A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens A

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens • Text Learning • After-reading exercises

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens 1 Why is a native New Yorker like me attracted to the classical gardens of Suzhou? Well, I think this famous quote says it all: "In Heaven , there is Paradise. And on Earth, there is Su-Hang. " T

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens 2 The gardens of Suzhou are indeed a little bit of paradise on Earth. And what gives them this quality is not just their magnificent beauty, but their peaceful atmosphere that surrounds visitors. Such peacefulness is something we native New Yorkers rarely experience in our fast-paced city. As the rhythm of modern life speeds up and up, and more things compete for our attention, those of us who live in big cities begin to lose our ability to focus and fully appreciate the natural world around us. We begin to lose the art of reflection: the pleasure of simply sitting and thinking over the nature of nature, its past, present and future, and our own as well. T

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens 3 Suzhou gardens are miniatures of natural settings, designed to develop a state of calm, quiet reflection in the visitors. The winding pathways, ponds, ancient trees, flowering plants, and artificial hills are all set out in relations and proportions that mirror the complexity of nature. What a relief to be in these marvelous settings after years of running from New York subway to bus to office, to home, to phone calls, to computer, to housework--with barely a moment to reflect on the meaning of all these activities. T

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens 4 Suzhou gardens are full of meaningful symbols, both natural and man-made: the bamboo we find in so many of the Suzhou gardens represents the virtue of honesty as it is upright and shows nothing on its outside that is not on its inside; the plum blossoms represent the triumph of beauty over adversity because they bloom in early spring even when the weather is still a bit cold; the paintings with cranes near pine trees hanging in the garden pavilions represent the wish for long life. T

A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens 5 The feeling of peacefulness I experienced in Suzhou gardens will always be somewhere inside me, even when I am back in the rush of New York --to experience it again, all I need to do is all up memories of my peaceful garden walks. T

attract v. to arouse or compel the interest, admiration, or attention of 吸引；激发 e. g. We were deeply attracted by the display of paintings. 我们被油画展深深吸引住了。 The dogs was attracted by the smell of the meat. 狗受到肉味的引诱。 Text

attraction e. g. 吸引力 The television has little attraction for me. 电视对我没有什么吸引力。 attractive e. g. n. a. 有吸引力的 I don’t find him at all attractive. 我觉得他一点儿也不讨人喜欢。 Text

classical a. serious and traditional in styles 古典的 e. g. I prefer classical movies to modern movies. 相对于现代电影，我更喜欢经典影片。 Text

I think this famous quote says it all: "In Heaven, there is Paradise. And on Earth, there is Su-Hang. " I think this is explained clearly by this famous quote 我想“上有天堂，下有苏杭”这话说明了一切。 句中的it指前句中所讲的纽约人被苏州的古典园林所吸引 的原因。 Text

quote （口）= quotation 引用，引述 e. g. She finished her speech with a quotation from Shakespeare. 她讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。 Text

And what gives them this quality is not just their magnificent beauty, but their peaceful atmosphere that surrounds visitors. Both their magnificent beauty and peaceful atmosphere that surrounds visitors give them this quality. 那么是什么赋予它们这种品性呢？这不仅是由于它们非常 美丽，也是因为参观者所置身的宁静的环境。 what 引导的主语从句。 not just… but 不仅仅是…而且是… e. g. What enables this country to gain rapid economic growth is not just the domestic stability, but the support of international community. 这个国家经济增长迅速，不仅仅是因为国内稳定， 而且也是国际社会支持的结果。 Text

peaceful a. loving peace; calm; quiet 热爱和平的；安宁的 e. g. China is a peaceful nation. 中国是热爱和平的国家。 It's so peaceful at home when the children are at school. 当孩子们在学校的时候，家里多么安静。 Text

magnificent a. splendid; unusually fine 壮丽的；宏伟的；壮观的 e. g. I missed some magnificent scenery of North America. 我错过了北美大陆上的一些壮观的风景。 Text

