2017 -2017 大学英语学年第一学期背诵材料文本.doc

1. Nicknames for New York City （节选） A nickname is a shortened form of a persons name. A nickname also can be a descriptive name for a person, place or thing. Many American cities have nicknames. These can help establish an identity, spread pride among citizens and build unity. A few years ago, some marketing and advertising experts were asked to name the best nickname for an American city. The winner was the nations largest city, New York. The top nickname was The Big Apple. You might wonder how New York got this nickname. In the early nineteen seventies, the city had many problems. The number of visitors was falling. So a campaign was launched to give the city a new image. The head of the New York Conventions and Visitors Bureau decided to call the city, The Big Apple. There are several explanations for where this name came from. Language expert Barry Popik studied the question and wrote about it on his website. He says John Fitz Gerald, a writer for a New York newspaper, used the name the Big Apple to mean New York in the nineteen twenties. Mister Fitz Gerald wrote about horse races. He heard the name used by men who worked at a racetrack in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mister Fitz Gerald wrote: The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. Theres only one Big Apple. Thats New York. 2. LET Go of Love 将爱放飞 There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love. One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving songbirds. She took them home and put them in a small cage. She cared them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song. The girl felt great love for the birds. One day the girl left the door to the cage open. The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl was so frightened that he would fly away. As he flew close, she grasped him wildly. Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him. Suddenly she f