values, and goals of each sex. And rather than the unisex pursuit of “freedom with a male bias,” we should be doing more to foster a culture in which the traditional female values of relationship and caring are given a higher priority and respect.
In a much modified form, then, traditional marital gender roles are
necessary if the good of society — and of individuals — are to be advanced.
11
8 David Gutmann: 戴维·格特曼（美国西北大学医学院荣誉退休的心理学和行为科学教授）
9 parental imperative: the process that, after marriage, especially after the birth of a child, the demands of childbearing and
childrearing push men and women in the direction of traditional gender roles with the woman assuming more responsibility for
both childcare and household tasks 父母职责 12 13 14
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Unit Five Seven Tenets for Establishing New Marital Norms
tenet /9tenIt,9ti:nIt/ n. one of the principles or beliefs that a theory or large set of beliefs is based on 原则，信条
marital /9m{rItl/ adj. connected with marriage or with the relationship between a husband and wife 婚姻的，夫妻关系的
norm /nO:m/ n. standard of behavior that is typical of or accepted within a particular group or society 规范，行为标准
gender /9dZend5/ n. the fact of being male or female 性别
psychic /9saIkIk/ adj. 1) connected with the mind rather than the body 心灵的，精神的 2) connected with strange powers of the mind and not able to be explained by natural laws 超自然的
reproduction /8ri:pr59d?kSFn/ n. the act or process of producing babies, young animals or plants 生殖， 繁殖
instrumental /8InstrU9mentl/ adj. important in making sth happen 起重要作用
monogamy /má9nág5mI/ n. the fact or custom of being married to only one person at a particular time 一夫一妻 (制)
diminution /8dImI9nju:SFn/ n. a reduction; an amount reduced 缩小 (量)，减少 (量)
eventual /I9ventSU5l/ adj. happening at the end of a period of time or of a process 最后的，最终 的，结果的
affluent /9{flU5nt/ adj. having a lot of money and a good standard of living 富裕的 affluence /9{flU5ns/ n. the state of being wealthy 富裕
cohabitation /k5u8h{bI9teIS5n/ n. the state of a man and a woman living together and having a sexual relationship without being married (无婚姻关系) 同居
promiscuity /8prámI9skju:ItI/ n. the state of having many sexual partners 淫乱，滥交 downside /9daUnsaId/ n. the disadvantages or less positive aspects of sth 缺点，不利方面 conceivable /k5n9si:v5b5l/ adj. that one can imagine or believe; imaginable 可想象的，可信的 impulse /9Imp?ls/ n. 1) sth that causes sb/sth to do sth or to develop and make progress 推 动力，刺激 2) a sudden strong wish or need to do sth, without stopping
to think about the results 冲动，一时的念头
offset /9áfset/ v. use one cost, payment or situation in order to cancel or reduce the effect of another 抵消，弥补，补偿
avail /59veIl/ v. be helpful or useful to sb 有帮助，有益，有用
institute /9InstItju:t/ v. introduce a system, policy, etc or start a process 制定 (体系、政策 等)，实行
setback /9setb{k/ n. a difficulty or problem that delays or prevents sth, or makes a situation worse 挫折，阻碍
subsidy /9s?bsIdI/ n. money that is paid by a government or an organization to reduce the costs of services or of producing goods so that their prices can be kept low 补贴，补助金，津贴
homemaker /9h5UmmeIk5(r)/ n. a person, esp a woman, who works at home and takes care of the house and family 料理家务者， (尤指未出外工作的) 主妇 hormonal /hO:9m5Un5l/ adj. 激素的，荷尔蒙的
longevity /lán9dZevItI/ n. long life; the fact of lasting a long time 长寿，长命，持久
New Words
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新视角研究生英语 读说写 2 unprecedented /?n9presIdentId/ adj. that has never happened, beendone or been known before 前所未 有的，空前的
endeavor /In9dev5(r)/ n. 1) an enterprise or undertaking (为达到某一目的而进行的) 活动， 事业 2) an attempt to do sth, esp sth new or difficult (尤指新的或艰 苦的) 努力，尝试
imperative /Im9per5tIv/ n. 1) a thing felt as an obligation 必须履行的责任 2) an essential or urgent thing 重要紧急的事，必要的事
curtail /k?:9teIl/ v. limit sth or make it last for a shorter time 限制，缩短，缩减
breadwinning /9bred8wini?/ n. the act of supporting one’s family with the money they earn 挣钱养家
