新视野大学英语第三册读写教程unit5

1、Unit 5: Section A Graceful HandsDiscuss the Topics Suppose you are suffering from a fatal illness and will die in no more than one year, what do you want to do most during this period?2. At the moment when your life is coming to the end, who would you choose to stay with?3. Watch the movie clip show

2、ing the death and survival in Titanic. Are there any impressive stories about the miracles of death and life in your memory? It may be in your real life, from a fiction or a movie, etc. Would you mind sharing it? Death & Life in TitanicIntensive Study Graceful Hands 1 I have never seen Mrs. Clark be

3、fore, but I know from her medical chart and the report I received from the preceding shift that tonight she will die.2 The only light in her room is coming from a piece of medical equipment, which is flashing its red light as if in warning. As I stand there, the smell hits my nose, and I close my ey

4、es as I remember the smell of decay from past experience. In my mouth I have a sour, vinegar taste coming from the pit of my stomach. I reach for the light switch, and as it silently lights the scene, I return to the bed to observe the patient with an unemotional, medical eye.Intensive Study 3 Mrs.

5、Clark is dying. She lies motionless: the head seems unusually large on a skeleton body; the skin is dark yellow and hangs loosely around exaggerated bones that not even a blanket can hide; the right arm lies straight out at the side, taped cruelly to a board to secure a needle so that fluid may drip

6、 in; the left arm is across the sunken chest, which rises and falls with the uneven breaths.Intensive Study 4 I reach for the long, thin fingers that are lying on the chest,. They are ice cold, and I quickly move to the wrist and feel for the faint pulse. Mrs. Clarks eyes open somewhat as her head t

7、urns toward me slightly. I bend close to her and scarcely hear as she whispers, “Water.” Taking a glass of water from the table, I put my finger over the end of the straw and allow a few drops of the cool moisture to slide into her mouth and ease her thirst. She makes no attempt to swallow; there is

8、 just not enough strength. “More,” the dry voice says, and we repeat the procedure. This time she does manage to swallow some liquid and weakly says, “Thank, you.”Intensive Study 5 She is too weak for conversation, so without asking, I go about providing for her needs. Picking her up in my arms like

9、 a child, I turn her on her side. Naked, except for a light hospital gown, she is so very small and light that she seems like a victim of some terrible famine. I remove the lid from a jar of skin cream and put some on the palm of my hand. Carefully, to avoid injuring her, I rub cream into the yellow

10、 skin, which rolls freely over the bones, feeling perfectly the outline of each bone in the back. Placing a pillow between her legs, I notice that these too are ice cold, and not until I run my hand up over her knees do I feel any of the life-giving warmth of blood.Intensive Study 6 When I am finish

11、ed, I pull a chair up beside the bed to face her and, taking her free hand between mine, again notice the long, thin fingers. Graceful. I wonder briefly if she has any family, and then I see that there are neither flowers, nor pictures of rainbows and butterflies drawn by children, nor cards. There

12、is no hint in the room anywhere that this is a person who is loved. As though she is a mind reader, Mrs. Clark answers my thoughts and quietly tells me, “I sent my family home tonight didnt want them to see” Having spent her last ounce of strength she cannot go on, but I have understood what she has

13、 done. Not knowing what to say, I say nothing. Again she seems to sense my thoughts, “Youstay”Intensive Study 7 Time seems to stand still. In the total silence, I feel my own pulse quicken and hear my breathing as it begins to match hers, breath for uneven breath. Our eyes meet and somehow, together

14、, we become aware that this is a special moment between two human beings Her long fingers curl easily around my hand and I nod my head slowly, smiling. Without words, through yellowed eyes, I receive my thank you and her eyes slowly close.Intensive Study 8 Some unknown interval of time passes before

15、 her eyes open again, only this time there is no response in them, just a blank stare. Without warning, her shallow breathing stops, and within a few moments, the faint pulse is also gone. One single tear flows from her left eye, across the cheek and down onto the pillow. I begin to cry quietly. The

16、re is a swell of emotion within me for this stranger who so quickly came into and went from my life. Her suffering is done, yet so is the life. Slowly, still holding her hand, I become aware that I do not mind this emotional battle, that in fact, it was a privilege she has allowed me, and I would do

17、 it again, gladly. Mrs. Clark spared her family an episode that perhaps they were not equipped to handle and instead shared it with me. She had not wanted to have her family see her die, yet she did not want to die alone. No one should die alone, and I am glad I was there for her.Intensive Study 9 T