Such peacefulness is something we native New Yorkers rarely experience in our fast-paced city. It’s almost impossible for us native New Yorkers to experience such peacefulness in our fast-paced city. 这种宁静是我们这些土生土长的纽约人在我们快节奏的城 市里很难体会到的。 something 引导的是表语从句，后面省略了that Text

rarely ad. unusually; uncommonly 不常 e. g. Horse carriage is something we rarely see now because most people use cars. 马车我们现在很少见到了，因为现在大多数人坐汽车。 People in the northwest rarely see the damage caused by floods. 西北地区的人很少能看到洪灾的破坏力。 Text

native a. associated with the place and circumstances of one’s birth 与出生有关的; 出生地的 e. g. my native land 故乡 my native language 母语 n. one born in or connected with a place by birth or of the original inhabitants or lifelong residents of a place 当地人；本国人 e. g. She is a native of Hong Kong. 她是香港的本地人。 Text

As the rhythm of modern life speeds up and up, and more things compete for our attention, those of us who live in big cities begin to lose our ability to focus and fully appreciate the natural world around us. The rhythm of modern life speeds up and up, and more things compete for our attention…. The pace of modern life becomes faster and faster, and we have to pay attention to more and more things… 随着现代生活的节奏越来越快，以及越来越多的事物争相 吸引我们的注意力，我们这些居住在大城市的人开始愈来 愈不能集中注意力，丧失充分体验周围自然世界的能力。 up and up中up一词重复表示强调 e. g. The boring lecture goes on and on. 这个无聊的讲座在没完没了地进行着。 Text

rhythm n. movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions；a strong repeated pattern of sound or speech 节奏；节律 e. g. the rhythm of the seasons/tides 潮汐的涨落、四季的循环 a natural sense of rhythm 天生的节奏感 Text

appreciate v. 1. (not used in the progressive tenses) to recognize the good qualities of somebody or something 欣赏；赏识 e. g. His talents are not fully appreciated in that company. 他的才能在公司里没有得到充分赏识。 2. (not used in the progressive tenses) to understand or realize something is true 理解 e. g. I appreciate your problems, but I don’t think I can help you. 我理解你的困难，但却爱莫能助。 Text

appreciate 3. to be thankful or show gratitude for 感激 e. g. I really appreciate your help. 我很感激你的帮助。 appreciation n. e. g. She shows little or no appreciation of good music. 她对于好音乐鲜有或没有欣赏的能力。 appreciative a. e. g. I’m most appreciative of your generosity. 我对你的慷慨感激之至。 Text

We begin to lose the art of reflection … We begin to lose our ability to think deeply about things… 我们开始丧失思考的能力… Text

reflection n. 1. the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected e. g. His achievements are a reflection of his efforts. 他的成就反映出他的努力程度。 2. mental concentration; careful consideration e. g. After a minute's reflection, my father answered. 经过一分钟的沉思，我父亲回答道。 Text

reflection reflect vt. 1. 反射, 反照 e. g. A mirror reflects a picture of you when you look in it. 当你照镜子时，镜子映出你的形象。 2. 表达, 反映 e. g. Does this letter reflect how you really think? 这封信是否表达了你真实的想法？ 3. think deeply 思考, 考虑 e. g. He is reflecting how to fulfill the task. 他正在考虑怎样完成任务。 Text

reflection vi. 1. 反射, 映出 e. g. The light reflected from the water into my eyes. 光线从水里反射进我的双眼。 2. 思考，考虑 e. g. He reflected before answering my question. 他在回答我的问题之前仔细考虑了一下。 reflect on/upon what to do next Text

Suzhou gardens are miniatures of natural settings, designed to develop a state of calm, quiet reflection in the visitor. Suzhou gardens are small models of the natural environment, designed to enable the visitor to reflect calmly and quietly. 苏州园林是自然格局的缩影，其设计意在使参观者 形成一种平静和思索的心态。 Text

state of the condition of 状态；情形 e. g. a poor state of health 健康欠佳 These buildings are in a bad state of repair. 这些建筑物亟待修葺。 Text

