Lesson 50
New Year resolutions
新年的决心
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What marked the end of the writer's New Year resolutions?
The New Year is a time for resolutions. Mentally, at least, most of us could compile formidable lists of 'dos' and 'don'ts'. The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity. We resolve to get up earlier each morning, eat less, find more time to play with the children, do a thousand and one jobs about the house, be nice to people we don't' like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk every day. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure. Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways. Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself. I limited myself to two modest ambitions: to do physical exercise every morning and to read more of an evening. An all-night party on New Year's Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year, but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
The daily exercises lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone found me out. After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions, I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me. The next morning the whole family trooped in to watch the performance. That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea. However, my enthusiasm waned. The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10th, I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home formwork Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to book. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute. Perhaps it will solve my problem, but I just haven't had time to read it!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
resolution
n. 决心
mentally
adv. 内心里
compile
v. 编辑，编制
formidable
adj. 令人畏惧的
recur
v. 再发生，又出现
regularity
n. 规律性
accomplishment
n. 成就
attainment
n. 达到
inveterate
adj. 根深蒂固的
self-improvement
n. 自我完善
scheme
n. 简单的计划，方案
ambitious
adj. 雄心勃勃的
pitfall
n. 意外的困难，易犯的错误
modest
adj. 要求不过分的
assiduously
adv. 刻苦地
self-discipline
n. 自我约束
frame
n. 躯体
betray
v. 暴露，显露
troop
v. 成群结队地走动
unsettle
v. 使不安
taunt
n. 嘲笑，奚落人的话
jibe
n. 嘲弄，挖苦
good-humouredly
adv. 和气地，心情好地
wane
v. 逐渐变小，变弱
hypnotize
v. 使欲睡，使蒙胧
undoing
n. 祸根，毁灭的原因
screen
n. 电视机屏幕

新年是下决心的时候，至少在大多数人的心里会编排出一份“应做什么”和“不应做什么”的令人生畏的单子。相同的决心以单调的规律年复一年地出现。我们决心每天早晨起得早些；吃得少些；多花点时间与孩子们一起做游戏；做大量的家务；对不喜欢的人友善一些；小心驾车；每天都要带着狗散步；等等。以往的经验告诉我们有些事是办不到的。如果我们烟瘾大，戒不掉，那是因为屡戒屡败，失去信心。我们大多数人想自我完善却遭到失败，这是因为我们的规划过于宏大，而又根本没有时间去实施。我们还犯有一个根本性的错误，即把我们的决心向大家宣布。这样一旦滑回到那些老习惯上去，我们在别人的眼里会显得更加难堪。我深知这些问题，于是，今年我对自己的计划要严加保密，只给自己定下两项适中的任务；每天早上锻炼身体，每天晚上多看点书。新年除夕举办的一次通宵晚会，使我理直气壮地在新年头一天免去了这两项任务。不过，新年第二天，我全力以赴地照着去做了。 早锻炼一共只有11分钟，我打算在别人起床之前进行。这就要求我比平时早11分钟把自己从床上拽起来，这种自我约束是很艰苦的。不过开头两天我还是成功地蹑手蹑脚地来到楼下起居室，被谁也没发现。我在地毯上跳来蹦过去，扭曲身子，摆出各种姿势，弄得浑身不舒服，然后坐到桌边吃早饭，一副筋疲力尽的样子。正是这副模样泄露了我的秘密。第二天早晨全家人结队来到起居室看我表演。这真叫人不好意思，但我心平气和地顶住全家人的嘲笑和奚落。不久，大家对我习以为常了，而这时我的热情却减退了。我花在锻炼上的时间逐渐减少，慢慢地从11分钟减到了零。到了1月10日，我恢复了原来的作息时间。我辩解说，早晨少耗费精力锻炼，晚上下班回家看书时头脑更清醒些。有几天晚上，我极力摆脱了电视的诱惑，坐在自己的房间里，两眼盯在书上。可是，有一天夜里，我感到又冷又孤单，便来到楼下坐在电视机前假装看书。这下我可完了，因为不一会儿，我就恢复了以前的坏习惯，在屏幕前打起瞌睡来。但我还没有放弃多看些书的决心。事实上，我刚买来一本叫《一分钟读一千字的诀窍》的书。也许这本书能解决我的问题，但我一直还没时间去看这本书！

