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21世紀大學英語讀寫教程第一冊Unit4課文簡介
導語：下面是一篇講述一位年近八旬的洗衣老婦認真負責的故事，歡迎大家來閱讀，并學習她的精神。
The Washwoman
Isaac Bashevis Singer
She was a small woman, old and wrinkled. When she started washing for us, she was already past seventy. Most Jewish women of her age were sickly and weak. All the old women in our street had bent backs and leaned on sticks when they walked. But this washwoman, small and thin as she was, possessed a strength that came from generations of peasant forebears. Mother would count out to her a bundle of laundry that had accumulated over several weeks. She would then lift the bundle, put it on her narrow shoulders, and carry it the long way home.
She would bring the laundry back about two weeks later. My mother had never been so pleased with any washwoman. Yet she charged no more than the others. She was a real find. Mother always had her money ready, because it was too far for the old woman to come a second time.
Laundering was not easy in those days. The old woman had no running water where she lived but had to bring in the water from a pump. And the drying! It could not be done outside because thieves would steal the laundry. So it had to be carried up to the attic and hung on clotheslines. Only God knows what the old woman had to endure each time she did a wash!
She could have begged at the church door or entered a home for the penniless and aged. But there was in her a certain pride and love of labor with which many members of the labor force have been blessed. The old woman did not want to become a burden, and so she bore her burden.
The woman had a son who was rich. He was ashamed of his mother, and never came to see her. Nor did he ever give her money. The old woman told this without bitterness. When the son got married, the wedding took place in a church. The son had not invited the old mother to his wedding, but she went to the church anyway and waited at the steps to see her son lead the bride to the altar.
One day the washwoman, now nearly eighty years old, came to our house. A good deal of laundry had accumulated during the past weeks. Mother gave her a pot of tea to warm herself, as well as some bread. The old woman sat on a kitchen chair trembling and shaking, and warmed her hands against the teapot. Her fingernails were strangely white. These hands spoke of the stubbornness of mankind, of the will to work not only as one's strength permits but beyond the limits of one's power. It was sad to watch the old woman stagger out with the big bundle and disappear.
Usually the woman brought back the wash after two or, at the most, three weeks. But three weeks passed, then four and five, and nothing was heard of the old woman.
For us the washwoman's absence was a catastrophe. We needed the laundry. We did not even know the woman's address. It seemed certain that she had collapsed, died. Mother declared she had had a premonition that we would never see our things again. We mourned, both for the laundry and for the old woman who had grown close to us through the years she had served us so faithfully.
More than two months passed. One evening, while Mother was sitting near the lamp mending a shirt, the door opened and a small puff of steam, followed by a huge bundle, entered. Under the bundle tottered the old woman, her face as white as a linen sheet. Mother uttered a half-choked cry, as though a corpse had entered the room. I ran toward the old woman and helped her unload her bundle. She was even thinner now, more bent. She could not utter a clear word, but mumbled something with her sunken mouth and pale lips.
After the old woman had recovered somewhat, she told us that she had been ill, very ill. In fact, she had been so sick that someone had called a doctor, and the doctor had sent for a priest. Someone had informed the son, and he had contributed money for a coffin. But God had not yet wanted to take this poor soul to Himself. She began to feel better, she became well, and as soon as she was able to stand on her feet once more, she resumed her washing. Not just ours, but the wash of several other families too.
"I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash," the old woman explained. "The wash would not let me die."
"With the help of God you will live to be a hundred and twenty," said my mother.
"God forbid! What good would such a long life be? The work becomes harder and harder ... my strength is leaving me ... I do not want to be a burden on any one!" The old woman muttered, crossed herself, and raised her eyes toward heaven. After getting paid, she left, promising to return in a few weeks for a new load of wash.
But she never came back. The wash she had returned was her last effort on this earth. She had been driven by a strong will to return the property to its owners, to fulfill the task she had undertaken.
