Unit 6T ext A Old Father Time Becomes a T error
In many ways, the style of this piece is typical of a certain variety of journalism. It is clearly not a new story, but nonetheless belongs within the pages of a newspaper. Such writing finds its home in the editorial or comment section where journalists and others contribute regular or occasional columns reflecting on topical issues.
Unlike news stories where reporters are expected to confine themselves to the facts; such columns are intended to give free range to the expression of personal opinion. At the same time, particularly in the more serious papers (and the paper from which this comes, the Financial Times, certainly belongs to this category) the writer is expected display this familiarity with the problem under discussion.
This is frequently achieved by employing concession. Thus, here the writer, having outlined the problem of the pressure of time, goes on to concede that not everybody is affected to the same extent. He then details the differences that exist before returning to his more general point and concluding with his solution, another characteristic ingredient of such editorial articles.
His general conclusion is hardly new, having been advice offered by philosophers for as back as one cares to go, but gains novelty set against the context to recent technological developments.
Although not a news story, the article nevertheless shares with newspaper reporting in general a taste for seeking support from the use of direct quotations from a number of different people. These quotations are provided together with the name of the person and background information on them.
These details add human interest and support the argument by reference to the utterances of someone who appear to be in a position to know. As the quotations record spoken rather than written English, the tone of language is often colloquial. The frequent peppering of an article with this type of direct quotation stands in contrast to what is usual in a more purely academic essay.
T
Introduction of the Author:
•Richard Tomkins
The
consumer industries editor of the Financial Times, where he has been a member of the editorial staff since 1983. He is currently based at the company’s London headquarters, whe re he leads a team of journalists covering the consumer goods sector and writes about consumer trends, Tomkins was born i
n Walsall, England, in 1952. His formal education ended at the age of seventeen.
Before becoming a journalist, he was a casual laborer, a factory worker, a truck driver, a restaurant cashier, a civil servant, and an assistant private secretary to a government minister. He left government service in1978 to hitchhike around the world, and on returning to the U.K. in 1978,
joined a local newspaper as a trainee reporter.
He joined the Financial Times as a sub-editor(副编辑, 副主编) four years later. In this selection, he discusses the time squeeze that many people are experiencing and offers a way of combating the problem.
Part II
Pre-questions
PPre-questions
1. How does the singer treat his diary? Why? (He treats it as a friend, to whom he can pour out his
inmost feelings.)
2. Can we infer what attitude the singer takes towards the pace of life today? (It’s unwise for
people to be always in a rush, so much so that they don’t have time either for each other or for themselves.)
3. Do you keep a diary? What sort of things do you write about?
4. What does the singer think about how other people spend their time?
Part III
Comprehension Questions
1, What did we use to expect from technology?
2、In what ways have inventions such as the motorcar and the aircraft affected our life? And what
sort out the facts
about the advent of washing machine?
3、What new burdens has technology produced apart from cramming work into our leisure time?
4、How fast is information generated today as compared to a couple of centuries ago?
5、What is Edward Wilson’s purpose in subscribing to sixty-old journals and magazine?
6、What gives rise to our discontent with super abundance?
7、Is everyone time-starved today? What percentage of the population is suffering under the
stresses and strains of life today?
8、What is stress envy, as conceived by Paul Edwards?
9、How much free time has the average American gained since the mid-1960s?How are the gains
distributed between the sexes?
10、What is mean t by the “the growth of the work-life debate”?
11、What does Godbey mean by saying “It’s the kid in the candy store”?
12、For time stress, what remedy does the author offer?
Part IV Language Points
1. on the go / upon the go:
(infml) active or busy [口]在进行活动, 忙碌; 刚要动身; 有醉意
Examples:
I’ve been on the go all week, preparing my thesis.
I was on the go all day and went home at about 10’oclock in the evening.
Part IV
2. set about：
begin（a task）；start（doing sth.）（used in the pattern：set about sth./doing sth.; no passive）开
始, 着手; 散布(谣言) ; [口]攻击; [俚]接连殴打, 乱打
Example:
The school authorities must set about finding solutions to the campus security problems.
My mom and I set about clearing up / clearing the table after the guests left. 动手收拾(餐桌)
--set about one's work开始工作
Part IV
Part I
*3. eat into:
gradually reduce the amount of (sth. valuable); damage or destroy腐蚀; 侵蚀; 消耗; 用掉一部分(eat in在家里吃饭, eat out)
Examples:
All these car expenses are eating into our savings.
Responsibilities at home and work eat into his time.
Our holiday travel has eaten into the money we saved.我们的假日旅游耗费了我们积蓄起来的钱。
Acid eats into the metal, damaging its surface.
