另一种说法，是一块空地，除非我们开始在那里播种，否则它永远都是空地。你的时间会流逝（时
间就在我们说话的当下嘀嗒嘀塔地走着，每分钟顺时针走60 秒，如果你不能很好地利用它，它会走
得更快些），而你没有取得任何成就来证明它的存在，唯独留下遗憾，留下一面后视镜，上面写满
了“本可以做”、“本应该做”、“本来会做”的事情。
7 Translate the paragraphs into English.
1 对于是否应该在大学期间详细规划自己的未来，学生们意见不一。有的人认为对未来应该有一个明
确的目标和详细的计划，为日后可能遇到的挑战做好充分的准备；有的人则认为不用过多考虑未
来，因为未来难以预料。(map out; brace oneself for; uncertainty)
Students differ about whether they should have their future mapped out when they are still at university.
Some think they should have a definite goal and detailed plan, so as to brace themselves for any
challenges, whereas some others think they don??t have to think much about the future, because future is full of uncertainties.
2 经过仔细检查，这位科学家得知自己患了绝症。虽然知道自己将不久于人世，他并没有抱怨命运的 不公，而是准备好好利用剩下的日子，争取加速推进由他和同事们共同发起的那个研究项目，以提
前结项。(tick away; make the best of; have a shot at) After a very careful check-up, the scientist was told he had got a fatal disease. Although he knew that
his life was ticking away, instead of complaining about the fate, the scientist decided to make the best of
the remaining days, and speed up the research project he and his colleagues initiated, and have a shot at completing it ahead of schedule.
Unit 2
Active reading (1)
Language points
1 ... I can recall the changing colors of those days, clear and definite as a pattern seen through a kaleidoscope. (Para 1)
A kaleidoscope is a toy that shows changing patterns. It is made of a tube with mirrors and colored pieces of glass inside. The glass pieces move as you turn the kaleidoscope. As a metaphor, kaleidoscope means a view, situation or experience that keeps changing and has many different aspects. 2 ?? and look over the lights of Boston that blazed and blinked far off across the darkening water. (Para 2)
To blaze means to burn strongly and brightly. The lights ... that blazed and blinked means the lights were
bright and went on and off continuously, like the blinking of eyes.
3 The sunset flaunted its pink flag above the airport, and the sound of waves was lost in the perpetual
droning of the planes. (Para 2)
To flaunt means to deliberately try to make people notice something, eg your possessions, beauty, abilities
etc, because you want them to admire you. The sunset flaunted its pink flag means the pink color of the setting sun was like a flag which the sun was using to try to make everyone notice and admire it.
To drone means to make a continuous low sound. Because Logan is an international airport, the noise of
the planes continued all the time. So it was perpetual.
4 I marveled at the moving beacons on the runway and watched, until it grew completely dark, the
flashing red and green lights that rose and set in the sky like shooting stars. (Para 2)
A beacon is a bright light that shines in the dark and is used as a signal to warn people of danger or to
show them the way to somewhere. Beacons are used in airports to show approaching and departing planes
the position of the runways to help them land and take off safely.
A shooting star is a meteor, a large piece of rock in space that falls through the earth??s atmosphere and
makes a bright line of light in the sky. When you see a shooting star, it is said to be lucky, and some people make a wish.
5 Out by the parking lot David and I found the perfect alcove for our Superman dramas. (Para 5)
A parking lot is the American equivalent of a car park, British English. A lot in American English refers to
a small area of land used for a particular purpose.
6 During recess, David and I came into our own. (Para 6)
To come into one??s own means to have the opportunity to show how good or useful someone is. Here the
two children are good at imaginative play with Superman games.
Childhood memories Unit 2 45
7 We ignored the boys playing baseball on the gravel court and the girls giggling at dodge-ball in the dell. (Para 6)
Dodge-ball is a game played by children standing in a circle or on opposite sides of an area. A rubber ball
is thrown by those outside, who try to hit those in the circle. The children in the circle try to dodge the ball to avoid being hit.
