发布时间 : 星期六 文章大学英语Book2 Unit 3更新完毕开始阅读
Wonder at: feel surprised and unable to believe sth.对…感到惊讶
Visitors to mountainous areas tend to wonder at the speed with which the weather can change in such areas.去山里观光的游客会对这个地区天气变化之快感到诧异。
Section B Finding my way back home
Reading skills
Understanding figurative language
Understanding figurative language is the reading skill introduced in this unit.
Figurative language uses words or expressions with a meaning that in different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he is simply stating the facts as they are. Figurative language, in comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations. Figurative language is very common in poetry, but is also used in prose and nonfiction writing
Background information
Global instability
With the ever-changing cultural and societal values people experience today, the best measure of success is your ability to instability. From about 1946 to the 1960s people enjoyed a stable era after World War II. Most people married young, settled down, had children and chased the so-called American dream which was defined by material possessions and a comfortable life. Beginning with the 1960s, young people were more restless than their parents? generation; nevertheless, they still ended up pursuing the dreams of their parents. Today?s world, however, is marked by global economic instabilities and faster than ever changes. For young people now, mobility is a more desirable goal than stability. This is especially true for the odyssey years. The main character in Text B is a typical young man with a rebellious heart, pride and arrogance. Running away from home, he started his odyssey journey after he completed high school. The adventure during this period provides young people with a good opportunity to explore and speculate on their life goals. Consequently, the adventure becomes a journey of self-discovery and self-awareness. A decade of wandering frequently occurs between adolescence and adulthood.
Hitchhiking
The author ran away from home after he graduated from high school, trying to discover himself through his exploration. He was hitchhiking on his way back home,
trying to get free rides from drivers of passing vehicles. The word hitchhiking is a compound word composed of hitch (a form of travel in which the traveler tries to get a ride from another traveler, usually a car or truck driver) and hiking (walking lengthy distances in the countryside or wilderness). The word refers to a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicles to travel a distance that may either be short or travel a distance that may either be short or long. The latter may require many rides from different people; a ride is usually, but not always, free. If one wishes to indicate that they need a ride, they must simply make a hand gesture.
Detailed study of the text
1”Dear Dad,” I wrote, “I want to come home from my exile.”(Para.1)
Meaning beyond words: The young man now regrets that he ran away from home. exile：
n. [sing.U] a situation in which sb. Is forced to leave their country and live in another country, because of some reasons, usu. For political reasons流放，放逐，流亡（通常指因政治原因）
The king went into exile because the political situation in his country made it dangerous for him to stay at home.由于该国家的政治局势，留在国内会使国王处于危险境地，所以他流亡到了国外。
Vt.（usu. Passive) force sb. To leave their country,esp. For political reasons(尤指因政治原因而）迫使（某人）流亡国外
The monarch was exiled because of the coup.因为政变，君主被迫流亡国外。
2After many hours of thinking as I sat by the side of a busy highway, I tore the page
in half and crushed into a small hall. I?d started this letter many times but would always fall into despair.
I wanted to go home-home to my parents and sisters, but would always hesitate...I didn?t know if it was feasible.(Para.1)
Meaning beyond words: The young man was having an inner struggle. On one hand, he was anxious to go back to his home and reunite with his parents and sisters. On the other hand, he was afraid of facing his parents. He hesitated and wondered whether he was still allowed to return home.
fall into: start to have a particular mood, esp. suddenly(尤指突然）陷入（某种心境） The failure gave me such a strong feeling of frustration that I fell into a deep pain.失败让我体验到了强烈的挫败感，我陷入深深的痛苦之中。
hesitate:vi. Pause before saying or doing sth. Because of nervousness and uncertainty 犹豫：迟疑
No matter what the request, as long as it?s legal, don?t hesitate to ask.无论什么要求，只要是合法的，就要毫不犹豫的提出来
feasible:a. Possible or likely to succeed 可行的：可能的
With the extra resources and money, the plan to build a new school for the village
now seems feasible.有了额外的资源和资金，为了这个村庄筹建一所新学校的计划现在看来似乎是可行的。
Usage NOTE Feasible, possible
Feasible, possible都是形容词，都表示可能
1feasible指理论上和操作上“可行的；行得通的”，强调是可以实现的、可执行的、能被做或使完成的。
It?s quite clear that the electric car is technically feasible,相当明显，电动汽车在技术上使可行的。
2possible 指在“客观上可能存在或法伤的”，强调不确定性。例如 It?s possible that the train will be delayed.列车将有可能晚点。
3 My parents had insisted I go to college; our family code demanded it but I was tired of school. I hated it. I was determined not to go.（Para.2)
Meaning: Following the rules of our family tradition, my parents required me to go to college after my high school graduation, but I was so bored with school already that I simple didn?t want to go. ★code:n.
