unit 7 閱讀技巧、文化背景和好句子分析numbers and omens

1、UNIT 7: Numbers and Omens 數(shù)字與吉兇 Reading skills-scanning1. How did Cutrona carry out her studies of college students? She compared their college entrance exam scores to grade point averages. Students also filled out questionnaires on their families. 2. What are the two key findings by Cutrona? Studen

2、ts with the cheerleading parents showed less anxiety about challenges; lower anxiety was linked to more self-confidence, which predicted better grades. Having supportive friends or romantic partners didnt affect grade point average.) 3. What is Cutronas conclusion based on her findings? Parents atti

3、tudes toward their children seem to affect the way students think of themselves and self-image seems to influence performance. Cultural and background notes1) The I Ching or Book of ChangesA compilation which records an ancient Chinese system of divination. In the system, an oracle is cast by flippi

4、ng coins or more traditionally, by manipulating yarrow stalks. The oracle is one of 64 different hexagrams. The hexagram itself is composed of two trigrams, each consisting of three lines. Those lines are either straight (Yang) or broken (Yin).2) Yin-YangMeaning much more than just female/male, Yin-

5、Yang are the Chinese terms for the basic polarities of the Universe. Yang is time, light, strong. Yin is space, dark, weak. Yang is the direction upwards； Yin downwards. Yang is the closed circle； Yin is the open angle. Yang is clockwise； Yin counter-clockwise. Yang is hard, resistant and tense； Yin

6、 is soft, yielding and relaxed.3) the five elementsMetal, wood, water, fire and earth. The following is the productive cycle of the five elements in ancient Chinese philosophy.Wood burns producing Fire.Fire leaves behind Earth.Earth is the source of Metal.Metal liquefies into flowing liquid like Wat

7、er.Water then becomes the nourishment for the Wood.4) Lao TzuAlso called Tao Te Ching (literally, the classic of the way of virtue), is attributed to Lao Tzu, though scholars disagree about his actual existence. In its very poetic form, it teaches that there is a dynamic, cosmic structure underlying

8、 everything that happens in the world. We humans need to discover that Way (Tao), which is immanent in all aspects of the world, not a rule imposed from without; and we need to fit into it, letting things take their course, not exerting ourselves in opposition to it by trying to bend things to our w

9、ill.Our naming (describing) of things always falls short of the way things are, since things are not limited as our language presupposes. Even the Tao which we are trying to talk about here eludes our words. The original polarity is that of being and non-being, and it will be found to interplay thro

10、ughout the world, with non-being (emptiness, what is not) having as much significance as does being (the fullness of things, what is). Thus the notion of the Tao recaptures the earlier Chinese concept of Yin and Yang, the polarities running through all things.5) doing the sevensTraditional Chinese f

11、uneral ceremony, traditionally lasts over 49 days, the first seven days being the most important. Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if the family can afford it. If the family is in poor circumstances, the period may be shortened to from 3 to 7 days. Usually, it is the responsibility of t

12、he daughters to bear the funeral expenses. The head of the family should be present for, at least the first and, possibly the second, prayer ceremony. The number of ceremonies conducted is dependent on the financial situation of the family. The head of the family should also be present for the buria

13、l or the cremation.6) ghost monthThe seventh month of the lunar year when Ghost Festival is celebrated. Just as Western people have Halloween for ghosts, Chinese people also have a holiday to fete the departed spirits of the underworld - Ghost Festival. It is a popular occasion celebrated throughout

14、 China on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. Historically, families offer sacrifices of the newly harvested grain to departed ancestors on this day. The Chinese believe that the dead become ghosts roaming between Heaven and earth. Spirits without descendants to care for them are prayed to duri

15、ng Ghost Festival so that they may also enjoy the warmth of life among the living. This custom, an extension of the traditional Chinese ethic of universal love.Language notes1) Many foreign visitors cant help but exclaim that the Chinese are really creative and can line numbers up so auspiciously. （

16、許多外國(guó)游客贊嘆不已，說(shuō)中國(guó)人真有創(chuàng)造性，竟能夠把數(shù)字排列得如此“吉祥”。） To line sth up means to arrange or organize sth. e.g. Hes lined up a live band for the party. 2) Chinese not only use numbers to appeal for good fortune, they also bring them out to chew people out. （中國(guó)人不僅用數(shù)字來(lái)求好運(yùn)，而且還用數(shù)字罵人.） To chew sb. out means to speak angril

17、y to sb. e.g. He chewed out his secretary for being late to work. 3）.and a whole set of auspiciousness-attracting and evil-expelling habits took shape.（.于是就形成了一整套祈福避禍的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣。）To take shape means to take on a definite form.e.g. The plan is beginning to take shape in my mind.4) We often say three yang m

18、ake good fortune to describe the hope that misfortune will be held at bay and good luck will follow.（我們常說(shuō)“三陽(yáng)開泰，以期遠(yuǎn)離兇險(xiǎn)，萬(wàn)事亨通。）To hold sb at bay means to prevent (an enemy, pursuers, etc) from coming near.e.g. Im trying to hold my creditors at bay.5) .says that the only significance numbers have is wha

19、t people ascribe to them.（李恒力認(rèn)為數(shù)字和禍福并無(wú)任何聯(lián)系，他們的意義是人們強(qiáng)加上去的。） To ascribe sth to sb/sth means to consider sth to be caused by, written by or belonging to sb/sth.e.g. He ascribed his failure to bad luck. This play is usually ascribed to Shakespeare. You cant ascribe the same meaning to both words.6) They

20、 are more wary of one, three, five, seven, and nine.（他們對(duì)一、三、五、七、九等數(shù)字比較謹(jǐn)慎。）To be wary of is to be cautious of.e.g. She was wary of strangers.7) Thus in odd-numbered months holidays have been stipulated to help people get by. （因此單月里定下了一些節(jié)日讓人們來(lái)過(guò)。） To get by is to manage to live. e.g. How does he get by

21、 on such a small salary? 8) When inquiring into the others name and the eight character horoscope of the other party.（向女方“問名”或互換“生辰八字”時(shí).）To inquire into sth means to try to learn the facts about sth.e.g. We must inquire further into the matter.9) The number of characters in the Chinese text would always have to add up to an even number. （所用