Passage A

                                                          You’ll Never Be Famous—And That’s O.K.

Emily Esfahani Smith

（译文）你永远不会出名——这不要紧

    1   Today's college students want to change the world, but too many think that living a meaningful life requires doing something extraordinary and remarkable like becoming an Internet star, starting a wildly successful company or ending a humanitarian crisis.

Cultural note:

Emily Esfahani Smith is a famous author, journalist as well as speaker. She is especially known for her book The Power of Meaning which has been translated into more than 10 different languages. Her articles have appeared in many famous periodicals and magazines such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. As a keynote speaker, she has also delivered many speeches at lots of conferences and corporations around the world.

Note: 该段中多处使用了动名词结构，譬如 “living ameaningful life” 是动名词做主语的用法；

“doing something extraordinary and remarkable” 和“becoming an Internet star, starting a wildly successful company or ending a humanitariancrisis” 是动名词做宾语的用法。

“doingsomething extraordinary and remarkable” 中，形容词extraordinary 和 remarkable 做后置定语修饰 something。

meaningful a . having a meaning that is easy to understand and makes sense 有意义的

e.g. He could find nothing meaningful to do apart from making money.

除了挣钱他找不到任何有意义的事情做。

This test has produced a very meaningful result deserving our attention.

这项测试形成了一个值得我们关注的结果。

remarkable a. worthy of note or attention 引人注目的，卓越的

e.g. Only remarkable stuff can be remembered forever.

只有卓越的事物才会被永久记住。

Johann Sebastian Bach was a remarkable composer and musician of the Baroque period.

约翰·赛巴斯蒂安·巴赫是巴洛克时期卓越的作曲家和音乐家。

wildly ad . extremely 非常，极其

e.g. The pop group is wildly popular in China.

这个流行组合在中国极其受欢迎。

The odd design was wildly loved by the public.

这个古怪的设计深受大众的喜爱。

humanitarian crisis人道主义危机

（译文）今天的大学生想要改变世界，但是太多人认为，过上有意义的生活需要做一些非凡而卓越的事情，比如成为一名网红，创办一家极其成功的公司，或者终结一场人道主义危机。

2  Having hopes and dreams forthe future is part of being young. But thanks to social media, purpose and success have become confused with fame: Extraordinary lives look like the norm online. Yet the idea that a meaningful life must be or appear remarkable is not only limited but also misguided.

Having hopes and dreams for the future is part of being young.

Note: “having hopes and dreams” 是动名词做主语；“being young” 是动名词做介词of 的宾语。

But thanks tosocial media, purpose and success have become confused with fame: Extraordinary lives look like the norm online.

Paraphrase: Since the social media is filled with extraordinary people and events, people tend to take them as normal lives, believing that a purposeful and successful life should be as glamorous as those on the Internet.

thanks to  on account of; becauseof 由于，因为

e.g. Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller.

由于有了互联网，世界变得更小了。

A disabled young man wins Harvard place, thanks to his mother's devotion.

多亏了他妈妈的奉献，残疾的年轻人进入了哈佛。

fame n. being known and talked about by many people 名声；声誉；名气

e.g. He gained international fame as a writer.

他是国际知名的作家。

She became a slave of the fleeting fame.

她沦为那转瞬即逝的名气的奴隶。

norm n. a situation or a pattern of behavior that is usual or expected 常态；标准行为

e.g. Going Dutch seems to be the norm in my experience.

我的经历中，AA 制似乎是常态。

Citizens should live by the social norms to make sure the society runs smoothly.

市民应该遵循社会准则，这样社会才能正常运行。

Yet the idea that a meaningful life must be or appear remarkable is not only limited but also misguided.

Note: 此处idea之后 that 引导的是同位语从句。

misguided a. being wrong because of a wrong understanding of a situation

（观点，看法） 错误的

e.g. If given wrong information, people may be misguided.

如果得到的是错误信息，人们可能会被误导。

It turned out that her approach to the problem was fundamentally misguided.

结果证明她解决问题的方法从根本上说是错误的。

（译文）年轻当然会对未来怀揣希望和梦想。但是，由于社交媒体的存在，目标和成功已经与声名显赫混为一谈：非同凡响的生活看起来就像是互联网上的常态。然而，一个有意义的人生必须是或看起来非比寻常的观念不仅是有局限的，而且是错误的。

3     The most meaningful lives, I've learned, are often not the extraordinary ones. They're the ordinary ones lived with dignity.

dignity n. the fact of being respected ordeserving respect 尊严

e.g. We cannot afford tolose dignity.

我们丢不起尊严。

Gender violence occurring within families is a matter of human dignity.

