UNIT 1 Back to school
If you learn without thinking, your efforts are made in vain. If you think without learning, in puzzlement you will remain. —Confucius
学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。——孔子
Reading (P 2-3)
Realizing your potential
实现你的潜力
Hello, everyone! Welcome to senior high school! Today is the start of a new term, the start of a three-year journey and the start of a promising future.
大家好！欢迎进入高中阶段学习！今天，是新学期的开始，是一段三年旅程的开端，更是一个锦绣前程的起点。
I can’t wait to describe to you what senior high school life is like. The path before you leads to a world f
ull of challenges: a new environment, new knowledge and new ways of thinking. However, for those of you with a positive mind, opportunity lies in each challenge. When you rise to the challenges, you will have the opportunity to acquire great knowledge and enjoy personal growth. Most importantly, your time and effort at senior high school will open the door to your potential.
我迫不及待地想要向你们描述高中生活的模样。你们面前的路通向一个充满挑战的世界，这里有新环境、新知识和新的思维方式。不过，对你们当中心态积极的人来说，每一个挑战中都蕴藏着机遇。在迎接挑战的时候，你们将有机会掌握大量的知识，并享受个人的成长。最重要的是，你在高中阶段度过的时光、付出的努力将会为你叩开潜能的大门。
“What is potential?” you may ask. Put simply, potential is your natural ability that can be developed when you try hard enough. Who knows what beautiful works of art you will create, what medical advances you will make or what amazing technologies you will develop! The possibilities are endless, and I have confidence in your ability to make a difference to your family, to your community and to our country. Over the next three years, you will discover your potential while you develop as a student and as a person.
你们也许会问：“什么是潜能？”简而言之，潜能就是当你足够努力时才可以开发的天赋。谁知道未来你
们能创作出哪些精美的艺术品，实现哪些医学突破，或者开发出哪些不可思议的技术！可能性无穷无尽，而且我相信你们有能力改变你们的家庭、改变你们的社区、改变我们的国家。在今后的三年里，你们作为学生和个体成长的同时，将会发现自己的潜能。
To fully realize your potential, it is important for you to make the most of our school resources. Take advantage of your classes, learn from your teachers and classmates, and make use of our school facilities. There are also a lot of school activities for you. Join a club or two, and take an active part in different sports.
要想全面发挥自己的潜能，充分利用我们学校的资源很重要。要让学校课程为你所用，要向老师和同学请教，要善用学校的各种设施。学校还为你们准备了许多活动。要加入一两个俱乐部，并且积极地参与各项体育运动。
Of equal importance are good study habits, useful skills and a positive attitude. Carefully plan your study, set clear goals and balance your schoolwork with other activities. As a senior high school student, you must make efforts to
improve your communication and problem-solving skills. Last but not least, always look on the bright side and never lose hope, even in difficult situations. In time you will find yourself growing into a well-
rounded individual. 同样重要的还有良好的学习习惯、实用的技能以及积极的态度。要细致规划学习，设立清晰的目标，并且平衡好课业和课余活动的关系。作为一个高中生，须努力提高人际沟通和解决问题的技巧。最后但同样重要的是，要一直看到事情好的一面，即便身处困境，也永远不要失去希望。最终，你会发现自己已逐渐成长为一个全面发展的人。
As Lao-Tzu wisely said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” You need to make a continuous effort to train your mind and develop your character. Senior high school will help you learn and grow, yet you alone are responsible for realizing your great potential. Be confident, do your best and make us proud!
正如老子睿智的箴言所说的那样：“千里之行，始于足下。”你们需要坚持不懈，努力去训练自己的头脑、培养自身的性格。高中阶段会帮助你们学习、成长，但是只有你们自己，才能肩负起发挥自身巨大潜能的责任。满怀信心，竭尽全力，让我们为你们感到骄傲吧！
Extended reading (P 11-12)
John Li, a Chinese senior high school student, has spent a year studying in the UK. Read his article in the school magazine about his school life abroad.
School life in the UK
Last year, I had the chance to study at a British secondary school as an exchange student. I stayed with a lovely host family and went to school with their son, Daniel. We were both in year ten and we got on well. He is learning Chinese and will come to stay with me this year in China!
去年，我有机会作为交换生到英国的一所中学读书。我寄宿在一个亲切友好的家庭，并与这家人的儿子丹尼尔一同上学。我们去年都读十年级，相处得很融洽。丹尼尔正在学习中文，今年要来中国与我一起学习生活。
The British school day begins at and ends at Students usually have to learn nine subjects at secondary school. Every student in the UK must study English, Maths and the Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students can also choose to study other subjects, such as History, Art and Business.
英国的学校上午9点开始上课，下午4点放学。中学生通常要学习九门功课。英文、数学，以及科学课（生物、化学、物理）是必修课，学生们还可以选修其他课程，比如历史、艺术和商业。
The classes are different from those in China. Each teacher has their own classroom and the students move around for every lesson. In most of my classes, there were only about 20 students. In the beginning, however, it was still tough for me to remember everyone’s name!