New Words
washwoman
n. 洗衣婦
wrinkled
a. having or showing small folds or lines in the skin 有皺紋的
*wrinkle
vi. (esp. of the skin) form into lines, folds, etc. 起皺紋
n. 皺紋
Jewish
a. of the Jews 猶太人的
sickly
a. often ill 常病的
possess
vt. own, have 擁有，具有
generation
n. a single stage or step in family descent 代，一代
for(e)bear
n. [常用復數] 祖先
bundle
n. (of) a number of articles tied, fastened or held together, usu. across the middle 捆，束，包
laundry
n. 1. clothes, sheets, etc., that need to be washed or have just been washed 付洗衣物;已洗好的衣物
2. a place or business where clothes, etc., are washed and ironed 洗衣房，洗衣店
accumulate
vi. gradually increase in numbers or amount until there is a large quantity in one place 積累，積聚
launder
vi. wash and iron clothes, sheets, etc. 洗熨衣物
pump
n. 泵，抽(水)機
attic
n. 閣樓;頂樓
clothesline
n. 晾衣繩
endure
vt. suffer, undergo (pain, hardship, etc.) 忍受(痛苦、困難等)，耐住
penniless
a. 身無分文的
*bless
vt. (with) 使具有，使有權得到
bear(bore, borne)
vt. take (responsibility, etc.) on oneself 承擔(責任等)
wedding
n. a marriage ceremony, esp. with a party or meal after a church service 婚禮
bride
n. 新娘
altar
n. (教堂內的)圣壇，祭壇
kitchen
n. 廚房，灶間
teapot
n. 茶壺
fingernail
n. 指甲
stubbornness
n. 倔強;頑強
*stubborn
a. 1. 頑固的, 倔強的
2. 頑強的, 堅持的
*stagger
vi. have trouble standing or walking; move unsteadily on one's feet 搖晃著移動; 蹣跚
n. 搖晃不穩的動作; 蹣跚
*catastrophe
n. a terrible event that causes great suffering, misfortune, or ruin 災難，災禍，大禍
collapse
vi. (健康等)垮掉;倒坍
premonition
n. 預感
*mourn
vi. (for, over) feel and/or show grief, esp. for the death of someone; be sorrowful(尤指對某人的亡故)感到悲痛;哀悼
faithfully
ad. 1. with faith 忠實地
2. exactly 如實地;確切地
faithful
a. 1. loyal and true (to sb., to a cause, etc.) 忠實的，忠誠的
2. true to the facts or to an original 如實的
puff
n. a sudden short rush of air, smoke, etc.(空氣、煙霧等的)一陣，一股
totter
vi. walk with weak unsteady steps 蹣跚，踉蹌
*linen
a. 亞麻(布)的
n. 亞麻布(或線);亞麻織品(床單、被單、桌布等)
utter
vt. make (a sound); say 發出(聲音);說，講
half-choked
a. 半哽住的
*corpse
n. 死尸，尸體
unload
vt. 1. have (a load) removed 卸(貨)
2. remove a load from (sth.) 從 … 卸下貨物
vi. 卸貨
mumble
v. speak (words) unclearly 含糊地說(話)，咕噥
sunken
a. 下陷的;凹陷的
recover
vi. (from) return to the usual state of health, strength, ability, etc. 痊愈，復原;恢復
somewhat
ad. by some degree or amount; a little 稍微，有點
priest
n. 牧師，神父
inform
vt. (of, about) tell, give information to 告訴，通知
contribute
vt. join with others in giving (money, help, etc.) 捐(款)，貢獻，提供(幫助)
coffin
n. 棺材
resume
vt. begin (sth. or doing sth.) again after a pause (中斷后)重新開始，繼續
*mutter
vt. 輕聲含糊地說
load
n. 一包(洗的衣物);負荷，負載
vt. 裝(貨或人);把貨物(或人)裝上(車、船、飛機等)
property
n. 財產;所有物
fulfil,-fill
vt. do or perform (a duty, task, etc.) 履行，完成
*undertake(undertook，undertaken)
vt. accept responsibility for (a piece of work) and start to do it 承擔
Phrases and Expressions
lean on
rest in a sloping position on for support 靠在 …上，倚在 …上
count out
count one by one 逐一數出
be blessed with
be fortunate in having 有幸得到，具有
take place
舉行，進行;發生，產生
a (good /great) deal of
quite a lot of 大量
speak of
suggest the idea of; show clearly that sth. happened or that it exists 顯示;表明
at (the) most
not more than (the stated amount) 至多
hear of
receive news about (sb. or sth.) 獲知…的消息，聽到…的消息
stand /be on one's feet
站起;(病后)恢復健康
with the help of
在 … 的幫助下
God forbid!
