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Lesson 9 The English Character
I.Language Points in the Text
1. reserved: adj. not liking to talk too much about oneself or to make one’s feelings known 缄 默的；沉默寡言的；情绪不大外露的
She’s rather a reserved girl; she doesn’t make friends easily. 她是个沉默寡言的女孩，不容易交上朋友。
2. emotion: n. any one of the strong feelings that a person can have inside 感情；情感；情绪
Love, hatred and grief are emotions. 爱、恨和哀伤都是情感。
His speech had an effect on our emotions rather than on our reason. 他的演讲在情感上引起我们激动，在理性上却没有起什么作用。
3. English people tend to like that. 英国人往往就是这样。
tend: vi. do or go as a natural likelihood 倾向于
Janet tends to get angry if you annoy her. 如果你惹怒珍妮特，她会大发雷霆的。
4. If they are making a journey by bus they will do their best to find an empty seat; if by train, an empty compartment.
这个句子的后半句是一个省略句，以避免重复。完整的表达是：if they are making a journey by train they will do their best to find an empty compartment.
5. On the other hand, they are perfectly human behind their barrier of reserve, and may be quite pleased when a friendly stranger or foreigner succeeds for a time in breaking the barrier down. 另一方面，他们虽然外表上难以接近，但内心却有人情味，如果一个友善的陌生人或外国人打破沉默，英国人也可能非常高兴。
human: adj. showing the feelings, especially those of kindness, which human beings have 有人性的，有人情味的
He seems quite human when you know him. 当年了解他时，他便显得颇有人情味。
6. Closely related to English reserve is English modesty.
这是一个倒装句型，其目的是与上文保持更加紧密的联系。正常语序是：English modesty is related to English reserve.
7. The criticism, “He has no sense of humor” is very commonly heard in Britain, where humor is highly prized. 在英国，人们非常看重幽默，经常能听到“他没有幽默感”这样的评论。
prize: vt. Value highly 珍视；重视
She prizes his friendship. 她非常珍视他的友谊。
Those books are among his most prized possessions. 那些书是他最珍贵的财产之一。
8. He secretly looks down upon more excitable nations. 他从心底里看不起那些容易激动 的民族。
look down upon: consider oneself superior to; despise 看不起
When she married the boss, she looked down upon the office girls she had worked with. 她嫁给老板后，便瞧不起曾与她一起工作过的女职员了。
9. Like a sense of humor, this is an English ideal which not all Englishmen live up to. 和幽默感一样，这也是一种英国式的理想品质，尽管并非每个英国人都能做到这点。
live up to: put (one’s faith, principles, etc.)into practice; reach the standard that may be expected 实行（信仰，主义等）；达到预期的标准
It’s difficult to live up to the principles of the Christian religion. 实行基督教的教条是困难的。
He didn’t live up to his reputation. 他的生活与他的声誉不符。
II.Translation of the Text
英国人的性格
