2024年2月13日发(作者：)

Lesson One Your College Years

Pre-reading questions

1. Have you experienced any important changes since you entered university? Have they

all been positive? Do you have a better idea about your strengths and weaknesses?

2. What are the key changes mentioned in the text?

3. Do you agree with the author that young adults like college students are bound to go

through an identity crisis? Have you had any identity crisis yourself?

4. Do you agree with Hoffman that we need a psychological separation from our parents?

Why is it so important to gain this independence?

5. How in Erickson’s opinion is our identity determined?

6. What does the author mean when he talks about “gathering, processing, assembling,

applying, and evaluating” information? Why is it so important?

Introduction to Background Knowledge

1. to the author

Dr. Bob Hartman is a children’s story-teller and part-time pastor (牧师). He was born in

Pittsburgh, and moved to England in the summer of 2000.

2. to the text

This is a text about what students will experience in their “college years”. It is

addressed to college students in the United States. In the article, the author touches upon

the “developmental changes” experienced by college students, many important adjustments

and decisions concerning young people’s education, career, values and social

responsibilities. To have a meaningful and rewarding life, we must learn to handle what the

author calls “the identity crises”, to find out who we are, what are our strong points and

weaknesses, what we should do and where we should go. Of course, we must learn to be

independent or self-reliant psychologically as well as in other matters. In this article, the

author also talks quite a bit about students’ need to achieve sexual identity, to form a

healthy and correct world outlook.

In addition, as English majors, students should also think about the realistic questions

concerning the position of English major, be it a tool or a specialized subject, the future

goal of self-development, etc.

3. Important terms

1) Developmental changes: a number of small changes in status during or near the

end of adolescence. Graduation from high school, the right to vote, to drink liquor, and to

drive a car are all events that, to some degree, signify adult status. But the main changes

are psychological as well as physical. It is usually fraught with anxiety and conflict.

2) Identity crisis (认同危机): a psychological state or condition of disorientation and

role confusion occurring esp. in adolescents as a result of conflicting internal and external

Lesson One Your College Years

experiences, pressures, and expectations and often producing acute anxiety.

Theme of the Text

This text is about the students’ experience in their “college years”, which is both

exciting and frustrating.

Structure of the text

总---分---总

Part I (para.1) Introduction: College students will go through key changes in their college

years.

Part II (para.2~6) Establishment of college students’ personal, sexual and social identity in

the college.

Part III (para.7) Affirmation of personal values such as religious faith, their values and

their morals.

Part IV (para.8) Development of new ways to organize and use knowledge.

Part V (para.9) Expansion of their world knowledge.

Part VI (para.10) Summary: College students are growing in their understanding of

themselves, others and the world in which they live.

The Rhetorical Devices Used in the Text

Parallel structure (平行结构)

In parallel construction it is necessary to balance word for word (n. with n., v. with v.,

adj. With adj., etc.), phrase with phrase, clause with clause, sentence with sentence.

Cf: (1) a. The child was pretty and had brains. (not parallel)

b. The child was pretty and intelligent. (parallel)

(2) a. He sat down and was beginning to work. (not parallel)

b. He sat down and began to work. (parallel)

The main function of parallelism is to add clarity and coherence to the text. Try to find

more examples in this text.

More examples in text:

“Have you ? Has it ever occurred to you that…? Has it ever

dawned on you that..?”(Para.1)

“...freedom from an excessive need for approval, closeness, ”(Para 4)

“Identity is determined by genetic endowment, shaped by environment, and influenced

by chance events”

It is a time when they as adults should think about how they how they relate

to...and how they relate to ...” (Para 6)

Detailed analysis of the text

Para.1

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Lesson One Your College Years

1. Has it ever occurred to you that…

occur to: to come to mind. Note the subject of this phrase is usually the anticipatory

“it”.

It never occurred to me that wealth could ruin a person’s life.

我从来没有想到财富能毁灭一个人的一生。

It suddenly occurred to him that he had not touched any meat for months.

他突然想到自己好几个月没有吃肉了。

Two other words used in this pattern are “strike” and “dawn”. E.g.

It suddenly dawned on us that high savings rate may not be a good thing. (to begin to

be perceived or understood)

It gradually began to dawn on the economists that the problem was not

over-production, but under-consumption.

It struck her that although she was now rich by her own standard, she was not really

happy.

2. School personnel 学校教职员工

personnel: (collective noun) the body of persons employed by or active in an

organization, business, or service. So never say “a personnel”. Similar words include

“staff”, “crew”, and “faculty”.

the personnel department (of a company, etc.) (公司等的)人事部

Para. 2

1. During this time, students are going through an identity crisis…

go through means experience, undergo, suffer in this text, but it has several other uses:

He really believed that by saying those magic words he could go through walls

without any trouble.