英国的课堂与中国不同。每位老师都有自己的教室，学生们每节课走班上课。在我所上的大部分课上，都只有二十几个学生。然而刚开始时，我仍然很难记住所有人的名字！
I enjoyed most of the classes, but some of them were quite challenging. Technology classes were fun. I made a clock to take home. The teacher helped me put the parts together. I like it so much that I still use it as my alarm! I found Maths quite easy and enjoyable because the material was less advanced in the UK than in China. However, learning in English was a great challenge for me. There were a lot of difficult English words, especially in Geography and Biology. Class discussion is very important in the UK, but I could not make a great contribution because sometimes I wasn’t able to express myself clearly in English. Although there was not as much homework
as I was used to, it was still challenging. Fortunately, my teachers and classmates were always helpful and gave me lots of encouragement. My language skills improved over time.
大部分课程我都喜欢，但是也有一些非常有挑战性。技术课很有意思。我做了一只钟带回家。老师帮助我完成了零件组装。我太喜欢这只钟了，现在还在用它当闹钟呢！我觉得数学很简单，学起来很愉快，因为英国的教材没有中国的难。不过，英文学习对我来说是一项巨大的挑战。难记的单词很多，特别是地理和生物词汇。在英国，课堂讨论很重要，可是我贡献不大，因为有时候我没办法用英文清
楚地表达自己的观点。尽管作业不像以前那么繁重，却仍旧很有挑战性。幸好，老师和同学们一直都乐于帮助我，并给予我很多鼓励。渐渐地，我的语言能力提高了。
During the hour-long lunchtime, I ate in the school dining hall. There were lots of options including bread and butter, chicken pie and puddings, but I still missed my mum’s cooking! After lunch, I often played on the school’s huge sports field with Daniel and his friends. Sometimes we just relaxed under a tree or sat on the grass.
一小时的午餐时间，我在学校餐厅用餐。选择很丰富，有面包、黄油、鸡肉馅饼和布丁等等，但我还是想念妈妈做的菜！吃完午餐，我常常同丹尼尔，还有他的朋友们去学校的大运动场活动活动。有时候，我们就在树下小憩或者在草地上坐坐。
After school, there were many clubs to join. The one that attracted me most was the Rugby Club. We played once a week, and it was great fun. Also, I enjoyed acting in the Theatre Club. I still have photos of myself acting in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Joining clubs was a great way to meet British students and make friends with them.
放学后，有许多俱乐部可以参加。最吸引我的是橄榄球俱乐部。我们每周打一次球，真的很有趣。我也喜欢去戏剧俱乐部表演。我还留着自己参演莎士比亚《仲夏夜之梦》时的剧照。加入俱乐部是与英
国学生相识、交友的好方法。
I am glad to have the opportunity to experience this different way of life. I met some great people and learnt a lot about school life in the UK. Daniel and his family were fantastic hosts, and his friends were very nice as well. I can’t wait for Daniel to visit China!
我很高兴有机会体验这种不同的生活方式。在英国我见到了一些很棒的人，也了解了英国校园生活的方方面面。丹尼尔和他的家人是非常棒的东道主，丹尼尔的朋友也十分友好。我迫不及待要让丹尼尔来中国了！高中英语课文
Unit 2 Let’s talk teens
I don’t know what “home” is, but unhappiness and worries melt away once there.—Bing Xin
“家”是什么，我不知道，但烦恼和忧愁都在此中融化消灭。——冰心
Reading (P 16-17)
Strangers under the same roof?
同一屋檐下的陌生人？
Does every dinner with your parents seem to turn into a battle? Have your once warm and open conversations become cold and guarded? Do you feel that you just cannot see eye to eye with them on anything? You are not alone. Heated arguments and cold silences are common between teenagers and their parents.
与父母的每顿晚餐似乎都会变成一场战斗吗？您曾经热烈而公开的对话变得冷淡无情吗？您是否感到无法与他们在任何事情上保持一致？您并不孤单。激烈的争论和冷淡的沉默在青少年和他们的父母之间很常见。
Teenagers’physical changes may result in such family tensions. You may feel anxious that you are developing at a different rate to your friends, shooting up in height or getting left far behind. You might worry about your changing voice, weight problems or spots. When it all gets too much, your parents are often the first targets of your anger.
青少年的身体变化可能会导致家庭紧张。您可能会担心自己与朋友的成长速度不同，身高升高或被甩在后面。您可能会担心自己的声音不断变化，体重问题或斑点，当一切变得过多时，父母通常是您生气的首要目标。
It can be a big headache to balance your developing mental needs too. You enter a strange middle g
round—no longer a small child but not quite an adult. You have both a new desire for independence an d a continued need for your parents’love and support. You feel ready to be more responsible and make decisions on your own. Unfortunately, your parents do not always agree and that makes you feel unhappy. “Why can’t they just let me go?” you may wonder. O n the other hand, when you are struggling to control your feelings, you wish they could be more caring and patient—sometimes they forget that growing up is a rough ride. It can be difficult when your parents treat you like a child but expect you to act lik e an adult. All of this can lead to a breakdown in your relationship.
