高等學校研究生英語綜合教程上Unit_9

1、高等院校研究生英語系列教材綜合教程（上）綜合教程（上）INTEGRATED COURSEUnit 9 Affordable Housing Content Starting out Reading Focus Reading More Practical Translation Focused Writing Final ProjectTask 1With rapid economic development in China, peoples housing conditions have been greatly improved, but house prices have also r

2、isen. Interview some of your friends, especially those who were born before or during the 1970s, about the changes they have experienced in the cost and condition of their housing. The following are some possible topics that you may like to raise.Possible topicsLocation/ Size/ Interior decoration/ E

3、lectrical appliances/ Running water/ Hot water/ Showering or bathing facilities/ Indoor toilets/ Electric or gas stoves/ Refrigerators/ Central heating and/or air conditioning/ Lighting/ Telephone / Cable TV/ Internet access/ Housing costrent or ownership Task 2 FPeople have a number of different re

4、asons for choosing a particular area to live in. Compare the benefits and shortcomings of the following locations and decide where youd like to live. You could add to the list.Task 3 Read the following paragraph and discuss with your partner what your choice would be if you were in Lao Wangs situati

5、on. Give the reasons for your choice. Lao Wang and his wife live in a 15 m2 old apartment in downtown Shanghai. The area will be redeveloped in a couple of years time. They will be given 300,000 Yuan as compensation for their apartment and can either use the money to buy a house in the suburbs, or p

6、ay the developer 8,000 Yuan per square meter for a new 130 m2 downtown apartment which they will have to wait for five years before moving in. The Housing Crisis Goes SuburbanGlobal Understanding 1Detailed Information2Critical Thinking3Language Points4Vocabulary in Action5Global UnderstandingMain id

7、eaPara. 1Causes of the problemParas. 2-9Consequences of the problemPara. 10Solutions to the problemParas. 11-13SummaryPara. 14Affordable housing has not only become a problem for _, but has affected _. Its now a serious problem for more low- and moderate-income Americans than _. Fairfax is an exampl

8、e for this situation.Global Understandingthe urban poorthe suburban middle-classtaxes, Social Security or gas pricesA. Governments attitude towards affordable housing. a. From Roosevelt to Nixon, _ b. Nowadays,_. B. The striking mismatch between _ affordable housing, or affordable housing near jobs.

9、 a. In the past two decades, much poor housing has been _ but not all has been _ and there has been _. b. Many middle income people can not find _ near their place of work. Global UnderstandingAmericans used to care a lot about it.federal aid has not been increasedaffordable homesrazed/demolishedthe

10、 demand for and the supply ofrebuiltno increaseA. Children _.B. Workers _.C. Communities _.Global Understandingcant see their parents so oftencant make ends meetare less competitiveA. Local officials _.B. Federal government _.C. A real estate crash may not help.Global Understandingshould get out of

11、the wayshould support new constructionsHousing in America today is not just _, but is also _.Global Understandingan urban poverty issuea middle-class quality-of-life issueTask 2Paraphrase the underlined parts of the following sentences. (P258)Detailed InformationWhen household incomes grow by X, hou

12、sing prices grow by 12X.2. may rise to $110,000 a yearKeys:3. has not only affected people with low incomes but also people who live in the suburbs4. having a period of misfortune5. not people who have received federal housing assistance, but those who haventDetailed Information6. stop needing welfa

13、re payments7. give an opportunity to a family which is also eligible for the welfare8. and studies show that overcrowded living condition lead to higher crime rates, poorer academic performance and poorer health9. and workers may have to drive long distances to work because they cant afford housing

14、closer10. Last year less than 5% of houses sold for $ 250,000 or less so prices will have to reduce a lot for housing to be affordable for low-income families.Critical ThinkingReading FocusStep One Read the following statements from the text and discuss whether Chinese people have the same problems.