1)[C] a set of rules about how sth, should be done or how people should behave.准则；规范；行为规范
All members of the association must adhere to a strict code of behavior.该协会的所有成员必须遵守严格的行为准则。
2）[C.U] a system of words, letters, or symbols that you use instead of ordinary writing, so that you use instead of ordinary writing, so that the information can only be understood by sb. Else who knows the system密码；代码；代号
Goods that you order must have a product code.你订购的货物肯定都有产品代码。
★be tired of: be bored with sth. Because it is no longer interesting or has become annoying对（做）某事感到厌烦
I think I need a vacation; I?m so tired of doing the same job day after day.我觉得我需要休假，我很厌倦日复一日做相同的工作。
4 And, besides, my father was too strict with me.(Para.2)
Meaning beyond words: He ran away from his family because he was bored with school and also because his father was too tough on him.
★be strict with sb.: expect people to obey rules or do what you say对（某人）严格；对（某人）严厉
My parents were very strict with me when I was young.我小的时候，父母对我非常严厉。
5 The allowance he gave me was pitiful. I had multiple jobs to do around the farm.I hated the work, finding it hollow and dull! I was miserable.(Para.2)
Meaning: My father only gave me very little pocket money though I had to do various jobs on the farm. The work on the farm was so meaningless and boring that I felt bad and unhappy. Meaning beyond words: The young man can no longer bear such a life! It?s just too much!
Note In American culture, parents usually give children some money for the household things they help with. In the text, the young man also got some money from his father for the jobs he did the family farm.
★hollow;a.
1)with no real meaning无意义的，虚有其表的
She had something of a hollow victor; she won the case but lost all her saving in legal fees.这是一场没有意义的胜利--她胜诉了，但为支付法律费用，他失去了所有的积蓄 2）empty inside 空的；中空的，空心的
Hollow blocks are used because they are lighter.使用空心的砌块是因为它们更轻。 ★miserable; a. Extremely unhappy or uncomfortable苦恼的；痛苦的；难受的
Living on her own makes her feel miserable because she is used to having the company of her family。他自己一个人生活觉得很痛苦，因为她已习惯了有家人陪伴。
6There had been a fight between my father and me. Like a volcano erupting, I
snapped.(Para.3)
Meaning: I had a heated argument with my father, consequently, I burst into anger, just like a volcano exploding all of a sudden.
Meaning beyond words: The author uses a simile to vividly describe how angry he was when arguing with his dad, like a volcano.
volcano:n.[C] a mountain that forces hot gas, rocks, ash and melted rock into the air through a hole at the top火山
an extinct/active/dormant volcano一个死/活/跃/休眠火山 erupt;vi.
1) if a volcano erupts, it explodes inside and flames, rocks and melted rocks come out of the top(火山）爆发，喷发
The volcano of Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980,and it devastated a large area of Washington State1980年圣海伦火山喷发，摧毁了华盛顿大面积的土地。 2）if fighting, violence ,noise, etc. Erupt, it starts suddenly(搏斗、暴力事件、噪音等）突然发生，爆发
At the end of a hot summer, violence erupted in the inner cities.一个炎热的夏末，在内陆城市爆发了暴力事件。
snap;vi. Suddenly lose control and become extremely angry or upset because a situation has become too annoying or difficult突然发怒；突然崩溃
There?s no need to snap at me;it?s not my fault that you lost your wallet.没有必要对我发火，你丢钱包不是我的错。
7 I threw some things into a bag and left angrily. My father shouted after me, ?If you
leave, don?t come back!?My mother cried and I have seen her grief and tears a hundred times during sleepless nights.(Para.3)
Meaning beyond words: That was how he broke the tie with his family. Since then, he had been in exile, away from home. However, he has been regretting his action and thinking about home all the time.
8 The letter had to be written. (Para.4)
Meaning beyond words: No matter how hard and unpredictable finding his way home was, he had to finish writing the letter.