17．To Lie or not to Lie — the Doctor’s Dilemma
Doctors are often confronted such a choice: to lie or not to lie to their patient. Studies show that they often believe it is reasonable to lie for the patient’s own sake. Most doctors believe that the seriously ill do not want to know the truth about their condition, and if they tell them the truth, they may lose their hope. Because of such a belief, many doctors may tell “white lies” to their patients.
But now facts are proving that these doctors are wrong. Actually, an overwhelming majority of patients do want to know the truth. We are also learning that truthful information can help patients deal with their disease if we tell it in a proper way.
Lies cannot help the patients. Besides, they invade their autonomy and make them unable to make sound decisions. Lies also do harm to those who tell them, their colleagues and the entire medical profession. Therefore, we need to debate this issue openly and put an end to professional deception.
18．The Leaning Tower of Pisa
The tower of Pisa has never been upright. Its leaning can date back to the time not long after it was built in 1173. First, the tower tilted towards the north. Then during the prolonged process of construction till 1370, the tower had always been leaning to the south.
Throughout the monument’s history, many efforts have been made to halt the lean. These efforts have so far helped prevented the tower from topping over. But since 1911, the offset at the top of the tower has increased at a fairly consistent rate. Shortly after 1989, for the sake of safety, the tower at Pisa was closed to visitors.
In 1990, a special commission was organized to find new ways to save the tower. At first the commission worked mainly on the outside of the tower, but in the next few months, more radical techniques will be tried to stop the tower’s lean. The ultimate goal is not to straighten the tower but to ease its top back a little. With luck, the landmark can stand into the next century.
附录 写作练习答案
二、写作常见错误分析
一、语法错误
（一）句子结构错误
1． 主从句叠置
1) There are more and more students who like to use the computer. / More and more students like to use the computer.
2) There are still many problems that should be noted and resolved. / Many problems still should be noted and resolved.
2． 简单句叠置
I like chatting on line very much, so I go to the net bar almost every weekend. / I like chatting on line very much. I go to the net bar almost every weekend.
3． 从句叠置
It is known to all that computers play an important role in many fields of our life. / As is known to all, computers play an important role in many fields of our life.
4． 句子成分缺失
If we work hard, we will surely be successful. /Working hard, we will surely be successful.
5． 语序错误
1) Why do college students spend more and more time on the computer?
2) I often wonder where they have got their money.
（二）动词形式错误
1．时态错误
Many people think that the Internet will be more useful in the future.
2．语态形式错误
1) I have been excited several days at the news that you will come here.
2) Most of the students are satisfied with the service in the dining hall.
3．单复数形式错误
1) Wise men seek opportunities rather than wait for them. / A wise man seeks opportunities rather than wait for them.
2) Some people are afraid that computers may control men in the future.
4．非谓语动词形式错误
1) Let me say “hello” to you on behalf of everyone.
2) Doing exercise in the morning is good for one’s health.
3) Having studied in our school for 3 years, I find that the canteen service has changed a lot.
（三）代词错误
1) We can use computers in doing everything we like.
2) A college student should be able to do his washing on his own.
（四）冠词错误
1) A/The horse is a useful animal.
2) The exam will be held in December, 2004.
（五）词性错误
1) I wish you can consider my suggestions.
2) If a person wants to succeed, he must learn to endure sufferings and setbacks.
二、用词错误
1) Students must know how to operate a computer. / Students must know how to work on a computer.
2) People can be exposed to many new things on the Internet. / People can learn many new things on the Internet.
3) The purpose of this letter is to express some opinions on the service in the dining hall. / The purpose of this letter is to make some complaints about the service in the dining hall.
三、表达习惯错误
1) What generated so large a change? / Why is there so large a change?
2) Now 6000 yuan is enough for you to buy a P4 computer. / Now you can buy a P4 computer for 6000 yuan.
3) In a room often live 6-8 students.
4) I think there are three reasons for this great change.
5) The prices of the food are too high. / The food is too expensive.
6) The reason for this is that some people want to earn plenty of money without working hard. / This is because some people want to earn plenty of money without working hard.
四、标点符号及大小写错误
1) However, every coin has two sides. I think the surroundings in our canteen are the best among all universities.
2) The man was racing down the street because he was late for the class.
3) At last I want to let you know that I love our university very much.
