Unit 9

Section B

Borderline Ridiculousness

I. Old to NewI. Old to New

worthy of laughter

in the same way

particular type of matter

break/disturb

intense fear

against the law

not clear

for fear that

because of

ridiculous

likewise

substance

violate

terror

illegal

vague

lest

on account of

II. Chinese to EnglishII. Chinese to English

几件行李申报 /报关

违反出口管制的活动侵犯人权

核武器的毁灭性威力

去度假

several pieces of baggage

make a declaration of sth.

export control violation

violate human rights

the destructive power of nuclear weapons

go on vacation

顺便去当地警署

提前凭 90天的旅游签证

以婚姻为理由逃脱罪名

新来的人临时居住证

drop in at the local police station

ahead of time

on the 90-day tourist document

on (the) grounds of marriage

get away with a crime

a new arrival

a temporary residence permit

ⅢⅢ. . Check YourselfCheck Yourself

1. The embassy has _____ itself to send aid to the

famine victim.

A. drain B. shift C. integrated D. pledged

2. Cancellation of the flight ____ many passengers to

spend the night at the airport.

A. geared B. abandoned C. obliged D. tortured

3. The prison guards were armed and ready to shoot if

_____ in any way.

A. allied B. provoked C. fussed D. inquired

4. In previous time, when fresh meat was in short ____,

pigeons were kept by many households as a source of

food.

A. provision B. procedure C. assumption D. supply

5. I’m afraid the problem is beyond the ____ of my

lecture.

A. parallel B. declaration

C. scope D. substance

6. He usually ____ at my place on his way home.

A. keeps out B. gets away with

C. calls for D. drops in

7. They put off their departure ____ the coming meeting.

A. participate in B. engage in

C. on account of D. instead of

8. It ____ that they sold to the home market but they

didn’t export.

A. broke out B. turned out C.worked out D. found out

9. The firm installed ____ machines at enormous expense.

A. prime B. indirect C. advanced D. skilled

10. The victims could only give a ____ description of the

terrorist’s attack.

A. illegal B. intermediate C. rhetorical D. vague

Video Watching and Discussion

Watch the following

Video clips (selected

from BABEL ) and

then have a

discussion.

Discussion:

1) What do you think of the happenings on the

borderline? Should the babysitter take the kids

crossing the borderline? Why?

2) Having been working in America for 16 years,

should she be expelled from the country? Why?

Tips:

1) It seems ridiculous, but it has its deep-rooted reasons.

For long, the United States has been trying to

preventing their neighbors---Mexicans from entering

the American soil for fear that the “dangerous”

Mexicans will cause social disturbance or compete with

the natives for the decreasing job opportunities.

From the perspective of law, the babysitter shouldn’t

take the kids crossing the borderline, because that is

illegal. However, from the angle of human feelings, she

has no choice but to take them. Plus, she never has any

bad intentions.

Tips:

Yes. Because she worked in the United States

illegally as a Mexican citizen.

No. Because she has been putting all her heart

rendering services to American people and take

very good care of American children.

2)

Listening Task

Directions: Listen to the following 20 short

conversations. Each conversation is followed

by ONE question. After you hear the question,

there’ll be a break of 15 seconds. During the

break, you’ll read the four choices marked (A),

(B), (C) and (D), and decide which is the best

answer. 

1.(A) The bill is really new.

(B) This kind of policy has been in effect for many

years.

(C) Einstein did not enjoy this opportunity. 

(D) It is too late for the bill to pass.

2. (A) The government pays lip-service to stopping “Brain

Drain”. 

(B) There is a lot of hope for our country now. 

(C) No one can change the determination set by the

government.

(D) The government is starting to do something about

“Brain Drain”.

3.

(A) They bear the hope of their country. 

(B) They are not realistic, dreaming too much. 

(C) They are not working hard enough.

(D) They are not grateful to their country.

4.

(A) The IIT graduates are the best students in India. 

(B) The IIT graduates are fond of ice cream. 

(C) The IIT graduates are not serving their native

country.

(D) The IIT graduates have built a silicon valley in an

isolated part of India.

