Unit 12 The Importance of Moral Intelligence in Children

Michele Borba

Text comprehension

I. C.  II. 1. T;  2. F;  3. F;  4. T;  5. T.

 

Section Four Consolidation Activities

Part One. Vocabulary Analysis

I. Phrase practice

1. alone: by itself  独自，单独

e.g. The house stands alone in an acre of land.  房子孤零零地坐落在一大片田野间。

   The man walking alone in the street is my teacher. 那个独自走在街道上的人是我的老师。

 

2. comparably aged youths: young people of similar ages

 

3. for fear of: in case of; because of anxiety about  以免，生怕

e.g. He got up very early for fear of being late.  他起得很早以免迟到。

   He did not go to school for fear of being punished. 他因害怕被惩罚而没有去学校。

 

4. authority figures: officials and experts  权威人物

e.g. The safest method of reporting news is to reproduce the words of authority figures. 报道新闻最安全的方法是重复权威人物的言辞。

5. summit meetings: meetings between top leaders  峰会

e.g. The summit meetings about the environment will be held next month. 有关于环境的峰会将在下个月举行。

   The summit meetings held in China ended in a great success. 在中国举行的峰会圆满结束。

 

II.

1. warrant;  2. legitimate;  3. survey;  4. called for;  5. juvenile;  6. self-esteem;  7. revolutionizing;  8. crisis.

 

III. Word derivation

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the given words.

1. The accident at the nuclear power station at Chernobyl proved tragic (tragedy) for the people in the surrounding territory.

2. My work involves a lot of statistical (statistics) analysis of data.

3. Ski instructors should warn beginners to keep off potentially (potential) dangerous slopes.

4. It was distressing (distress) to see such bloody battle scenes being shown on TV.

5. The boy’s behaviour is probably a reaction (react) against continual pressure from his parents.

6. Failure to pay the community tax may result in prosecution (prosecute) and imprisonment.

7. Unsuccessful implementation (implement) of the proposals could have disastrous financial consequences.

8. Pressure groups are demanding Egypt’s immediate transformation (transform) into a strict Islamic state.

 

1. tragedy n. 悲剧，灾难

  tragic a. 悲剧的，悲惨的

e.g. 没多久，灾难又再次降临。

It was not long before tragedy struck again.

 

2. statistics n. 统计，统计数字；统计学

  statistical a. 统计的；统计学的

e.g. 那位官员在统计表前加了一段说明文字。

The official prefixed an explanatory note to the list of statistics.

 

3. potential a. 可能的，潜在的

  potentiality n. 可能性，潜力

  potentially ad. 潜在地

e.g. 教育能开发人的潜能。

Education develops potential abilities.

它是一个有畅销潜力的新发明。

It is a new invention with a big sales potentiality.

 

4. distress n. 痛苦，苦恼，不幸

  distressed a. 苦恼的

  distressing a. 使人痛苦的，令人烦恼的

e.g. 他的放荡行为使他的父母极为苦恼。

His wild behavior was a great distress to his parents.

是什么事情使你看起来如此烦恼？

What are you looking so distressed for?

 

5. react v. 作出反应

  reaction n. 反应，

e.g. 他们对你的建议有什么反应？

How did they react to your suggestion?

 

6. prosecute v. 对……提起公诉

  prosecution n. 起诉

  prosecutor n. 检察官，公诉人

e.g. 他被起诉超速行驶。

He was prosecuted for exceeding the speed limit.

 

7. implement v. 实施，执行

  implementation n. 落实，履行

e.g. 他说他的计划的优点是最简单易行。

He said his plan had the virtue of being the easiest to implement.

 

8. transform v. 转换，变形

  transformation a. 转换，变形

  transformer n. 变压器；变革者

e.g. 魔术师把公主变成了青蛙。

The magician transformed the princess into a frog.

 

IV.

1. C;  2. C;  3. D;  4. B;  5. C;  6. D;  7. C;  8. D.

 

V. Synonym / Antonym

Give a synonym or an antonym of the word underlined in each sentence in the sense it is used.

1. There is a clear and pressing crisis in today’s society, one that involves our most cherished possession: our children.