发生在家庭中的性别暴力事关人类尊严。

（译文）我认识到最有意义的人生往往不是那些卓越的人生，而是平凡的、有尊严的人生。

4     There's perhaps no better expression of that wisdom than George Eliot's Middlemarch ,    a book I think every college student should read. At 700-some pages, it requires devotion and discipline. Much like a meaningful life, the completion of this book is hard-won and requires effort. The heroine of the novel is Dorothea Brooke, a wealthy young gentlewoman in a provincial English town. Dorothea has a passionate nature and yearns to accomplish some good in the world as a philanthropist. The novel's hero, Tertius Lydgate, is an ambitious young doctor who hopes to make important scientific discoveries. Both hope to lead epiclives.

There's perhaps no better expression of that wisdom than George Eliot's Middlemarch ...

Note: 在比较句型中使用否定词 "no",“nobody”, “nothing” 表示最高级的意思。例如：

I like nothing better than reading. 我最喜欢读书。

Nobody knows you better than yourself. 你自己最了解自己。

expression n. the action of making known one's thoughts or feelings 表达，表示

e.g. Anna's speech was an expression of her views on this case.

安娜的演讲表达了她对这个案件的观点。

She felt sad beyond expression.

她感到难以言喻的痛苦。

wisdom  n . good sense and judgment 智慧

e.g. Those who seek wisdom in books will find it.

那些在书籍里寻求智慧的人终将得偿所愿。

Guiguzi was seenby his followers as the source of all wisdom.

鬼谷子被他的弟子们视为无所不知的智者。

devotion n. marked by dedicated loyalty 忠诚，热爱

e.g. My father tried to teach me the importance of hard work and devotion to a career.

我的父亲试图教给我努力工作和投身事业的重要性。

Sun Yat-sen's dedication and devotion to his country and people deserve being remembered.

孙中山先生对于祖国和人民的奉献和热爱值得被铭记。

discipline n . the ability to control your own behavior 自制力

e.g. Discipline brings success.

自制力带来成功。

The military taught himself discipline.

军队教会他自律。

hard-won a . acquired through effort or in spite of problems 得来不易的

e.g. I can lead acomfortable life with this hard-won money.

我可以用这笔来之不易的钱过上舒适的生活。

heroine n . 女主角

novel n . ( 长篇 ) 小说

passionate a . having or showing strong feelings 热情的，热诚的

e.g. If you want to move up the company ladder you need to be passionate about your work.

你若想在公司升职就要对工作抱有热情。

The best ideas arise from passionate interest in commonplace things.

最好的想法来自于对平凡事物的浓厚兴趣。

yearn  v . to be filled with longing or desire 渴望，向往

e.g. I believe all artists yearn for recognition.

我相信所有的艺术家都渴望被承认。

I yearn to become a scientist.

我渴望成为一个科学家。

accomplish v . to succeed in doing something 完成，实现

e.g. They had successfully accomplished a rather difficult task.

他们成功完成了一项相当艰巨的任务。

It took him three years to accomplish this detective novel.

他花了三年时间完成了这部侦探小说。

philanthropist n . 慈善家

ambitious  a . having a strong desire for success or achievement 雄心勃勃的

e.g. Hilary Clinton is a highly ambitious politician.

希拉里·克林顿是个雄心勃勃的政治家。

Starbucks has an ambitious expansion plan in China.

星巴克在中国有一个雄心勃勃的扩张计划。

epic a . of heroic or impressive proportions 英雄的，壮丽的

e.g.  China has sailed BRICS ship on an epic voyage.

中国将金砖国家之船送上壮丽旅程。

The Aeneid  is a long epic poem telling the story of how Aeneas, a Trojanleader, left the city of Troy and eventually arrived in Italy.

《埃涅阿斯记》是一部长篇史诗，讲述了特洛伊英雄埃涅阿斯离开特洛伊城，最终率众到达意大利的故事。

（译文）也许没有什么比乔治·艾略特（George Eliot）的《米德尔马契》（Middlemarch ）能够更好地表达这种智慧，我认为每位大学生都应该阅读这本书。这本书有700多页，读完它需要全心投入和自我约束。读完这本书很辛苦，需要努力，就像一个有意义的生活。小说的女主角叫多萝西娅·布鲁克（Dorothea Brooke），是英国地方小镇上的一位年轻富有的淑女。多萝西娅生性热情，渴望成为慈善家，为世界作出善举。小说中的男主人公特尔蒂乌斯·利德盖特（Tertius Lydgate）是一位雄心勃勃的年轻医生，希望能够获得重大科学发现。两人都希望过上史诗般壮丽的生活。

5                                                  Both Dorothea and Tertius end up in disastrous marriages—she to the preacher Mr. Casaubon, he to the town beauty Rosamond. Slowly, their dreams wither away. Rosamond, who is vain and superficial, wants Tertius to pursue a career paying enough to support her extraordinary tastes, and by the end of the novel, he yields, abandoning his scientific quest to become a doctor to the rich. Though conventionally “successful,” he dies at 50 believing himself a failure for not following through on his original life plan.

end up  to become eventually 最终；到头来

e.g. He ended up working at Walmart.

