8.The secret of success is built upon a burning inward desire — a robust,

fierce will and focus — that fuels the determination to act, to keep preparing, to keep going even when we are tired and fail.

Reading comprehensive——Critical thinking

1.You may have tried and failed many times before you finally get success. But it does not matter. What matters is whether you can summon up (鼓起) all your courage again and again to face the hardships standing in the way of success.

2.Luck, talent, good relationships with your colleagues, etc.

3.? When I have realized that I am pursuing something that is hard to achieve, I would try to stick to the goal. But I will begin to think of what I can do to improve the situation. When it still doesn't work, I would try to analyze what the problem is and then make some changes and probably reset my goal.

? Yes, sometimes we are pursuing the wrong goal which can never be

achieved, only to find ourselves in deep frustration and profound fatigue. In this situation, I may give up the wrong goal and set up another goal that is achievable.

4.? Following the guidance of senior people. ? Getting sound advice from our parents. ? Setting a correct goal.

? Achieving success step by step.

? Developing good interpersonal relationships.

Language focus——Words in use

1.whereby 2.pursuit 3.inhibit 4.maintain 5.patriotic 6.transcended 7.endeavors 8.dedication 9.prestige 10.nominate

Language focus——Word Building：practice 1

1.inhabit 2.participant 3.attendant 4.pollutant 5.descendant 6.contestant 7.tolerant 8.resultant/resultful 9.neglectful 10.resourceful 11.boastful 12.respectful

Language focus——Word Building：practice 2

1.resultant 2.tolerant 3.pollutants 4.inhabited 5.contestants 6.descendants 7.attendants 8.respectful 9.participants 10.neglectful 11.resourceful 12.boastful

Language focus——Banked cloze

1.eventually 2.premier 3.endeavor 4.bypass 5.handicaps 6.committed 7.attained 8.transcend 9.feats 10.slightest

Language focus——Expressions in use

1.removed from 2.failed in 3.in the pursuit of 4.deviated from

5.precludes...from 6.triumph over 7.work their way into 8.written off

Structure analysis and writing ——Structure writing——Practice

They say there’s no place like home. In my case, there isn’t much that is good about my apartment. My apartment has given me nothing but headaches. From the day I signed the lease, I’ve had to deal with an uncooperative landlord, an incompetent janitor, and inconsiderate neighbors.

First of all, my landlord has been uncooperative since the first day I moved to the apartment. He didn’t let me bring my fish into the apartment. He said that pets are not allowed even though it’s just a fish. Because of that, I must leave my fish at my parents’ house. He also forbids me from using water from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Because of that, I must wake up at 7 a.m. every day to take a bath. Of course I complained about this to him, but he said that is the apartment’s rule. Before I leased the apartment, he didn’t say that there are such rules in the apartment.

I’ve had problems not only with my landlord but also with an incompetent janitor. The janitor is a retired policeman. He tried to fix the pipe in the apartment, but he flooded the apartment instead. He also broke my air conditioner when he tried to fix it. Because of that, my apartment becomes as hot as a desert every afternoon. Not only that, but he also broke my antique vase that cost me $100. Even worse, when he plugged his USB flash drive into my laptop to copy my songs, the viruses from his flash drive spread into my laptop. I had to reformat my laptop, and because of that, all of my important documents are gone.

Perhaps the worst trouble of all has been with the inconsiderate neighbors who live in the apartment above me. My neighbors are two university students. They have lived upstairs for about one year. They like to party, so I can’t sleep. This happened not only once, but every Saturday night. I tried to speak to them, but they suggested putting in ear plugs when I’m about to sleep. On top of it all, they always turn up the volume of their music to the maximum.

Sometimes, my apartment seems like a small, friendly oasis surrounded by hostile enemies. I never know what other trouble is going to come from next: the landlord, the janitor, or the neighbors. Home may be where the heart is, but my sanity is thinking about moving out.

Reading skills——Practice

1.Denotation: a work of art that is excellent

Connotation: Les Brown regarded his own performance in his shabby room as a masterpiece. The word implies Les Brown's confidence in realizing his dream as a DJ.

2.Denotation: a large project, especially one that is difficult.

Connotation: Les Brown took his dream as an enterprise, a lifelong career, to which he attached great importance. At the same time, to become a DJ was by no means an easy job.

3.Denotation: take in or absorb liquid

Connotation: Soak up implies that Les Brown was eager to seize every

opportunity to learn something new in order to be better prepared to become a DJ in the future.

4.Denotation: take or hold sb./sth. with your hand suddenly

Connotation: Grab in this context means to pick up the phone in a very quick movement, implying a sense of anxiety.

5.Denotation: turn over into a different position with a sudden quick movement Connotation: Flip shows that Les Brown had become quite familiar with the machine because he practiced a lot in his free time.

6.Denotation: move, drive or push forward or in a particular direction

Connotation: Propel here suggests that Les Brown was driven to go forward by his strong determination and adequate preparation.

Unit 2

Text A

Vocabulary

waterproof

a.

not allowing water to enter 防水的；不透水的

I can wear my watch when I swim because it is waterproof. 游泳时我可以戴手表，因为我的表是防水的。 n.

[C, usu. pl.] a jacket or coat that does not allow rain and water through it 防水衣物；雨衣 You'll need waterproofs in such changeable weather. 天气如此多变，你会用得着雨衣的。

jetty

n.

[C] a wide wall or flat area built out into the water, used for getting on and off boats 栈桥；突堤；登岸码头

notorious

a.

famous or well-known for sth. bad 臭名昭著的；声名狼藉的

The bar has become notorious as a meeting place for drug dealers. 这家酒吧作为毒贩子接头的场所已变得声名狼藉。

hop

vi.

jump up or move somewhere quickly 快速行走；弹跳

The insect hopped from place to place, but always returned as soon as the search was over. 这虫子到处乱跳，只要人们不再找它，便又跑出来了。

oust

vt.

force sb. out of a position of power, esp. so that you can take their place （尤指为取而代之而）迫使（某人）放弃职位；把…撵走

The team was ousted from the tournament in the first round of the play-offs. 该队在季后赛的首轮就被淘汰出联赛了。

feeble

a.

1 extremely weak 非常虚弱的；无力的

Her grandfather is very old and feeble, and he only gets around in a wheelchair. 她爷爷年迈体弱，只能靠轮椅走动。

2 not very good or effective 蹩脚的；无效的；站不住脚的

Students who give feeble excuses for their missing assignments annoy their teacher very much. 那些没交作业的学生给出的理由很蹩脚，这让老师十分生气。

recede

vi.

1 become less strong or likely 减弱，减小（可能性）

With the passage of time, my unhappy memories of that place receded. 随着时间的流逝，我对那个地方的不愉快记忆渐渐淡了。

2 move back from a high point or level （从高处）后退

As the tide receded, we were able to look for shells. 潮水退去，我们可以找贝壳了。

deem

vt.

(fml.) consider that sb. or sth. has a particular quality 认为