上海牛津高二下課文U1-U6

1、上海牛津高二下課文U1 What is beauty?Suffering to be beautiful Read the transcript below from a radio programme called Head to Head. Host: Good morning. Todays topic is beauty. What is beauty? And, to what lengths can or should we go to make ourselves more beautiful? In the studio today are two beautiful wome

2、n to help answer these questions! Sue Leslie, a former model who is now a successful businesswoman, and Elizabeth Cade, a writer and lecturer. Sue, perhaps we could start with you. Is beauty important? SL: Welt, first, thanks for the compliment, Mary. Now, I think that in todays world, it is importa

3、nt to look your best. You should watch what you eat and keep yourself fit. And if thats not enough, then cosmetic surgery can change peoples lives. Host: Elizabeth, whats your viewpoint? EC: I think its up to everyone to decide what is right for them, but I do feel that people should be happy with t

4、hemselves, regardless of how they look.There is too much emphasis on appearance these days. Seldom do people think about the real dangers of this obsession with looks, both from eating disorders and from having cosmetic surgery. Also, many people feel unhappy because just dont happen to fit societys

5、 current ideas of what is beautiful. Host: Since youre a historian, perhaps you could give us a brief historical perspective on this. EC: Well, there are lots of examples of societies in which people have done some horrendous things to try to make themselves look more beautiful. For instance, some E

6、uropean women used to have their bottom ribs removed so that they would have thin waists. Neck stretching was fashionable in some parts of South-East Asia. Ln Africa, there were tribes which stretched their ear lobes or lips. I think it is ridiculous that people-usually women-have been forced by soc

7、iety to endure such considerable pain and suffering. SL: So do l. But times have changed. No one forces people to come to Sues Salon, my health studo. Theyre free to come, and they enjoy coming because after a course there, they look as if they were ten years younger. So I dont see any real point in

8、 discussing all these quaint o/d customs. EC: But there really is no difference between then and now! That is why today, millions of women alter their bodies. They have eye operations, facelifts and many other operations just to make other people think they are more beautiful. SL: Yes, but its their

9、 own choice. EC: I dont agree. Society still judges people on how they look, and so forces them to worry about their appearance. Judging people by their appearance. Is silly. We should judge the whole person. Host: Well, I think that sets out some of the issues very we11, so now, lets take our first

10、 call U2 Laughter healsA practical joke Read this article on a humour website to see an example of a practical joke. We can define a joke as something you say that causes laughter, and a practical joke as something you do that causes laughter. A practical joke is a trick that is played on an unsuspe

11、cting victim to make him or her look silly or embarrassed. In Richard Bostons Book of Practical jokes, the writer tells the story of a practical joke played on a Mr Potts who worked in a newspaper office.The impression that Mr Potts regarded his colleagues as inferiors made him unpopular:H-is 1 co-w

12、orkers decided to play a joke on him that might make him feel more humble.Now it so happened that Mr Potts always wore the same hat to work. It was a rather unpleasant-looking green colour. When he arrived at the office every morning at precisely ten oclock, he would hang his hat on a peg near the d

13、oor and .I proceed to his desk. When he left in the afternoon, he reversed the process. He took his hat from the peg, placed it on his head, said Good afternoon: and departed for home. One day, when he was out of the room, his colleagues examined the hat very carefully. Then they went to a nearby sh

14、op and bought another hat exactly like it, but quite a bit larger. When they returned to the office, Mr Potts was still out, so they exchanged the new hat for the old one. At the end of the afternoon, Mr Potts got up to leave. When he put his hat on his head, however, it dropped down over his eyes.

15、After he left the office, everyone roared with laughter. The next day, to everyones surprise, Mr Potts turned up with his hat in its normal position. His colleagues were puzzled by this, and while Mr Potts was out they studied the hat carefully. They found that Mr Potts had fixed some pieces of news

16、paper round the inside of the hat to reduce its diameter and make it smaller. The next day they decided to take Mr Pottss old hat from the cupboard where they had concealed it. They made it smaller in the same way, and replaced the new hat with the old one. At the end of the day, Mr Potts got up to

17、leave as usual. When he put his hat on this time, however, it stuck right on top of his head. Again, everyone roared with laughter when he left the office. Mr Pottss colleagues changed the hats every day. The result was that on alternate days he wore the big hat and then the small one.In the end, th

18、e belief that an illness was making his head change size from day to day led Mr Potts to go to a doctor. Nonsense,said the doctor. There is no such disease.U3What do colors tell us about ourselves and the world around us? Read this magazine article to find out.The study of color and personality is a

19、 fascinating mixture of scientific fact and emotional guesswork. Swiss psychologist Max Luscher has spent most of his life studying color, and has developed a color test which helps explain your personality.According to Luscher, people who choose red on the test are energetic and adventurous, lookin

20、g for excitement. Those who prefer blue are calm and in control, and prefer a peaceful life. Green means firmness, a dislike of change and a fear of failure. Yellow means you are open and free, ambitious and optimistic.Each color affects us in a different way. Blue and green often remind people of p

21、eace and quiet. Blue is the color of the sky and the sea, and green is the color of plants and trees. Peoples pulse rates decrease and they feel more relaxed when they see safe and familiar colors such as blue or green. Red, however, is rare in nature. It is the color of blood and meat, of hunting a

22、nd injuries. It is also the color of fire. It is only natural that red should make people tense. When people see the color red, their pulse rates increase. The darkest nights are blacka color often associated with fear.In our daily life, colors are often used by the food industry. Next time you are

23、in a supermarket, think about the colors around you and on the products. That food companies often use red, green, orange and yellow is not surprising. All of these are regarded as the main appetite colors that help persuade people to buy more food. Fast-food restaurants often use red for two reason

