现代大学英语精读6(第二版)-教师用书-Unit-1

Unit1PaperTigersWesleyYangAdditionalBackgroundInformation(AboutBattleHymnoftheTigerMother)WhatfollowsisacommentonBattleHymnoftheTigerMotherbyElizabethChang,aneditorofTheWashingtonPost'sSundayMagazine,whichcarriedthearticleonJanuary8th,2011.ThecoverofBattleHymnoftheTigerMotherwascatniptothisaverageparent'ssoul.AlthoughthememoirseemstohavebeenwrittentoprovethatChineseparentsarebetteratraisingchildrenthanWesternones,thecovertextclaimsthatinsteaditportraysabitterclashofcultures,afleetingtasteofgloryandhowtheTigerMother“washumbledbya13-year-old.”AsahopelesslyWesternmothermarriedintoaChinesefamilylivinginanareathatgeneratesimmigrantprodigiesasreliablyascloudsproducerain,Iwaseagertoobservethecomeuppanceofaparentwhothoughtshehadalltheanswers.And,inmanyways,TigerMotherdidnotdisappoint.Atnight,Iwouldnudgemyhusbandawaketoreadhimsomeofitsmorerevealingpassages,suchaswhenauthorAmyChuathreatenedtoburnherolderdaughter'sstuffedanimalsifthechilddidn'timproveherpianoplaying.WhatChineseparentsunderstand,Chuawrites,isthatnothingisfununtilyou'regoodatit.Byday,IwouldtellmyowntwodaughtersabouthowChuathrewunimpressivebirthdaycardsbackatheryounggirlsandorderedthemtomakebetterones.Foramotherwhosehalf-Chinesechildrenplayedoutsidewhilethekidsofstricterimmigrantneighborscouldbeheardlaboringovertheviolinandpiano,thebookcanbewickedlygratifying.Readingitislikesecretlypeeringintothehomeofacontrolling,obsessiveyetcompulsivelyhonestmother—onewhosometimesmakestherestofuslookgood,iflessremarkableandwithlessimpressiveoffspring.Doesbecomingsuper-accomplishedmakeupforyearsofstress?That'ssomethingmydaughtersandIwillneverfindout.Chuaisalawprofessorandauthoroftwoacclaimedbooksoninternationalaffairs,thoughreadersofTigerMothergetonlyaglimpseofthatpartofherlife,withairy,tossedoff-linessuchasMeanwhile,IwasstillteachingmycoursesatYaleandfinishingupmysecondbookwhilealsotravelingcontinuously,givinglecturesaboutdemocratizationandethnicconflict.HerthirdbookabandonsglobalconcernstofocusintimatelyonChua'sattempttoraisehertwodaughtersthewayherimmigrantparentsraisedher.Therewouldbenoplaydatesandnosleepovers:Idon'treallyhavetimeforanythingfun,becauseI'mChinese,oneofChua'sdaughterstoldafriend.Instead,therewouldbeatotalcommitmenttoacademicsandexpertiseatsomething,preferablyaninstrument.ThoughChua'sJewishhusbandgrewupwithparentswhoencouragedhimtoimagine—andtoexpresshimself,henonethelessagreedtolethertaketheleadinrearingthechildrenandmostlyservesastheGreekchorustoChua'scrazedactions.InChineseparentingtheory,hardworkproducesaccomplishment,whichproducesconfidenceandyetmoreaccomplishment.AsChuanotes,thisstyleofparentingisfoundamongotherimmigrantcultures,too,andI'msuremanyWashington-areareadershaveseenit,iftheydon'temployitthemselves.Chua'solderdaughter,Sophia,apianist,wentalongwith,andblossomed,underthisapproach.Theyoungerdaughter,Lulu,whoseinstrumentofChua'schoicewasaviolin,wasadifferentstory.Theturningpointcamewhen,afteryearsofpracticingandperforming,Luluexpressedherhatredoftheviolin,hermotherandofbeingChinese.ChuaimaginedaWesternparent’stakeonLulu'srebellion:Whytortureyourselfandyourchild?What'sthepoint?...IknewasaChinesemotherIcouldnevergiveintothatwayofthinking.ButsheneverthelessallowedLulutoabandontheviolin.GiventhattheworstLulueverdidwascutherownhairandthrowaglass,myreactionwasthatChuagotoffeasyinasocietywheresomepressuredchildrencutthemselves,becomeanorexic,refusetogotoschoolorworse.NoonebutanobsessiveChinesemotherwouldconsiderherhealthy,engagingandaccomplisheddaughterdeficientbecausethegirlpreferstennistotheviolin—butthat'sexactlythepoint.And,oh,whatChuaputherselfandherdaughtersthroughbeforeshegottohermomentofreckoning.Onweekends,theywouldspendhoursgettingtoandfrommusiclessonsandthencomehomeandpracticeforhourslonger.Atnight,ChuawouldreaduponviolintechniqueandfretaboutthechildreninChinawhowerepracticing10hoursaday.(Didthiswomaneversleep?)Sheinsistedthatherdaughtersmaintaintopgrades—Bs,shenotes,inspireascreaming,hair-tearingexplosionamongChineseparentsandtheapplicationofcountlesspracticetests.Sheoncerefusedtoletachildleavethepianobenchtousethebathroom.Sheslappedonedaughterwhowaspracticingpoorly.Shethreatenedherchildrennotjustwithstuffed-animaldestruction,butwithexposuretotheelements.Shemadethempracticeontripstodozensofdestinations,includingLondon,Rome,BombayandtheGreekislandofCrete,whereshekeptLulugoingsolongonedaythatthefamilymissedseeingthepalaceatKnossos.Sometimes,you'renotquitesurewhetherChuaisbeingseriousordeadpan.Forexample,shesaysshetriedtoapplyChineseparentingtothefamily'stwodogsbeforeacceptingthattheonlythingtheyweregoodatwasexpressingaffection.Althoughitistruethatsomedogsareonbombsquadsordrug-sniffingteams,sheconcluded,itisperfectlyfineformostdogsnottohaveaprofession,orevenanyspecialskills.Ontheonehand,sheseemsawareofhershortcomings:Sheis,shenotes,notgoodatenjoyinglife,andsheacknowledgesthattheChineseparentingapproachisflawedbecauseitdoesn'ttoleratethepossibilityoffailure.Ontheotherhand,shesniffsthatthereareallkindsofpsychologicaldisordersintheWestthatdo