第六十三讲

   Passage II A Little About Me
   Text-Related Information
   Mexican-American
   There are many Mexican immigrants in America. Most of them speak Spanish as their mother tongue. Mexican people are very warm-hearted and hospitable. They are also well known for their special cuisines.
   Warm- up questions
   1. When the following holidays are mentioned, which countries will come to your mind?
Adults Day; Carnival; Maple Sugar Festival; Thanksgiving Day; Spring Festival
   Japan; Brazil; Canada; U.S.A.; China
   2. What are the traditional customs by which Chinese people celebrate Spring Festival?
   Text Explanation
   Para. 1
   For most people the holiday season is a time of joy and family reunions. For me, it is a time of mixed emotions --- for I have been away from my family and friends in Iran while studying in the United States. Rather than lock myself in my loneliness, I have tried each Christmas to learn a little more about the culture of the country and know more about my    American friends.
   Language Points:
   2.Explanation of Difficult Sentences
   1) Rather than lock myself in my loneliness, I have tried each Christmas to learn a little more about the culture of the country and know more about my American friends.
   Analysis: When Rather than is used at the beginning of a sentence the infinitive phrase that follows does not require “to”. Each Christmas is the adverbial phrase of time here.
   Translation: 但是我并没有沉溺于个人的孤独。我一直在努力利用每一个圣诞节的机会更多地了解这个国家的文化，更多地知道一些有关我美国朋友的情况。
   Example: Rather than make money, he came to the country all the way to help sick children each Children’s Day.
   2. Important Words
   1) reunion: n. meeting with family members or old friends, etc. after separation团圆，重聚
   e.g. Many students go home for a family reunion on the Mid-autumn Festival.
   They had a happy reunion on the fiftieth anniversary of their university.

   2) emotion: n. excited state of mind or strong feelings 情绪，情感
   e.g. She told the story in a voice touched with deep emotion.
   His argument relies too much on emotion rather than on reason.
   3) loneliness: n. state of feeling sad or melancholy caused by lacking of companions孤独, 孤单
   e.g. Loneliness is the worst enemy for the spacemen.
   She sang to herself to rid her of the loneliness.
   Para. 2
   A tie-clasp I still wear reminds me repeatedly of the Christmas of 1989, which was quite memorable. All my classmates had eagerly looked forward to the holiday time. I had no vacation because I was short of money. My check from home had not arrived on schedule because of the crush of holiday mail.
   Language Points:
   Explanation of Difficult Sentences
   1) A tie-clasp I still wear reminds me repeatedly of the Christmas of 1989, which was quite memorable.
   Analysis: I still wear is a relative clause with “that ”omitted, modifying tie-clasp. Here which introduces an unrestricted relative clause, modifying the Christmas of 1989.
   Translation: 我有一只迄今仍然随身佩带的领带夹，它不时让我想起1989年的圣诞节。那是一个令人难忘的日子。
   Example: A map I always carry in my bag helps me repeatedly with directions, which is really valuable for a person without much sense of directions like me.
   2. Important Words
   1) repeatedly: a. again and again 再三地，重复地
   e.g. He read the words repeatedly to lock them in memory.
   Whatever she says, she’d say it repeatedly.
   2) crush: v. crowd of people or things gathered together 挤满, 积压
   e.g. There was a frightful crush at the gate of the cinema.
   The crush proved a danger with few emergency exits in the hall.