15、 Support your views with evidence. Home ownership is often described as a dream, but these days many workers would settle for a decent rental that wont bankrupt their families.2. Local officials require one-acre lots and two-car garages, and block low-income and high-density projects.Reading FocusCr

16、itical Thinking3. The high housing price problem has climbed the income ladder and moved to the suburbs.4. Families spend at least half their income on housing, many skimp on health care, child care and food to do so. 5. Workers are enduring increasingly long commutes from less expensive communities

17、.Reading FocusCritical ThinkingStep TwoThink about the role of government in providing affordable housing. Discuss in groups the following statements.Reading FocusCritical ThinkingThe root of the (high housing price) problem is the striking mismatch between the demand for and the supply of affordabl

18、e housing.2. Affordable housing helps make communities competitive. 3. The scarcity of affordable housing is a deepening national crisis.1. workers cram their families into overcrowded apartments, college graduates have to crash with their parents, and firefighters, (Para. 1) cram: v. to force somet

19、hing into a small space 把塞入e.g. Jessica crammed her clothes into the bag. crash: v. slang to stay at someones house for the night 借宿e.g. I crashed for one night at my friends house when I was in Chicago.Language Point 2. The real estate boom of the past decade has produced windfalls for Americans wh

20、o owned before it began, (Para. 2) windfall: n. an amount of money that you get unexpectedly 意外之財 Language Point 3. Roosevelt signed housing legislation in 1934 and 1937, providing mortgages, government apartments and construction jobs for workers down on their luck. (Para. 3) down on their luck: to

21、 have no money because one has had a lot of bad luck over a period of time (因不走運而)窮困潦倒e.g. 1) When someone is down on their luck, good friends will be sympathetic. 2) George has certainly been down on his luck recently: first his wife fell ill; then he lost his job.Language Point 4. But it has razed

22、 more subsidized apartments than it has replaced. (Para. 4) raze: v. to completely destroy a town or building 把（城鎮(zhèn)、建筑物）夷為平地e.g. 1) Much of Nanjing was razed by Japanese invaders in 1937.2) The old buildings were razed to make way for a new development.Language Point 5. Overall, the number of househo

23、lds receiving federal aid has flatlined since the early 1990s, despite an expanding population and a ballooning budget. (Para. 5) flatline: v. to fall to a very low level 降到很低的水平e.g. 1) The Republicans have been flatlining in the polls.2) The population growth in this town has been flatlining in the

24、 past five years.Language Point 6. Today, for every one of the 4.5 million low-income families that receive federal housing assistance, there are three eligible families without it. (Para. 6) eligible: adj. being able or allowed to do it 合格的；有資格的e.g. 1) In some countries children over 16 are eligibl

25、e for a drivers license. 2) Over 500,000 18-year-olds will become eligible to vote this year.Language Point 7. The time limits included in welfare reform 10 years ago were controversial, but studies suggest theyve helped motivate recipients to get off the dole. (Para. 7) dole: n. unemployment benefi

26、t, welfare money given by the government in the US to people who are out of work 救濟金e.g. 1) How many people are on the dole?2) I said the bankers should be the first to go on the dole during the financial downturn.Language Point 8. Washington politicians, on the other hand, have the federal budget a

27、t their disposal. (Para. 12) at their disposal: available for someone to use 供某人使用支配e.g. 1) Tanner had a lot of cash at his disposal.2) A car and driver were placed at my disposal.Language Point 9. And even a modest price slump could trigger a construction slowdown (Para. 13) slump: v. to suddenly g

28、o down in price, value, or number 暴跌e.g. 1) Sales slumped by 20% last year.2) The US dollar slumped to a record low against all other currencies.Language Point Key 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10-Task 1Choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the underlined word or phrase in the sentence. (P260

29、)ADBBCABAVocabulary in Action CATask 21. Thousands of spectators _ into the stadium to see the game.2. Tell the students to blow up the _ and then tape the straw to it.3. Most river tourists travel in big noisy motor rigs, which _ through all but the biggest rapids without difficulty. Read the words

30、 and their explanations in the box. Choose a word to complete each of the sentences below and explain its meaning. Change the form if necessary. (P261)crammed (b)balloon (a)Vocabulary in Action crash (a)4. Jill _ her clothes into the bag.5. He lost control of his car at the first bend and _ .6. We _

31、 in as much sightseeing as possible during our stay in New York.7. The companys debt has _ in the past year.8. You can _ at our place if you cant get a ride home. 9. Well have to get out of this situation before the _ goes up. 10. As house sales have _ , so has spending in department-store on items

32、like furniture, carpets and electrical appliances.crammed (d)ballooned (c)crashed (a)crammed (a)Vocabulary in Action crash (b)balloon (b)slumped (b)11. It is believed that the proceeds from the sale will go into a _ fund for the children.12. The hardest thing is finding a car dealer you can _ ! 13.