18、wo days later, I read about Mrs. Clark in the newspaper. She was the mother of seven, grandmother of eighteen, an active member of her church, a leader of volunteer associations in her community, a concert piano player, and a piano teacher for over thirty years.10 Yes, they were long and graceful fi

19、ngers.preceding a. coming or going before in time or orderThe author deals with the problem of violence among teenagers in the preceding chapters.precede v.Come or go just in front ofHe came into the room preceded by a little dog.Now that you have read that sentence, reread the one that precedes.2)

20、Be earlier thanThousands of people traveled to America to escape hardship in the years that immediately preceded the First World War.decay n. the action or state of gradually go badDental decay in children is a common phenomenon all over the world.v. Become bad; rotThe cabbages had already started t

21、o decay.2) Fall to a lower or worse state; lose health, power, strength, activity, etc.At that time, the Roman Empire had already decayed.As people grow old, they will decay mentally as well as physically.exaggerated a. larger, better, worse, or more important than sth actually is I considered his r

22、emark exaggerated but complimentary.Peo0ple around Thompson all think that he has an exaggerated sense of his own importance.secure: v.make tight or firm; fastenThe patients broken leg was secured with plaster bandage.2) Make safe; protectThey tried to secure the bridge from further attack.3) get, s

23、ometimes with difficultyHe is luck to have secured himself such a good job.adj.safe; protected against danger or riskShe felt secure only when both doors were lock.2) Firm or tight enough for safetyThe foundation of the house is not secure.3) Having no doubt, fear or anxietyHe felt secure about his

24、future.faint: adj. 1) Lacking clearness, brightness, strength, etc.The faint perfume of jasmine came through the window.The candle shed a faint light in the room.2) Weak and about to lose consciousnessClimbing these stairs caused her to feel faint.She looks faint.v. Lose consciousnessShe fainted at

25、the sight of blood.slide(cause to) move smoothlyThe doctors let the children patients slide around on the polished floor and listen to music.She stood back, watching the door slide closed, then turned away.2) (cause to) move quietlyTom slid out of the house when no one was noticing.3) change to sth

26、gradually and smoothly without being noticedThe boy slid into the bad habit of smoking.4) Gradually change to a worse state or conditionWith prices sliding fast, small computers are becoming popular.ease 1) Take away (pain or worry); relieve; lessenTake this medicine and it will ease the pain.2) Mak

27、e more comfortableI eased her mind by telling her that the children were safe.go about start to work at; set aboutHow do you go about building a boat?How shall we go about the job?provide forMake arrangements to deal with sth that might happen in the future.We did not provide for such a great increa

28、se in prices.How can we provide for unexpected events?2. Support someone by giving them money and the things that they need; supply with necessary things of lifeHe has five children and a wife to provide for.Our nursery provides for all the needs of young children.naked 1) Not covered by clothesThe

29、children played in the yard half naked.2) Without the usual coveringThe germ is not visible to the naked eyes.The naked truth is usually hard to accept.outline line(s) showing the shape or outer edgeShe could see the outline of a person through the mist.The outline of the mountain loomed in the dist

30、ance.2) A statement of the main facts or pointsHe submitted an outline of his speech to his superior for approval.3) v. give a short general description of sthLet me outline a few of the obstacles that we might encounter in our future work.hint1) A slight indicationGive me a hint so that I can solve

31、 the riddle.There is a hint of impatience in the tone of his voice.2) A subtle way of indicating to sb what one is thinking They gave me a booklet with useful hints for airline passengers.The book is full of hints and tips on low-fat diet and healthy lifestyle.3) v. suggest sth slightly or indirectl

32、yI hinted to him that I was dissatisfied with his work.match to go with; correspond toI tried hard, but still my pace couldnt match his.You should match your spending with your income.She wore an elegant green dress that matched her eyes erval 1) A period between two events or times,

33、or the space between two pointsThere was a long interval before he replied.Trains for Beijing leave at 30-minute intervals.Trees are planted at intervals of 10 feet in this area.2) A brief period between the parts of performanceDrinks will be provided during the intervals of the three performances.shallow1) Not deep (in breathing)His breathing became shallow and frequent as the time drew near for him to go onto the stage for the first time.2) Having only a short distance from the bottom to the topHe is swimming towards the shallow end of the swimming pool.3) Not showing seriou