May it not happen! 上天不容!
Proper Names
Isaac Bashevis Singer
艾薩克·巴希維茲·辛格(1904 - 1991，生于波蘭的美國猶太作家)
拓展：大學英語讀寫譯教學模式論文
[摘要]多元智能理論認為人的智能是多元的，因此多元智能教學模式也應該是多元且個性化的。本文通過把學生分為傳統教學班和多元教學班，并比較研究他們的前后學習興趣和前后測成績，來探討多元智能教學模式對大學英語學習的積極影響。
[關鍵詞]多元智能；大學英語讀寫譯；教學模式
1、多元智能理論
多元智能理論是美國著名發展心理學家霍華德加德納教授提出的。他認為人的智能并不是單一的，而是以多元的方式存在的，包括以下八種智能要素：語言智能、數理邏輯智能、空間智能、肢體運動智能、音樂智能、人際關系智能、內省智能和自然探索智能。多元智能理論自面世以來，便備受教育學家青睞，進而被積極運用到教育領域中。它給教育改革提供了新的思路和新的指導，很多國內外學者以此理論探討了各種教育改革模式。本文將在前人研究基礎上，進一步探討如何有效地將多元智能理論應用到大學英語讀寫譯課堂中。
2、多元智能教學模式的必要性
現階段，多數大學英語課堂還是在采用傳統的教學模式：老師講授為主，學生被動接受。這種傳統的教學模式過多地強調語法分析和詞匯學習，以學生四六級和期末考試為教學導向，忽略了學生的個體差異，導致學生形成一種機械化的學習習慣，很容易讓學生喪失英語學習的興趣，學習效果也并不理想。因此，以多元智能理論為指導的教學模式顯得尤為必要。多元智能教學更加注重人文關懷，尊重學生的個體差異，可以提高學生的學習效率，提升學生質量，改善教學效果，提升學生的綜合素質。
3、研究設計
3.1研究對象
參加此次研究的學生均為研究者所承擔教學的班級：湖北醫藥學院15級實驗班（30人）和15級藥學班（39人），共計69人。15級藥學班作為實驗組進行多元智能教學，而15級實驗班則作為控制組采取傳統的教學模式。
3.2研究目的
通過實驗組和控制組的前后對比分析，進一步探討將多元智能教學模式應用到大學英語讀寫譯課堂的必要性。
3.3研究方式
在實施本次教學研究之前采用前測問卷和訪談法對學生的英語學習興趣、學習需求狀況等進行摸底了解，并對學生的聽說讀寫譯五大基本技能進行考試前測；在教學實施后采用后測問卷對于學生學習后的學習興趣變化進行分析，并對學生的聽說讀寫譯五大基本技能進行成績后測，與前測數據進行對比分析。
3.4研究過程
此次研究過程主要包括前測興趣問卷、前測成績、多元智能教學設計、后測興趣問卷和后測成績等幾個步驟。（1）前測興趣問卷在進行本次教學研究之前，研究者首先對實驗組和控制組的69個學生進行調查問卷來了解他們的英語學習興趣。此外，還采用訪談法跟部分同學談話，旨在了解他們的學習需求狀況和對教學形式的期待。前測問卷結果如下：以上問卷結果顯示：實驗組和控制組對英語的感興趣程度相當，兩個班都有大概三分之一左右的學生對英語學習不感興趣�；谇皽y問卷調查結果，研究者隨機找了幾個學生進行訪談，來了解他們對大學英語課堂教學形式的期待。通過談話，了解到學生們對各種形式的多媒體教學的訴求較高，比如：視頻學習、聽唱英文歌曲、團隊制作并展示PPT等。這剛好與我們將要進行的多元智能教學模式不謀而合。（2）前測成績比較為了更加客觀地比對教學效果，研究者對參加本次研究的兩個班學生進行了成績前測。該測試主要針對英語聽說讀寫譯五大基本技能定制出題。聽力、閱讀、寫作和翻譯均來自于歷年英語四級考試真題，口語部分則是根據學生的興趣指定話題。測試題總分100，五大部分分值均為20分。最后將各部分測試數據輸入SPASS17.0軟件進行統計分析。前測成績顯示：控制組的各方面英語水平都略微高于實驗組，但差別不是太大。同時，數據顯示兩個組的學生在聽力水平方面均比較薄弱。這就意味著在接下來的教學環節中，研究者要多設計一些相關的課堂教學活動，注意培養和提升學生的聽力水平。
