and the English saying “Enough is enough.”?

“Enough is enough” is an English phrase that extends the meaning of “no more will be tolerated” . It’s something that you say when you want something to stop. For example, you will say, “Enough is enough – I don’t want to argue with you anymore.” The other related expression is “less is more” when people want to emphasize the advantages of simplicity.

Thematic study

6UNIT

Comparative Study

Thematic Study

Language Features Analysis


2. What do you think of the authors’ ideas?

1. Compare the authors’ ideas in Text A and Text B.

Tips

Tips

1. Compare the authors’ ideas in Text A and Text B.

Text A

Text A pinpoints a weakness of human beings. As is evidenced by an experiment conducted by Dr. Ariely, it is hard for people to see their options vanish.

Text B

Text B supports this assumption: People feel less happy and more depressed when given an overabundance of choice. More is not necessarily better than less.

Tips

2. What do you think of the authors’ ideas?

I can’t agree with the authors more. Just as all people have to make decisions in their everyday lives, college students are always faced with the dilemma of making right choices. On one hand, They cannot bear to see opportunities slip away; on the other hand, it’s troublesome to choose from an abundance of options. So we expect a comfortable but simpler life with fewer choices and opportunities to bring us greater happiness.

Based on your study of

the two texts, compare

the writing styles of the

two texts in terms of their

typical language features.

1. What are the typical language features of the two texts?

2. List more examples from the text to support your ideas.

Tips

Tips

1. What are the typical language features of the two texts?

Tips The two reading articles are similar in the way they unfold the topic, using a dramatic entrance to present the issue, with Text A introducing a Chinese historical story and Text B narrating an amusing anecdote about purchasing jeans. Just as both readings use the rhetoric mode of narration to give comments, both authors intend to send out the same message “More is not necessarily better than less” by using more collocations.

2. List more examples from the texts to support your ideas.

TipsText A :

The collocations are thus geared to life wisdom such

as rival options, predictably irrational, multiple

options, painful choices, winning strategy, temporary

pain, restore balance, conscious effort, naturally

prejudiced, and carefully chosen

2. List more examples from the texts to support your ideas.

TipsText B :

The collocations are relevant to this topic:

the more, the better? There are collocations

like remotest idea, strong reaction, complex

decision, limited choices, go downhill,

accumulating evidence, primary role, and

increasing expectations.

6UNIT

Unit Project

Survey

Group Discussion

Report Writing


Participate in a survey in class.

Each one will be provided with

a survey form.

Survey

Survey

Work in groups and have a discussion on the survey results

Discuss the possible reasons why your classmates

could make the most important, successful and

difficult decisions in certain areas and how come

they sometimes made wrong decision based on the

data collected .

Group Discussion

Writing a report on decision-making for the school newspaper.

Based on the unit theme, you will be expected to engage in writing a report on decision-making for the school newspaper. To make the report as reliable and profound as possible.

Report Writing

You may include the following points:

Background and your purpose of writing the report;Major findings of your survey; Analysis of the plausible reasons for the results;

Report Writing

Writing a report on decision-making for the school newspaper.

i

You may use the following expressions in your writing.

• Enough is enough.• Studies show that• When it comes to • Is more always better than less?• be dissatisfied with• turn out (to be) • see options vanish• give an overabundance of choices• be measured in…

Report Writing

6UNIT

The End


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