在其他的欧洲人看来，英国人，尤其是英格兰人的最明显的特点是“沉默寡言”。一个沉默寡言的人不大同陌生人说话，情感不大外露，也很少激动。要想了解一个沉默寡言的人很困难：他从不谈及他的身世，即使你与他工作数年，也许你不知道他家住在哪里，有几个子女，有些什么兴趣爱好。英国人往往就是这样。
乘公共汽车旅行时，他们会尽量找到一个空座位；乘火车旅行时，他们会尽量找到一个空隔间。如果他们不得不与他人共坐一个隔间，火车开了数英里也许还不见他们开口说话。即使打开了话匣子，他们也不轻易问起“你多大了？”或者“你贵姓？”之类的个人问题。
从某些方面来说，这种不愿与人交往的特点是件令人遗憾的事情，因为这往往给人以冷漠的印象。除了北方人以外，英国人从不以他们的慷慨大方和热情好客而著称。另一方面，虽然他们表面上沉默寡言，但内心还是很有人情味。当友善的陌生人或外国人打破沉默时，他们也许会感到很高兴。说到这里，也许我们应该提一句，英国的北部和西部的人，特别是威尔士人，远不象南部和东部的人那样缄默。
与英国人的缄默密切相关的是英国人的谦虚。在英国人的内心，他们的自负不亚于任何其他的民族。但在与别人交往时，他们注重谦虚，起码要表现出一种谦虚的姿态。自夸被认为是不礼貌的。比如说，一个人网球打得很好，当有人问他是不是一个网球好手时，他很少会回答说“是”，因为如果他回答“是”，人们会认为他很自负。他很可能会这样回答：“还不错。”或者“我觉得我还行。”或者“嗯，我挺喜欢打网球。” 即使他在去年当地的网球锦标赛上打入了决赛，他也许会说只是碰上了好运气。
著名的英国式幽默感也与此相似。其出发点是自贬，其大敌是自负。其目的是能够自嘲——嘲笑自己的错误，自己的失败，甚至自己的理想。在英国，幽默感受到高度重视，经常听到“他没有幽默感”这样的评论。幽默感是对生活的一种态度，而不仅仅是一听到笑话就能够开怀大笑。这种态度决不是冷酷，决不是无礼，决不是恶毒。英国人从不嘲笑残疾人或精神病人，也从不会对一件悲惨的或虽败犹荣的事情幸灾乐祸。
因为沉默寡言、谦虚的表现和幽默感是英国人天生性格的组成部分，典型的英国人总是期望别人也具有这种品质。他从心里看不起那些容易激动的民族，总是认为他们没有自己可靠。他不相信信誓旦旦的诺言，也不相信感情的直接外露，尤其不相信用华丽的语言做出的承诺和表达的感情。他对任何的自夸之词都不相信，不管是人们口头告诉的，还是写信书面表达的。在那些喜欢用华丽辞藻的人看来，英国人可能显得冷漠，让人感到很不舒服。
最后再说说体育运动风范。就象幽默感一样，这也是英国人的理想，尽管不是每个英国人都能做到这一点。我们应该认识到，现代形式的体育运动几乎都是英国人的发明。拳击、橄榄球、足球、曲棍球、网球和板球都是源于英国，并且首先在英国制订出比赛规则。比赛规则反映了体育运动的本质，具有体育运动风范就是能够按照体育运动规则进行比赛，同时又能对对手宽大为怀，失败时也能心平气和。现代国际体育运动的巨大压力使得这些理想目标很难保持，但在英国这些理想目标至少还能得到高度的重视，而且与那些容易激动的民族相比，英国人在达到这些理想目标方面做得更好。此外，体育运动风范作为理想准则也适用于日常生活。这一点可以通过日常会话中用到的许多体育用语得到证实。每个人都会谈到“公平比赛”、“遵守规则”或者“公平竞争”。成语“直接出击”起源于拳击运动，用来表示一针见血而又措辞严厉的批评。“击打对方腰带以下的部分”则用来表示不公正的批评。生活的基本规则之一是“决不打已经倒在地上的人”，也就是说，决不乘人之危。在英国，这种体育运动风范常常在中小学的男生相处时高度地表现出来。
III.Keys to the Exercises
Questions on the Text
1. “Reserved” is the best-known quality of the British to other Europeans.
No, they are not. The people of the North and West, especially the Welsh, are much less reserved than those of the South and East.
2. A reserved person is one who does not talk very much to strangers, does not show much emotion, and seldom gets excited.
3. It is difficult to get to know a reserved person: he never tells you anything about himself, you may work with him for years without ever knowing where he lives, how many children he has, and what his interests are.
4. If a reserved person is making a journey by bus, he will do his best to find an empty seat; if by train, an empty compartment. If he has to share the compartment with a stranger, they may travel many miles without starting a conversation. If a conversation does start, personal questions like “How old are you?” or even “What is your name?” are not easily asked.
