21世紀大學英語讀寫教程第一冊第5單元內容解讀

導語：相信大家都有過妥協這樣的無奈之舉，下面是一篇題為妥協的語言的英語課文，歡迎大家來閱讀。

Leslie Dunkling

"Let me give you one piece of advice," I said to Ted and Mary just before they got married a few years ago. "If you want to stay happily married, always be prepared to compromise. When you have different opinions about something, you each give way a little. You take the middle course. That is compromise." And I'm glad to say that the young couple seemed to take that advice.

I remember when they took their first holiday together. Ted wanted to do something energetic, because he didn't usually get much exercise during the year. Mary's job meant that she was on her feet most of the time. All she wanted to do was lie in the sun. Ted hated the idea of lying on a beach; Mary hated the idea of being too active. They compromised, and took their holiday in mid-summer, high in the Alps. Mary was able to lie in the sun by the hotel swimming pool, while Ted went off for long walks in the mountains with a group of hikers. In the evening they met at the hotel, both content with their day, happy to eat a leisurely meal together and dance a little afterwards.

They compromised over everything and they were very happy.

To complete their happiness, they had a baby when they had been married for three years—a son. But that, strangely, was when the problem arose. They had to name their son, of course, and each had a name in mind; not the same name, unfortunately. It seemed that a situation had arisen where compromise was impossible. Ted wanted to call their son Robert, Mary wanted to call him Lawrence. How can you compromise with names like that? No, this time one of them would have to give way, it seemed. There would have to be a winner, and a loser. That was how they saw things, at least.

Mary told me all about it when I called at the hospital two days after the baby's birth.

"Ted wants to call him Robert," Mary said, "because there's a tradition in his family. The eldest son is always Robert or Edward. His father was Robert, his grandfather Edward, his great-grandfather Robert, and so on."

"That seems reasonable," I said.

"I don't want my son to be named after someone in the family," Mary said. "He's a unique individual, and I want him to have a name that no one else in the family has had. I want to call my son Lawrence."

"That seems reasonable, too," I said.

"Everyone's been giving me advice," Mary said. Then she told me who had given her advice, and what advice she had been given, (but not in the same order). I had to guess who gave what advice. Maybe you'd like to try to do that as well?

These were the people:

1) Uncle Fred, who was a painter, and liked vivid colours.

2) Aunt Sybil, who spent every spare minute in her garden.

3) Cousin John, who spent far too much of his time at horse races and simply couldn't resist a gamble.

4) Mary's friend, Sue, who was very active in the Women's Liberation Movement.

5) Ted's brother David, an actor with a high opinion of himself.

6) Mary's father, a music professor.

7) Mary's mother, who loved Shakespeare.

8) Mary's friend, Catherine, known to be rather snobbish.

Here, in a different order, is the advice they gave Mary:

a) "Spin a coin, and decide that way."

b) "David's rather a nice name. That would be a good compromise."

c) "Tell your husband that you had the child so you have the right to choose his name."

d) "I've always liked the names Johann Sebastian."

e) "Call him William. He'll be a sweet William. What a pity you didn't have a girl. There are such lovely names for girls — Heather, Rosemary, Lily, Fern, Daisy."

f) "He's got blond hair. You could call him Boyd — which means yellow."

g) "Charles is rather a refined name, don't you think? Not Robert, though, or Lawrence. Too ordinary, my dear."

h) "Hamlet would make an unusual, but attractive name."

Well, I soon sorted out who suggested what, then I gave my own advice, "Compromise!"

"How?" said Mary.

"In the same way as my parents," I said. "My father felt that I should be named after his father, and my mother felt the same way about naming me after her father. So, I'm named after both of them."

"You mean, they were both called Samuel?" said Mary.

"No. One was George, the other was Albert. Samuel is the compromise. I'm named George Albert Samuel, but called Samuel."

And so it was that my nephew was named Robert William Lawrence, but is called Lawrence.

*energetic

a. full of energy 精力旺盛的，充滿活力的

hiker

n. a person who travels about the country, esp. on foot 徒步旅行者

content

a. (with) satisfied with what one has; not wanting more 滿意的;滿足的

leisurely

a. relaxed; without hurrying 從容的;不慌不忙的

arise(arose,arisen)

vi. happen; appear 出現;呈現

tradition

n. a custom or belief that the people in a particular group or society have practiced or held for a long time 傳統

unique

a. considered unusual; being the only one of its type 獨特的，獨一無二的

individual

n. a person 個人;個體

a. single; separate 個人的;個別的;單獨的'

painter

n. a person who paints pictures 畫家

*gamble

n. a risky action or decision that one takes in the hope of gaining money, success, etc. 賭博

v. play cards or other games for money 賭博;打賭

snobbish

a. 勢利的

spin(spun)

vt. turn round and round fast 使旋轉

blond

a. 1. (of hair) light-coloured (頭髮)金黃色的;

2.(人)白膚金髮碧眼的

refined

a. (of a person, his behaviour, etc.) having or showing education, gentleness of manners 文雅的，優美的

nephew

n. the son of one's brother or sister 侄，甥

Phrases and Expressions

give way

yield 讓步，屈服

take the middle course

take a course of action which is a compromise between two extremes 採取折中辦法

be on one's feet

be standing or walking 站立著

go off

leave; set off 離開;出發

have ... in mind

想到，考慮到;記得

call at

make a short visit at 短訪，訪問

name after

give sb. the same name as 以…的名字(為…)取名

with a high /low /good /bad opinion of

thinking well /badly of 對…評價高 / 低(好 / 不好)

sort out

separate from a large group; put in good order; set straight, make clear 揀出;整理;弄清楚

Leslie Dunkling

萊斯莉·鄧克林(人名)

the Alps

阿爾卑斯山脈(歐洲中南部)

Lawrence

勞倫斯(男子名)

Edward

愛德華(男子名)

Fred

弗雷德(男子名)

Sybil

西比爾(女子名)

Sue

蘇(女子名)

Shakespeare

莎士比亞(1564 - 1616，英國劇作家、詩人)

Catherine

凱瑟琳(女子名)

Johann Sebastian

約翰·塞巴斯蒂安(人名)

Heather

希瑟(女子名)

Rosemary

羅斯瑪麗(女子名)

Fern

弗恩(女子名)

Daisy

黛茜(女子名)

Hamlet

漢姆雷特(莎士比亞同名劇作中的男主人公)

Samuel

薩繆爾(男子名)

Albert

阿爾伯特(男子名)