Synonym: urgent 

 

1. There is a clear and pressing crisis in today’s society, one that involves our most cherished possession: our children.

Synonym: treasured, valued

 

2. Each day’s news adds a growing litany of shocking tragedies and statistics about American kids, and they’ve left us shaken, deeply worried, and in search of answers.

Antonym: comedies

 

3. Although the hard data on youth crime and violence show a recent decline, there is little cause for comfort ...

Synonym: decrease, drop

 

4. Perhaps most disturbing is that our killers are getting younger and younger.

Synonym: worrying, upsetting

 

5. Other disturbing indicators include substance abuse among younger kids; the growing disrespect for parents, teachers, and other legitimate authority figures …

Antonym: respect, esteem, reverence

 

6. In two decades, the number of diagnoses of hyperactivity and attention deficits has risen 700 percent.

Antonym: surpluses, sufficiency

 

7. … and unless children know how to act right, their moral development is defective.

Synonym: faulty, imperfect

 

VI. Prefix

Write in each space one word that has the same prefix as underlined in each given word.

1. television                        telegram                           2. archenemy             archbishop          

3. pseudoscientific               pseudoclassical           4. sympathy        symphony           

5. miniskirt                         minibus                     6. return                    reply                  

7. cooperate                        coordinate                  8. automatic        autonomous        

 

1. Explanation:

     tele-: over a long distance

         e.g. telegraph, telephone, telemetry

 

2. Explanation:

     arch-: main; most important or most extreme

         e.g. archduke, archangel, archdeacon

 

3. Explanation:

     pseudo-: not real

            e.g. pseudo-science, pseudo-intellectual, pseudonym

 

4. Explanation:

     sym-: together

          e.g. symmetry, symposium, symbol

 

5. Explanation:

     mini-: small

e.g. minicab, miniature, minicomputer, minidisk

 

6. Explanation:

     re-: back

        e.g. reclaim, react, rebate, rebound

 

7. Explanation;

     co-: together with

        e.g. coproduce, coexist

 

8. Explanation:

     auto-: by itself

         e.g. automotive, autograph, autoimmune

 

 

Part Two Grammar Exercises

1.      Use of irregular plurals

The regular plural is formed by adding -s or -es to the base of the noun, while the irregular plural is not formed in the same way but by other means such as by the change of internal vowel or by the change in the ending of the noun.

   e.g. foot — feet      man — men     stratum — strata     hypothesis — hypotheses

 

I. Practice

Put the following nouns into plural.

1. diagnoses;  2. data;  3. shelves;  4. stimuli;  5. oxen;  6. formulae;  7. focuses / foci;  8. pianos;  9. grouse;  10. indexes / indices;  11. tempi;  12. radios;  13. phenomenon;  14. appendixes / appendices;  15. errata;  16. women doctors;  17. babysitters;  18. hypothese;  19. man-eaters;  20. antennas / antennae.

 

II.

1. We

2. They, take, gardens

3. Dilettanti, are,

4. Menservants, are, luxuries

5. no plural

6. Buses, leave, termini, those, are, ones

7. are, bases, beliefs

8. no plural

9. those, them

10. criteria, these, men

 

 

2.      Use of subject-verb agreement

   By subject-verb concord is meant agreement between subject and predicate verb with regard to number. There are three principles guiding subject-verb concord; they are principles of grammatical concord, notional concord and proximity.

1) The principle of grammatical concord refers to the rule that the verb must match its subject in number. If the subject is plural, the verb should take the plural from; if, on the other hand, the subject is singular or is a mass noun, the verb should take the singular form.

e.g. Two girls were standing on the corner.

    He is a good student.

2) The principle of notional concord refers to the rule that the verb can sometimes agree with the subject according to the notion of number rather than to the actual presence of the grammatical marker for that notion.

   e.g. The government have asked the country to decide by a vote.

3) The principle of proximity denotes agreement of the verb with a closely preceding noun phrase in preference to agreement with the head of the noun phrase that functions as subject.

   e.g. Either my brothers or my father is coming.

 

III. Practice

Use the proper form of the verbs given to complete the sentences.

1. As most sports magazines can attest, playing sports such as tennis and basketball __requires____ (require) not only mental ability but also physical strength.

