Unit 2 Book 4 Technology and Happiness 1. Difficult sentences 1)(LL24-25)But it's been left largely unexamined by economists and social scientists What does“it” refer to here? It refers to the relationship between happiness and technology. Paraphrase this sentence (But economists and social scientists have hardly examined the relationship between happiness and technology at all) 2)( LL25-29 )The truly groundbreaking work on the relationship between prosperity and well-being was done by the economist Richard Easterlin, who in 1974 wrote a famous paper entitled Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? What is the meaning of"lot"? (lt means fortune in life How is the paper of great significance? As a work on the relationship between prosperity and well-being, it is innovative Translate this sentence into chinese (=经济学家理查德斯特林在经济繁荣和幸福的关系方面进行了具有开拓性的 研究,并于1974年发表了一篇题为“经济增长改变人类命运吗?”的著名论文。) 3 LL32-33)Money, Easterlin argued, could not buy happiness -at least not after a certain point. What does this sentence imply? Money can't bring people happiness, at least when people' s wealth has reached to a certain level) 4)(L39).people adapt very quickly to good news How usually will people react to good news? (They tend to feel happy and excited on hearing good news but they
1 Unit 2 Book 4 Technology and Happiness 1. Difficult sentences 1) (LL24~25) But it’s been left largely unexamined by economists and social scientists. What does “it” refer to here? (= It refers to the relationship between happiness and technology.) Paraphrase this sentence. (=But economists and social scientists have hardly examined the relationship between happiness and technology at all.) 2) (LL25~29) The truly groundbreaking work on the relationship between prosperity and well-being was done by the economist Richard Easterlin, who in 1974 wrote a famous paper entitled “Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot?” What is the meaning of “lot”? (=It means fortune in life.) How is the paper of great significance? (= As a work on the relationship between prosperity and well-being, it is innovative.) Translate this sentence into Chinese. (=经济学家理查德·伊斯特林在经济繁荣和幸福的关系方面进行了具有开拓性的 研究，并于1974年发表了一篇题为“经济增长改变人类命运吗？”的著名论文。) 3) (LL32~33) Money, Easterlin argued, could not buy happiness — at least not after a certain point. What does this sentence imply? (= Money can’t bring people happiness, at least when people’s wealth has reached to a certain level.) 4) (L.39) …people adapt very quickly to good news. How usually will people react to good news? (=They tend to feel happy and excited on hearing good news but they
soon take it for granted 5)(L58)Telemarketing, traffic jams, and identity theft all come to mind Explain the three expressions in the sentence, "telemarketing,","traffic jam"and“" identity theft”. ( Telemarketing means salespeople try to sell products to you on the phone. Traffic jam means your car is stuck in heavy traffic. Identity theft means your personal information is stolen Translate this sentence into chinese (=我们马上会想到电话推销、交通阻塞以及身份资料失窃等情况。) 6)(LL60-62)But for the most part, modern critiques of technology have focused not so much on specific, bad technologies as the impact of technology on our human relationships What do modern critiques of technology mainly focus on? They mainly focus on the impact of technology on our human relationships. Paraphrase this sentence. (However, current comments on technology have mostly centered on the bad effects of technology on our human relationships rather than particular, harmful technologies. 7) LL 66-68)The notion that technology disrupts relationships and fractures community gained mainstream prominence as an attack on television What do people blame television mainly for? ( Television is to blame main ly for interfering with the smooth development of relationships between people and breaking up community unity. Translate this sentence into chinese (=人们对电视的批评主要集中在以下方面:技术扰乱了人际关系、破坏了社区交 往。) 8)LL 78-81) Today, technological change is so rapid that when you buy something, you do so knowing that in a few months there's going to be a better, faster vers ion of the product, and that you're going to be stuck with the old one
