Unit Three Groundless Beliefs
Period 9-10: Exercises
Preview: P72-74
1. Review how the folIowing words are formed.
1) poly-, mono- (prefix):
Øpoly- (prefix): more than one, e.g.
polygamy 多夫/多妻制; polysyllable 多音节; polycentric; polygon; polyethnic
Ømono- (prefix): single or one, e.g.
monogamy 一夫一妻制; monosyllable; monotonous/ monotony; monopoly; monologue; monarchy
2) be- (prefix): It often forms verbs with nouns (or occasionally adjectives), e.g.
belittle 轻视，贬低; behead砍头; befriend以朋友相待; bewitch 使着魔; bedevil 弄糟，搞坏;
besiege 包围; befit 适合，与……相称;
belabor啰嗦
(Note: These words are usually very formal.)
3) a- (prefix): lt often forrns adverbs with nouns or adjectives and can be used toindicate many things, e.g.
afresh (anew) 重新地; abreast 并肩地; adrift 漫无目的地; afloat 漂浮着;
afield 遥远地; astride 双脚分开(坐在上面)地; astray迷了路地/走入邪道地
4) -verse (root): It means "turning in a certain direction." lt can helpus to understand the meaning of these words if we know the uses of theirprefixes: con-, re-, di-, per-, in-, tra-.
Compare also these words with those verbs which share “vert", e.g.
convert使转变; reverse 使反转; divert 使转移; pervert 使堕落; invert 使倒置; avert 防止
5) de- (prefix): used for giving the word the opposite meaning, e.g.
desalinate 使脱盐/使(海水)淡化; dehydrate 使脱水; deport 驱逐出境;
de-escalate 逐步降级; deconstruct 解构; demobilize 使复员; degrade; deforest; defrost;
2. Review how nouns like the following are often used as verbs in an interesting way.
1) When used as verbs, these words often mean "acting the way these animals do." For example:
He is merely parroting. There is nothing original.
She managed to worm her way up to the top.
Those young people were determined not to snail behind the others.
He was so hungry that he wolfed down everything in less than one minute.
Luckily he ducked just in time to avoid the stone.
lt was a shame that he chickened out at the last moment.
lt was discovered that all the money had been squirreled away by corrupt officials.
A dirt road snaked through the forest.
She was dogged by reporters wherever she went.
There were three eye-witnesses, but they all clammed up.
2)When used as verbs, these words often mean "to take away these things." Forexample,
He was sitting there peeling an apple (huskingcorn/scaling or gutting a fish).
In those days there was no machine to shell peas and beans. It was all done by hand.
It was time to weed the garden.
There is an old saying that there is more than oneway to skin a cat.
We have to dust our rooms everyday first thing in the morning.
Note: When used as verbs, they can also often mean “to put these things in a certain place”. Forexample,
lt is about time to water the wheat. (浇水)
He was tarred and feathered. (身上涂了柏油，再粘上羽毛作为惩罚)
The walls are papered. (糊了墙纸的)
Your bike needs oiling. (该上油了)
4. Translate the following sentences, paying special attention to the different meanings of the words in bold type.
1) adopt an idea 采纳一个主意 adopt a child领养一个孩子
2) the striking workers 正在罢工的工人 a striking example 一个突出的例子
3)entertain guests 招待客人 entertain hopes 抱有希望
4) a scholar of great intellect 一个智力超群的学者
one of the greatest intellects of his time 他那个时代最伟大的思想家之一
5) a new flat 一套新公寓; lying flat in bed 平躺在床上;
flat farmland 平整的农田; a flat refusal 断然地拒绝;
be flat broke 彻底的破产
6) circle round 盘旋/转圈 form a circle 形成一个圆圆
the business cirlce工商界 the family circle家庭圈子
7) a set of rooms 一套房问 a set of rules 一套规则
a set speed limit 一个固定的车速限制 set ideas 固定的观点
a set expression 一个固定的表达方法 a set fee 一个固定的费用
the setting sun 落日/夕阳 set sb. laughing使某人大笑起来
set out 出发 setoff 燃放(焰火)
set up建立 set sth. somewhere 把某物放在某处
set an example 树立榜样
wait till the liquid sets 等液体凝固起来
8) buy stocks 买股票 a stock exchange 股票交易所
stock holders 股东 havesufficient stocks of sth.某物有足够存货
run out of stock 存货已经没有了
exhaust one's stock jokes讲完了某人的老笑话
Hollywood stock 好莱坞电影的老套
9) pick it up from the floor 从地板上把它捡起来
pick me up at the airport 到机场接我
be picked up by the police 给警察抓去了 pick up speed 加快了速度
pick up the conversation 继续谈话
(health, economy, etc.) is picking up 健康状况、经济等)正在好转/复苏
10) run out of (the room) 跑出(房间)
run out of money/ Money is running out. 钱用光了(钱快用光了。)
run out of time/ Time is running out.没有时间了(时间快没有了。)
(Passport, contract, etc.) has run out. (护照、合同等) 到期了
Vocabulary 5: P79
firm/ staunch/ resolute/ determined
firm: not likely to change 坚定的；确定的；坚决的
a firm believer in socialism 坚定信仰社会主义的人
a firm agreement/ date/ decision/ offer/ promise 巩固的协议；确定的日期；不能更改的决定；实盘；坚决的保证
firm beliefs/ conclusions/ convictions/ principles 坚定不移的信仰；定论；坚定的信念╱原则
She is a firm favourite with the children. 孩子们着实喜欢她。
We have no firm evidence to support the case. 我们没有确凿的证据支持这个论点。
They remained firm friends . 他们友情甚笃。
staunch: strong and loyal in your opinions and attitude 忠实的；坚定的
a staunch supporter of the monarchy 坚定地拥护君主制的人
one of the president's staunchest allies 总统最忠实的盟友之一
a staunch Catholic 笃信天主教的教徒
resolute: If you describe someone as resolute, you approve of them because they are very determined not to change their mind or not to give up a course of action. 坚定的
Voters perceive him as a decisive and resolute international leader.