4) My favorite sports are swimming, jogging, mountaineering and playing table tennis.
5) The best English film in my eyes is Forrest Gump.
五、冠词用法讲练
EXERCISE 1
A. 1. a 2. an
3. an 4. an
5. an 6. an
7. a 8. an
B. 1. a new office building 2. travel agent
3. an American scientist 4. a day’s outing
5. an Indian stamp 6. a heart attack
7. an advanced country 8. an interesting play
EXERCISE 2
1. A (telephone); a 2.x; x; x
3. a; a; an; a 4.a; a; a; an
5. a; a; a; a; a 6.an; a; x; an; x; a; a
7. a; an 8.x
EXERCISE 3
A. 1. a (very bad night); a (wink)
2. an (honesty)
3. a (vision of a new and happier Europe)
4. a (holiday); a (day off); a (month)
5. an (hourly service)
6. a (great honour); a (gathering)
7. a (mountain); a (horror)
8. an (early age)
9. a (word)
10.a (boy)
B. 1. a (big problem); (not too big) a (problem)
2. a (square nose); (so handsome) a (man)
3. (However great) a (disaster)
4. (Many) a (shipwrecked sailor)
5. (Such) an (urgent need)
6. (So urgent) a (need)
7. (as lovely)a (picture)
8. (what) a (serious crisis)
9. (many) a (greater man)
10. (How serious) a (crime)
EXERCISE 4
1. the; x 2. x; The(forests)
3. x; The(nature) 4. The (education); x
7. x; the 8. the; x
EXERCISE 5
A. 1.x; a; the 2. The (steam-engine); the
3. The (bat); a 4. x; the; x; a
5. the 6. a; the; x; x
7. The(prison);a 8. The (youngest); x; the; x
B. 1.The (horse); a (noble animal); a (faithful servant)
2. a (game)
3. the (school); the (behaviour);the (pupils)
4. The (dinner); the (speeches)
5. the (setting of goals)
6. the (hospital); (at) the (end of)t he (week)
7. the (radio)
8. The (flute)
9. (have) a; the (city center); (get) a; (on) the (bus)
10. the (ground); the (wood)
EXERCISE 6
A. 1.The; the; the 2. The; the
3. The; the 4. The (wool); the
5. x; the; x 6. the; the; the; x
7. the; the 8. x; x; x
9. the; the 10. x
B. 1. the British Museum 2. the Suez Canal
3. the difference between 4. the Wilsons
these two words
5. in the first row 6. the year 1949
EXERCISE 7
(The) People everywhere … When (the) strangers … (The) Good manners … in (the) different parts … accepting (the) gifts … shows (the) bad manners … even (the) rudeness … with (the) good manners accept (the) important things with (the) both hands …to accept (the) important things shows not only (the) discourtesy … In (the) Europe and (the) North America, however, (the) people…
六、标点符号用法讲练
EXERCISE 1
1. The…identity: Lt, Henry Bedell, Company D, 11th Vermont Volunteers…old.
2. It…that Dad…already－farming 80 acres…job.
3. Now I’m…point－but what …there?
4. Rain, snow, sleet, fog…world.
5. During…tourists; during the winter…beach.
6. To…extent, mankind…earth.
7. Like…wild life,…reproduce, grow…fall.
8. The…Jim Thorpe, the greatest American…times.
9. The…enormous, juicy…appetizing.
10. I…kids－educated…the West…movies－would be disappointed.
11. I…statue. Its soul, so to speak, is…beauty.
12. The…students, teachers, doctors, businessmen, factory workers－people…life.
13. Is…underground－in new…caves?
14. I…－by correspondence－that I…her at Beijing Hotel…Thursday.
15. Passengers…beverages: coffee, tea, milk or soda.
16. Present…Mr. Ho, Chairman…English Department; Mr. Brown, a visiting…Denmark; and…us.
17. The…patients; it…of “defensive medicine”.
18. His…with them－he had…once made…help.
EXERCISE 2
1….work, for…
2….down; as a result, we…
3….note; it…
4….watch, yet…
5…..tired, so…
6. …booming; consequently, the company…
7. …in it, and it was…
8. … looking; the food, however, is…
9….compulsory; the students… choice, therefore
10…coffee; others…
11…costly; nevertheless, we…
12…weightlessness; moreover, they…
EXERCISE 3
1. … death; …
2. …sunlight. We…/…sunlight; we…
3. …May, yet/but snow…
4. …years; for example, …
5. …quiet; …
6. …night; I…/….night, and/so I…
7. …punished; in fact…/…punished. In fact…
8. …food, and so…./food; therefore, I….
