Active reading 1: Resources
Difficult sentences
No one wanted the humiliation of finishing last in class, so the peer group pressure to work hard was strong. Libraries which were once empty after five o’clock in the afternoon were standing room only until the early hours of the morning, and guys wore the bags under their eyes and their sleepy faces with pride, like medals proving their diligence. (Para 1)
Active reading 1: Resources

surf
n. the waves of the sea as they move onto a beach v. (1) to ride on waves in the sea (2) to look at various places one after another on the internet or on television Answer the questions. 1. How do we call a person who rides on waves in the sea? a surf rider/a surfer 2. What is used to ride on waves in the sea? a surf board 3. What do you think of surfing the Internet? It is usually seen as fun, dangerous, or a tremendous waste of time, depending on who you ask.
我们谁都不想考全班倒数第一，那也太丢人了，因此同学们之 间的竞争压力特别大。以前每天下午五点以后，图书馆就空无 一人了，现在却要等到天快亮时才会有空座，小伙子们熬夜熬 出了眼袋，他们脸色苍白，睡眼惺忪，却很自豪，好像这些都 是表彰他们勤奋好学的奖章。
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Active reading 1: Resources
Active reading 1: Resources
brim
v.
to be full of Answer the questions. 1. If you fill the cup to the brim with wine, what will happen? The cup will brim over. 2. If you hear a sad story, how will you feel? I will be brimming over with sympathy. 3. Which one helps to prevent severe sunburn, a hat with a narrow brim, or a hat with a wide brim? a hat with a wide brim. 4. What does the proverb Better spare at brim than at bottom tell us? To avoid want later, we’d better save early.
No one wanted the humiliation of finishing last in class, so the peer group pressure… like medals proving their diligence. (Para 1, Line 11 to the end) 1. What does “peer group” mean? Those around us who are of the same age or status 2. Why were libraries standing room before early morning? The library was crowded with students, so there were no more seats available. 3. When do we wear bags under our eyes? Do you feel proud to have such bags? When we have not had enough sleep, we will get loose dark areas of skin. We will feel proud because such tired appearance shows how hard we have been studying, and the bags under our eyes are like medals.
Active reading 1: Resources
criticize
v.
to say what you think is wrong or bad about sth. Complete the sentences with the words in the column.
critic critical criticism criticize critique
1. 申请贷款 2. 获得贷款 3. 发放抵押贷款 4. 归还抵押借款 5. 土地抵押
1. apply for a mortgage 2. get/obtain a mortgage 3. issue a mortgage 4. pay back a mortgage 5. a mortgage on land
并不总是那些心怀抱负、成绩拔尖的高材生才清楚自己将来要 做什么，常常是那些平日里默默无闻的同学早早为自己下几个 阶段的人生做好了规划。
Active reading 1: Resources
Difficult sentences
One had landed a job in his brother’s advertising firm in Madison Avenue, another had got a script under provisional acceptance in Hollywood. (Para 2) 1. If you land a job, will you feel happy? Yes, because I get a job that I want. 2. If you have got sth. under a provisional acceptance, will you put your mind at rest? No. Provisional acceptance refers to an acceptance which is arranged (in principle), but is not yet definite. It is temporary and could be changed.
我们当中野心最大的一位同学准备到地方上当一个政党活动家， 我们都预料他最终会当上参议员或国会议员。
Active reading 1: Resources
Words to note
Words
Expressions
1. impressive 2. ambitious 3. mortgage 4. criticize 5. surf 6. brim 7. defy 8. productive
criticism 1. Plans for the new road have drawn fierce ___________ from local people. critical 2. His father was a very ___________ man. 3. She is a very discerning art ___________. critic 4. The book presents a __________ of the Government’s critique policies. 5. Social services were strongly ___________ for not criticized taking more action to protect children at risk.
1. at/in the back of one’s mind 2. brace sth. for 3. map out 4. figure out
Active reading 1: Resources

mortgage n.
a legal agreement in which you borrow money from a bank in order to buy a house Translate the phrases.
有位同学在位于麦迪逊大道他哥哥的广告公司得到了一份工作， 另一位同学写的电影脚本已经与好莱坞草签了合约。
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Active reading 1: Resources
Difficult sentences
The most ambitious student among us was going to work as a party activist at a local level. We all saw him ending up in the Senate or in Congress one day. (Para 2) 1. What activities does a party activist attend? Activities that are intended to achieve political change. 2. What’s the final aim of a party activist in his career? He hopes to be a member of the Senate or Congress, as a result of making career progress.