◆resolution n. 决心
resolution
1. the quality of being resolute / formal decision 决心，决议
take resolution to do sth. / make up one’s mind to do sth.
be determined to do sth. / decide to do sth.
resolve / resolve to do sth.
resolve sb. on sth. 使某人做某事
Eg: Before we came here, we resolved to learn English hard.
I resolved him on English study.
Nobody resolved him on this decision. 没有人使他做这样的决定。
resolute adj. 坚决的，果断的
resolution / resolve / resolute
Eg: We must be true in word and resolute in deed. 我们必须是言必信，行必果。

◆mentally adv. 内心里
◆compile v. 编辑，编制
compile
compile / edit vt.
editor
compile: collect information and arrange in a book (great book / dictionary )
edit: collect information and arrange in newspaper or magazine
Eg: The editor is busing editing the newspaper.

◆formidable adj. 令人畏惧的
◆recur v. 再发生，又出现
recur v.
occor: happen
occur to
A good idea occurred to me. / It occurred to him that he should open the door.
recur: occur again
incur: vt. 导致，招致，造成 （ lead to / result in / give rise to / cause）
Eg: Air pollution incurs some terrible dissease.

L50-01 end 10’28”

L50-02 begin 53-02 10’25”

◆regularity n. 规律性
◆accomplishment n. 成就
◆attainment n. 达到
accomplish 成功地达到目的
accomplish one’s purpose / goal / dream / aim /work / task
He accomplished his journey.
attain:得到，获得（经过艰苦努力）
attain one’s ambition
get sccess / attain success
achieve : 达到一定目的时的表现及努力
Eg: This is what he achieved after ten years of hard work.
treasure / cherish / volue / prize 珍惜
Eg: We always cherish what we have achieved.
I feel very happy because you accomplish your dream.
accomplishment: 成就（修养，才艺，本领方面）
attainment 获得，得到
Eg: Such accomplishment is beyond your attainment.
His attainment is beyond my understanding.
His accomplishment is unexpected to me.
achievement / accomplishment
attain to / attain
attain to : 某人希望达到的成就
attain: 某人已经达到的成就
Eg: He has attained heights that I can never attain to.
This is the height that I hope to attain to.
This is the height that I have attained.

◆inveterate adj. 根深蒂固的
◆self-improvement n. 自我完善
◆scheme n. 简单的计划，方案
◆ambitious adj. 雄心勃勃的
ambition
Eg: Everybody in the modern society must be ambitious.
If you work hard, you can attain your ambition.

◆pitfall n. 意外的困难，易犯的错误
◆modest adj. 要求不过分的
Eg: I make New Year resolution and I think them modest.
L50-02 end 10’28”

L50-03 begin 10’48”

Eg: Being modes is one of our virtues.

◆assiduously adv. 刻苦地
assiduously==diligently
Eg: If you study English assiduously, nothing is difficult.

◆self-discipline n. 自我约束
self-improvement 自我完善

◆frame n. 躯体
body

◆betray v. 暴露，显露
Eg: I don’t know who betrayed me.
Her face betrayed her nervousness.