他最终在沃尔玛工作。

The murderer will end up with a bullet in his head.

这个谋杀犯最终会被枪毙。

disastrous a . very bad, or ending in failure 灾难性的；以失败告终的

e.g. The disastrous earthquake claimed thousands of people's lives.

那场严重的地震夺取了成千上万人的性命。

Due to the exposure of a scandal, his performance in the election was disastrous.

由于丑闻的曝光，他的选举情况很糟糕。

marriage n . 婚姻

preacher n . 牧 师

wither (away) v . to lose vigor or freshness 枯槁，萎缩；消失

e.g. The flowers withered due to heat.

花儿因受热而枯萎。

With new technologies, whole new categories of jobs are being created, while others wither away.

随着新技术的出现，全新的工作岗位正在形成，而另一些则逐渐消失。

vain a . proud of sb.'s good looks, abilities, or position 自负的，虚荣的

e.g. She is vain of her  accomplishments, and wishes to show them off in public.

她对自己的成就颇为自负，希望在公共场合炫耀。

Men are more vain than women.

男人比女人更自负。

superficial a . understanding only the easily apparent and obvious; not profound 表面的，肤浅的

e.g. Many people only possess a superficial understanding of this theory.

很多人对这个理论只有肤浅的理解。These people are superficial fame seekers. 这些人是肤浅的追名逐利者。

...wants Tertius to pursue a career paying enough to...

Note: 该处的 “paying enough to...” 是现在分词做后置定语修饰“career”。

...and by the end of the novel, he yields, abandoning his scientific quest to become a doctor to the rich.

Note: 在这里，abandoning...是现在分词做伴随状语，本段同样的用法还有believing himself a failure for not following through on his original life plan.

pursue v . to do sth. or try to achieve sth. over a period of time 追求；致力于

e.g. Eric feels inclined to pursue his own interests.

艾瑞克觉得想要从事自己感兴趣的事。

Professor Zhang has been doggedly pursuing his studiesin medicine for more than twenty years.

张教授已坚持不懈地从事医学研究 20 多年了。

yield v . to give up under pressure; to produce放弃；生产

e.g. Never yield to the enemy! 不要向敌人屈服！

President Trump is expected to yield to pressure, both from within his administration and from allies abroad.

预计特朗普总统将会屈服于来自于政府内部和国外盟友的压力。

近义词：give in

quest n . a long search for something that is difficult to find 寻求；探索

e.g. Human beings are always in quest for the mystery of the universe.

人类一直在追求宇宙的奥秘。

Never stop your quest for knowledge.

永远不要停止对知识的追求。

follow through  carry some project orintention to full completion 坚持完成

e.g. Set specific goals and follow through.

确立明确的目标并坚持到底。

Few trust Tom tofollow through on his promises.

几乎没人相信汤姆会坚守承诺。

original a . having to do with an origin; earliest  最初的

e.g. How many of us can accomplish our original dream?

我们中有多少人能够实现最初的梦想 ?

Developers have abandoned their original goal of building the world's first zero-carbon city in the UAE desert.

开发商已经放弃了在阿联酋沙漠建设世界第一座零碳城市的初衷。

（译文）多萝西娅和特尔蒂乌斯最终都陷入灾难般的婚姻——多萝西娅嫁给了卡萨波恩牧师

（Casaubon），特尔蒂乌斯娶了小镇美人罗莎蒙德（Rosamond）。慢慢地，他们的梦想破灭了。罗莎蒙德既虚荣又肤浅，她希望特尔蒂乌斯从事高薪职业来满足她的非凡品味。到小说结尾时，他屈服了，放弃科学探索从而成为富人的医生。尽管获得传统意义上的“成功”，但是在 50岁去世时特尔蒂乌斯却认为自己是没有遵循人生初心的失败者。

               6                            As for Dorothea, after the Reverend Casaubon dies, she marries her true love, Will Ladislaw. But her larger ambitions go unrealized. At first it seems that she, too, has wasted her potential.

as for concerning, about 关于

e.g. As for me, I have nothing to complain of.