5.

(A) She is anxious to study in the United States.

(B) She can’t afford to study in the United States.

(C) She is lucky to study in the United States.

(D) She does not want to study in the United

States.6.

(A) The IIT only paid attention to technology training. 

(B) The IIT did not educate their students about their

social responsibility.

(C) The IIT graduates are too busy.

(D) The IIT graduates have never argued about the

question.

7.

(A) The teacher argues that the institute has trained

students only for the American computer industry. 

(B) The teacher argues that the American computer

industry has a big appetite.

(C) The teacher argues that the institute only

produces a kind of food for the American computer

industry. 

(D) The teacher argues that the institute has been

adjusted to meet American appetites.

8.

(A) The success of Silicon Valley has created a great

market demand for skilled workers. 

(B) The success of Silicon Valley has made mushrooms

in great demand at the market.

(C) The success of Silicon Valley has made the market

very competitive. 

(D) No one had ever dreamed of the success of Silicon

Valley before.

9.

(A) She will not apply for the position. 

(B) Her supervisor(导师 ) will give her advice about how

to teach English conversation.

(C) She wants to get her supervisor’s advice or approval.

(D) She will ask her supervisor how to pronounce the En

glish speech sounds.

10.

(A) He frequently receives messages from his brother on

the computer. 

(B) His brother often calls him. 

(C) His brother is too busy at his work in the Silicon

Valley.

(D) He picks up his brother’s letters at the post office.

11.

(A) She has completed her research paper.

(B) She’s preparing to move to the States after

graduation.

(C) She has no more time for writing her research paper.

(D) She has taken steps to finish her research paper.

12.

(A) The professor is strange.

(B) The professor is warm-hearted.

(C) The professor is outstanding.

(D) The professor is aggressive.

13.

(A) Books on software.

(B) A book review.

(C) Buying tickets for a book show.

(D) An exhibit of books.

14.

(A) He is unable to go to the movie. 

(B) He will meet his roommate at the airport.

(C) The woman will see his roommate at the airport. 

(D) He will do research work in the U.S.

15.

(A) Something that includes computing and modern

manufacturing systems. 

(B) A manufacturer.

(C) Only the computer.

(D) Any factory that has a computer. 

16.

(A) Mr. Ma is one of the best in her class. It was a great

success for him! 

(B) No one argued with Mr. Ma.

(C) Mr. Ma was beaten in his final research paper defense.

(D) There was a heated discussion about Mr. Ma’s final

research paper.

17.

(A) It is north to California.

(B) It is popular for competitive sports.

(C) It is known for its computing and electronics

industries. 

(D) The man has never heard of Silicon Valley.

18.

(A) To go with the man.

(B) To think about her work at school.

(C) To take on a part-time job.

(D) To leave her part-time job.

19.

(A) The woman should e-mail the subject again.

(B) The woman should broaden the subject.

(C) The woman should narrow down the subject. 

(D) The subject is too boring.

20.

(A) She did not pay for her meals.

(B) There were no school fees.

(C) She worked hard to pay for her meals.

(D) She was free to look for a room at the school.

1.

(A) The bill is really new.

(B) This kind of policy has been in effect for many years.

(C) Einstein did not enjoy this opportunity. 

(D) It is too late for the bill to pass.

2.

(A) The government pays lip-service to stopping “Brain

Drain”. 

(B) There is a lot of hope for our country now. 

(C) No one can change the determination set by the

government.

(D) The government is starting to do something about

“Brain Drain”.

3.

(A) They bear the hope of their country. 

(B) They are not realistic, dreaming too much. 

(C) They are not working hard enough.

(D) They are not grateful to their country.

4.

(A) The IIT graduates are the best students in

India. 

(B) The IIT graduates are fond of ice cream. 

(C) The IIT graduates are not serving their

native country.

(D) The IIT graduates have built a silicon valley

in an isolated part of India.

5.

(A) She is anxious to study in the United States.

(B) She can’t afford to study in the United States.

(C) She is lucky to study in the United States.

(D) She does not want to study in the United

States.6.