8 Our Superman games made us outlaws ?? (Para 6)
An outlaw is a criminal, especially one who moves from place to place to avoid being caught. There are
many famous stories of outlaws in Western culture, eg Robin Hood, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid, Ned Kelly etc. Here, the two children are outlaws because they play their imaginative
games against the custom of other games like dodge-ball. 9 ?? the sallow mamma??s boy on our block who was left out of the boys?? games ... and skin his fat knees. (Para 6)
Mamma, mama, momma, mummy are children??s names for mother (mum). A mamma??s boy is one who
depends too much on his mother and is not independent when he should be. To skin one??s knees means to hurt one??s knees by falling on a rough surface in a way that causes some skin to be removed.
10 At the time my Uncle Frank was living with us while waiting to be drafted ?? (Para 8)
The draft means conscription into the armed forces for military service. People who are drafted are made
to join the army, navy etc; they are conscripts or draftees not volunteers.
Reading and understanding
3 Answer the questions.
1 What were Sylvia Plath??s most important memories?
She remembered winning a prize, Paula Brown??s new suit and the view from her window.
2 Where did she live and what could she see from her bedroom window? She lived on the bay side of town, on Johnson Avenue, and she could see the lights of Boston and Logan
Airport from her bedroom window.
3 What did the view make her want to do? It made her want to fly in her dreams. 4 Why did she have such vivid dreams?
Because she was rarely tired when she went to bed. 5 Who appeared in her dreams?
Superman appeared and taught her to fly.
6 Why did she enjoy the radio adventures of Superman? Because she loved the sheer poetry of flight. 7 Where did her friend and she play Superman?
At the dingy back entrance to the school, an alcove in a long passageway.
Unit 2 Childhood memories 46
8 Why do you think they chose Sheldon to be the villain?
Because he was a mamma??s boy and was left out of the other boys?? games. 9 How did she feel about her Uncle Frank?
She admired him as she thought he bore an extraodinary resemblance to Superman incognito.
4 Choose the best summary of the passage.
3 Sylvia Plath wrote about her real and imaginary life as a child.
Dealing with unfamiliar words
5 Match the words in the box with their definitions.
1 accurate and true (definite)
2 continuing all the time (perpetual) 3 to spin quickly in circles (whirl) 4 to shine very brightly (blaze) 5 to laugh in a nervous, excited or silly way that is difficult to control (giggle) 6 to encourage someone to speak or continue speaking (prompt) 7 to fall to the ground (tumble)
6 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 5.
Plath never needed to be (1) prompted to talk about her childhood memories. They were very (2) definite and still real to her as an adult. She imagined she could fly and (3) whirl through the air like Superman.
Coming from the highways around Boston was the (4) perpetual sound of traffic. In the distance a plane
was taking off, its lights (5) blazing into the night sky. She remembered the sound of (6) giggling which
came from the group of girls. Sadly in her later life it seemed as if Superman had (7) tumbled to earth.
7 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box.
1 The lights at the airport went on and off all day and night. (blinked) 2 The playground was like a desert. It was without any interesting or positive features and unfriendly. (barren)
3 The boys were playing a children??s game in which the players chase and try to touch each other and the
girls were gossiping and giggling. (tag)
4 Pulling the legs off insects is a form of action causing extreme physical pain by someone as a
punishment, and is extremely cruel. (torture)
5 The similarity in appearance between the twins was striking. (resemblance) 6 He would cover candy with a piece of cloth used for cleaning lips and hands, and make it disappear. (napkin)
8 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.
1 If you look through a kaleidoscope, are you likely to see (a) changing coloured patterns, or (b) a single coloured pattern?
2 If you flaunt something, do you (a) deliberately try to make people notice, or (b) try to hide it?
3 If you marvel at something, do you find it (a) boring, or (b) surprising and fascinating?
Childhood memories Unit 2 47
4 Are shooting stars likely to (a) move brightly through the night sky, or (b) stand still?
5 Is the twilight likely to be (a) at the end of, or (b) in the middle of the day?
6 If you drift off to sleep, are you likely to fall asleep (a) quickly, or (b) slowly?
7 If someone is bookish, are they likely to be (a) more, or (b) less interested in reading books than doing other activities?
8 If you make up something, do you (a) invent it, or (b) borrow it from someone else?
9 If you come into your own, are you likely to show (a) how effective and useful, or (b) ineffective and useless you can be?
10 Is a villain likely to be a (a) good, or (b) bad person?
11 If you are left out of something, are you likely to be (a) included, or (b) excluded?
Active reading (2)