24、s. Not only does it stimulate the appetite, but it also makes people feel energetic, so that after they have eaten they will leave more quickly, thus making space for more customers.It is no secret why banks like to use more serious, restful colors such as blue, brown and green. These persuade peopl

25、e to think of the bank as a safe and reliable place. Yellow makes us think of sunshine and holidays, which is the reason why travel agents use it.Colors are used in flags, as well. Over 80% of countries have redthe color of actionin their national flags. Light blue, which symbolizes peace, is the co

26、lor of the United Nations. Many environmental groups have chosen green, which reminds people of nature, as their color.Color is a powerful tool. It can be used to help us, to warn us, to relax us, to control us and to make us buy things.U4An exhibition of some of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh wi

27、ll open at the Cultural Centre next week. Read an critics review of Van Goghs life and work.Vincent Van Gogh is probably the worlds most famous painter. Many people wonder if he deserves such a reputation. Certainly, he was not a success in his lifetime. Although he produced more than 800 paintings,

28、 he sold only one, for about US $80. No gallery showed his work during his life. Few people may have even heard of him. His fame developed slowly after his death in 1890, but it has never stopped growing. One hundred years later, in 1990, a Japanese businessman paid US $82 million for one of his wor

29、ksa world record.He was born in the Netherlands in 1853. As a young man, he tried many different jobs. He worked in an art dealers company, but he must have disliked it, because he left. He went to England and became a language teacher. Then, looking for a deeper purpose in life, he worked as a miss

30、ionary among the poor in Belgium, but he quarreled with his superiors and abandoned that career as well. Finally, he decided to become a painter.For the rest of his life, he depended on the financial support of his brother Theo, the only person who believed in his ability. For ten years, from 1880 t

31、o 1890, Van Gogh produced his best paintings, until, sadly, he took his own life.It would be easy to say that he was mad. He had difficulty getting along with people, often arguing with them. After one quarrel, in late 1888, he was so upset that he cut off part of his own ear and gave it to a young

32、girl. Later, from 1889 to 1890, he spent a year in a mental hospital. Yet, for most of his life he was completely sane. We know this because he wrote hundreds of letters to Theo expressing his ideas and his work, and these letters show the clarity of his thinking.Does he deserve the fame he now poss

33、esses? Certainly, I admire his work tremendously. His paintings are realistic, not abstract. At the same time, they are not like photographs. The bright colors and thick strokes of his paintings make the strong feelings inside him visible. Even when his subjects are flowers, trees or the sky, his pa

34、intings are full of powerful, honest emotions, emotions which finally killed him.We are undoubtedly lucky to have the chance to view these masterpieces. Van Gogh exhibitions are very rare. This is the cultural event of the decade. You may have to spend hours in the queue, but do not miss this chance

35、his paintings might not come this way again for many years.U5 Read this story from a book on environmental issues.Life is a series of choices, and we cannot always foresee the consequences. Harry Saleem, an obsess man with too much money and power, faced a choice. Outside his office waited his perso

36、nal doctor, bringing him vital news about the only medicine that could save his life. On the other side of the world, one of his engineers waited for his decision on an important matter of business.His secretary asked whether she could bring the doctor in. The billionaire businessman made his decisi

37、on.No, let the fool wait, growled Saleem, Business comes first. Despite the health problems caused by his huge weight, he was still obsessed with making money. He raised a fat finger, and one of his staff hurried to switch on a large television set.The screen flashed to life, and Saleems engineer ap

38、peared. The man talked by satellite directly to his master although they were thousands of miles apart. Its all ready to blow, Mr Saleem, he said. Just say the world.His engineer was standing above Pakan Valley in South America. A few months ago, it had been a rainforest. Then Saleems men had come,

39、cutting down all the valuable trees and forcing the villagers to move out. Across the bottom of the valley, a dam had been built. This would provide power for the factories which Saleem planned to build in the area. The factories would bring him vast profits.He saw no reason to delay. He ordered the

40、 engineer to press the button. The camera panned away into the distance, and then a cloud of dust rose up, followed shortly by a dull explosion. A mighty river changed its course, and water flooded into the doomed Pakan Valley.Good, thats that. Turn it off. Now get that doctor in here, he commanded.

41、 The doctor came in with a worried look and started to examine his wealthy patient. Youre doing very well, Mr Saleem, he said finally. The new medicine is saving your life. The only difficulty is getting more of it.Can you get more? Money is no problem, Saleem said. Tell me what you need, and well g

42、et it.The main ingredient of this medicine came from a newly-discovered planta small, green orchid, the doctor explained. Well need many of them to make enough medicine. They are very rare. Theres only one place in the world where they grow.Where? demanded the businessman, impatiently.The doctor smi

43、led. Well, luckily the orchids come from some land which you own, sir, so there wont be any difficulty finding them. Theyre from a place in South America known as Pakan Valley.U6Read this brochure to see how one company engages in a new way of doing business.Like all industries, the cosmetics indust

44、ry wants to make money. It promises to make you younger and more beautiful. It promises that all your dreams will come true if you use a certain type of shampoo or face cream. These dreams are sold to customers with persuasive and expensive advertising campaigns. Pictures of youthful girls are used

45、to sell anti-ageing creams to fifty-year-old women. The products are presented in expensive packaging, often doubling their cost.The cosmetics industry also wants to be sure that the products are not harmful. It does not want a customer to be poisoned by a lipstick, or blinded by a new type of eye make-up. Its products proven unsafe, a company is likely to be sued for millions of dollars. To avoid this, many cosmetic products are tested on animals to e