Unit1
1. Banked cloze
Have you ever heard people say that they tend to be more of a right-brain or left-brain thinker? From books to television programs, you have probably heard
the term mentioned numerous times, or perhaps you have even taken an online test to determine which type best describes you.
Do different parts of the brain really control different bodily and mental functions? Over the years, a theory that has gained in popularity is that the right brain and the left brain are responsible for different modes of thought and that the way in which a person thinks will depend on which side of his brain works more actively.
People who rely more heavily on the right half of their brain tend to be more imaginative and spontaneous. They are interested in patterns, shapes and sizes, for the right brain is associated with artistic ability like singing, painting,
Writing poetry, etc. Left-brain dominated people are quite opposite in the way they think. They tend to be more logical and analytical in their thinking and usually stand out in mathematics and word skills.
While the different functions of the two brain parts may have been distorted and exaggerated by popular psychology, understanding you strengths and weaknesses in certain areas can help you develop better ways to learn and study. For example, if you are usually stumped in trying to follow verbal instructions, an activity often cited as a right-brain characteristic, you can benefit from writing down directions and developing better organizational skills.
2.中庸思想（Doctrine of the Mean）是儒家思想的核心内容。The Doctrine of the Mean is the core of Confucianism.孔子所谓的“中”不是指“折中”，而是指在认识和处理客观事物时的一种“适度”和“恰如其分”的方法。The so-called “mean” by Confucius doesn’t mean “compromise” but a “moderate” and “Just right” way when understanding and handling
objective things. 孔子主张不仅要把这种思想作为一种认识和处理事物的方法来看待，而且还应该通过自身修养和锻炼，把它融入自己的日常行为当中，使之成为一种美德。Confucius advocated that this thought should not only be treated as away to understand and deal with things but also be integrated into one’s daily conduct to make it a virtue through self-cultivation and training.中庸思想是儒家思想的核心，也是中国传统文化的重要组成部分。The Doctrine of the Mean is not only the core of Confucianism but also an important component of traditional Chinese culture.从它的形成到现在，一直为民族精神的构建、民族智慧的传播、民族文化的发展发挥着不可估量的作用。From the time it came into being to the present, it has played an invaluable role in the construction of nation spirit, the transmission of national wisdom, and the development of national culture.
Unit2
1. Banked cloze
I was once in a relationship with a woman who was the most brilliant, creative and driven person I’d ever known. I told her these things often because she didn’t see herself this way, despite achieving great success and acclaim(称赞)in her professional field. She was also gorgeous and sexy, thought she seemed not to realize this either, so I told her these things too. But while I thought it was more important to praise her brilliance, it seemed to mean more to her that she was considered attractive.
My experience with this girlfriend exemplifies a common phenomenon in life-when it comes to complimenting a woman, men often walk a very difficult line. Of course, context matters. In a professional setting, talking about appearance is often inappropriate, but at a singles club, it may be important. She will be very pleased if a man thinks her cloths and accessories are pretty, or her hair looks wonderful. However, things in between these two cases are unclear. Women have every right to be recognized and appreciated or their intelligence and creativity. But at the same time, they want to be admired for their looks as well, for example, their perfect skin
complexion and elegant outfits.
Unfortunately, most guys don’t understand this. If we receive compliments from women, they’re usually about our achievements, not our looks. Most of us don’t expect a woman to tell us how handsome or sexy we are, and some of us would find it hard to regard such a (an) comment as sincere.
I’m not saying it’s very hard to be a guy these days. It is important for every man to understand how to treat women with both respect and admiration. But as far as the right balance of these two is concerned, we really have no frame of reference, especially when it comes to looks.
2. 中国的四大名著是指《三国演义》（Romance of the Three Kingdoms）、《水浒传》（Outlaws of the Marsh）、《西游记》（Journey to the West）和《红楼梦》（A Dream of Red Mansions）四部著名小说。The four great classic Chinese novels are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, Journey to the West and A Dream of Red Mansions. 它们的创作时间均处于元末明初至清代期间，All the four novels were written during the period from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties to the Qing Dynasty.其内容反映了中国古代的政治和军事斗争、社会矛盾、文化信仰等各个方面。They all reflect various aspects of ancient China, including political and military strife , social conflicts and cultural beliefs.四大名著具有很高的艺术水平，代表了中国古典小说的高峰。The four novels are of supreme artistic standards, representing the peak of China’s classic novels.书中的许多人物和场景在中国家喻户晓，并且已经深深地影响了整个民族的思想观念和价值取向。Lots of the characters and scenes in the books are well-known in China and have exerted profound influences on the ideology and values of the entire nation.四本著作在中国古代民俗、封建制度、社会生活等多个领域皆有巨大的研究价值，是中国乃至全人类的宝贵文化遗产。Highly valuable for the research of China’s ancient customs, feudal system, and social life, the four classic novels are precious cultural relics of China as well as the human society as a whole.