至于我，没有什么可抱怨的。

As for me, I was once a super fan of the Toronto Raptors.

至于我，曾经是多伦多猛龙队的超级球迷。

（译文）至于多萝西娅，在卡萨波恩牧师去世之后，她嫁给了她的真爱，威尔·拉迪斯拉夫（WillLadislaw）。但是，她未能实现更大的报负。咋一看，她似乎也浪费了她的潜力。

7                                             Tertius's tragedy is that he never reconciles himself to his dull reality. Dorothea's triumph is that she does.

reconcile v . to find an acceptable way of dealing with two or more ideas or needs that seem

to be opposed to each other 将就，妥协

e.g. You must reconcile yourself to a life of poverty now.

你现在必须向贫困的生活妥协。

比较reconcile with & reconcile to

reconcile with: to make compatible,harmonious, or consistent 与…协调

e.g. I need to reconcile my way of thinking with yours. 

我需要将我的思维方式与你的思维方式进行统一。

reconcile to: to make content, submissive, or compliant 向…妥协

e.g. He was reconciled to hardship. 他屈服于苦难。

dull a . not interesting or exciting 枯燥无味的；无聊的

e.g. The lecture was long and dreadfully dull.

那讲座既冗长又极其枯燥乏味。

Your work seems a little dull at times. 你的工作有时看上去有点儿无聊。

Dorothea's triumph is thatshe does.

Note: 该句是省略句，完整形式为：Dorothea's triumph is that she reconciles herself to the reality.

triumph n. victory, achievement 胜利，成果

e.g. Steffen Graf returned home in triumph after winning the tennis tournament.

网球赛结束后，斯蒂芬·格拉芙凯旋归家。

Federer revealed to the media how he would celebrate his triumph.

费德勒向媒体透露他将如何庆祝他的胜利。

（译文）特尔蒂乌斯的悲剧在于，他永远未能向乏味的现实妥协。多萝西娅的胜利在于她做到了。

8.            By novel's end, she settles into life as a wife and a mother, and becomes, Eliot writes, the “foundress of nothing.” It may be a letdown for the reader, but not for Dorothea. She dedicates herself to being a mother and wife.

By novel's end, she settles into life as a wife and a mother, and becomes, Eliot writes, the“foundress of nothing.”

Paraphrase: By novel's end, she gets accustomed to life as a wife and a mother. In Eliot's words, she accomplishes nothing great.

settle into  to become adapted to and at ease in an environment 习惯于；适应

e.g. It takes some time to settle into a new culture.

适应新文化需要一段时间。

Infants need several months to settle into a regular cycle of sleep.

婴儿需要几个月的时间才能适应规律的睡眠周期。

foundress n . a female founder 女创始人 

letdown  n . disappointment 失望

e.g. This new movie is a letdown for the audience.

这部新电影让观众失望。

Afraid of letting his mother down, Eric worked very hard for his term test.

怕让妈妈失望，艾瑞克为了期末考学习非常刻苦。

dedicate v . to give all your attention and effort to one particular thing 致力于，献身于

e.g. He is totally dedicated to his job and cares little about his family.

他一心扑在工作上，对家人鲜有关心。

In an election speech, he said he would dedicate himself to protecting the rights of doctors.

在选举演讲中，他说他将致力于保护医生的权益。

（译文）在小说的结尾，多萝西娅以贤妻良母的身份安居乐业，艾略特写道，“她一无所成”。这可能会让读者失望，但对于多萝西娅来说却不然。她全心投入母亲和妻子的角色。

9.            Looking out her window one day, she sees a family making its way down the road and comes to the realization that she needs to begin to live in themoment. Rather than give in to the despair of disappointed dreams, she embraces her life as it is and contributes to those around  her as she can. Eliot's final words on Dorothea, which is one of the most beautiful passages in literature, capture what a meaningful life is about: connecting and contributing to something beyond the self, in whatever humble form that may take.

Looking out her window one day, she sees a family making its way down the road and comes to the realization that she needs to begin to live in the moment.

Note: “Looking out her window one day” 在这里是现在分词做时间状语；“making itsway down the road” 是现在分词做后置定语修饰 “family”。

realization n . the process of becoming aware of sth.认识，领会

e.g. Amy came to the realization that she would never be a good mother.

艾米渐渐意识到她成不了好妈妈。

She has a dawning realization of what he had done.

她越来越清晰地认识到他干了什么。

give in to    submit or yield to another's wish or opinion 同意；屈服于

e.g. The strong-willed people will never give in to the fate.

意志坚强的人不会屈服于命运。

Under no circumstances will we give in to the threats from foreign countries.