33、I was fortunate enough to have very _ parents.14. The post-war _ sent the unemployment figures soaring to twice the expected level.15. That decision did not win her much support from _ and moderates.16. When he is 25, the trustees will give him full control of his _ fund.trust (d)trust (c) liberal (

34、c) Vocabulary in Action slump (c) liberals (b)trust (b)Task 3Fill in each of the blanks with an appropriate word or phrase from the four choices given below.Vocabulary in Action Northern Canada, including the Northwest Territories, is an 1)_ place to live. Housing is at least 60% more expensive in t

35、he north 2) _ it is in southern Canada. Food prices are also 3)_, by at least 20%. Since building materials and foodstuffs are 4)_ from the south, the higher prices are primarily 5) _ transportation costs. 6) _ far away from Yellowknife have higher costs, and communities served only by aircraft have

36、 the highest food and housing costs. expensivethanhigherimporteddue toCommunitiesFor example, foodstuffs shipped by air to 7) _ communities such as Sachs Harbor on Banks Island are 80% more expensive than they are in Yellowknife. To offset these high food and housing costs, 8) _ are higher than thos

37、e in southern Canada. In addition, most people live in public or staff housing, where rents are 9)_ . Government employees living in remote communities receive an isolated post 10)_ payment to help offset the higher cost of living.Vocabulary in Action remotewagesallowancesubsidizedIs Affordable Hous

38、ing Becoming an Oxymoron? Global Understanding Critical Thinking Language Points Vocabulary in Action1234Housing prices have been 1) _ to unprecedented levels. Its a common idea that a significant part of the 2) _ for housing is based on an expectation of future 3) _. The more prices go up, the more

39、 people want to buy 4)_ reap the gains from 5) _future price appreciation. This pushes prices up even more. Can anything be done? Complete the following extract with the information from the text (P267).Text Explorationpushed up demand so as to appreciationexpectedSome municipalities provide 6) _ ty

40、pes of assistance to new homeowners. 7) _,this increases demand even more. Increasing taxes does not solve the cost of the housing problem either. Basic 8)_ that either a reduction in demand or an increase in the supply of housing will 9)_housing prices, so a rise in 10) _rates should moderate 11)_,

41、 and it appears that housing prices are 12) _ out in some areas. variousUnfortunately lowereconomicsinterest demand flattening As to increasing supply, land 13)_ restrictions are tight in many desirable 14)_ areas, and political forces are 15) _ against relaxing these restrictions due to limited lan

42、d resources and traffic problems. So what is the answer to high home prices?residential use alignedCritical ThinkingCritical Thinking1. What is a price bubble?2. Why cant increasing taxes on housing solve the cost of the housing problem?3. Why do many Californian empty-nesters sell their houses and

43、migrate to Oregon?4. Why do people hold different views on land use restrictions?Reading MoreCritical ThinkingDiscuss in groups the following questions.1. a significant part of the demand for housing is based on an expectation of future appreciation. (Para. 2) appreciation n. a rise in value, especi

44、ally of land, money or possessions 增值e.g. 1) There has been an appreciation of 50% in property values.2) The pounds rapid appreciation is creating problems for exporters. Language Point 2. Analogous to the imposition of a subsidy, a 10% increase in property taxes would push housing prices down by 10

45、%. (Para. 5) analogous to similar to another situation or thing so that a comparison can be made 類似的, 相似的 imposition: the introduction of something such as a rule, tax, or restriction （規(guī)章、稅種、限制等的）實施；征收 e.g. The imposition of the new rules for bank accounts will make withdrawing money much easier. La

46、nguage Point 3. But a new house requires land zoned for housing. (Para. 10) zoned: if an area of land is zoned, it is officially kept separate from other land so that it can be used for a particular purpose 劃分成地區(qū)，把劃入某地區(qū) e.g. The land is currently zoned for residential use. Language Point 4. In urban