Part IV
*4. in reality:
in actual fact; really
Examples:
Some famous private schools are theoretically open to the public, but in reality are attended by those who can afford the fees.
He is much smaller in reality than he looks on the television.
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5/*. multiply: increase in number or quantity; add a number to itself a particular number of times 使增加, 使在数量、数字或程度上增加
Examples:
Multi plying large quantities in one’s head has become a lost art since the arrival of the calculator. Effici
ency would be -lied several times with the new technology..效率将提高好几倍。
to multiply one's chances of success 增加个人成功的机会
To breed or propagate繁殖或增殖
When animals have more food, they generally multiply faster. 动物如果吃得多，通常繁殖也快。
6. fraction:
small part, bit, amount or proportion(of sth.) 一小部分；些微
Examples:
Only a (small) fraction of my friends have video recorder.
我的朋友中只一小部分人有录像机。
Mother's careful with her money, and spends only a fraction of her earnings.母亲用钱很审慎，只花自己收入很小的一部分。
moved a fraction of a step forward.移了一小步
The black miners in South Africa used to earn only a fraction of the wages paid to white miners doing equivalent work.
分数
1/3 and 5/8 are fractions. 三分之一和八分之五是分数。
a fraction of一小部分
a fraction of a second一秒钟的若干分之几, 一转眼的工夫
not by a fraction一点也不
to a fraction[口]地地道道地, 百分之百地
*7. pour in:
go into a place quickly and in large numbers
Examples:
Tourists poured onto Shanghai on National Day.
many football fans poured into the stadium to have a look at their favorite football players.
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Part IV
*8. minute:
very small in size or amount
Examples:
Only a minute amount of money is needed.
Studies show that water contains minute quantities of lead.
Part IV
Part IV
9. oblige: 迫使，使感到必须做（某事）
She was obliged to go. 她不得不走。
Circumstances oblige me to do that.
情况使我不得不那样做。
The police obliged him to leave. 警方强迫他离开。
do sth. for (sb.) as a favor or small service (used in the pattern: oblige (sb.) (with sth. /by doing sth.)) To make indebted or grateful施恩惠于，帮助; 使感谢或感激：
Examples:
I am obliged to you for your gracious hospitality.我很感谢你的热情好客
I am sorry I cannot oblige you.
很抱歉, 我不能答应你的请求。
Please oblige me with your presence.务请光临。
Will any gentleman oblige the lady (with your seat)?
请哪位先生给这位女士让个座位好吗?
Please oblige me by leaving me alone.
--He obliged me by keeping the matter quiet;
对事情保密帮了我的忙；
Much obliged![口]谢谢!
vi.To do a service or favor帮…忙，施恩惠；做好事, 效劳：
--The soloist obliged with yet another encore(经要求而再唱).独奏演员又演了一个节目
--I'll do any thing within reason to oblige.
凡能做到的我都愿效劳[尽力]。
We are happy to oblige.
art IV
10. abundance:
quantity that is more than enough; plenty (followed by of) 丰富, 充足, 富裕; 多Examples:
The visitor to Oxford has an abundance of sights to see.
--The tree yields an abundance of fruit.这树结果甚多。(大量的; 丰富, 许多)
--abundance of the heart热情洋溢; 感情充沛
of abundance富裕的
--a year of abundance丰年
--a life of abundance富裕的生活
in abundance富有
By the mid-15th century paper was available in abundance.可供货源充足。
--He wished to have money in abundance.他希望富有。
*11. forecast:
tell in advance; predict
Examples:
The means of forecasting natural disasters, such as floods, and hurricanes, have improved immensely as science and technology have advanced.
Because the behavior of weather systems is chaotic, it is impossible to forecast the details of weather more than about two weeks in advance.
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Part IV
12. nurture:
care for and educate (a child); cultivate; encourage the growth of (sth.); nourish培育，教育；
训练; 培养：促进成长或发育；给…营养物；喂养
Examples:
nurture a student's talent.
培养学生的才能
nurturing hopes; 滋生希望
Nurture your mind. 发展你的心智。
nature and nurture本性和教养, 遗传和环境
The two sisters had received very different nurture.这俩个姊妹接受过极不同的教育。
a delicately nurtured girl一个娇生惯养的女孩
She nurtured the child as if he had been her own.她把那孩子当作自己的来养育。
Parents want to know the best way to nurture and raise their child to adulthood.养育他们的孩子长大成人.
With one year’s observation the biologists have found how dolphins socialize(使适应体生活), breed, and nurture their young and how they communicate. 喂养
The local government has taken measures to nurture the state-run factories. 扶植

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