题目内容
Last week I talked with some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had.
Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised to find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without “outside help”. “What kind of help is that?” I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a relative or family friend to help them out.
“Surgery(外科手术)”, one replied.
I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job.
One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. “They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it re-grows, you can get at least 5 cm taller!”
At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can’t deny that, but I don’t think I would put myself through months of agony(痛苦) just to be a few centimeters taller. I don’t even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I’m not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall!
It seems to me that there is a trend toward wanting “perfection”, and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality.
No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that “perfection” is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost.
In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his chosen career.
1.We can know from the passage that the author works as ________.
A. a doctor B. a model
C. a teacher D. a reporter
2.Many graduates today turn to cosmetic s surgery to ________.
A. marry a better man\woman
B. become a model
C. get an advantage over others in job-hunt
D. attract more admirers
3.According to the passage, the author believes that ________.
A. everyone should purchase perfection, whatever the cost
B. it’s right for graduates to ask for others to help them out in hunting for jobs
C. it is one’s appearance instead of skills that really matters in one’s career
D. media are to blame for misleading young people in their seeking for surgery
4.The best title for the passage should be “________”.
A. Young Graduates Have Higher Expectation
B. Young Graduates Look to Surgery for Better Jobs
C. Young Graduates’ Opinion About Cosmetic Surgery
D. Young Graduates Face a Different Situation in Job-hunt
“I invented a new word. How do I get it into the dictionary?”
This is, by far, the question lexicographers(词典编纂者）hear the most. People invent new words all the time, but which ones actually make it into the dictionary? When lexicographers decide what words to add to dictionaries, they try to imagine what words users actually want to look up. There are important factors to keep in mind here.
1）Is the word in widespread usage?
The usage question is an important one that gets at the heart of how dictionaries are written. When modem lexicographers try to add words to dictionaries, they tend to approach their work from the angle of descriptivism — that is, they observe how the language is being used, see if it, s a common phenomenon, and then write definitions based on their research.
2）Does the word have staying power?
Widespread usage does not, however, guarantee a word a shiny new definition in a dictionary. Is the word going to stay around for a while, or is it just a passing fad? Is it likely to be in use in 5, 10, 20, or even 100 years? These are important questions to ask because there are far more updates and new words to be added to dictionaries than lexicographers have time to write.
3）Are you famous? Do you have influence?
If you’re famous, that could definitely up your chances of getting a word into a dictionary. Are you a writer? That could help. Take, for example, William Shakespeare, who invented (or at least popularized) hundreds of words and phrases commonly used today. Politicians also make their contributions. Abraham Lincoln invented the word neologize, and Winston Churchill has the first citation(引语）in the OED for many words, including fluffily and fly-in. So if you’re a person with influence and a following, the words you use can spread into common usage, which, as discussed above, is very important when it comes to gaining dictionary-entry.
4）Does the word fill a gap in the language?
If you’re not famous, there are other ways. Maybe you’re a scientist introducing new concepts to the public. Take, for example, the Higgs Boson particle(粒子), named after physicist Peter W. Higgs. But you don’t have to be a scientist to get your word a dictionary entry. Just look at Dominique Ansel, the pastry chef (糕点师) who captured the stomachs of New Yorkers with his dessert, the cronat. His invention even inspired copycats in the form of doissants and daffins.
Apart from these, it does sometimes help if the word is fun to say. The term blog is relatively new, which arose in 1999 when Peter Merholz made a light-hearted comment on the sidebar of his “weblog” telling his readers “I’ve decided to pronounce the word ‘weblog’ as wee’-blog. Or ‘blog’ for short.” And there’s also Dr. Seuss, who invented the term nerd.
So, why do some words make it into dictionaries while others don’t? With the knowledge discussed above in hand, the answer is more than obvious. Go forth! Use language creatively! Lexicographers are listening!
Title: How does a word gain 1.into the dictionary? | ||
Reasons | Details | Examples |
Being used 2. | With the approach of descriptivism, modem lexicographers will observe how commonly a word is used and 3.it according to their research. | |
Having staying power | The 4. a word remains in use, the more likely it is to be put into the dictionary. | |
Being invented by famous people | Chances of dictionary entry also 5. if the new word is invented by people of importance and influence. | hundreds of words and phrases invented by literary figures and 6.. |
7.a gap in the language | If a word introduces new scientific concepts, or 8. new inventions, it will probably get into the dictionary. the Higgs Boson particle; cromit, doissants, duffins | the Higgs Boson particle; cromit, doissants,duffins |
Being fun to say | Some words make it into dictionaries because they carry a 9.of fun when you use them. | 10.nerd |