平衡您不断发展的精神需求也可能是一烦。您进入一个奇怪的中间地带-不再是小孩，而不再是成年人。您既有独立的新愿望，又有对父母的爱与支持的持续需求。您随时准备承担更大的责任，并自行做出决定。不幸的是，您的父母并不总是同意，这会使您感到不开心。“为什么他们不让我走？”你可能想知道。另一方面，当您努力控制自己的感觉时，您希望他们能更加贴心和耐心-有时他们会忘记成长是艰难的旅程。当您的父母像对待孩子一样对待您，但又希望您像成年人一样行事时，可能会很难。所有这些都会导致您的人际关系破裂。
Although sometimes it may seem impossible to get along as a family, you can take action to improve the situation. The key to keeping the peace is regular and honest communication. When you disagree with your parents, take a minute to calm down and try to understand the situation from their
point of view. Perhaps they have experienced something similar and do not want you to go through the same pain.
尽管有时候看起来像一家人一样不可能相处，但是您可以采取措施改善这种状况。维持和平的关键是定期和诚实的沟通。当您不同意您的父母时，请花点时间冷静下来，并尝试从父母的角度了解情况。也许他们经历过类似的事情，并且不想让您遭受同样的痛苦。
After you have thought it through, explain your actions and feelings calmly, listen carefully, and address their concerns. Through this kind of healthy discussion, you will learn when to back down and when to ask your parents to relax their control.
在仔细考虑之后，冷静地解释自己的行为和感受，认真倾听并解决他们的担忧。通过这种健康的讨论，您将学会何时退缩以及何时要求父母放松控制。
Just remember that it is completely normal to struggle with the stress that parent-child tensions create, and that you and your parents can work together to improve your relationship. The good news is that this stormy period will not last. Everything will turn out all right in the end, and the changes and challenges of your teenage years will prepare you for adulthood.
只需记住，与亲子关系紧张所产生的压力作斗争是完全正常的，而且您和您的父母可以共同努力改善您的关系。好消息是，这个风雨如磐的时期将不会持续。最后一切都会好起来的，而您少年时代的变化和挑战将使您为成年做好准备。
Extended reading (P 25-26)
Mama and Her Bank Account
妈妈和她的银行帐户
Every Saturday night Mama would sit down by the kitchen table and count out the money Papa had brought home.
每个星期六晚上，妈妈都会坐在厨房的桌子旁，数着爸爸带回家的钱。
“For the rent.” Mama would count out the big silver pieces.
“为了租金。”妈妈会数出大银子。
“For the groceries.” Another group of coins.
“用于食品杂货。”另一组硬币。
“I’ll need a notebook.” That would be my sister Christine, my brother Nels or me.
“我需要一个笔记本。”那将是我的妹妹克里斯汀，我的兄弟内尔斯或我。
Mama would put one or two coins to the side. We would watch with anxious interest. At last, Papa would ask, “Is that all?” And when Mama nodded, we could relax a little. Mama would look up and smile, “Good. We do not h ave to go to the Bank.” We were all so proud of Mama’s Bank Account. It gave us such a warm, secure feeling.
妈妈会把一两个硬币放在一边。我们会以急切的兴趣观看。最后，爸爸会问：“就这样吗？”当妈妈点点头时，我们可以放松一下。妈妈会抬头微笑，“好。我们不必去银行。”我们都为妈妈的银行帐户感到骄傲。它给了我们如此温暖，安全的感觉。
When Nels graduated from grammar sch ool, he wanted to go on to high school. “It will cost a little money,” he said.
内尔斯从语法学校毕业后，他想去上高中。他说：“这将花费一点钱。”
Eagerly we gathered around the table. I took down a box and laid it carefully in front of Mama. This was the “Little Bank”. It was used for sud den emergencies, such as the time when Christine broke her arm and had to be taken to a doctor.
我们热切地围在桌子旁。放下一个盒子，小心地放在妈妈面前。这就是“小银行”。它用于突发紧急事件，例如克里斯汀挽救她的手臂并不得不去看医生的时候。
Nels listed the costs of the things he would need. Mama counted out the money in the Lit tle Bank. There was not enough. “We do not want to go to the Bank,” she reminded. We all shook our heads.
内尔斯列出了他需要的东西的费用。妈妈数出小银行里的钱。还不够。她提醒说：“我们不想去银行。”我们都摇了摇头。
“I will work in Dillon’s grocery after school,” Nels volunteered.
“放学后，我将在狄龙的杂货店工作，”内尔斯自愿参加。
Mama gave him a bright smile and wrote down a number. “That’s not enough,” Papa said. Then he took his pipe out of his mouth and looked at it for a long time. “I will give up smoking,” he said suddenly.