2. Despite the bad weather we have had in the past days, there __is__ (be) no doubt that the tournament will go on.

3. want.   4. ranks.   5. was.   6. have.   7. is.   8. is.  9. is.  10. are.  11. is.

12. Meat pie and peas __is__ (be) Tom’s favourite at the moment.

 

 

3.      Use of comparatives and superlatives

   Adjectives have two forms. One is the positive degree and the other is the comparative degree and the superlative degree. The comparative degree or the superlative degree is formed by adding -er or -est to the adjective with one syllable or a few adjectives with two syllables, such as taller, bigger or tallest, biggest. The comparative degree or the superlative degree is formed by adding more or the most before the adjectives with two or more than two syllables, such as more careful, the most careful, more active, the most active. For the irregular adjectives, the forms of their comparative degree or superlative degree are different.

   e.g. good — better — best      bad — worse — worst    far — farther — farthest

       little — less — least        much, many — more — most

 

IV. Practice

Complete the sentences, using the proper forms of the adjectives in brackets.

1. foolish.   2. lovely, lovelier, lovelist.

 

3. He is the __most considerate____ boy I have ever met. You don’t often meet anyone that young who is so ___considerate_____. He is much ___more considerate___ than other children I’ve known. (considerate)

4. The stock market was very ___busy_____ today, ____busier____ than it was yesterday. In fact, it was the ___busiest_______ day of the year. (busy)

5. Is Hicksville ___far______ from Brooklyn? No, it’s not. Jonesville is a little ___farther_____, and Montauk is the ____farthest_____ of all. (far)

6. pretty, prettier.   7. The hottest.   8. the flattest.

 

V.

1. go.   2. visit.   3. return.   4. Toronto when.   5. Canada, you.   6. right.   7. right.   8. they don’t.

 

VI.

1. at least

2. as such

 

Part Three  Translation exercises

I.

1. Each day’s news adds a growing 越来越多的反复的报道litany of shocking惊人的悲剧 tragedies and statistics统计数据 about American kids, and they’ve left使我们 us shaken震撼, deeply worried, and in search of answers.

每天新闻里发生在美国儿童身上的惨剧和相关数据有增无减，令人震惊，让人揪心，促使人们苦苦寻觅应对之策。

2. Other disturbing indicators include substance abuse among younger kids; the growing disrespect失礼 for parents, teachers, and other legitimate正规当局数据 authority figures; the rise of incivility粗野; the increase of vulgarity粗俗; and widespread cheating作弊 and commonplace司空见惯的欺诈 dishonesty.

其它令人不安的事包括：小孩子滥用毒品、亵渎师长、无视权威、行为不端、举止庸俗、撒谎欺骗等等，这一切都已司空见惯，并日益严重。

3. It is moral strength that kids need most to keep their ethical 伦理道德行为方式bearings in this often morally道德上常常充满毒害的世界 toxic world.

孩子们最需要的是道德的力量，去规范他们在这个常常充满了道德毒素的世界里的行为举止。

4. Enhancing our children’s moral intelligence is our best hope for getting our kids on the right course so that they do act也有正确的行为举止 as well as 既有正确的想法念头think right.

我们最大的希望在于提高孩子们的道德智慧，把他们引导到正道上来，这样他们就能有正确的思想和行为。

 

II.

1. 他九岁时父亲去世，全家顿时陷入了完全靠别人施舍的境地。（leave sb. + obj. complement）

His father died when he was only nine years old, leaving the whole family helplessly at the mercy of others.

 

2. 她的故事唤起了我珍藏在心里的许多儿时回忆。（stir, cherish）

Translation:

 Her story stirred many beautiful memories of my childhood, which I have always cherished in my heart.

 

3. 这两个国家举行了几轮谈判，以解决他们之间的分歧。(settle)

The two countries held several rounds of negotiation to settle their differences.

 

4. 他幽默风趣，富有激情，教学效果显著，因此越来越多的学生选修他的课程。（opt）

Translation:

   More and more students are opting for his course because of his humor and energy as well as his effective way of teaching.

 

5. 总理在他的讲话里发誓解决严重的失业问题，提高普通老百姓的收入。（vow, address [v.], boost）

Translation:

   In his speech the premier vowed to address the serious problem of unemployment and to boost the income of the common people.