47、 California, traffic has become increasingly congested, putting a limit on how far away from their jobs people can live. (Para. 10) congested: crowded usually by traffic or people 交通擁擠的，車輛阻塞的 e.g. 1) Some areas are congested with both cars and people. 2) The tolls are likely to be restricted to part

48、icularly congested areas, and busy times such as rush hours. Language Point 5. Imagine someone who scrimps and saves to buy his dream house in an area zoned for one-acre lots. (Para. 11) scrimps: to try to save as much money as you can, even though you have very little 盡量節(jié)省，盡力攢錢e.g. The old couple s

49、crimped and saved to support their son studying abroad. Language Point 6. But by the same token, once a searcher becomes an owner, he often becomes a fervent supporter of such restrictions. (Para. 11) by the same token: in the same way, or for the same reasons 同樣地；由于同樣的原因 e.g. 1) I want to win, but

50、by the same token, I dont want to hurt Sams confidence. 2) You can ask me anything, and by the same token, I can choose not to answer. fervent: believing or feeling something very strongly and sincerely 熱情, 熱烈的 e.g. I have always been one of his most fervent admirers.Language Point 1. own A. The yac

51、ht was intended for the kings _ use. B. You wont know the cost of _ a car until youve _ one. C. He studied these subjects on his _. 2. dynamic A. Shes _ and determined. B. Markets are _ and for ever changing. C. Group _ is the study of group behavior, especially the interactions that occur among per

52、sons in small groups involved with business or social activities. Task 1Fill in each of the blanks with the appropriate form of the word given and explain its meaning. (P268) ownowningownedVocabulary in Action owndynamicdynamicdynamics3. fix A. Ellis was able to quickly find and _the problem. B. Hes

53、 going to _ a time when I can see him. C. Many of those changes could just be a temporary _. 4. feed A. Several children were _ bread to the ducks. B. Figures are _ into the computer, which then predicts the likely profit. C. The grain just rotted and all they could use it for was animal _.fixfixfix

54、feedingfedVocabulary in Action feed5. appreciation A. It helps children to develop an _ of poetry and literature. B. Im very _ of all the support youve given me. C. There has been little _ in the value of property recently. 6. remain A. The refugees were allowed to _ in the UK. B. I rescued the _ of

55、 my slipper from the dog. C. The three parties will meet next month to work out _ differences.appreciation appreciative appreciationVocabulary in Action remain remains remaining7. end A. It is hoped that the talks will bring an _ to the violence. B. It has three pairs of legs, each _ in a large claw

56、. C. Being out of work and having two young children, they found it impossible to make _ meet.8. stock A. She owned 3, 000 worth of _ and shares. B. The blue shirts are out of _. C. The same questions seem to be asked every time, and he gives his _ answers. end endingendsstocksVocabulary in Action s

57、tockstock9. bill A. They sent us a _ for the work they had done. B. The senator introduced a _ that would increase the minimum wage. C. You will be _ monthly for the service.10. zone A. San Francisco and Tokyo are both located in earthquake _. B. Look at the way shes playing. Shes really in the _ no

58、w. C. The former dockyard has been _ for tourist use. billbillbilledzoneszone zonedVocabulary in Action Task 2 1) It seems that owning a car is so expensive that _ (我支付不起). 2) _ (他差不多花了一天時間) to finish the book. 3) _ (網(wǎng)絡(luò)是否可以代替報紙) has been a matter of debate.Complete the following sentences by transla

59、ting the Chinese in brackets into English. Try to use the expressions you have learned from the text.I cant afford itIt took him more or less a whole day Whether the Internet can replace newspapersVocabulary in Action 4) _ (股票越漲，人們越買) so as to reap the gains from expected future price appreciation.

60、5) _ (如果你當初真想買房子) , you would save every penny. 6) _ (他的老師起到了重要作用) in helping him get rid of his depression. 7) People buy big houses to catch up with the Joneses,_ (不管他們是否需要那么大的空間).The more stock prices go up, the more people want to buy If you really wanted to buy a houseHis teacher has played an