新世纪大学英语系列教材综合教程第三单元讲义.docVIP

Unit 3 Happiness I. Difficult Sentences 1. When most people exist near the breadline, material progress does indeed make them happier. (1) What does “exist near the breadline” mean in this passage? (=“Exist near the breadline” means “just have enough money to feed themselves.”) (2) Paraphrase the sentence. (=When a multitude of people in a society only have money enough to feed themselves, they would feel much happier if they can earn more money.) But when material discomfort has been banished, extra income becomes much less important than our relationships with each other: with family, with friends and in the community. (1) What does “material discomfort has been banished” mean? (=This part means that people have enough money to meet everyday needs, they don’t worry about their daily life anymore.) (2) Translate the sentence. (=然而，物质上的匮乏一旦消除，收入的增加便不如亲情、友情、邻里和睦等人际关系那么重要。) 3. The reason for this is that over time our standards and expectations rise to meet our income. What does “our standards and expectations rise to meet our income” mean?) (=It means “with the increase in our income, our standards and expectations also rise.”) (2) Translate the sentence. (=原因是随着时间的推移，我们的标准和期望随着收入的增加而上升) 4. Since people are always comparing their incomes with what others have, or with what they are used to, they only feel better off if they move up relative to the norm. (1) What does ‘the norm” refer to in this sentence? (=This word refers to “average income.”) (2) Paraphrase “move up relative to the norm.” (= They earn more than the average income.) 5. Since society as a whole cannot raise its position relative to itself, the effort which its members devote to that end could be said to be a waste ? the balance between leisure and work has been shifted “inefficiently” towards work. (1) What does “the effort which its members devote to that end” refer to in this sentence?) (=People make an effort to raise their social status or position by working harder or earning mo