21世紀大學英語讀寫基礎教程單元七內容講解

導語：“為什麼我必須學習數學，我永遠不會再在這一生中使用它。” 這種抱怨常常在學生中聽到。 我們需要學習數學嗎?下面這篇英語課文會告訴你答案。

"Why do I have to learn math? I'll never use this again in my whole life." This kind of complaining can often be heard among students. Is it true that nobody needs math? Well, the author is going to tell you the story...

Math, Who Needs It?

Carlie Vanwilligen

"That'll be $6.52," the cashier said. I handed her a $10 bill. She looked at it, then looked at me. As I waited, she started writing on a pad of paper. After what seemed like several minutes, she handed me the change. "$4.52 is your change," she smiled.

I stared at the change, then at her. "That's not right," I said. She looked at me, confused. "I gave you a $10, the change would be $3.48." I handed the money back to her.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "Our computer is down, and I have to do this by hand. I'm not very good at math." She counted out my change, and I left.

As I think back on this exchange, I feel sad, sad because it wasn't the first time it had happened, sad because I know it won't be the last. I taught high school math for years, and every year, the conversation was the same: "Why do I have to learn this? This isn't important. I'll never use this again in my whole life."

Unfortunately, students don't see the eventual impact of studying a subject. And when that subject is math, they see the value even less. I no longer teach full-time, but I look back on those conversations and think about how my reactions changed each year. The first year I taught, the question caught me off guard. "Because" was my standard answer. The second year, my response was similar, "If you want to graduate, you learn this stuff." It took me until my third year of teaching to realize that, if I genuinely wanted students to learn, they needed motivation. So, instead of my standard "because" and "if you want to pass" answers, I asked them what they'd like to do when they graduate—or when they "grow up". For each career path, I had "math" that they needed to know in order to be successful. For the construction workers, architects, and engineers, there was the geometry involved in getting a building to stand solidly. For the prospective teacher, it was the statistics involved in seeing if your tests were fair to the students. For the prospective "I want to be a stay-at-home mom", there was the calculating involved in maintaining a household. For the financial wizard wanna-be, there was the understanding of economics that comes with being a successful investor or accountant. For the stubborn, who insisted they didn't want to be anything, and didn't need math, a simple role-play involving them being "ripped-off" when they couldn't make change drove my point home.

Who needs math? We all do! We use it every day. Not only that, but the problem solving we learned during the days of "if one train leaves Springfield at 6:00pm travelling east at 75mph", can now help us with a myriad of "adult" crises. Do I have enough gas to get to work and back without filling the tank? Which bills do I pay and when in order to have enough money in the bank? How much grass seed do I need to cover that 10'×10' bare patch in the front yard?

For those still teaching, it is using these examples, and developing activities for students that bring the reality of math into their worlds. For parents, the same holds true. When your child complains that he or she "doesn't get" math, give your child an example. Take your child to the grocery store. Give your child $10. Tell your child to provide a dinner for the family, complete with the four basic food groups and dessert, for that $10. Show your child the importance of thinking mathematically. It will do your child some good—who knows, you might learn something too!

cashier

n. a person whose job is to receive and pay out money in a shop, hotel, etc. 出納員

pad

n. 便箋本;拍紙簿

confused

a. unable to think clearly; bewildered 糊塗的，迷惑的

computer

n. a machine that stores information and works out answers 計算機;電腦

conversation

n. informal talk 交談;談話

eventual

a. happening at last as a result 最後的;最終的

full-time

ad. 全日地;作為專職

a. 全日的;專任的

reaction

n. behavior, a feeling or an action that is a direct result of sth. else 反應，迴應

similar

a. having a likeness or resemblance 相似的;類似的

genuinely

ad. really 真正地

motivation

n. 動機，動力，誘因

construction

n. the act or process of constructing 建築

architect

n. a (qualified) person who designs buildings 建築師

geometry

n. 幾何(學)

involve

vt. 1. cause (sb.) to be connected with 牽涉

2. include or use (sth.) as a necessary part, etc. 包含，含有

solidly

ad. firmly 牢固地，堅固地

* prospective

a. possible, likely, expected; probable 預期的;未來的;可能的

statistics

n. 統計學

calculate

vt. determine by mathematics or by reckoning 計算

maintain

vt. 1. support (sb.) financially 贍養

2. continue to have; keep in existence 保持;維持

financial

a. concerning money and finance 財務的

wizard

n. a person with extraordinary abilities; genius 有非凡才能的人;奇才

wanna

v. (口)= want to

economics

n. 經濟學

investor

n. a person who invests money 投資者

accountant

n. 會計師;會計員

* stubborn

a. unreasonably unwilling to change 頑固的，執拗的

ripped-off

a. (俚語)(人)遭劫的;受剝削的;被欺詐的

pm

(縮)= afternoon 下午(源於拉丁文 post meridiem)

mph

(縮)= miles per hour 英里/小時

tank

n. a large container, usu. for liquid or gas (通常盛液體或氣體的.)大桶;箱;大容器;油箱

solve

vt. find an answer to (a problem, etc.); explain or make clear 解決;闡明;解釋

bare

a. without covering; empty 光禿的，無遮的;空的

patch

n. a small piece of land, esp. one used for growing vegetables (尤指種菜用的)小塊土地

complain

vt. & vi. speak in an unhappy, annoyed, dissatisfied way 抱怨;發牢騷

grocery

n. 食品雜貨店

basic

a. most simple in nature or level 基本的

dessert

n. any sweet dish, (eg. pie, ice-cream) eaten at the end of a meal (飯後的)甜食(如餡餅，冰激凌)

importance

n. the quality or state of being important 重要性

mathematically

ad. 從數學上

Phrases and Expressions

a pad of

一本(便箋本)

by hand

by a person, not a machine 用手

count out

count (sth.) one by one, esp. slowly 逐一數出

think back on

recall and reconsider (sth. in the past) 回想，回憶

catch sb. off guard

surprise sb. by doing sth. that he or she is not expecting and is not ready for 乘某人不備;使某人措手不及

be involved in

be part of, included in, mixed with 參與;捲入;牽涉進

rip off

cheat (sb.), esp. financially (尤指在錢財上)欺騙

drive sth. home

make sth. clearly understood 把…講得透徹明白，使充分理解

a myriad of

an extremely large number of 無數;極多

do sb. good

benefit sb. 有益於某人

Carlie Vanwilligen

卡利·範威利根

Springfield

斯普林菲爾德(美國地名)