Unit1 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.

Unit3 1 随着婚礼的临近，苏珊变得非常焦虑。她说不清楚是什么让自己如此烦恼。在同好友凯特长谈了一次后，她才意识到，尽管自己已经28岁了，但在情感方面还不够成熟，还没有为婚姻做好准备，也不知道这桩婚姻是否会给自己带来美满的家庭生活。(pin down; guarantee)

As the wedding ceremony was approaching, Susan had become quite anxious. She could not pin down what exactly was troubling her. After a long talk with her close friend Kate, she realized that, although she was 28 years old, she was not emotionally mature enough to be ready for marriage and she was not sure whether the marriage would guarantee her a happy family life.

2 她知道中国学生总是不愿意表达自己的情感和想法，这不仅仅因为他们对自己的英语口语不够自信，还因为他们相信稳重是一种美德。因此她特意设计了一些简单的话题，鼓励学生参与讨论，让他们增强自信心，拉近彼此间的距离。( shy away; engage sb in)

She knew that Chinese students had a way of shying away from revealing their feelings or opinions, due not merely to their lack of confidence in spoken English, but to their belief in the virtue of modesty. So she specially conceived a couple of simple topics and encouraged them in the discussion, in order that they might become more confident and closer with each other.

Unit4 1 我们根本就看不懂他们的计划书，因为他们的观点不太容易把握。这很可能是因为我们双方对于另一方的思维方式都感到同样的困惑。我认为应该安排一次面谈，让大家消除误会，扫除沟通的障碍。(make of; come to grips with; it’s a safe bet that; as baffled … as)

We couldn’t make of their proposal at all, because it was no easy job for us to come to grips with their perspective. It was a safe bet that we were as much baffled about their way of thinking as they were about ours. I think we need to arrange a meeting to clear up misunderstandings and to remove communication barriers.

2 从与他共事二十多年的一位同事所写的传记中不难得出这样的结论：他所代表的绝对是该国二战之后的精英阶层，他们在宗教和政治方面的观念较为保守。(nothing if not; in the wake of; in terms of).

From a biography written by one of his former colleagues who had worked with him for more than two decades, it is not difficult to conclude that what he represented was nothing if not the elite class of the country in the wake of World War II, who were rather conservative in terms of religious and political views. 1 媒体对于接连发生的两件惨剧之间没有任何关系的说法表示怀疑，总统没有迅速作出反应也让大家很不满。谈到总统的执政能力，媒体早已失去信心，除非他能在随后的任期中有所作为。(consecutive；independent of; responsive; when it comes to; if only)

The media doubt the claim that the two consecutive tragedies were independent of each other, and are dissatisfied with the fact that the President was not responsive immediately. When it comes to his competence in running the government, the media have long lost their trust, if only he could do well in his subsequent term.

2 时刻牢记不要因为你的孩子成绩不好而羞辱他们，因为这种被羞辱的痛苦记忆可能会困扰孩子很长时间，使他们从小就厌学，并且会妨碍他们形成积极的生活态度。只有当父母发现孩子身上的优点，并且不断鼓励他们，孩子的发展才能得以长久。(turn off from; humiliate; haunt; identify)

Keep remembering that do not humiliate your child because they don’t gain good grades, as their memory of the humiliation will haunt them for a long time, turn them off from learning at an early age and prevent them from gaining positive attitudes towards life. The development of children can be sustained only when parents identify the strengths in their children and encourage them from time to time.

Unit9 1 先前的一些调查表明，在这个国家的政治选举中种族曾经是最为重要的因素，因为这是一个由多个种族、多个民族组成的国家。随后，大量移民的涌入使得情况更为复杂。候选人不得不把信仰、文化等问题考虑进来。(be comprised of; substantial; complicate)

According to some prior surveys, race used to be the most important factor in political elections of this country, as the population is comprised of multi-races and multi-ethnics. However, a substantial number of immigrants complicated the situation. Candidates are obliged to take the issues of faith and cultures into consideration.