Unit 2
What does the word feminist mean to
you? A man-hating female who gets offended at common courtesy? Someone who
insists that women can and should do everything
men
do? A person who sees women's strengths and abilities as different from men's,
but equally valuable? Or someone who's sensitive to the unfair treatment that
women have suffered for centuries and wants to correct it? The feminist movement
has made great progress in ensuring women equal legal rights, but social critics
in most countries agree that there's still a long way to go. The three texts in
this unit explore some of the difficulties that both men and women encounter
along the road to equal rights. Text A challenges us to examine our priorities
and attitudes more closely, while Texts B and C contemplate some of the
complications of putting our visions of equal rights into practice in everyday
life.
Text
C Will You Go Out With Me?
Laura
Ullman
I know that dating has changed dramatically in the past few years, and for many
women, asking men out is not at all daring . But I was raised in a traditional
European household where the notion of my asking a man out on a date is
considered wildly naughty . Growing up, I learned that men call,
ask and pay for the date. But during my three years here at Berkeley, I've
learned otherwise.
Berkeley women have brightened their social lives by taking the initiative
with men. My girlfriends insist that it's
essential for women to participate actively in the dating process. “I
can't
sit around and wait anymore,” my roommate
once blurted out (脱口而出).
“Hard
as it is, I have to ask guys out -- if I want to date at all !”
This is great: More
women are having more fun by inviting men out, and men say they're
delighted and relieved that dating no longer depends only on their willingness
to take the first step. So why am I digging my nails into my hand trying to
muster up (鼓起)
courage to ask you out?
I
keep telling myself to relax. Dating is more casual today. A college date can be
as harmless as studying together. It's
easier, cheaper and more comfortable for everyone that way. Students have fewer
anxiety attacks when they ask somebody to play tennis than when they plan
a formal dinner date. They enjoy last-minute “Let's
make dinner together” dates
because they not only avoid problems over what to wear and how to act, but also
don't
have time to agonize (痛苦).
Casual dating also encourages people to form healthy friendships before they get
involved in serious relationships. My roommate and her boyfriend were friends
for four months before their chemistries clicked . They went to movies, got
together with mutual friends and took turns paying for their dinners out. “It
was like going out with a girlfriend,” my
roommate once laughed, blushing. This sort of friendship lets men and women
relax and get to know each other more easily.
But
if we do go out for a meal, who pays? This is still confusing everyone. You aren't
sure whether I'll
get the wrong idea if you treat me for dinner, and I'm
not sure I won't
offend you if I insist on paying for myself. John whipped out his wallet（钱包）
on our first date
before I could suggest we go Dutch. During our after-dinner stroll he told me he
was interested in dating me on a steady basis . After I explained I was more
interested in a friendship, he wanted to know why I'd
let him pay for my dinner. “I've
practically given up treating women on dates,” he
complained. “When you let me pay, I
thought it meant something special!”
Larry, on the other hand, was hurt when I offered to pay for my meal on our
first date. When I took out my wallet and asked how much I owed him, he looked
at me as if I had addressed him in a foreign language. Larry muttered, “Uh,
well, you really don't
owe me anything, but if you insist ... nsist, I thought, I only offered! To
Larry, my gesture was a sign of rejection.
But
there's
no time now to worry about John and Larry --
here you come!
Now remember: I believe in equality. I believe in women taking the initiative.
It improves my social life, it's
more fair and more fun for everyone. Dates are no big deal --
this is modern
American-style casual dating, and it's
easy, and it works . No magic formula guarantees you'll
say yes -- I just have to relax, be myself and ask you out in a
relaxed, unthreatening manner . If my friends are right, you'll
be flattered (感到荣幸).
Sliding into your desk, you tap my shoulder and say, “Hi,
Laura, what's
up?”
“Good
morning,” I answer with nervous chills (寒战).
“Hey, how would you like to have lunch
after class on Friday?”
“I'd
love to,” you
say.