I don’t think this plan will go through the Security Council. (be accepted by)

We have gone through all these arguments. (go over carefully from beginning to

ending)

It’s too late to back out. We just have to go through with it. (do it because you have

promised or planned to do it, even though you are no longer sure you want to do it.)

2. According to Piers and Landau, …identity is determined by genetic endowment, shaped

by environment, and influenced by chance events. (parallel structure)

Erik H. Erickson: born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1902, later became an American

citizen, a Freudian psychologist, most famous for his work in refining and expanding

Freud’s theory of developmental stages, taught at Yale, UCLA, and Harvard, author of

many books including Childhood and Society, Identity: Youth and Crisis, and

Gandhi’s Truth.

Paraphrase: Three factors determine our identity: our genes, environment and

opportunities.

Para. 3

1. While students are going through an identity crisis, …still very dependent on them.

Paraphrase: While students are experiencing an identity crisis, they do not totally rely

on their parents, but it’s still very likely for them to count on their parents’ help.

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Lesson One Your College Years

Note: antithesis (对偶) is used in this sentence. “Become independent from” and “be

very dependent on” form a sharp contrast. Antithesis is the deliberate arrangement of

contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve emphasis. For

example, “Speech is silver; silence is golden.”

“Yet” functions as a conjunction. It is used to add a fact that contrasts strongly with what

you have just said. E.g.

She said she would be late, yet she arrived on time.

Australia is the world’s smallest continent and yet the largest island.

2. It may be heightened by their choice to pursue a college education.

“It” refers to the word “struggle” in the previous sentence. To “heighten” means to

become stronger or intensified.

Paraphrase: If they choose to go to college to continue their education, they will face

an even more serious struggle between the desire to be independent and the need to

depend on the financial support of their parents.

3. But college students have chosen to grow and learn new skills that take years to develop,

so they probably need at least some degree of dependence on their parents.

Paraphrase: But college students have made the choice to grow and learn new skills in

the college, which often needs years’ time, as a result, it’s likely for them to get a

certain extent of help from their parents at least.

Note: 连词but 承接上句，暗示接下来描述的现象与上文相悖。从而使前后两句形成对比（contrast）。

Para. 4

1. In his April 1984 article …, Jeffery Hoffman observed that…

A Journal is a serious magazine produced for professional people or those with a

particular interest. E.g. Wall Street Journal《华尔街日报》; Journal of Foreign

Languages 《外国语》; Journal of Counseling Psychology 《咨询心理学杂志》

counsel: n. 讨论, 商议, 辩护律师; vt. 劝告, 忠告 take counsel with 与某人商量

cf: advice advice对不重要的小事提供建议；counsel强调建议的内容对被建议者有很大帮助。此外，从文体方面来讲，counsel比advice正式。

Jeffery Hoffman: born in 1944 in Brooklyn, NYC, former astronaut, took in five space

missions, awarded NASA (美国国家航空航天局) Space Flight Medals and

Exceptional Service Medals for many times.

observe: (1) To be or become aware of, especially through careful and directed attention;

notice. 注意，觉察：觉察到，尤其是通过仔细和直接的注意；注意

(2) To watch attentively: 观察：聚精会神地看：

observe a child's behavior 观察一个孩子的行为

(3) To make a systematic or scientific observation of: 观测：对„作系统的或科学的观察：

observe the orbit of the moon 观测月球的轨道

(4) To say casually; remark.评论：随便地说；发表意见

(5) To adhere to or abide by: 遵守：遵守或服从：(observance n.)

observe the terms of a contract 遵守合同的条款

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Lesson One Your College Years

(6) To keep or celebrate (a holiday, for example): 庆祝：保留或庆祝（如，节日）：(observance n.)

observe an anniversary 庆祝周年纪念日

Note: 英语中直率或含蓄地转述、援引别人的谈话时，会频频出现表示“某某人说”。但是这里的“说”因说话人的神态和语气在不同场合或氛围中不尽相同，如果都用中性动词say，既单调又造成涵义、修辞色彩方面的缺憾。可考虑灵活使用以下动词：acknowledge承认, add接着说，又说, admit承认, affirm肯定，确定, allege宣称, analyze分析道, announce宣布, argue争辩，主张, assert断言, boast夸口说,

caution告诫说, claim声称, complain抱怨说, concede承认, conclude断定，下结论,

confess供认，承认, contend争辩, continue接着说, contradict反驳，否定, declare声明，声称, deny否定, disclose透露, elaborate详细诉说, emphasize详述，阐明,

exclaim大声说，呼喊, explain解释说, go on继续说, imply暗示, insist坚持说，主张, maintain主张，认为, note谈及，表明, object提出异议，反对，反驳, observe评述, pledge保证, proclaim宣告，声明, protest抗议, reaffirm重申, reiterate重申,

remark议论, reply回答, refute反驳, reveal透露, state声明；声称, stress着重说，强调, suggest建议, tell告诉, urge敦促，力劝, warn警告说，告诫