3.5多元智能教學設計
將多元智能教學模式運用到大學英語讀寫譯課堂中僅僅靠幾次課或幾次教學活動是看不到顯著效果的，因此為了使研究結果更具有說服力，本次多元智能教學研究為期一學期，即2016-2017第二學期。在為期一學期的教學中，15級藥學班作為實驗組始終進行多元智能教學，而15級實驗班則作為控制組繼續采取“老師講授為主，學生練習為輔”的傳統教學模式。在多元智能教學班，研究者一改以往傳統課堂中不斷灌輸知識的傾向，努力搜集大量的資料和信息，精心設計教學活動，始終做到以學生為中心，積極與學生進行互動，充分調動學生英語學習的積極性和自主性。具體教學活動設計如下：通過平時的課堂觀察，不難看出實驗組的學生們能適應并喜歡這種多元智能教學模式。他們通過不斷的學習和探索找到了自己的優勢所在，也因此帶動了他們的學習熱情。研究者利用一系列的多媒體教學方式，如英文歌曲歌詞填空、視頻片段教學、話劇表演等調動他們的學習積極性，同時搭配單詞迷宮、文章復述、小組討論等教學活動鞏固所學知識，寓教于樂，取得了良好的教學效果。
3.6后測興趣問卷
經過一整個學期的教學實踐，研究者又對實驗組和控制組的69個學生進行了后測調查問卷，以此來了解他們的英語學習興趣變化情況。問卷結果如下：實驗組對英語感興趣程度調查后測問卷結果顯示：實驗組的學生對英語學習的興趣已經顯著提升了，而控制組則沒有太大變化，反而呈略微下降趨勢。實驗組的學生通過一學期的多元智能教學，已經能夠用最飽滿的熱情投入到大學英語學習中了。
3.7后測成績比較
為了檢驗一學期的教學效果，研究者繼續對兩個班的學生進行成績后測。該測試依舊以英語五大基本技能為出題依據，采用四級真題和口語話題相結合的考試模式。測試題總分100，五大部分均占20分。最后再將各部分測試數據輸入SPASS17.0軟件進行統計分析。將前測成績和后測成績進行比對分析，發現實驗組的英語五大基本技能得到顯著提高，在聽力和口語方面尤其突出；而控制組的英語成績在維持原狀的基礎上只有小幅度的上升。后測數據表明：多元智能教學模式能充分調動學生的各大感官系統，提升他們的學習信心，從而全方位提升他們的英語水平。
3.8研究結果分析
通過以上前后測調查問卷和前后測成績對比分析，不難看出實驗組的學生無論是英語學習興趣還是英語五大基本技能都有顯著的提升，而控制組則變化不大。接受多元智能教學的班級尤其在聽力和口語方面有了很大的提高，這剛好是傳統教學模式所欠缺的。
4、結語
本研究分別從調查問卷、訪談、課堂觀察和學生前后測成績等方面收集信息，雖然研究樣本和范圍具有一定的局限性，但是研究結果具有一定的現實意義。然而，相對于傳統教學，多元智能教學模式對教師有著更高的要求。為了更加完美的課堂設計，教師需要花費大量時間和精力搜集資料、設計教學環節，真正做到轉變角色，“以學生為中心”，讓學生充當課堂的主角，進而激發出學生學習英語的積極性、自信心，提高英語課程的教學效果。
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