(A) The IIT only paid attention to technology training. 

(B) The IIT did not educate their students about their

social responsibility.

(C) The IIT graduates are too busy.

(D) The IIT graduates have never argued about the

question.

7.

(A) The teacher argues that the institute has trained

students only for the American computer industry. 

(B) The teacher argues that the American computer

industry has a big appetite.

(C) The teacher argues that the institute only

produces a kind of food for the American computer

industry. 

(D) The teacher argues that the institute has been

adjusted to meet American appetites.

8.

(A) The success of Silicon Valley has created a great

market demand for skilled workers. 

(B) The success of Silicon Valley has made mushrooms

in great demand at the market.

(C) The success of Silicon Valley has made the market

very competitive. 

(D) No one had ever dreamed of the success of Silicon

Valley before.

9.

(A) She will not apply for the position. 

(B) Her supervisor(导师 ) will give her advice about how

to teach English conversation.

(C) She wants to get her supervisor’s advice or approval.

(D) She will ask her supervisor how to pronounce the En

glish speech sounds.

10.

(A) He frequently receives messages from his brother on

the computer. 

(B) His brother often calls him. 

(C) His brother is too busy at his work in the Silicon

Valley.

(D) He picks up his brother’s letters at the post office.

11.

(A) She has completed her research paper.

(B) She’s preparing to move to the States after graduation.

(C) She has no more time for writing her research paper.

(D) She has taken steps to finish her research paper.

12.

(A) The professor is strange.

(B) The professor is warm-hearted.

(C) The professor is outstanding.

(D) The professor is aggressive.

13.

(A) Books on software.

(B) A book review.

(C) Buying tickets for a book show.

(D) An exhibit of books.

14.

(A) He is unable to go to the movie. 

(B) He will meet his roommate at the airport.

(C) The woman will see his roommate at the airport. 

(D) He will do research work in the U.S.

15.

(A) Something that includes computing and modern

manufacturing systems. 

(B) A manufacturer.

(C) Only the computer.

(D) Any factory that has a computer. 

16.

(A) Mr. Ma is one of the best in her class. It was a great

success for him! 

(B) No one argued with Mr. Ma.

(C) Mr. Ma was beaten in his final research paper defense.

(D) There was a heated discussion about Mr. Ma’s final

research paper.

17.

(A) It is north to California.

(B) It is popular for competitive sports.

(C) It is known for its computing and electronics

industries. 

(D) The man has never heard of Silicon Valley.

18.

(A) To go with the man.

(B) To think about her work at school.

(C) To take on a part-time job.

(D) To leave her part-time job.

19.

(A) The woman should e-mail the subject again.

(B) The woman should broaden the subject.

(C) The woman should narrow down the subject. 

(D) The subject is too boring.

20.

(A) She did not pay for her meals.

(B) There were no school fees.

(C) She worked hard to pay for her meals.

(D) She was free to look for a room at the school.

HumorHumorss

A Song—A Song—SailingSailing

Several friends were discussing the subject of

fortune telling. One said that, when he was young, a

fortune-teller predicted he would have more money

than he could count, and another predicted he

would open a bank. His mother was overjoyed to

hear these prophecies.

As it turned out, both fortune-tellers were correct.

This man works in a bank. Every day he counts

stacks and stacks of money—for the customers.

And it is his duty to open the bank’s door every

morning to start the day’s business.

Humor1 Fortune

Telling

Einstein was a great admirer of Charlie Chaplin’s films

. Once, in a letter to Chaplin he said: “Your film, the ‘M

odern Times’, everybody in the world can understand.

You will certainly become a great man. Einstein.”

In his answer to this letter Charlie Chaplin wrote: “I ad

mire you even more. Your Theory of Relativity nobody

in the world understands, but you have already becom

e a great man. Chaplin.”

Humor2Einstein and Charlie Chaplin

Sailing

Keys to Section C

Reading skills:

1. I sat down on her bed.

2. She told me a story about my grandfather.

3. My great-aunt led me into a room.

4. I knew what she was saying.

5. We were very different from each other.

Comprehension of the text:

C B C A B C A B