2. First, there is functional independence, …agenda.

Functional independence: independence in handling everyday life situations; the

ability to solve practical problems

Handling finances: learning how to spend money wisely;

Choosing their own wardrobes (garments considered as a group, especially all the

articles of clothing that belong to one person): choosing their own clothes;

Determining their daily agenda (A list or program of things to be done or considered):

determining what they are going to do every day

3. freedom from an excessive need for approval, closeness, togetherness, and emotional

support in relation to the mother and father. (parallel structure)

Free(dom) from sth.: no longer having sth you do not want

The most important freedom our people should have is the freedom from hunger.

An ideal society is one free from exploitation and oppression.

Cf: freedom of speech and expression 言论自由

“We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is

freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of

every person to worship God in his own way – everywhere in the world. The third is

freedom from want … everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from

fear…anywhere in the world.” --- Franklin D. Rooservelt

Paraphrase: Children need their parents to tell them what to do or not to do. They also

need to be close to their parents and receive encouragement, love, all kinds of

emotional support which give them strength. But when they grow up, this should

change. They should no longer have the same needs like babies.

4. Fourth is freedom from “excessive guilt…and anger in relation to the mother or father.”

Paraphrase: Children often feel guilty in relation to their parents because they think

they have done something wrong; they are also anxious because they are eager to

please their parents; they sometime feels unhappy because they think their parents

haven’t been fair to them; they feel that they are responsible to their parents for

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Lesson One Your College Years

everything they do; they are always afraid of saying the right thing or behaving

properly; all these may make them angry with their parents or make them feel

resentful. These feelings reflect their emotional dependence on their parents. When

they grow up, they usu. strive for the freedom from these.

Note: This sentence also contains a parallel construction.

Para. 5

1. Probably one of the most stressful matters ...as men or women.

Grammar: 此句的主干是：probably one of the most stressful matters is establishing

their sexual identity. 而which引导非限制性定语从句，这一从句的谓语动词是includes, 从句的宾语是两个并列的动名词短语relating to 和projecting.

Paraphrase: young college students perhaps feel most distressed in figuring their sexual

identity, which includes associating with the opposite sex and designing their future

roles as men or women.

2. Probably nothing can make students feel…a romantic relationship with.

Paraphrase: perhaps the thing that can make students feel the emotions of happiness

and sadness best is the way they are associating with whomever they fall in love with.

3. …how this relationship was all he had dreamed a romantic relationship should be.

Paraphrase: how this relationship was exactly what he had expected of a romantic

relationship.

4. dragging his feet with…on his face.

To drag one’s feet: (figurative) to delay deliberately. E.g.

The local authorities are dragging their feet closing these small coal mines.

Paraphrase: Walking slowly and listlessly, looking very unhappy and disappointed.

Para. 6

1. It is a time…show them affection.

Peer: A person who has equal standing with another or others, as in rank, class, or age:

同辈，同等的人：与他人在如爵位、阶级或年龄上相当的人：e.g.

children who are easily influenced by their peers 易受同龄人影响的孩子

Grammar: it is a time是句子的主干，when引导定语从句，这个从句的主语they，谓语should think about，宾语是how引导的三个并列从句。

Paraphrase: Being adults, this is the moment for them to consider how they associate

with and show adequate respect for their companions, how they associate with

children and teenagers in their lives, and how they associate with their parents and

show their love to them.

2. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary （西南浸礼教会神学院）

located in Fort Worth, Texas, a private non-profit institution of higher learning

associated with the Southwestern Baptist Convention whose stated mission is “to

provide theological education for individuals engaging in Christianity ministry”, one

of the largest seminaries in the world.

3. During the course…and his options narrow.

Come to do: to begin to realize, understand, believe, feel or like sth. as a result of time

or experience. E.g.

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Lesson One Your College Years

While studying in Sichuan, she came to love spicy food.

Narrow: v. To become narrower; contract.

E.g. We must endeavor to narrow the difference between the rich and the poor without

delay.

This mighty river narrowed to a gorge of about 50 meters when it came to this place

between the mountains.

Grammar: 该句的主语是I，谓语是had come to realize，that引导宾语从句，包含两个并列结构。

Paraphrase: From the course I had realized that contrary to my enlarged world and

more open choices, my father’s world seemed to be getting smaller and his choices

fewer.

4. … and how it applied to our lives.