在任何情况下，我们都不能屈服于国外的威胁。

embrace v . to eagerly accept a new idea, opinion, religion,etc.接受；拥抱

e.g. Tom embraced his girlfriend tightly before saying goodbye.

在告别之前，汤姆紧紧地拥抱着女友。

He embraces every day with a positive attitude.

他以积极的态度迎接每一天。

contribute  v . to offer help or give sth., especially money or goods to sb. 贡献；捐赠

e.g. Optimism can contribute to success.

乐观有助于成功。

We should be grateful for the challenges that contribute to our growth.

我们应该对那些有助于成长的挑战心存感激。

literature n . written material such as poetry,novels, essays, etc. 文学作品

capture v . to get control of a place or object 抓住；掌握

e.g. The camera captured perfectly how the kid was kidnapped.

摄像机十分准确地记录了孩子是如何遭绑架的。

This book failed to capture the essence of the Chinese nation.

这本书没能抓住中华民族的精髓。

...connecting and contributing to something beyond the self, in whatever humble form that may take.

Paraphrase: One should be connected to someone or something other than themselves and

make contribution to it, no matter how tiny it is.

self n. 自 我

humble a . modest; lowly 谦逊的；低下的

e.g. Abraham Lincoln, who was of humble origin, became the 16th President of the USA.

出身卑微的亚伯拉罕·林肯成为美国第 16任总统。

I occupy only a humble position in the company. 

我只是公司的一个低职位员工。

（译文）有一天，当她从窗外看出去，她看到一家人正沿着路向前走，她意识到她需要开始活

在当下。她没有屈服于梦想受挫的绝望，而是接受生活的本来面目，尽其所能为周围人做出贡献。艾略特关于多萝西娅的最后一段话是文学中最美丽的段落之一，它抓住了生活的意义所在：与自我之外的某种事物产生联系，并为之作出贡献，无论它是多么的微不足道。

10     Most young adults won't achieve the idealistic goals they've set for themselves. They won't become the next Mark Zuckerberg. But that doesn't mean their lives will lack significance and worth. We all have a circle of people whose lives we can touch and improve—and we can find our meaning in that.

Most young adults won't achieve the idealistic goals they've set forthemselves.

Note:该句中 they've set forthemselves 是省略了关系代词 that 的定语从句，修饰 “goals”。先行词在定语从句中做set的宾语。

achieve  v . to successfully complete something or get a good result 取得，获得

e.g. The present planwould not help us achieve our objectives.

现有的计划是不能帮我们实现目标的。

Johnson eventually achieved his ambition to be elected as mayor.

约翰森最终实现抱负，当选市长。

significance n . the importance of sth. especially when this has an effect on what happens in

the future 重要性，意义

e.g. It's very difficult to grab the significance of his remarks.

很难抓住他的言论的意义。

The dialogue between China and the US is of global significance.

中美之间的对话具有全球意义。

We all have acircle of people whose lives we can touch and improve — and we can find our meaning in that.

Paraphrase: We all know some people—our family, friends, or just people around us, and we

can contribute to them in their daily lives. By doing so, we can also find meaning in life.

（译文）大多数年轻人无法达到他们为自己设定的理想目标。他们不会成为下一个马克·扎克伯格（Mark Zuckerberg）。但这并不意味着他们的生活将缺乏意义和价值。我们都有一个可以触及到的圈子，我们可以改善这些人的生活——我们可以从中发掘自身的意义所在。

11       A new and growing body of research within psychology about meaningfulness confirms the wisdom of Eliot's novel—that meaning is found not in success and glamour but in the ordinary. One research study showed that adolescents who did household chores felt a stronger sense of purpose. Why? The researchers believe it's because they're contributing to something bigger: their family. Another study found that cheering up a friend was anactivity that created meaning in a young adult's life. People who see their occupations as an opportunity to serve their immediate community find more meaning in their work, whether it's an accountant helping his client or a factory worker supporting her family with a paycheck.

confirm v . to prove the truth 证实，确认

e.g. The witnesses confirmed the victim's account.

目击者证实了受害者的叙述。

Prince Charles' letters confirm that he's not fit to be king.

查尔斯王子的信证实他不适合当国王。

glamour n . the attractive and exciting quality of being connected with wealth and success 魅力；诱惑力

e.g. The glamour of films attracts many people to Mumbai.

电影的魅力吸引了许多人前往孟买。

She realized the glamour which her new dress cast over her.

她意识到这条新裙子带给她的魅力。

adolescent n . 青少年

household chores  家务活

cheer upto make or become happy or hopeful 使…高兴；使…振作

e.g. Whenever I feel gloomy, my best friend will try her best to cheer me up.