albeit /O:l9bi:It/ conj. although 尽管，虽然
foolhardy /9fu:lhA:dI/ adj. taking unnecessary risks 莽撞的，有勇无谋的
scrap /skr{p/ v. cancel or get rid of sth that is no longer practical or useful 废弃，取 消，抛弃
constraint /k5n9streInt/ n. a thing that limits or restricts sth, or your freedom to do sth 限制，约 束
peril /9perIl/ n. 1) the dangers or problems that arise from a particular situation or activity 祸害，险情 2) serious danger 严重危险
androgyny /{n9drOdZInI/ n. the state of having both male and female characteristics, looking neither strongly male nor strongly female 雌雄同体，兼具两性
accommodate /59kám5deIt/ v. change (oneself, or one’s habits, way of life, etc) to fit new conditions 改变 (自我、习惯、生活方式等) 以适应新情况
unisex /9ju:nIseks/ adj. intended for or used by both men and women 男女皆宜的，不分性别 的
stand at sth be at a particular level, amount, height, etc 达特定水平（或数量、高 度等）
much less used to introduce sth as being even less likely or suitable than sth else already mentioned 更不用说，更何况
with an eye to / toward ... with the intention of ... 着眼于，目的在于，试图
avail oneself of sth make use of sth, esp an opportunity or offer 利用（尤指机会、提议 等）
in place working or ready to work; established 在工作，准备工作
compensate sb for sth pay sb money or give sb sth because they have suffered some damage, loss, injury, etc 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）
make up for sth do sth that corrects a bad situation 弥补
make allowances for sb/sth allow sb to behave in a way that one would not usually accept, because of a problem or because there is a special reason 体谅，谅解
balance out be equal in value, amount, etc to sth else that has the opposite effect 相 抵，抵消
come into play begin to be used or to have an effect 开始活动，起作用
Phrases and Expressions
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Unit Five Seven Tenets for Establishing New Marital Norms
at one’s peril (used esp in warnings) with the possibility of endangering sb or causing sb problems（尤用于告诫某人勿做某事）自担风险
in the interest(s) of sth for the benefit of sth; in order to help or achieve sth 为了??的利益， 为帮助（或取得）
I. Reading Comprehension
Answer the following questions based on the text.
1. At the beginning of the article, the author declares that, in order to solve the current confusion about the proper roles that men and women should play in marriage, he proposes to establish new marital norms. What pattern of marriage behavior does he propose? Is this pattern a traditional one or a brand new one?
2. According to the first principle proposed by the author, should women be well-educated and work outside the home after marriage? Is this a traditional or modern idea?
3. What is the second principle the author proposes? Is this a traditional or modern idea? 4. According to the third principle, what is the best age for marriage? Why? In addition, what’s the possible result of late marriage? Is the author for or against this way of life? How do you know?
5. According to the fourth principle, what is the disadvantage of late marriage? How to overcome it?
6. From children’s birth to their early or middle teen years, what childrearing arrangements does the fifth principle recommend to the parents? Is this strategy known as “sequencing” a traditional or new practice?
7. For women, it seems that the conflict between childcare and career development is unavoidable. To the author, which of the two is more important? What should the government do to make up to women for their career loss?
8. According to the sixth principle, while the mother is ordinarily the primary caretaker of the infant, what domestic work should the father do? And after the infant is 18 months old, is any change possible to the father’s role? Here is the father assuming the
traditional marital gender role or a new one? What should employers do accordingly to adapt to this situation?
9. As the seventh principle implies, will the situation last throughout their marriage that women do more domestic work and less paid work than men?
