Unit_5_Distant_pastures_are_always_greener.pptVIP

Unit 5 Distant pastures are always greener 这山望着那山高 Liu Yan School of Foreign Language, Fuzhou University “The grass is always greener” is, in fact, shortened from the age-old saying that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” It is originally an observation of domesticated horses, cattle and sheep straining their necks to graze on untouched grass outside the fences which confine them. For humans, this idiom is a perfect reflection on our envy of our neighbor, so to speak. It’s the self-pitying sentiment we often entertain, that jobs and station in life in general are imperfect, inadequate and intolerable while other people seem to have all the fun. Job-hoppers, for example are often described as looking for “greener grass”, or “greener pastures”. Question After finishing undergraduate studies, would you like to find a job or pursue a postgraduate degree? Why? Sample answer Some students prefer to look for a favorable job, through which they can gain useful experience that they cannot get from books. When they move on to a higher level job one day, then, they will already have experience in that field. At work, they can give full play to their practical abilities, and may be promoted to department manager by the time their classmates complete their Master’s degree programs. On the other hand, some students are not eager to take up a job and prefer to continue to study towards a Master’s degree or even a PhD. And we all know, knowledge is power. Although not everything you learn will be directly applicable at work, knowledge does improve your character overall. In the long run, those who acquire more knowledge will benefit from it. Humor One of the most tactful men I ever knew was the man who fired me from my first job. He called me in and said, “Son, I don’t know how we’re going to get along without you, but starting Monday, we’re going to try.” 我知道的一个最圆滑的人是解雇我第一份工作的那个人，他把我叫进去说，“孩子，我不知道我们没有你如何继续，但从下个星期一开始，我们准备尝试”。 Vocabulary