我一感到心情郁闷，我的好朋友就会尽力让我高兴起来。

She broke up with her boyfriend so Jack sent her a present to cheer her up.

她和男朋友分手了，所以杰克给她礼物使她振作起来。

occupation  n . a person's work or profession 职业；工作

e.g. Every college graduate faces the problem of choosing an occupation.

每个大学毕业生都面临着选择职业的问题。

Your occupation and work habits could be an indication of what kind of a person you are.

你的职业和工作习惯可以说明你是什么样的一个人。

whether it's an accountant helping his client or a factory worker supporting her family with a paycheck.

Note: 该句中现在分词结构 “helping his client” 和 “supporting her family...” 做后置定语，分别

修饰 “an accountant” 和 “a factory worker”。

accountant n . 会计师  client  n . 客户；委托人  paycheck  n . 工资单

（译文）在心理学中，有关意义的最新研究证实了艾略特小说中的智慧——意义不在于成功和魅力，而在于平凡。一项调查研究表明，做家务的青少年感受到更强烈的目标感。为什么？研究人员认为这是因为他们正在为更大的事业做出贡献：他们的家庭。另一项研究发现，鼓励朋友能为年轻人的生活创造意义。把自己的职业看作有机会为社区服务的人们会在工作中发掘更多意义，无论他是一位帮助客户的会计师还是靠薪水养家的工厂女工。

12      As students head to school this year, they should consider this: You don't have to change the world or find your one true purpose to lead a meaningful life. A good life is a life of goodness—and that's something anyone can aspire to, no matter their dreams or circumstances.

head to 朝…走去

e.g. At the sight of her beloved boyfriend, she gracefully headed to him.

看到她深爱的男友，她优雅地朝他走去。

The young soldier headed to the enemy citadel without even looking back.

那年轻的士兵头也不回地向敌人的大本营走去。

consider v . think about 考虑

e.g. You'd better seriously consider the possibility of studying abroad.

你最好认真考虑出国留学的可能性。

The boss is considering Anna for the position of sales manager.

老板正考虑让安娜任销售经理。

A good life is alife of goodness—and that's something anyone can aspire to, no matter their dreams or circumstances.

Paraphrase: The meaning of life can be found in simple acts of kindness. That's something

anyone can accomplish, no matter what dreams they have and what situations they are in.

...and that's something anyone can aspire to...

Note: 该处 “anyone can aspire to” 是省略了关系代词 that 的定语从句，修饰 something。

goodness n . kindness, virtue, excellence 善良；美德；优良

e.g. She is are presentation of absolute goodness and purity.

她是绝对善良和纯洁的代表。

According to Aristotle only the friendship of those who are good, and similar in their goodness, is perfect.

根据亚里士多德的观点，只有那些品德高尚且拥有相似美德的人之间的友谊才是完美的。

aspire v . to be ambitious 向往，渴望

e.g.  He aspires to become a doctor.

他渴望成为一名医生。

Men's lacrosse aspires for success after facing losses.

男子曲棍球队在失利后渴望获得成功。

（译文）今年，当学生进入学校时，他们应该思考这一点：想要一个有意义的人生，你不必改变世界，或者找到一个真正的目标。美好的生活是充满善意的生活——这是任何人都可以追求的，无论他们的梦想如何，或是身处何种环境。

Understanding the Reading

Task 1      Identifying main ideas

Complete the summary with key information from the passage. More than one answer may be possible.

In GeorgeEliot's Novel Middlemarch, the main characters, Dorothea and Tertius, both aspire to 1. live epic lives, but both end up in 2. disastrous marriages. Tertius gives up his dream to become a doctor for the rich for his vain wife. And after Dorothea's husband dies, she marries 3. her true love. While at first it seems that she has wasted her potential, she later happily dedicates herself to 4. being a mother and wife, contributing to those around her as much as she can, and proving that a life lived with quiet dignity is 5. often the most meaningful.

Task 2Reading for details

The following statements about the details in the passage are incorrect. Correct them on the lines according to your understanding.

1.         Middlemarch is a short novel that can be finished quickly.

Middlemarch is along novel that requires devotion and discipline to finish.

2.          The heroine of Middlemarch is Dorothea Brooke, a vain woman who does not want to work.

The heroine of Middlemarch is Dorothea Brooke, a passionate woman who wants to accomplish some good in the world as a philanthropist.

3.          The hero of Middlemarch , Tertius Lydgate, ends up in a happy marriage to a kind and gentle woman named Rosamond.

The hero of Middlemarch, Tertius Lydgate, ends up in a disastrous marriage to a vain and superficial woman named Rosamond.