9. …very; what…./…vary. What…
10. …TV; Marie…/…TV, and Marie…
EXERCISE 4
1. “On Friday,” the teacher announced, “we’ll take up a new lesson.”
2. “ What,” he asked, “do we have to prepare for the camping trip?”
3. C
4. He greets everyone with “Hi!”
5. “You may think I have a lot of garbage in these bags,” one shopping-bag lady volunteered in a church soup kitchen, “but it’s everything I need.”
6. C
7. “It pains me,” I said, “to find that you both have been panhandling so long that it no longer embarrasses you.”
8. Retirement often brings many problems surrounding the “What do I do with myself?” question, even though there may be no financial worries.
EXERCISE 5
1. At one o’clock on September 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London started inside a baker’s shop in Pudding Lane. It lasted five days, and nearly 80% of all the buildings within the London Wall were razed. According to the official report, 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, over 400 streets, and the enormous old St. Paul’s Cathedral－one of the wonders of the medieval world－were in ruins. Out of London’s 450 acres, only 75 remained untouched.
Robert Hubert, a French watchmaker from Rouen, was accused of the fire. The sentence said he “had deliberately started the fire”. After he was hanged, it was conclusively proved that he had not even arrived in London until two days after the fire broke out.
2. Mr. Jones was very fond of climbing mountains, so one year he went to Switzerland for his holidays. After he had climbed some easy mountains, he decided one day to climb a more difficult one; but he did not want to go up it alone, so he found a good Swiss guide, who had often climbed that mountain.
At first it was not a difficult climb, but then they came to a place which was not so easy. The guide stopped, turned round and warned Mr Jones. “Be careful here,”he said “This is a dangerous place. You can easily fall, and if you do, you will fall straight down a very long way.” “But,”he continued calmly, “if you do fall here, don’t forget to look to the right while you are going down. There is a quite extraordinarily beautiful view there－much more beautiful than the one you can see from here.”
3. It is the simple things that really matter. If a man delights in his wife and children, has success in work, and finds pleasure in the alternation of day and night, spring and autumn, he will be happy whatever his philosophy may be. If, on the other hand, he finds his wife hateful, his children’s noise unendurable, and the office a nightmare, if in the daytime he longs for night, and at night he sighs for the light of day－then what he needs is not a new philosophy but a new pattern of life－a different diet, or more exercise. Man is an animal, and his happiness depends on his physiology more than he likes to think. Unhappy business men, I am convinced, would increase their happiness more by walking six miles every day than by any conceivable change of philosophy.
七、句型写作练习
（一）并列句
1) It was a cold snowy day and he had no money left for food.
2) Hurry up or you’ll be late.
3) It rained heavily last night but I went to the show anyway.
4) I enjoy classical music, so does she.
5) He must be ill, for he is absent today.
6) Some people waste food while others haven’t enough.
7) She is fat whereas her husband is thin.
8) She cannot read, neither can she write.
（二）复合句
1．
1) It is quite obvious that they need more help in English.
2) It is good news that she is still alive.
3) It doesn’t seem likely that she will come here.
4) What the children like the best in the zoo are the pandas.
5) What we are badly in need of is raw material.
2．
1) It’s a pity that he did not come earlier.
2) It is a well-known fact that smoking can cause lung cancer.
3) It is true that I encouraged him, but I didn’t actually help him.
4) It didn’t seem likely that they would ever keep their promise.
5) It was hard to understand why Prof. Hardy had singled out Mary for criticism.
3．
1) Can you tell me what kind of show they are putting on?
2) I’m wondering if the letter is overweight.
3) I am thinking how we can improve our study habits.
4) We are still uncertain whether Henry is the right person for the job.
5) Peter has always been in good health except that he has a slight headache sometimes.
6) He suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to take his notebook with him.
4.
1) I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than he was.
2) We all thought it a pity that you were unable to attend our meeting.
3) We consider it important that you should mind your manners.
4) He didn't want it known that he was too ill to go on working.
5) I regard it important that every one of you should finish your homework on time.