The winding pathways, ponds, ancient trees, flowering plants, and artificial hills are all set out in relations and proportions that mirror the complexity of nature. 蜿蜒的小径、池塘、古树、花木和假山都相互映衬， 错落有致，反映了大自然的复杂。 in relations and proportions that mirror … 意为 “在关系和比例方面反映了……”。 Text

artificial a. 1. made by human beings, especially as a copy of something natural e. g. This drink contains no artificial flavoring or coloring. 这种饮料不含人 调味料或色素。 2. lacking true feeling; insincere; fake; e. g. She welcomed me with an artificial smile. 他虚假地微笑着，欢迎我。 Text

proportion n. 1. a relationship between things or parts of things with respect to comparative magnitude, quantity, or degree 比例, 比率 e. g. the proportion of three to one 三比一 the proportion of births to the population 人口出生率 There is a high proportion of sugar in this cereal. 这种谷物中含糖量高。 The proportion of women in the total work force has risen. 在劳动力总数中，女性所占比例已经上升。 Text

proportion in proportion to at the rate of 与……成比例，与……相称 e. g. The house is tall in proportion to its width. 这房子就其与宽度的比例而言是很高的。 Are you paid in proportion to the number of hours you work? 你是不是按 作的小时数付酬的。 Text

mirror v. to give an exact or close representation of； echo; reflect 反射，映照 e. g. Do the opinion polls really mirror what people are thinking? 民意测验真得能真实反映人们的想法吗？ a novel that mirrors modern society 反映现代社会的小说 Text

mirror n. a surface capable of reflecting sufficient undiffused light to form a virtual image of an object placed in front of it； something that faithfully reflects or gives a true picture of something else 镜子；反映某事物的东西 e. g. This newspaper claims to be the mirror of public opinion. 这份报纸宣称是民众意见的真实反映。 Text

complexity n. state of being complex; complex things 复杂性；复杂的事物 e. g. It is a political problem of great complexity. 这是一道极其复杂的政治问题。 Text

complexity Compare complex e. g. a. difficult to understand 复杂的 His ideas were too complex to get support from ordinary people. 他的思想太复杂了，得不到普通民众的支持。 complex n. group of connected or similar things 相联或相似的综合事物 e. g. A town is a complex of streets, buildings, and people. 一个城镇是街道、建筑物和人的联合体。 Text

What a relief to be in these marvelous settings after years of running from New York subway to bus to office, to home, to phone calls, to computer, to housework — with barely a moment to reflect on the meaning of all these activities. After years of busy working life in New York, we feel relieved to be in the marvelous environment… 多少年之间一直夺走于纽约的地铁、公交、办公室和 家之间，忙于接电话、用电脑和做家务，没有一刻的 时间来思考所有这些忙碌的意义所在以后，现在能够 置身于这些极好的环境中实在是一种解脱。 Text

what + n. + to do 表示感叹 e. g. What excitement for them to learn that they have passed the entrance examination to the famous university! 得知自己已经通过考试进入了这所著名的大学时，他 们实在是太激动了！ What pleasure for her to be invited to attend her friend’s wedding party! 被邀请参加好朋友的婚礼，她实在是觉得太荣幸了！ Text

relief n. a bring of aid or comfort; a release from work 减轻；解除 e. g. doctors working for the relief of suffering 为解除病痛等而 作的医生 The drug gives some relief from pain. 这种药可以减轻一些痛苦。 Compare relief n. relieve v. e. g. I felt a sense of relief when I heard he was safe. 当我听说他平安的时候，我松了一口气。 The drug will relieve your discomfort. 这种药可以减轻一些你的不适。 Text

symbol n. 1. sign, mark, object, etc. looked upon as representing something 象征 e. g. Dove is the symbol of peace. 鸽子是和平的象征。 2. a printed or written sign used to represent an operation, an element, a quantity, a quality, or a relation, as in mathematics or music e. g. While at school, Tom hated to contact with mathematical symbols. 汤姆在学校的时候讨厌和数学符号接触。 Text

represent v. express by some symbol or sign; symbolize 代表；象征 e. g. The rose represents England, and tulip represents Holland. 玫瑰花代表英格兰，郁金香代表荷兰。 The foreign minister will represent his country at tomorrow’s conference. 外交部长会代表他的国家出席明天的会议。 Text

represent Compare representation representative e. g. a. n. These few books are representative of the ones we use in the school. 这些书代表了我们在学校里使用的书。 The firm needs more representation in China. 这家公司需要在中国多设些代理机构。 The tiger is a common representative of the cat family. 老虎是猫科族的典型代表。 Text