It works!!! “We
have a date,” I
smile.
你愿意和我一起出去吗？
劳拉·
厄尔曼
我知道在过去几年里男女约会已发生了巨大的变化，对许多女士来说，请男士出去已不再是什么胆大妄为之举。但我是在一个传统的欧洲家庭中长大的，在那儿，我想要约一位男士外出的念头会被认为是极不规矩的。我在成长的过程中得知，约会时总是男人打电话，提出邀请并掏钱包。但在伯克利这儿的三年中，我了解到的却是另一回事。
伯克利的女士们通过与男士们主动交往而活跃了他们的社交生活。我的女友们坚持认为，女士积极参与约会过程是至关重要的。“我再也不能坐在那儿干等了，”有一次，我的室友脱口而出。“虽然难以开口，但我还是得请男人们出去--如果我真想约会的话！”这真是好极了：越来越多的女性通过邀请男性外出获得了越来越多的乐趣，而男士们也说他们感到高兴宽慰，因为约会不再仅仅取决于他们是否愿意迈出第一步。所以，我又何必要握紧拳头鼓起勇气才能邀你外出呢？
我不停地告诉自己要放松。如今的约会随意多了。大学生的约会可以像在一起学习一样没有害处。这样对每个人都更容易，更实惠，更舒服。大学生请某个人一起打网球时不会像计划一次正式的正餐约会时那么焦急不安。他们喜欢临时决定的“让我们一起吃饭”的约会，因为他们不仅避免了穿什么、如何举止等问题，而且也没有时间苦苦担心。
非正式的约会也能促进人们在开始正式的关系之前建立健康有益的友谊。我的室友和她的男友在坠入爱河之前做了四个月的普通朋友。他们去看电影，与共同的朋友聚会，外出吃饭时轮流买单。“就像同一个女友出去一样，”一次，我的室友红着脸笑着说。这种友谊让男人和女人都感到轻松，也更加容易相互了解。
但如果我们真的出去吃饭，谁来付钱呢？这仍在困惑着每个人。你不能肯定如果你请我吃饭，我是否会误解你的意思，而我也说不准如果我坚持自己付钱，是否会得罪你。在我们第一次约会时，约翰还未等我提出各付各的账，就突然掏出了钱包。饭后散步时，他告诉我他想固定与我约会。在我解释说我更对友谊感兴趣之后，他想知道为什么我刚才让他为我付账。“我在约会时，差不多已经不再请女士们吃饭了，”他抱怨道。“当你让我付钱时，我还以为这有着某种特殊的含义呢！”
而另一方面，拉里在我们第一次约会时却在我提出自己付账时而感情受到了伤害。当我掏出钱包，问我该付他多少钱时，他看着我，好像刚才我在用外语同他说话。拉里咕哝道，“嗯，好吧，你真的什么都不用付我，但如果你一定要……”一定要！我心想，我只是提出而已。在拉里看来，我的姿态就是一种拒绝的表示。
但是现在已经没有时间去为约翰和拉里烦恼了--因为你来了！请记住：我相信平等。我相信女性可以主动。它改善了我的社交生活，对每个人来说都更公平、更有趣。约会并不是什么了不起的大事--这是现代美国式的随意约会，它简便，而且有效。没有神奇的公式能保证你说行--我只需放松，是怎么样就怎么样，用一种轻松的、不咄咄逼人的方式邀你外出。如果我的朋友们说的不错，你会受宠若惊。
我悄悄地走近你的课桌，你拍拍我的肩膀说，“嘿，劳拉，什么事？”
“早上好，”我紧张地打了一个寒战，回答道。“嘿，星期五下课后愿意同我一起去吃午饭吗？”
“愿意，”你说。
成功了！！！“我们约定了，”我微笑着说。
|
|
21世纪大学英语教学网
|
|
Copyrights@Awooh2003-2005 All Rights Reserved! |
|
Email：21eee.net@gmail.com Tel：05 74-88222055;88222061 |