He resolutely refused to speak English unless forced to.
determined: If you are determined to dosomething, you have made a firm decision to do it and will not let anything stop you. 坚决的
His enemies are determined to ruin him. 他的敌人决意要毁了他。
She shook her head, determinedly.
feelings/ emotions/ sentiments
feelings: something that you feel through the mind or through the senses （内心和感官的）感觉，感触。泛义词。
emotions: a strong feeling such as love, fear or anger; the part of a person's character that consists of feelings, as opposed to their thoughts. 强烈的感情；激情；情感；情绪 (与思想相对)
sentiments: A sentiment that people have is an attitude which is based on their thoughts and feelings. 情绪
the spread of nationalist sentiments 民族主义情绪的传播
Public sentiment is against any change to the law. 公众的意见是反对对该法律作任何修改。
cease/ stop/ pause/ halt/ end
cease: to stop happening or existing; to stop sth from happening or existing （使）停止，终止，结束
stop: to no longer continue to do sth; to make sb/ sth no longer do sth （使）中断，停止; to make sth end or finish （使）结束，终止
pause: to stop talking or doing sth for a short time before continuing 暂停；停顿
halt: When a person or a vehicle halts or when something halts them, they stop moving in the direction they were going and stand still. 使停住; 停住
n. an interruption or end to activity, movement, or progress (活动、运动或进展的)中止; 终止
end: to make sth finish 结束；终止
idea/ opinion/ assumption/ hunch/ conviction/ dogma/belief/ view
idea (forsth)/ of sth)/ (of doing sth): a plan, thought or suggestion, especially about what to do in a particular situation 想法；构思；主意
opin·ion (about/of/on sb/sth)~(that...): feelings or thoughts about sb/sth, rather than a fact 意见；想法；看法
as·sump·tion: a belief or feeling that sth is true or that sth will happen, although there is no proof 假定；假设
hunch: a feeling that sth is true even though you do not have any evidence to prove it 预感；直觉
conviction: a strong opinion or belief 坚定的看法（或信念）
dogma: (often disapproving) a belief or set of beliefs held by a group or organization, which others are expected to accept without argument 教义；教理；信条；教条
belief: [C. usually pl.] something that you believe, especially as part of your religion 信仰；宗教信仰
[sing. U] ~ (that...) an opinion about sth; sth that you think is true 看法；信念
view: [C] ~ (about/on sth) a personal opinion about sth; an attitude towards sth （个人的）看法，意见，见解；态度
Grammar—P81
2. Learn more about the subjunctive mood.
1. Once an opinion is accepted, whatever be the cause of its acceptance, it has a strong tendency to persist.
2. I suggest you wear moccasins, they leave a poorer trail.
3. So, when it was time to return to our home outside of Philadelphia, I insisted that we take a different route.
4. The following morning in sailed Mrs Yesno, wild with anger, who demanded Maheegun be shot because he had killed her rooster.
5. My father's govemment job demanded that he go overseas every few years, so I was used to wrenching myself away from friends.
6. The international community urged that the warring sides of the country stop fighting immediately.
7. The school requires that each and every student wear uniform on Monday.
8. In case of fire or bomb scare, it was essential that all exits be kept clear.
9. The study recommends that every young person have the chance to take part in adventurous outdoor activity.
10. On retirement from the company, an employee, be he a secretary or CEO, is presented with a gift pack containing a selection of its products.
In the above ten sentences, the subjunctive mood is used in these ways:
1) in reporting suggestions, in other words, in a that-clause after such verbs as "advise," "ask,""command," "demand," "insist," "order,""require," "propose," "recommend," "suggest,""urge," etc., as in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
2) in a conditional clause introduced by"whether" or "whatever" when the verb is "be," as in 1
3) in a that-clause after such adjectives as"desirable," "essential," "necessary," " important,""vital," etc., as in 8 (Note: This form is most common in academic prose.)
II. Extended exercises
Speaking-2: P74
Give a two-minute talk on one of the following topics.
1. Many of our beliefs . .. are held simply as a result of the fact that we happen to have been "brought up" to them. (para. 3)
2. Most people, most of the time, are mere parrots. (para. 4)
3. .. . as we leave childhood, we tend to acceptonly such new ideas as fit in with the ideas we already hold. (para. 4)
4. . .. the fact that a belief is "old" is no argument in its favor. (para. 5)
5. We need especially to be on our guard when we come across propositions which seem to be "obviously" true. (para. 6)
6. When we find ourselves entertaining an opinion about which there is a feeling that even to enquire into it would be absurd ... , we may know that that opinion is a non-rational one. (para. 7)
7. We adopt and cling to some beliefs because ... it"pays" us to do so. (para. 14)
8. Many groundless opinions are held through sentimental associations. (para. 18)
9. Other opinions .. . are determined by what we may best call Fashion. (para. 20)
10. Once an opinion is accepted, ... it has a strong tendency to persist. Sooner or later our minds become fixed. (para. 22)
III. Extended Reading
Tara Westover, Educated [M].London: Windmill, 2018