The plum blossoms represent the triumph of beauty over adversity because they bloom in early spring even when the weather is still a bit cold; … The plum flowers bloom in early spring although the weather is still a bit cold. This is why plum blossoms represent the triumph of beauty over adversity; … Text

blossom n. a flower or cluster of flowers; the condition or time of flowering 花；花丛 e. g. apple blossoms 苹果花 The peach trees are in blossom. 桃花开了。 v. to come into flower; bloom 开花 e. g. The apple trees are blossoming. 苹果树开花了。 Text

triumph n. a complete victory or success 巨大的成功或胜利 e. g. The story of her triumph over cancer is very moving. 她战胜癌症的故事很打动人。 shouts of triumph 胜利的欢呼声 vi. to gain victory or success, especially in dealing with a very difficult situation or an opponent 获得成功或胜利 e. g. Common senses triumphed in the end. 人的理智终于战胜了一切。 Text

bloom v. to bear a flower or flowers 开花 e. g. Few flowers bloom in the winter. 冬天很少开花。 n. the flower or something resembling the flower of a plant e. g. What beautiful blooms! 多漂亮的花呀！ Text

The paintings with cranes near pine trees hanging in the garden pavilions represent the wish for long life. 那些画被悬于公园的亭阁之中，画中松树旁有鹤。画 儿表达了期盼长寿的愿望。 句中paintings带有介词短语（with cranes near pine trees）和现在分词短语（hanging in the garden pavilions）两个定语。在中国，人们常说“松鹤延年”。 故对中国人来说，松与鹤象征着长寿。 Text

The feeling of peacefulness I experienced in the Suzhou gardens will always be somewhere inside me, even when I am back in the rush of New York. I will remember the feeling of peacefulness I experienced in the Suzhou gardens forever, even when I return to the busy life of New York. 我在苏州园林体验到了这种平和的感觉将一直留在我 的心中。甚至当我返回到纽约的快节奏生活中时也不 会丢弃。 Text

even 作为副词，修饰when引导的状语从句 e. g. Even when with high fever, he still continues his study. 甚至当他发高烧时，他仍然坚持学习。 Even when under the threat of death, he didn’t surrender to the enemy. 甚至当他面临死亡威胁时，他没有向敌人投降。 Text

… to experience it again, all I need do is to call up memories of my peaceful garden walks. 要再次体验它，我只需唤起对自己在（苏州）园林中 闲庭信步的回忆。 句中的it指the feeling of peacefulness I experienced in the Suzhou gardens。all后面省略 了引导词that。 Text

After-reading Exercises Translation 被苏州古典园林所吸引 be attracted to the classical gardens of Suzhou 被这部电影所吸引 be attracted to the film 有点儿天堂的特点 a little bit of paradise 有点儿明星的特点 a little bit of a star 快节奏的城市 fast-paced city 快节奏的发展 fast-placed development

After-reading Exercises Translation 加快现代生活节奏 speed up the rhythm of modern life 加快建设速度 speed up the construction 竞相吸引我们的注意 compete for our attention 为获得投资而竞争 compete for the investmen 充分体会自然世界 fully appreciate the natural world 充分欣赏古典音乐 fully appreciate the classical music

After-reading Exercises Translation 仔细思索自然的本质 think over the nature of nature 仔细考虑老师所说的话 think over what the teacher said 一种宁静状态 a state of calm 一种波动状态 a state of fluctuation 满是有意义的象征物 be full of meaningful symbols 满是有难度的问题 be full of challenging questions

After-reading Exercises Translation 回忆起过去 call up memories 想起往事 call up past things