NCE4 L11 How to grow old
Lesson 11 How to grow old 如何安度晚年
First listen and then answer the following question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What, according to the author, is the best way to overcome the fear of death as you get older?
Some old people are oppressed by(压抑) the fear of death(对死亡的恐惧). 提出问题
因为怕死而郁郁寡欢
In(用介词in表示在年轻人身上，表示固有的属性) the young there is a justification(reason) for this feeling.
画风一转
Young men who have reason to fear(担心) that they will be killed in battle may justifiably(reasonably)(完全可以有理由，情态动词+副词) feel bitter(感到痛苦) in the thought that(后面是一个同位语从句) they have been cheated of(骗取了) the best things that life has to offer(生命中最美好的事物).
reason 可以可数也可以不可数
be killed in action(in battle) 在战斗当中丧生
like to do
would like to do
prefer to do
should prefer to do
would rather do 宁愿做某事
bitter enemies劲敌/tastes/tears/experience/memories/blames苛责/quarrels激烈的争吵
He shivered at the thought of what would happen. 他一想到要发生的一切就哆嗦
at the idea/sound/sight of
He came to the woman in(表示伴随) the thought(thinking) that she should help him.
He buried themselves in their study in the belief that(believing that) their effort would be amply rewardly.
We’ve postponed the match in the hope that(hoping) that the weather will improve.
cheat sb. (out) of sth.
rob sb. of sth.
deprive sb. of sth.
bereave sb. of sth.
dispossess sb. of sth.
strip sb. of sth.
The city will provide you with the best that life can offer.
But in an old man(对于老年人来说,in terms of/for) who has known human joys and sorrows(经历过人生的悲欢), and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do(能够实现了在他身上该做的一切), the fear of death(对死亡的恐惧) is somewhat(a bit/ a little) abject(可怜的) and ignoble(disgraceful/shameful/discreditable/dishonorable). 分析问题，表明自己的立场
The city ever knew(experience/ go through) prosperty. 这个城市曾历经辉煌
In her, I see a future teature.
It was in her to do that work(be a teacher). 她天生就是一位老师
what => the thing (that …)
whatever => anything (that …)
what + n. => the n. (that …)
what + n. => any n. (that …)
has achieved whatever work it was in him to do(any work that it was in him to do).
The best way(解决问题) to overcome it – so at least it seems to me(至少在我看来是这样) – is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit(by degrees / little by little) the walls of the ego(自我封闭之墙) recede(坍塌 消逝), and your life becomes increasingly merged in(融入在) the universal life. 提出解决问题的方法
the first/very/last/best n. to do
He’s always the first person to come and the last to go.
get rid of 根除
eliminate 消除
dispose of 根除
An individual human existence(being/life) should be like a river – (which is) small at first, narrowly contained within its banks(the walls of ego), and rushing passionately past boulders(岩石) and over waterfalls.
being n. 1) existence 2) creature
come into being 逐渐形成
a human being 人类
Still water runs deep. 静水流深
get over 克服
overcome
Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters(水流) flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in(融入到) the sea(对应前面的the universal life), and painlessly lose their individual being(existence存在).
break vt. 1.打破/断 2.中止
the sight of unbroken cloud plains 连绵不断的云海景象
cloud plains 云海
an unbroken class of 3 hours 连续三个小时的课堂
break n. 1.中止/断 2.休息
to do sth. for 5 hours without any break. 连续 5 个小时做某事
The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for(喜欢,在意) will continue.
Would you care for a drink?
I care for modern music.
And if, with the decay(decline/waning) of vitality(energy), weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome(未尝不是受欢迎的/quite welcome).
sense of direction/humor/justice/accomplishment/weariness/frustration
die -> pass away
the thought of rest 长眠的想法
decay 腐坏
I should wish to die while(从属连词) still at work, knowing that(原因状语=,as I know) others will carry on(continue) what I can no longer do, and content(satisfied) in the thought that(在想到) what was possible has been done(能够做的一切已经完成).