2 soon take it for granted.) 5) (L.58) Telemarketing, traffic jams, and identity theft all come to mind. Explain the three expressions in the sentence, “telemarketing”, “traffic jam” and “identity theft”. (=Telemarketing means salespeople try to sell products to you on the phone. Traffic jam means your car is stuck in heavy traffic. Identity theft means your personal information is stolen.) Translate this sentence into Chinese. (=我们马上会想到电话推销、交通阻塞以及身份资料失窃等情况。) 6) (LL60~62) But for the most part, modern critiques of technology have focused not so much on specific, bad technologies as the impact of technology on our human relationships. What do modern critiques of technology mainly focus on? (= They mainly focus on the impact of technology on our human relationships.) Paraphrase this sentence. (=However, current comments on technology have mostly centered on the bad effects of technology on our human relationships rather than particular, harmful technologies.) 7) (LL 66~ 68) The notion that technology disrupts relationships and fractures community gained mainstream prominence as an attack on television. What do people blame television mainly for? (=Television is to blame mainly for interfering with the smooth development of relationships between people and breaking up community unity.) Translate this sentence into Chinese. (=人们对电视的批评主要集中在以下方面：技术扰乱了人际关系、破坏了社区交 往。) 8) (LL 78~ 81) Today, technological change is so rapid that when you buy something, you do so knowing that in a few months there’s going to be a better, faster version of the product, and that you’re going to be stuck with the old one
With technology changing so rapidly, is it possible for people to buy the best product? Why or why not? No, because rapid development of technology will always soon produce a better one What can we do with the old version of the product? (We have to keep it even if we don't like it any more 9)(LL 82-83)It's as if disappointment were built into acquisition from the very beginning What does this sentence mean? ( lt seems as if people were doomed to disappointment the moment they bought the product 10)(LL84-87) Daily stress, an annoying sense of disappointment, fear that the government knows a lot more about you than you would like it to- these are obviously some of the ways in which technology reduces people's sense of well-being Translate this sentence into chinese (=日常生活的压力、一种令人烦恼的失望感、对政府知道你的情况超出你 希望程度的恐惧感—这些显然都是技术降低了人们幸福感的几个方面。) 11)(LL94- 95)... the more time they get on earth, the better off they feel they 'll be What does this sentence mean? (. the longer life people live in the world, the happier they feel they'll be. 12) LL97-101)As much as we should worry about the ris ing cost of health care and the problem of the uninsured, it's also worth remembering how valuable for our spirits as well as our bodies are the benefits that medical technology has brought us. Who are the“ uninsured”? people who don't enjoy health care insurance How does medical technology benefit people according to this sentence? It benefits people both physically and mentally
3 With technology changing so rapidly, is it possible for people to buy the best product? Why or why not? (=No, because rapid development of technology will always soon produce a better one.) What can we do with the old version of the product? (=We have to keep it even if we don’t like it any more.) 9) (LL 82~ 83) It’s as if disappointment were built into acquisition from the very beginning. What does this sentence mean? (=It seems as if people were doomed to disappointment the moment they bought the product.) 10) (LL84~87) Daily stress, an annoying sense of disappointment, fear that the government knows a lot more about you than you would like it to — these are obviously some of the ways in which technology reduces people’s sense of well-being. Translate this sentence into Chinese. (=日常生活的压力、一种令人烦恼的失望感、对政府知道你的情况超出你 希望程度的恐惧感 —— 这些显然都是技术降低了人们幸福感的几个方面。) 11) (LL94~ 95) …the more time they get on earth, the better off they feel they’ll be. What does this sentence mean? (=…the longer life people live in the world, the happier they feel they’ll be.) 12) (LL97~101) As much as we should worry about the rising cost of health care and the problem of the uninsured, it’s also worth remembering how valuable for our spirits as well as our bodies are the benefits that medical technology has brought us. Who are the “uninsured”? (= people who don’t enjoy health care insurance.) How does medical technology benefit people according to this sentence? (= It benefits people both physically and mentally.)
