新视野大学英语2全部课文原文

Unit1Americansbelievenoonestandsstill.Ifyouarenotmovingahead,youarefallingbehind.Thisattituderesultsinanationofpeoplecommittedtoresearching,experimentingandexploring.TimeisoneofthetwoelementsthatAmericanssavecarefully,theotherbeinglabor.Weareslavestonothingbuttheclock,”ithasbeensaid.Timeistreatedasifitweresomethingalmostreal.Webudgetit,saveit,wasteit,stealit,killit,cutit,accountforit;wealsochargeforit.Itisapreciousresource.Manypeoplehavearatheracutesenseoftheshortnessofeachlifetime.Oncethesandshaverunoutofaperson’shourglass,theycannotbereplaced.Wewanteveryminutetocount.Aforeigner’sfirstimpressionoftheU.S.islikelytobethateveryoneisinarush--oftenunderpressure.Citypeoplealwaysappeartobehurryingtogetwheretheyaregoing,restlesslyseekingattentioninastore,orelbowingothersastheytrytocompletetheirshopping.Racingthroughdaytimemealsispartofthepaceoflifeinthiscountry.Workingtimeisconsideredprecious.Othersinpubliceating-placesarewaitingforyoutofinishsothey,too,canbeservedandgetbacktoworkwithinthetimeallowed.Youalsofinddriverswillbeabruptandpeoplewillpushpastyou.Youwillmisssmiles,briefconversations,andsmallexchangeswithstrangers.Don’ttakeitpersonally.Thisisbecausepeoplevaluetimehighly,andtheyresentsomeoneelse“wasting”itbeyondacertainappropriatepoint.ManynewarrivalstotheStateswillmisstheopeningexchangesofabusinesscall,forexample.Theywillmisstheritualinteractionthatgoeswithawelcomingcupofteaorcoffeethatmaybeaconventionintheirowncountry.Theymaymissleisurelybusinesschatsinarestaurantorcoffeehouse.Normally,Americansdonotassesstheirvisitorsinsuchrelaxedsurroundingsoverextendedsmalltalk;muchlessdotheytakethemoutfordinner,orforaroundonthegolfcoursewhiletheydevelopasenseoftrust.Sincewegenerallyassessandprobeprofessionallyratherthansocially,westarttalkingbusinessveryquickly.Timeis,therefore,alwaystickinginourinnerear.Consequently,weworkhardatthetaskofsavingtime.Weproduceasteadyflowoflabor-savingdevices;wecommunicaterapidlythroughfaxes,phonecallsoremailsratherthanthroughpersonalcontacts,whichthoughpleasant,takelonger--especiallygivenourtraffic-filledstreets.We,therefore,savemostpersonalvisitingforafter-workhoursorforsocialweekendgatherings.Toustheimpersonalityofelectroniccommunicationhaslittleornorelationtothesignificanceofthematterathand.Insomecountriesnomajorbusinessisconductedwithouteyecontact,requiringface-to-faceconversation.InAmerica,too,afinalagreementwillnormallybesignedinperson.However,peoplearemeetingincreasinglyontelevisionscreens,conducting“teleconferences”tosettleproblemsnotonlyinthiscountrybutalso--bysatellite--internationally.TheU.S.isdefinitelyatelephonecountry.Almosteveryoneusesthetelephonetoconductbusiness,tochatwithfriends,tomakeorbreaksocialappointments,tosay“Thankyou,”toshopandtoobtainallkindsofinformation.Telephonessavethefeetandendlessamountsoftime.Thisisduepartlytothefactthatthetelephoneserviceissuperbhere,whereasthepostalserviceislessefficient.Somenewarrivalswillcomefromcultureswhereitisconsideredimpolitetoworktooquickly.Unlessacertainamountoftimeisallowedtoelapse,itseemsintheireyesasifthetaskbeingconsideredwereinsignificant,notworthyofproperrespect.Assignmentsare,consequently,felttobegivenaddedweightbythepassageoftime.IntheU.S.,however,itistakenasasignofskillfulnessorbeingcompetenttosolveaproblem,orfulfillajobsuccessfully,withspeed.Usually,themoreimportantataskis,themorecapital,energy,andattentionwillbepouredintoitinorderto“getitmoving.”Unit2LearningtheOlympicStandardforLoveNikolaiPetrovichAnikinwasnothalfasintimidatingasIhadimaginedhewouldbe.No,thissurelywasnottheex-Sovietcoachmyfatherhadshippedmeouttomeet.ButNikolaihewas,Petrovichandall.Heinvitedmeinsideandsatdownonthecouch,pattingtheblanketnexttohimtogetmetositnexttohim.Iwassonervousinhispresence.Youareyoung,hebeganinhisRussian-styleEnglish.IfyouliketotryforOlympicGames,Iguessyouwillbeabletodothis.NaganoOlympicstoosoonforyou,butfor2002inSaltLakeCity,youcouldbeready.Yes,whynot?herepliedtotheshockedlookonmyface.Iwasapromisingamateurskier,butbynomeansthetopskierinthecountry.Ofcourse,therewillbemanyhardtrainingsessions,andyouwillcry,butyouwillimprove.Tobesure,therewerecountlesstrainingsessionsfullofpainandmorethanafewtears,butinthefiveyearsthatfollowedIcouldalwayscountonbeingencouragedbyNikolai'samusingstoriesandsenseofhumor.Myfriends,theygointhemovies,theygointhedance,theygooutwithgirls,hewouldstart.ButI,hewouldcontinue,loweringhisvoice,Iampractice,practice,practiceinthestadium.Andbythenextyear,Ihadcut1-1/2minutesoffmytimeinthe15-kilometerrace!Myfriendsaskedme,'Nikolai,howdidyoudoit?'AndIreplied,'Yougointhemovies,yougointhedance,yougooutwithgirls,butIampractice,practice,practice.'Herethestoryusuallyended,butononeoccasion,whichwelaterlearnedwashis25thweddinganniversary,hestoodproudlyinawornwoolensweaterandsmiledandwhispered,AndItellyou,Iam26yearsoldbeforeIeverkissagirl!ShewasthewomanIlatermarry.Romanticandotherwise,Nikolaiknewlove.Hisconsistentgoodhumor,quietgratitude,perceptivity,andsinceritysetanOlympicstandardforlovethatIcontinuetoreachfor,eventhoughmyski