UNIT 7: Numbers and Omens数字与吉凶数字与吉凶Readingskills-scanning1.HowdidCutronacarryoutherstudiesofcollegestudents?Shecomparedtheircollegeentranceexamscorestogradepointaverages.Studentsalsofilledoutquestionnairesontheirfamilies.2.WhatarethetwokeyfindingsbyCutrona?Studentswiththecheerleadingparentsshowedlessanxietyaboutchallenges;loweranxietywaslinkedtomoreself-confidence,whichpredictedbettergrades.Havingsupportivefriendsorromanticpartnersdidntaffectgradepointaverage.)3.WhatisCutronasconclusionbasedonherfindings?Parentsattitudestowardtheirchildrenseemtoaffectthewaystudentsthinkofthemselvesandself-imageseemstoinfluenceperformance.Cultural and background notes1)The I ChingorBook of ChangesAcompilationwhichrecordsanancientChinesesystemofdivination.Inthesystem,anoracleiscastbyflippingcoinsormoretraditionally,bymanipulatingyarrowstalks.Theoracleisoneof64differenthexagrams.Thehexagramitselfiscomposedoftwotrigrams,eachconsistingofthreelines.Thoselinesareeitherstraight(Yang)orbroken(Yin).2)Yin-YangMeaningmuchmorethanjustfemale/male,Yin-YangaretheChinesetermsforthebasicpolaritiesoftheUniverse.Yangistime,light,strong.Yinisspace,dark,weak.Yangisthedirectionupwards；Yindownwards.Yangistheclosedcircle；Yinistheopenangle.Yangisclockwise；Yincounter-clockwise.Yangishard,resistantandtense；Yinissoft,yieldingandrelaxed.3)thefiveelementsMetal,wood,water,fireandearth.ThefollowingistheproductivecycleofthefiveelementsinancientChinesephilosophy.WoodburnsproducingFire.FireleavesbehindEarth.EarthisthesourceofMetal.MetalliquefiesintoflowingliquidlikeWater.WaterthenbecomesthenourishmentfortheWood.4)LaoTzuAlsocalledTaoTeChing(literally,theclassicofthewayofvirtue),isattributedtoLaoTzu,thoughscholarsdisagreeabouthisactualexistence.Initsverypoeticform,itteachesthatthereisadynamic,cosmicstructureunderlyingeverythingthathappensintheworld.WehumansneedtodiscoverthatWay(Tao),whichisimmanentinallaspectsoftheworld,notaruleimposedfromwithout;andweneedtofitintoit,lettingthingstaketheircourse,notexertingourselvesinoppositiontoitbytryingtobendthingstoourwill.Ournaming(describing)ofthingsalwaysfallsshortofthewaythingsare,sincethingsarenotlimitedasourlanguagepresupposes.EventheTaowhichwearetryingtotalkabouthereeludesourwords.Theoriginalpolarityisthatofbeingandnon-being,anditwillbefoundtointerplaythroughouttheworld,withnon-being(emptiness,whatisnot)havingasmuchsignificanceasdoesbeing(thefullnessofthings,whatis).ThusthenotionoftheTaorecapturestheearlierChineseconceptofYinandYang,thepolaritiesrunningthroughallthings.5)doingthesevensTraditionalChinesefuneralceremony,traditionallylastsover49days,thefirstsevendaysbeingthemostimportant.Prayersaresaideverysevendaysfor49daysifthefamilycanaffordit.Ifthefamilyisinpoorcircumstances,theperiodmaybeshortenedtofrom3to7days.Usually,itistheresponsibilityofthedaughterstobearthefuneralexpenses.Theheadofthefamilyshouldbepresentfor,atleastthefirstand,possiblythesecond,prayerceremony.Thenumberofceremoniesconductedisdependentonthefinancialsituationofthefamily.Theheadofthefamilyshouldalsobepresentfortheburialorthecremation.6)ghostmonthTheseventhmonthofthelunaryearwhenGhostFestivaliscelebrated.JustasWesternpeoplehaveHalloweenforghosts,Chinesepeoplealsohaveaholidaytofetethedepartedspiritsoftheunderworld-GhostFestival.ItisapopularoccasioncelebratedthroughoutChinaonthe15thdayoftheseventhlunarmonth.Historically,familiesoffersacrificesofthenewlyharvestedgraintodepartedancestorsonthisday.TheChinesebelievethatthedeadbecomeghostsroamingbetweenHeavenandearth.SpiritswithoutdescendantstocareforthemareprayedtoduringGhostFestivalsothattheymayalsoenjoythewarmthoflifeamongtheliving.Thiscustom,anextensionofthetraditionalChineseethicofuniversallove.Language notes1)ManyforeignvisitorscanthelpbutexclaimthattheChinesearereallycreativeandcanlinenumbersupsoauspiciously.（许多外国游客赞叹不已，说中国人真有创造性，竟能够把数字排列得如此“吉祥”。）To line sth upmeanstoarrangeororganizesth.e.g.Heslinedupalivebandfortheparty.2)Chinesenotonlyusenumberstoappealforgoodfortune,theyalsobringthemouttochewpeopleout.（中国人不仅用数字来求好运，而且还用数字骂人.）To chew sb. out meanstospeakangrilytosb.e.g.Hechewedouthissecretaryforbeinglatetowork.3）.andawholesetofauspiciousness-attractingandevil-expellinghabitstookshape.（.于是就形成了一整套祈福避祸的风俗习惯。）To take shapemeanstotakeonadefiniteform.e.g.Theplanisbeginningtotakeshapeinmymind.4)Weoftensaythreeyangmakegoodfortunetodescribethehopethatmisfortunewillbeheldatbayandgoodluckwillfollow.（我们常说“三阳开泰，以期远离凶险，万事亨通。）To hold sb at bay meanstoprevent(anenemy,pursuers,etc)fromcomingnear.e.g.Imtryingtoholdmycreditorsatbay.5).saysthattheonlysignificancenumbershaveiswhatpeopleascribetothem.（李恒力认为数字和祸福并无任何联系，他们的意义是人们强加上去的。） To ascribe sth to sb/sthmeanstoconsidersthtobecausedby,writtenbyorbelongingtosb/sth.e.g.Heascribedhisfailuretobadluck.ThisplayisusuallyascribedtoShakespeare.Youcantascribethesamemeaningtobothwords.6)Theyaremorewaryofone,three,five,seven,andnine.（他们对一、三、五、七、九等数字比较谨慎。）To be wary ofistobecautiousof.e.g.Shewaswaryofstrangers.7)Thusinodd-numberedmonthsholidayshavebeenstipulatedtohelppeoplegetby.（因此单月里定下了一些节日让人们来过。）To get byistomanagetolive.e.g.Howdoeshegetbyonsuchasmallsalary?8)Wheninquiringintotheothersnameandtheeightcharacterhoroscopeoftheotherparty.（向女方“问名”或互换“生辰八字”时.）To inquire into sthmeanstotrytolearnthefactsaboutsth.e.g.Wemustinquirefurtherintothematter.9)ThenumberofcharactersintheChinesetextwouldalwayshavetoadduptoanevennumber.（所用字数也要凑成偶数.）To add uptomeanstoamountto.e.g.Thesenumbersaddupto100.10).ThusfivefitsinwellwiththeideaofthemeanalwayspromotedbyConfucianscholars,hehaswritten.（.“因此五正好符合儒家所提倡的中庸思想”，他这样写道。）To fit in with sthmeanstobeinharmonywithsth.e.g.Dotheseplansfitinwithyourarrangements?11)Sixisthelargestnumberonadie,sowouldntonewinbycomingupwithtwosixes?（骰子上最大的数字是六，如果你掷出了两个六，不就赢了吗？）To come up with sthmeanstofindorproduce(ananswer,asolution,etc).e.g.Shecameupwithanewideaforincreasingsales.Fastreadingtime!Yourhomework:pleaselistsometenwordsorphrasesorsentencesinthispassagewhichyouprefer.Themore,thebetter.17以上有不当之处，请大家给与批评指正，以上有不当之处，请大家给与批评指正，谢谢大家！谢谢大家！