4.          After Dorothea's husband dies, she pursues her dream of becoming a doctor.

AfterDorothea's husband dies, she marries her true love, Will Ladislaw, and dedicates herself to being a mother and wife.

5.          Tertius dies happily, having become a successful pastor later in life.

Tertius dies unhappily, believing himself a failure for not following through on his original life plan.

Task 3Note answers to thequestions below. Discuss with a partner.

1.     Why do you think that extraordinary lives look like the norm on social media?

Suggested answer:

I think that extraordinary lives look like the norm on social media, because people take care only to share the best parts of their lives with others online.

2.     What does George Eliot mean when she describes Dorothea as a“foundress of nothing”?

Suggested answer:

She means that Dorothea has wasted the potential that she showed at the beginning of the novel, and that she now has nothing to show for herself.

3.     What is one piece of advice you would have given Tertius in order tolive a happy life?

Suggested answer:

I would have told Tertius that sometimes people's life plans change, and that his life will have meaning regardless of his career, as long as he can contribute to the betterment of those around him.

Exploring Vocabulary

Task 4 These sentences are about the passage. Complete them with the target words and phrases in the box. Change the form when necessary.

1. The author appreciates the wisdom of GeorgeEliot's book Middlemarch.

2. Online, extraordinary lives appear to be the norm.

3. A person who sees his or her occupation as a chance to serve others finds more meaning in it.

4.     When we meet Dorothea, she wishes to accomplish some good in the world as a philanthropist.

5.    The idea that a meaningful life must be remarkable is misguided.

6.     Rosamond is a(n) superficial character.

7.     By the end of Middlemarch, Tertius decides to abandon his original goal.

8.    Because of social media, success and purpose have been confused with fame.

9.    A life of goodness is somethingthat any person can aspire to.

10. At first, Dorothea yearns for an extraordinary life.

11. Tertius does not follow throughon his quest to become adoctor.

12.  Dorothea ends up in a(n) disastrous marriage to Mr.Casaubon.

13.  The most meaningful lives are often not the extraordinary ones, butthe ordinary ones lived with dignity.

14.  At 700 pages, Middlemarch requires discipline tocomplete.

15.  By the end of Middlemarch, Dorothea is able to embrace her role as a mother and wife.

Task 5These sentences use the target words and phrases in new contexts. Complete them with the words and phrases in the box. Change the form when necessary.

1.    One child per family is quickly becoming the norm in many countries.

2.    Alex is a translator by occupation.

3.    My grandmother shared avaluable bit of wisdom withme.

4.    Your report shows only a(n) superficial understanding of the book.

5.     Liza is a(n) remarkable violin player despite her young age.

6.     Rasha decided to abandon the first draft of her essay and start over.

7.     The dignity of the evening was spoiled when she spilled wine on the host of the event.

8.     Very few people who aspire to great wealth ever achieve it.

9.     The author's fame spread internationally after the success of her first book.

10.     Many elderly people are unwilling to embrace new technologies.

11.     The leaders of the two countries are united in their quest for peace.

12.    Being in charge of a kitchen requires a great deal of discipline.

13.    The oil spill had a(n) disastrous effect on the environment.

14.    I yearn for someone to talk to when I am feeling lonely.

15.    The task will not be easy, but I believe that we can accomplish it.

Task 6Word forms

Look back over the passage, or consult your dictionary to find the missing word forms in the chart. After completing the chart, for each sentence below, look at the row in the chart with the same number, and choose the correct word formto complete the sentence.

1.     One does not have to achieve fame in order to live meaningfully.

2.    I wish to express my thanks to you for the thoughtful gift.

3.    I am still waiting for confirmation of the test results.

4.    She will be remembered for her selfless devotion to the less fortunate.

5.    Mara is a(n) passionate supporter of the arts.

6.    The government unveiled a(n) ambitious plan to modernize the city's subway system.

7.    My sister has moved to the south in pursuit of ajob.

8.    Noel is originally from Puerto Rico, but has lived in Florida for 15 years.

9.    The thief sought reconciliation with those he had stolenfrom.

10. Rachel triumphantly announced her promotion.

11. As a soldier, he dedicated his life to the service of hiscountry.

12. Thank you for your generous contribution to thecharity.

13. Many health problems can be significantly reduced if you eat a nutritious diet.

14.  The storm caused considerable damage to our roof.

Task 7Collocations

Use collocations from the passage to complete the sentences below. Some of the words or phrases are given in the brackets. More than one answer may be possible.