 

6. 那个去年在阿根廷被捕的前纳粹军官因他在第二次世界大战中所犯的罪行遭到了起诉。（prosecute, commit）

The former Nazi officer who was arrested last year in Argentina was prosecuted for the crimes that he had committed during the Second World War.

 

7. 本书的价值在于它影响了整整一代青年，鼓舞他们投身反对帝国主义和封建主义的斗争。（rest in）

The great value of this book rests in the fact that it has influenced and encouraged a whole generation of young people in their struggle against imperialism and feudalism.

 

8. 对那些沉默的学生，教师应该努力提高他们的自信心，鼓励他们在课堂上发表自己的想法。（enhance, voice）

Translation:

    With regard to the silent students, the teacher should try to enhance their self-confidence and encourage them to voice their ideas in class.

 

 

 

VI Writing Practice

Paragraph development — Variation of sentence lengths and patterns

Discussion: Too much of anything — money, music — can end up being a bore, so does writing. In writing, too many sentences of the same size can lead to boring prose, even when the message is far from boring. Therefore, it is important to vary our sentence length and pattern to avoid monotony.

Good writers vary their sentence length without deliberate effort, or seemingly so at least. Inexperienced writers may tend to rely too heavily on a few comfortable, familiar structures. Therefore, it is significant for students to learn something about sentence variety.

 

Exercise: Write two paragraphs based on the first sentences given below. While writing, use variation of sentence lengths and patterns where it is necessary, so that your writing might be coherent and clear, but not boring.

1. Home is where the heart is.

Ideas for reference:

East or west home is best.

Home is a place where kindly affections exist among all the members of the family.

A home without love is no more a home than a body without a soul.

A home is more than a family dwelling.

Sample:

As the saying goes “East or west home is best”, home is where the heart is. Wherever a person goes, home always lingers in his mind. Home is the very place that people call it harbor. Home is a place where kindly affections exist among all the members of the family. Parents take good care of their children, and children are interested in the activities of their parents. Thus all of them are bound together by affection, and they find their home to be the cheeriest place in the world. A home without love is no more a home than a body without a soul. Every civilized person is a social being. No one should live alone. A man may lead a successful and prosperous life, but prosperity alone can by no means insure happiness. A home is more than a family dwelling. It is a school in which people are trained for citizenship. A man will not render good services to his country if he can do nothing good for his home. The home is the birthplace of true patriotism. It is the secret of social welfare and national greatness. It is the basis and origin of civilization. In a word, home is the very place that human’s heart dwells on, a place that gives one strength and comfort, happiness and sympathy, love for oneself and love for the country.

 

2. Charity begins at home.

Ideas for reference:

Of all the obligations and responsibilities that we have to shoulder, our commitment to our family has prior claims.

Charity starting at home does not necessarily extend outside.

It is their charity at home that has turned their families into noble people.

Sample:

Charity begins at home. Of all the obligations and responsibilities that we have to shoulder, our commitment to our family has prior claims. If one fails at many or even most of his family duties, he will not become a responsible member of society either. In contrast, a dutiful husband or wife can be expected to become a good teammate; a caring parent can be entrusted with important corporate responsibilities; and a devoted son or daughter has the potential of a loyal junior partner in business. Of course there are many people who are very loving and generous at home, but mean and spiteful outside. That just proves that charity starting at home does not necessarily extend outside. There have been reports of millionaires who donate large sums of money to charities but have scandalous problems with their families. In their cases, some would say, charity does not begin at home. False would be such a rash judgment. Messy as their family relationship might be, they might not be the guilty ones to blame. The truth might be that they were very responsible and charitable at home, but their kindness was not properly returned. As a result, their desire to be charitable burns even more furiously outside their households. Over the past few decades, the Chinese government has recommended to the people many moral heroes dedicated to a larger cause at the expense of their families. However, they are the best cases for the legitimacy of the saying that charity begins at home. It is their charity at home that has turned their families into noble people. Otherwise, their spouses and children would not be supportive and encouraging, and without their support, not many moral heroes could get far. So let’s be charitable at home, first and foremost.