Apply:

a. to make a formal and usually written request for a job, position , permission etc 申请

She is applying for a scholarship.

b. to use a method, law, principle etc in a particular situation把„应用于一项特定用途

We should apply this theory to practice.

c. to affect or concern somebody or something 适用

Not all natural laws can apply to human society.

d. to bring something into nearness or contact with something 涂；敷

Apply some of this ointment (药膏) to the swollen part, and the pain will soon be gone.

e. To devote (oneself or one's efforts) to something

apply myself to my studies专心于我的学习

【拓展】applicant；application

5. I found myself seeing my father in a different way and relating to him as a friend whom

I could encourage.

Find oneself doing sth:发现某人做某事 e.g.

Without noticing it, he found himself walking into a strange yard.

Grammar: seeing my father和relating to him并列做宾语补足语，whom I could

encourage为定语从句，修饰friend.

Paraphrase：I found that I could see my father from a different angle, and treat him as a

friend that I could encourage.

Para. 7

1. Community college社区学院

Public institution of higher education. Community colleges are characterized by a

two-year curriculum that leads to either the associate degree (副学士学位) or transfer

to a four-year college. The transfer program parallels the first two years of a four-year

college. The degree program generally prepares students for direct entrance into an

occupation. Because of their low tuition, local setting, and relatively easy entrance

requirements, community colleges have been a major force in the post-WWII

expansion of educational opportunities in the United States. They are also referred to

as junior colleges (初级学院，大专).

2. Another change for college students is internalizing their religious faith, their values and

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Lesson One Your College Years

their morals.

Internalize: a psychological term, meaning “to make faith, values, morals, attitudes,

behavior, language etc part of your nature by learning or assimilating them

unconsciously.”

3. Since birth, one or more parents have been modeling for them and teaching them…

modeling for them: (rare) serving as a model for them, setting an example for them

4. She was distressed because…ethnic backgrounds.

People from a variety of ethnic backgrounds: people from many different races

Note: Today sociologists often prefer the word “ethnic” to “racial”, and “ethnic group”

to “race”. Of course there is difference between the two. The Hans and the Tibetans

are both Chinese, belonging to the same yellow race, yet belong to two ethnic groups.

Cf: ethnic groups and minority groups

5. As she finished her senior year, …from whom she could learn.

Be equal to: to be just as good as, e.g.

Many of our products are equal to the best in the world.

It is ridiculous to think one race is not equal to another because it has a different skin

color.

Grammar:句子的主干是she had grown to realize，宾语由that从句充当，注意这一从句中的not only…but (also)结构，表递进关系，as引导时间状语从句。

Paraphrase: when she finished her fourth year study, she had learned that people of

other races were not inferior to her, and what’s more, she could make friends with and

learn from these people.

Para. 8

1. In addition to affirming personal values, …

Besides strengthening their personal values…

2. The challenges of academic life…in their lives.

Grammar: 本句主语是the challenges，not only…but结构连接两个并列谓语introduce them to…和force them to evaluate…，同样为递进关系。

Paraphrase: the challenges in their academic study not only provide them with new

knowledge but also demand them to judge how they collect, understand and use the

knowledge they have learned in their lives.

Para. 9

1. Third World

Underdeveloped or developing countries. This expression originated in the mid-1900s,

at first denoting those countries in Asia and Africa that were not aligned with either

the Communist bloc nations or the non-Communist Western nations. Because they

were for the most part poor and underdeveloped, the term was transferred to all

countries with those characteristics, and later still to poorer groups within a larger

prevailing culture.

2. …seeing the people from other countries in a different light.

To see sth / sb in a certain light: to see sth / sb in a certain way, e.g.

What he did made us see him in a new light.

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Lesson One Your College Years

After I took the course, I began to see the world in a different light.

3. Because of the opportunities he had while attending college, …and of himself.

Grammar: 本句的主干结构为this young man experienced a new understanding,

because of 引导原因状语，like many other students作句子的状语，两个并列的of短语作understanding的后置定语。

Paraphrase: As he had the chance to attend college, this young man, like many other

students, got a better understanding of the world as well as of himself.

Para. 10

1. For certain, it is an experience that contributes to young adults’ growth and maturity.

For certain: certainly, definitely, no doubt, e.g.

He is probably an accountant. I don’t know for certain.

I can’t say for certain how much the car will cost. It must be in the neighborhood of

two hundred thousand.

To contribute to: to help to cause sth to happen, e.g.

These measures contributed greatly to the economic recovery of that country.

What do you think are the main factors that contributed to the success of that

company?

2. Not only are they being introduced to …and processing information.

Grammar: not only置于句首时，应使用部分倒装。E.g.

Not only did they break into his office and steal his books, but also they tore up his

manuscripts.

Paraphrase: They are not only learning new people and new knowledge, but also

acquiring new ways of gathering and understanding the knowledge they’ve learnt.

Post-reading task:

Oral discussion (optional)

1. What are my goals for the college years?

2. In what ways according to the writer of the article, is college a time of growth and

expansion?

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