13)(LL102-104).. what the technological improvement of our health and our longevity emphasizes is a paradox of any discussion of happiness on a national or a global level What does this sentence imply? (.. the fact that technology has greatly improved people's health and life expectancy is just contradictory to the general claim at any level that technology cannot bring happiness to people 14) (LL104-107).even though people may not be happier, even though they are wealthier and possess more technology, they're still as hungry as ever for more time Translate this sentence into Chinese (=即使人们不会更幸福,即使他们更加富裕并拥有更多技术,他们还会像 以前那样渴望长寿。) 2. Words and expressions 1)(L3)gross: a. general, total gross domestic product(GDP)国内生产总值 (His gross annual income, before tax, is just $12, 000.) 这个包裹连盒子总重量是十公斤。 (The gross weight of the package is 10 kilos, including the box. 2)( L3 triple: v. ( cause to grow to three times the amount or number Apartments with generous spaces in this area will triple in value. 新设备的引进使我们的产量增加到了三倍。 The introduction of new equipment has tripled the output (World fuel consumption has tripled since World War I 3)( L. 5life expectancy: the length of time that a person or animal is expected to live Women still have a longer life expectancy than men
4 13) (LL102~104) … what the technological improvement of our health and our longevity emphasizes is a paradox of any discussion of happiness on a national or a global level… What does this sentence imply? (=…the fact that technology has greatly improved people’s health and life expectancy is just contradictory to the general claim at any level that technology cannot bring happiness to people.) 14) (LL104~107) …even though people may not be happier, even though they are wealthier and possess more technology, they’re still as hungry as ever for more time. Translate this sentence into Chinese. (=即使人们不会更幸福，即使他们更加富裕并拥有更多技术，他们还会像 以前那样渴望长寿。) 2. Words and Expressions 1) (L.3) gross: a. general, total * gross domestic product (GDP) 国内生产总值 (=His gross annual income, before tax, is just $12, 000.) 这个包裹连盒子总重量是十公斤。 (= The gross weight of the package is 10 kilos, including the box.) 2) (L.3) triple: v. (cause to) grow to three times the amount or number * Apartments with generous spaces in this area will triple in value. 新设备的引进使我们的产量增加到了三倍。 (= The introduction of new equipment has tripled the output.) (=World fuel consumption has tripled since World War Ⅱ.) 3) (L.5) life expectancy: the length of time that a person or animal is expected to live * Women still have a longer life expectancy than men
这个部落人的平均寿命是40岁。 The average life expectancy of the people in this tribe is 40 years Collocations low 预期寿命短 high life expectancy 预期寿命长 a life expectancy of50 years预期寿命50年 4)(L5 soar: vi. rise rapidly or to a very high level Unexpectedly the jet crashed shortly after it soared into the air. Industrial unemployment has soared to 40%, which is threatening the social stability. 5) L5)boom: n. a(period of) rapid growth or increase This country's economy development has contributed a lot to the boom in world trade 我们必须要意识到90年代的经济繁荣已经结束了 ( We have to realize that the economic boom in 90s is over now 6)(L10)entertainment: n. sth, esp. a public performance, that amuses Las vegas is one of the biggest entertainment centers in the Us (Our agency supplies live entertainment for private or corporation parties. 适当的娱乐对于情感和心理的健康是必要的。 (Appropriate entertainment is necessary for emotional and psychological health 7) L.16)formal: a suitable for official occasions, serious writing, etc. but not for ordinary conversation We should be formal on business occasions, and never call anyone by their first name.我们在商务场合应该讲究礼仪,不要对别人直呼其名。 (You shouldnt use" Yours faithfully"- it's much too formal for this kind of letter
5 这个部落人的平均寿命是 40 岁。 (= The average life expectancy of the people in this tribe is 40 years.) Collocations: low life expectancy 预期寿命短 high life expectancy 预期寿命长 a life expectancy of 50 years 预期寿命 50 年 4) (L.5) soar: vi. rise rapidly or to a very high level *Unexpectedly the jet crashed shortly after it soared into the air. (=Industrial unemployment has soared to 40%, which is threatening the social stability.) 5) (L.5) boom: n. a (period of) rapid growth or increase * This country's economy development has contributed a lot to the boom in world trade. 我们必须要意识到 90 年代的经济繁荣已经结束了。 (=We have to realize that the economic boom in 90s is over now.) 6) (L.10) entertainment: n. sth., esp. a public performance, that amuses *Las Vegas is one of the biggest entertainment centers in the US. (=Our agency supplies live entertainment for private or corporation parties.) 适当的娱乐对于情感和心理的健康是必要的。 (=Appropriate entertainment is necessary for emotional and psychological health.) 7) (L. 16) formal: a. suitable for official occasions, serious writing, etc. but not for ordinary conversation We should be formal on business occasions, and never call anyone by their first name. 我们在商务场合应该讲究礼仪, 不要对别人直呼其名。 (=You shouldn't use "Yours faithfully" — it's much too formal for this kind of letter. )