would like to do 情态动词+情感 表示强调
should prefer to do
should wish
I should wish to die while I am still at work
He stood there, (being) anxious to see what would happen next. 现在分词的省略做伴随状语
a car waiting outside
BERTRAND RUSSELL How to grow old from Portraits from Memory
Bertrand Ressell speaking at a protest meeting in Trafalgar Square
New words and expressions 生词和短语
oppress v.忧郁，压抑
1.压榨，压迫 2.压抑，使烦恼
oppress -> oppression -> oppressor 压迫者 the oppressing class 剥削阶级, the oppressed 受压迫者
oppressive taxes 苛捐杂税
oppressive heat 闷热
justification n.正当理由
just adj. 公正的，公平的，合理的 a just cause 一个公平的事业 be just to sb. 对某人公正 a just claim 一个合理的诉求
justice n. 公平公正， 法律/争议
justify vt. 使公正，证明…合理 The end may justify the means. 只要目的正当，可以不择手段
justification n. 理由 = reason
There is no reason/justification for discriminating women.
justifiable 能够证明是合理的/正当的 a justifiable action
justifiably / reasonably
justifiably adv.无可非议地
cheat v.欺骗
abject adj.可怜的
'abject adj. => miserable / wretched
ject -> throw
to live in abject poverty 过着穷困潦倒的生活
ignoble adj.不体面的，可耻的
noble adj. 高贵的/贵族的/高尚的
disgraceful 可耻的 graceless
dishonorable 丢人的，可耻的
credit 荣誉
discreditable 丢人的，可耻的
shameful 丢人的，可耻的
impersonal adj.超脱个人感情影响的
to make an impersonal assessment of sth.
disinterested 不涉及个人利益的，无私的
uninterested 漠不关心的，不感兴趣的
ego n.自我
ego -> superego 超我 -> id 本我
recede v.退去
cede -> ceed -> cession -> cess -> move/go
不及物
The coast receded as the boat set out.
economic recession 经济衰退
incresingly adv.日益，不断
passionately adv.激昂地
passion n. 激情（强烈的情感，强烈的感受）
compassion 同情 compassionate compassionately 同情地
painlessly adv.毫无痛苦地
vitality n.精力
vital adj. 1.vital organs 要害器官 vital statistics 三围（bust/waist/hips） 2.重要的
vitality n. 生命力 the vitality of a word
vital
vitamin n.
vitality
weariness n.疲惫感
weary 厌倦的 be weary of sth. be weary both in body and mind 身心俱疲
wear vt. 1.穿 2.磨损 3.使疲惫
worn out 穿破/损磨殆尽/筋疲力尽
tired -> be tired of -> be weary of
tired out
worn out
dog tired
exhausted
weary
fatigued
Notes on the text 课文注释
1 in the young,在年轻人身上。
2 Young men who have reason…that life has to offer.这个句子较长，其中有3个that。第1个that引导一个宾语从句that…battle,是fear的宾语。第2个that引导一个同位语从句that they…to offer,说明thought的内容。第2个that引导一个定语从句that life has to offer,修饰things。
3 cheat of…,从…那里骗取…。
4 whatever work it was in him to do,他所能做的任何工作。
5 so at least it seems to me,这里一个插入语，用了倒装语序，自然的语序是at least it seems so to me。
6 bit by bit,一点一点地。
7 the thought of rest 是death的一种委婉说法。
参考译文
有些老年人因为怕死而感到烦恼。青年人有这种感觉是情有可原的。有理由害怕自己会死在战场上的年轻人，想到自己被剥夺了生活所能给予的最美好的东西时，感到痛苦，这是可以理解的。可是老年人已经饱尝了人间的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，如果怕死，就有点儿可怜又可鄙。克服怕死的最好办法 – 至少在我看来是这样 – 就是逐渐使自己的兴趣更加广泛，逐渐摆脱个人狭小的圈子，直到自我的围墙一点一点地倒塌下来，自己的生活慢慢地和整个宇宙的生活融合在一起。个人的存在应该像一条河流，开始很小，被紧紧地夹在两岸中间，接着热情奔放地冲过巨石，飞下瀑布。然后河面渐渐地变宽，两岸后撤，河水流得平缓起来，最后连绵不断地汇入大海，毫无痛苦地失去了自我的存在。上了年纪的人这样看待生命，就不会有惧怕死亡的心情了，因为自己关心的一切事件都会继续下去。 再者，随着精力的衰退，老年人的疲惫会增长，有长眠的愿望未尝不是一件好事情，我希望工作到死为止，明白了有人会继续我的未竟事业，想到能做的事都做了，也就坦然了。