5. Reserve is an unfortunate quality in some ways since it tends to give the impression of coldness.
No, they aren’t. They are perfectly human behind their barrier of reserve, and may be quite pleased when a friendly stranger of foreigner succeeds for a time in breaking the barrier down.
6. Yes, they are perhaps no less conceited than anybody else. But in their relations with others they value at least a show of modesty. For example, if a person is very good at tennis and someone asks him if he is a good player, he will seldom reply “yes”. He will probably give an answer like, “I’m not bad,” or “I think I’m very good,” or “Well, I’m very keen on tennis.”
7. Yes, it is. Its starting point is self-dispraise, and its great enemy is conceit. A sense of humor is an attitude to life rather than the mere ability to large at jokes. This attitude is never cruel or disrespectful or malicious. The English do not laugh at a cripple or a madman, or a tragedy or an honorable failure.
8. In summery, the most striking qualities of the English are reserve, a show of modesty, and a sense of humor.
9. The English dislike excitable nations because they don’t trust big promises and open shows of feelings, especially if they are expressed in flowery language.
10. Yes, they do. Boxing, rugby, football, hockey, tennis and cricket were first practiced in Britain.
11. Sportsmanship is the ability to practice a sport according to its rules, while also showing generosity to one’s opponent and good temper in defeat. When sportsmanship as an ideal is applied to life in general, “fair play” should be highly valued.
12. Yes, there is. We can learn from the English such good qualities as a show of modesty, a sense of humor and sportsmanship.
Vocabulary Exercises
1. 1) craftsmanship horsemanship
2) (1) Americanism commercialism provincialism materialism
(2) Confucianism protectionism idealism tourism
2. 1) (1) He likes small towns, especially those nearby Taihu Lake.
(2) Since women tend to have a longer lifespan than men, old men outnumber old women almost everywhere in the world.
(3) When in college, I used to share a room with a foreign student who was learning Chinese.
(4) Do you think crime is related with poverty?
(5) Beijing is no less modernized than any other big city in the world.
(6) He is very keen on football, but he is not good at it.
(7) After a whole summer of training, he succeeded in passing driving test.
(8) The accident was due to the workers’ carelessness.
(9) This rule is not applied to developing countries.
(10) In the table tennis world championships, the Chinese athletes lived up to their expectations: they won 5 gold medals.
(11) In the English language, “cocksure” is often used to describe a conceited person.
(12) You must break down the language barrier if you want to communicate with the people abroad.
2) (1) He declared to us his decision.
(2) That little boy was explaining to his teacher why he had been late.
(3) The old man signaled to me which way to take.
3. 1) in 2) for, in 3) on 4) at 5) In, with, in 6) from, in 7) In 8) of, through
9) in, For, like, of 10) in, like, at, of, within, as
4. (1) matter (2) stay (3) until (4) themselves
(5) when (6) sure (7) kind (8) one
(9) explain (10) before
Grammar Exercise
1. 1) Knowing he was poor, I offered to pay for his ticket.
2) Finding no one at home, he left angrily.
3) Exhausted after a day’s work, he threw himself on his bed.
4) Looking at his innocent face, he believed that the boy was telling the truth.
5) Having spent all his money, he had to look for a job again.
6) Written in large letters, the sign said, “No Smoking.”
7) Having seen the film before, I don’t want to see it again.
8) Climbing down the tree, he broke his leg.
9) Having been uprooted by the strong wind, the tree was lying across the road.
10) Believing he had made a mistake, he went through the whole page again.
2. 1) The children walked out of the school, singing and smiling.
2) Sitting at the foot of the mountain, he was injured by a falling stone.
3) Standing there, he didn’t know what to say.
4) Not having heard from him for a long time, I decided not to write to him any more.
5) They set off in a ship manned with 50 sailors.
6) I can feel my heart beating.
7) He walked up and down in the room, waiting anxiously for my arrival.
8) He slammed the door behind him, walking out angrily.
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