10. In conclusion, in the author’s opinion, which should have a higher priority for men and women in modern society, personal pursuits or parenting? For the benefit of both society and individuals, is it sensible to completely abandon the marital roles of men as the breadwinner and of women as the homemaker and childrearer associated with the traditional nuclear family? What marriage behavior does the author disapprove of? What marriage behavior does he advocate?
Exercises
94
新视角研究生英语 读说写 2 II. Structure of the Text
Complete the following outline based on the text.
1. Introduction: a proposal for establishing new marital norms (Para. 1) 1) Purpose of the proposal: ___________________________________________________ 2) Summary of the proposal: _________________________________________________ 2. Body: seven main elements of the proposal (Paras. 2–11)
1) Girls as well as boys should ________________________________________________. Reasons: A. It is important for women to ____________________________________. B. It is important for society that ___________________________________.
2) Young people should grow up with the expectation that ________________________ _______________________________________________________________________. Current situation: A. _____________________________________________________. B. _____________________________________________________. C. _____________________________________________________.
3) Young adults should be encouraged to _______________________________________. Reasons: A. From society’s viewpoint, ______________________________________. B. From individual’s viewpoint, ___________________________________.
One possible result: _______________________________________________________. 4) To help overcome the anti-family impact of the long years of single life, young unmarried adults should be encouraged to ___________________________________. 5) Women should be encouraged to adopt the strategy known as “sequencing”. Steps: A. Once children are born, wives should __________________________. B. Once children reach age three, the average mother could __________ ____________________________________________________________. C. When children are of school age, and preferably in their early to middle teen years, the mother could ___________________________. The government should make up to women for their career loss.
Measures: A. ___________________________________________________________. B. ___________________________________________________________.
6) The father should be ______________________________________________________. Places of employment must ________________________________________________.
7) There is some balancing out of _____________________________________________. Reasons: A. ___________________________________________________________. B. ___________________________________________________________. 3. Conclusion: gist of the proposal (Paras. 12–14)
____________________________________________________________________________. Reasons: A. For individuals, ___________________________________________________. B. For society, ______________________________________________________.
III. Topics for Discussion
Discuss the following questions in small groups.
1. In paragraph 3, the author states that “Reproduction is a fundamental purpose of life, 95
Unit Five Seven Tenets for Establishing New Marital Norms
and marriage is instrumental to its success.” He believes that young people should marry and have children. Yet in modern, industrialized countries, child centeredness is weakening. Today, the average American woman has two children compared to three and one half in 1960. Almost one out of five American women in their early forties is childless. Do you think children are central to a couple’s marriage and family life? What are the reasons that young people today choose to have fewer children or even no children at all?
2. In 1960, the median age of first marriage was 20 for females and 23 for males. In 2005, the age of first marriage has risen to about 26 and 27, respectively. And according to the third tenet, young adults are encouraged to marry in their late twenties or early thirties, or even later. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of late marriage? In your opinion, what is the best age of marriage?
3. Most women today are facing the dilemma of choosing between a life of career and selfimprovement or a life of wife and motherhood. In the article, the author advises women
to solve the problem by the strategy known as “sequencing”: leaving the labor market to be full-time mothers after childbirth, and resuming work first part-time and then fulltime when the children are older. In your opinion, for women, which is more important,
career or family? Do you think the strategy of “sequencing” — having it all, but not all at once — will work in China? Why? Can you think of any other ways for women to balance work and family?
4. Traditionally, the role of the husband is breadwinning — to earn a living to support the family, while the role of the wife is homemaking — to take care of the house and the children. The author argues that this traditional role division is still necessary in modern society though with some changes, namely, according to the sixth tenet, husbands should share domestic responsibilities as an auxiliary or even primary homemaker and care provider. What’s your opinion about the traditional marital roles of men and women? In today’s China, should young couples have the traditional division of labor or an equal one? Do you think men are willing to accept the new homemaking role to support their wives’ pursuit of a successful career?
IV. Reading and Reciting
A. Read and recite the following paragraphs from the text.
Girls as well as boys should be trained according to their abilities for a socially