◆troop v. 成群结队地走动
◆unsettle v. 使不安
◆◆◆taunt n. 嘲笑，奚落人的话
taunt vt.
taunt sb. with sth. 因为某事而讥笑某人
Eg: They taunt him with being poor / poverty.
make fun of / laugh at
Eg: He is wearing a strange hat, so we make fun of him.
jeer vi.
jeer at 嘲笑，戏弄
Eg: We know he is eccentric, but anyway don’t jeer at him
mock / mock at
Eg: Mocked (at ) by others, he had my sympathy.
When the teacher is writing on the blackboard, naughty boy student mocked at him.
scoff at / pour scorn on
Eg: Don’t scoff at those students who don’t have good accomplishment / mark.
gibe
gible at sb. / sth.
taunt: try to make sb. angry or upset by saying unkind remarks.
Eg: They taunted him with being poor, so he felt angry.
gibe: say sth. that is intended to make the person look silly.
Eg: I gibed at him because, in my opinion, he was dull.

L50-03 end 10’48”

L50-04 begin 10’23”

朗读：taunt / make fun of / jeer at / mock / mock at / scoff at / gibe at

◆jibe n. 嘲弄，挖苦
◆good-humouredly adv. 和气地，心情好地
◆◆◆wane v. 逐渐变小，变弱
wane: becoming less or weaker
Eg: He exerts suttle influence on his children, but his children are growing up, so his influence is waning.
wane: showing a decreasing bright area after full moon.
The moon will wax, the moon will wane. 月有阴晴园缺

◆diminish v. 减少，缩小
diminish: vt. make smaller in size, amout, number and so on.
Eg: The Second World War diminished the country’s wealth.
diminish vi.
Eg: Time will never cause our friendship to diminish. 我们的友谊决不会因时间的流逝而淡薄。
reduce
Eg: If you reduce the price to 10 dollars, I will take it.
reduce to / reduce by
The shop assistant reduced the price by 10 dollars.
lessen 数量，价值，可能性的降低
sharp / sharped wide / widen quick / quicken
Eg: I agree to your idea that you can climb the tree, but anyway, please lesson the rick of being hurt / injoured
I agree to your idea that you can climb the tree, but anyway, please lessen the risk of being hurt / injured.
increase / decrease

Eg: Our interest in English / clothes is increasing.

L50-04 end 10’23”

L50-05 begin 54-01
lessen 可能性的降低
wane 渐渐地衰退

◆hypnotize v. 使欲睡，使蒙胧
lull 催人欲睡
lull sb. to sleep

◆undoing n. 祸根，毁灭的原因
◆screen n. 电视机屏幕

【Text】 §Lesson 50 New Year resolutions 新年的决心

背熟：The New Year is a time for resolutions.
a time for
The spring Festival is a time for gathering.
Mentally: at heart
We become illogical when we decide what can be eaten and what can not be eaten.

背熟：The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity.
favourite: resolution
recur: happen / take place
year in year out: one year after another / year by year
day by day / one day after another / day in day out

resolve to : 下定决心

背熟：Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment.
It is hard for us to attain some certain accomplishment

inveterate: deep rooted

背熟：If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.

Because we have too often experience the frustration, it means nothing to me.
result from : 由 ...... 产生的
result in: lead to / cause
Failure will result in frustration. 失败会导致挫败心理。

L50-05 end 10’17”
Lesson50A end 52:13

Lesson50B begin 49:36
L50-06 begin 10’18”

背熟：Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out.
carry out: carry off
fail in our efforts / attempt
Eg: We accumulate clutter in an attempt to avoid waste.

背熟：We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways.
Eg: If you often make some common mistakes, you will get the frustration.
slip back into: return to the normal way

背熟：Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.
keep my resolutions to myself: keep my resolutions secret
Eg: We arrived at our destination exhausted.
Exhausted, we arrived at our destination.
Aware of the importance, I attempt to carry it out. 由于意识到了此事的重要性，我竭尽全力来把它实现。

limit oneself to
ambitions: New Year resolutions
limit: 限定到点
restrict: 限定到范围

L50-06 end 10’18”

L50-07 begin

A good beginning is half success.

