●● 2 How to Grow Old[A]1. Did all Russell's ancestors live to a ripe old age?No, they didn't. His maternal grandfather died at 67 and one of his remoter ancestors did not die a natural death.2.How did his maternal grandmother keep herself occupied after she became a widow? What was her attitude towards her grandchildren?She did that by devoting herself to women's higher education, specifically to opening the medical profession to women. Her attitude towards her grandchildren was impersonal.3. According to the author, what is the proper recipe for remaining young?To have wide and keen interests and to be engaged in some related activities.4. What dangers does the author think one should guard against in old age?One is excessive absorption in the past, and the other is undue dependence on the young for getting vigour from its vitality.5. What attitude should be adopted towards one's grown-up children?Accepting the fact that they are grown-ups now and leave them to live their own lives.6. Why is it no use telling grown-up children not to make mistakes?One reason is that grown-up children do not accept what their parents tell them.The other reason is that no one can avoid making mistakes. So we may say that everyone learns from his own mistakes.7. What, in the opinion of the author, is the best way for an old person to overcome the fear of death?The best way is to make one's interests gradually wider and more impersonal, or to make one's life increasingly merged in the universal life.[B]1. Do you agree with the author's views on old age and death? State your reasons.Yes. An active and independent old age is good way to keep young..2. What does the author compare the life of an individual to?A river.3. Are the author's views in this essay to be taken seriously through out?Not through out. The author was joking when he said that one should choose one's ancestors carefully.4. Comment on the sentence 'Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.'The author means that the fear of death in young people may be justified because they have not tasted the best things of life.On the other hand, the author is suggesting that the fear of death in the old is not as acceptable - because he has known human joys and sorrows.We may further say that the author is urging the old to accept the fact of human life, that man has a limited lifetime. So if one has had his share of human joys and sorrows, one should be ready to accept that fact he is near the end of his life.II Paraphrasing1. If this is true it should be forgotten, and if it is forgotten it will probably not be true.If it is true that one's emotions used to be more vivid and one's mind used to be more keen, one should try to forget that. And if one can really forget that, who can say for certain that one is older or lower than one used to be.2. One's interest should be contemplative and, if possible, philanthropic, but not unduly emotional.One should have impersonal interests and one should not concern oneself too much with one's children and grandchildren.3. It is in this sphere that long experience is really fruitful, and it is in this sphere that the wisdom born of experience can be exercised without being oppressive."this sphere" refers to "appropriate activities"Only in appropriate activities is long experience helpful and is the wisdom brought by experience useful - otherwise it is unbearable.●●5 As I see it[A]1. What do you think made Shaw give this radio talk in 1937?To urge the British people to be conscientious objectors of war and to make them realize that to be a pacifist in the present war is not the right attitude and that the British should change the distribution system in order to avoid the most dangerous war between Capitalism and Communism.2. What was happening in Spain and China?Spain and China were both at war at that time. Japan invaded China and Spain was in a civil war.3. Are the horrors of war as described by Shaw real or imaginary?Some are real and some are imaginary. The description of the street scenes was real in Spain and China, but in 1937 London or Paris were not yet in the danger of being bombed by any enemy country.4. Why did Shaw hate war?Because of the loss of human lives on both side at war - besides the dangers of war.5. Did Shaw give his whole-hearted support to the pacifist movement against war?No, he thought at that moment the pacifist movement was a wrong movement. Because Mussolini and Hitler did not let others live, so people should not tolerate them and must fight against them.6. What kind of war did Shaw think would put an end to civilization?The war between Capitalism and Communism, or between landowning and labour.7. What was wrong with Britain according to Shaw?Its distribution system is unfair and unjust and its people are not any taking actions to change the situation - they only keep talking about it.8. Was Shaw optimistic? Or did he end his speech on a note of despair?No, he was not optimistic and there is a note of despair when he came to the end of his speech. As he said, "nobody takes any notice" of what he had said.[B] 1. What are conscientious objectors?（出于道德或宗教上的原因而）拒绝服兵役的人，不积极参与任何有关战争行动的人。