Example:

I can't come over tonight, because I need to get over this mountain of math homework. (mountain)

1.    I have set a goal tostudy for 2 hours each night until the exam.(goal)

2.    Tula has decided to pursue a career in law after graduation.(career)

3.    We did not follow through with the original plan. (follow,plan)

4.     For over 30 years, my mother has been dedicated to teaching music to children. (dedicate, teach)

5.    In the distance,I spotted a large truck making its way down the road.(makeway,road)

Task 8     Reading in depth

There is a short passage with 10 blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in the box following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

Awell-known 1. fable tells the story of a dog who would sneak up on people and bite at their heels. He was so ill-tempered and 2. mischievous that everyone in the town would complain of his 3. behavior to hismaster. The man grew tired of people's complaints about his dog, so he decided to 4. fasten a large, silver bell around the dog's 5. collar. Now, people would be able to hear him coming and avoid him. Because none of theother dogs in the town had bells around their necks, he believed his bell  to be a mark of 6. distinction. The dog proudly walked through the market and rang it noisily, wishing to attract everybody's 7. attention. As he was wondering why he was unable to 8.impress anyone, an older dog approached him and asked, “Why do you 9. exhibit yourself in such a way?The bell you wear is a notice to people to avoid you. Your 10. fame is not something to be proud of.”

Sentence Structures

Task 9Construct the sentences with the words or phrases given, following the model.

Model 1:

Yet the idea that a meaningful life must be or appear remarkable is not only limited

but also misguided.

【not only...but also... 表示“不但…而且…”】

1.     the car, economical, environmentally friendly

→ The car is not only economical, but also environmentally friendly.

2.    my best friend, forget birthday, not apologize for

→ My best friend not only forgot my birthday, but also did not apologize for forgetting it.

3.    fail, most of classes, drop out of college

→ Craig not only failed most of his classes, but also dropped out of college.

Model 2:

Meaning is found not in success and glamour but in the ordinary.

【not...but... 表示“不是…而是…”】

1.      find the broom, in the kitchen, in the laundry room

→ You can findthe broom not in the kitchen but in the laundry room.

2.       decide to order, the burger, the pizza

→ Nicky decided to order not the burger but the pizza.

3.       move, to a house, to an apartment

→ We are moving not to a house but to an apartment.

Task10    Sentence translation

Translate the following sentences into English, using the words and phrases in the brackets.

1.          这项法律旨在保护来之不易的言论自由(freedomofexpression)。(hard-won)

The law aims at protecting the hard-won freedom of expression.

2.          这个国家应该放弃错误的政策。否则它将以灾难告终。(misguided, end up)

The country should abandon the misguided policy. Otherwise it will end up in disaster.

3.          经 济 学 家 说 ， 重 要 的 是 不 要 让 制 造 业 萎 缩 。 (wither away) 

Economists say it is important not to let manufacturing wither away.

4.          屈于压力，他没有将这个项目坚持到底。(yield to, followthrough)

Yielding to pressure, he didn't follow through with the project.

5.          渴求肤浅名声的人过着无意义的生活。(aspire for, superficial)

People who aspire for superficial fame are living a meaningless life.

Task11    Passage translation

Translate the following passage into English. Try to use the words and phrases from Passage A as many as possible.

你的梦想是什么？你会在一生中实现你的梦想吗？我相信你希望如此。我认识的大多数人都有梦想，或大或小的梦想。即使是最成功的人也有梦想。怀揣梦想对人来说是必不可少的。没有梦想，你会失去对生活的兴趣。事实上，我已经询问了数百人关于他们的梦想。有些人很愿意详细而热情地描述它。其他人则不愿意谈论它。对于生活中有梦想的人，请记住，有梦想就有责任。你应该开始为梦想努力工作，你将永远不会对生活感到厌倦。对于那些难以找到梦想的人，找出问题所在。要自信，发挥想象力，为自己设定一个目标。

For your reference:

What is your dream? Will you achieve your dream in your lifetime? I'm sure you hope that you will. Most people I know have a dream, whether they are big ones or small ones. Even the most successful people have dreams. Dreaming is essential for human beings. Without dreams, you will lose interest in life.Infact, I've asked hundreds of people about their dreams. Some willingly describe them with great details and enthusiasm. Others are reluctant to talk about them. For those of you who have dreams in life, please remember that with dreams comes great responsibility. If you start working hard towards your dream, you will never feel bored in life. For those who have difficulty identifying their dreams, find out what the trouble is. Be confident, use your imagination, and set a goal for yourself.

Critical Thinking and Discussion

Task12    Work in a small group

Discuss the question: What are the pros and cons of being famous? Write your supporting ideas in the chart. Use the words or phrases in the passage when discussing in your group.