背熟：but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
apply oneself to / apply one’s time to / apply one’s mind / energy to
be devoted / dedicated to
In 2002, I shall apply myself to learning English.

propose to do / I decided to do
The self-discipline required to study English hard is considerable as well.
nevertheless: however

背熟：I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition.
in an exhausted condition: exhausted
It...that... 句型
It was exhausted condition that betrayed my secret.
troop in: went / came into the room in group
unsettle: upset

背熟：That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.

L50-07 end 10’39”

L50-08 begin 10’32”

fend off: defeat
wane: diminish step by step
argue: got a good excuse

keep one’s mind fresh for doing sth.
背熟：Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book.
the temptation to do

slip back into our bad old ways / I was back to where I had started from / got back to my old bad habit
dozing off: half sleep
I soon got back to my old bad habit of nodding.
a book entitled: a book which is entitled

We must be true in word and resolute in deed.

L50-08 end 10’32”

L50-09 begin 12’38”

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Comprehension
1 In makeing his New Year resolutions, the writer _____ .
a. decided against choosing any of his old favourites
b. did not tell his family of them in case they announced them in public
c. was careful to choose two which he thought were within his scope
d. underestimated the time it would take him to get up in the mornings
within his scope
Eg: I choose the job which I think is within my scope. 我选择了这项工作，我认为是我力所能及的。

2 The family realized what one of his resolutions was when they _____ .
a. noticed how tired he looked when he came to breakfast
b. heard him jumping about on the carpet in the living room
c. came down earlier than usual and saw him doing his exercises
d. saw him reading instead of looking at television

3 The writer’s efforts to read more have so failed because _____ .
a. he is not able to read quickly enough in the time he has available
b. he enjoys watching television more than he does reading
c. his room is too cold for comfort and he misses his family
d. he has not been able to resist the hypnotic effects of television
one’s effort to do sth. 干什么所做出的努力

Structure
4 Past experiences has taught us that we _____ certain accomplishments. (ll.7-8)
a. never attain b. would never attain c. are never attaining d. will never attain

5 ---- we look even more foolish than we _____ when we slip back into our old ways. (ll.11-12)
a. would b. should c. need d. ought

6 I jumped about on the carpet and _____ uncomfortable positions that I sat down exhausted. (ll.20-21)
a. so twisted me into b. so twisted myself into
c. twisted myself into such d. twisted me into such

7 I argued that _____ less time exhausting myself, I would ... (ll.25-26)
a. to spend b. by spending c. my spending d. to have spent
Eg: I will learn English well by working hard every day.

L50-09 end (55-01) 12’38”

L50-10 begin 5’37”

Vocabulary
8 This year I attempted to keep my resolutions _____ . (l.12)
a. private b. personal c. intimate d. solitary
private 强调私人所有的
personal 个人的
solitary 宁静的，孤独的
He is leading a solitary life. 他过着孤独的生活。
intimate 亲密的

9 _____ , I managed to creep down into the living room ...(l.19)
a. Meanwhile b. Little by little c. Just the same d. By all means
meanwhile==at the same time
little by little == step by step
by all means: 通过各种方式
just the same==in spite of this == still

10 The whole family _____ to watch the performance. (ll.21-22)
a. gathered round b. marched by c. flocked in d. joined in
gather around 聚集在......周围
march by 行军而过
flocked in
join in 参加

11 My enthusiasm for my new resolutions soon _____ . (ll.23-24)
a. faded b. evaporated c. ran out d. fell out
fade 褪色，凋零
Eg: The flower has already began to fade.
The color of the dress faded.
run out 用完，用光
Eg: We run out of petrol. 我们把汽油用完了。
evaporate: 蒸发，消失，渐渐地化为乌有

12 I soon _____ into my old habit of dozing off ... (ll.29-30)
a. returned b. slipped back c. went back d. took again
本小节的重点是：
1，2，3 题的题干和答案的基本结构； 结构题中5、7 11题的基本含义。

【Key to Multiple choice questions】
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. D 5. B 6. C 7. B 8. A 10. C 10. C 11 B 12. B