新编大学英语单元翻译和课后习题答案

1Unit6RisksUsefulInformationRiskistheprobabilityoflosingsomethingofvalue.Sincewevaluelifeaboveotherthings,thegreatestriskformostpeopleistheriskofdeath.Yetlifeitself,tothebestofourknowledge,isultimatelylimited.Thekeywordhereis“ultimately”.Sincewehopetolivealotlonger,weeasilyoverlooktheroutineandlong-rangerisksassociatedwithbeinghuman,andconcentrateinsteadonothersortsofrisks.Werarelythinkaboutthechancesofdeath,disability,ordisaster,ortrytopredictthetimesoftheiroccurrence.Walkingacrossthestreetinmanycitiesismoredangerousthanridinganairplaneacrossanocean,butmanypeoplegivenothoughttotheformerandhavegreatfearofthelatter.Peopleeagerlydodangerousthingsforrecreationthattheywouldrarelydoatwork,suchasscalingasteepmountainorskiingrapidlydownit.Youngpeopleareespeciallywillingtotakefoolishchancesforthesheerjoyofdoingso,orbecausetheydiscounttheprobabilityofadverseoutcomes.Yettheyshouldprobablybemuchmorecarefulthantheirelders,sincetheyhavelongerlifeexpectanciesremainingandthushavemoreatstake.Otherthingswevalueincludehealth,safety,money,property,relationshipsandhappiness.Therearerisksattachedtothelossofanyofthese.Hypochondriacsexaggeratetherisksofillhealthorinjury.Ironicallytheprecautionstakentopromotehealthandsafetymayaddtoahypochondriac’sperceptionoftherisksinvolved.Awiseinvestortakescalculatedriskswithmoney,andtriestochoosereasonablerisksoverunreasonableones.Acompulsivegambler,ontheotherhand,issoaddictedtoriskthatthereislittlethoughtofthelossthatinevitablyfollowsfromgamblingindefinitelyagainsttheodds.Soriskitselfmayattimesbeperceivedasareward.Optimistsandpessimistshaveoppositeattitudestowardrisk.Extremeoptimistsalwaysexpectthebest.Thereforetheytrytomaximizegain.Morecautiousoptimistsmaytrytomaximizetheminimumgain.Extremepessimistsalwaysexpecttheworst.Thereforetheycometoexpectthemaximumloss.Moremoderatepessimistsmaytrytomaximizetheminimumloss.Thescienceofcost-benefitanalysisstudiestheseandotherstrategiesformanagingrisk.Sodoesactuarialscience(保险计算科学),withspecialemphasisontherisksofdeath,injury,orillness.Onewaytomanageriskinordinarylifeisthroughrationalplanning.Byconsideringalternativesandbalancingthegreatestormostlikelyrisksagainstthegreatestormostlikelyrewards,wecanoftenmakebetterdecisionsandgivegreaterconsiderationtolong-termoutcomes.Byalwayshavingacontingencyplanincaseourmainplanfails,wecanusuallyavoidcatastrophes.Butplanningtakeseffort,andwemustbalancethiseffortagainstthepleasureofdoingthingsspontaneouslybecausetheyarenotveryimportantornotveryrisky,andplanotherthingscarefullybecausetheyareveryimportantorveryrisky.PartOnePREPARATION1.RisksinJobs2PhysicalRisksFinancialRisksEmotionalRiskscoal-miner,nurse,policeman,secretary,teacher,fighterpilot,interpreter,firemanfootballplayer,writer,cleaner,touristguide,factoryworker,chemicalengineer,computerprogrammerbusinessman,stockbroker,accountant,peasant,writer,civilservant,touristguidenurse,psychiatrist,lawyer,president,teacher,singer,psychologist,touristguide,writer,hostofTVshow,ambassador,model,journalistNote:Studentsmayhavedifferentideasingroupingthesejobs.That’snatural.2.Whichactivityisriskier?STEPONEThefollowingisalistoftheactivitiesfromtheriskiesttothesafest:rockclimbingskydivingdrivingamotorcyclebeinga65-year-oldmanskiingflyinginanairplanedrivingacarworkingonafarmSTEPTHREE—Iprefertodorock-climbing.Iknowit’sariskysportbutIreallywanttochallengemyselfandseehowIcanusemymusclesandbraintodoatoughjob.YoumayaskwhyIlikethisriskysportwhiletherearesomanysaferonestotestmystrengthanddetermination.IwasborninamountainareaandI’vebeenenjoyingmountainclimbingsincemychildhood.Ialwaysfeelexcitedwhileclimbingamountain,androck-climbingisevenmoreexciting.It’struerock-climbingisfullofdangers,butlifeitselfisfullofdangerstoo.Withmodernequipmentandourbrains,wecanpreventseriousaccidentsandminorinjurieswon’thurtustoomuch.—Idon’tthinkIwouldlikeanyoftheactivitieslisted.ActuallyIdon’tlikesports.AsfarbackasIcanrecall,mychildhoodwasspentinhospital.Inotherwords,Iwasinpoorhealthforalongtime.Whenotherchildrenintheneighborhoodbegantheirtraininginsports,Ihadtogotohospitalandtakemedicinetosurvive.Inthatcase,Iwasn’tallowedtoplayoutdoorsmostofthetime.Inadditiontomyphysicalweakness,I’mcautiousbynature.Idon’tliketotakeanyrisksinmylife.Anyway,I’manexcellentchessplayer.Myfathertaughtmehowtoplaychessandboughtseveralbooksaboutchesstoimprovemyskill.SochessissomethingIenjoymost.3.WhyWouldPeopleLiketoTakeRisks?Sample:3Iamreallyimpressedbythesequotes.Theytellusthatlifeisfullofrisks.AsAliputit,hewhoisnotcourageousenoughtotakeriskswillaccomplishnothinginlife.Sotakingrisksisanessentialpartofgrowthandprogress.Ifwelookatsomefamouspeopleweknow,obviouslytheyareallgoodrisktakers.Inadditiontomakingachievements,somepeopletakeriskstoenjoyanewexperienceandtochallengethemselves.Theywanttolooklikeacourageousguyorastrongperson.Takingriskswillmakethemfeelmoreconfidentandcompetent.Theyalsowanttoenjoytheexcitementinrisktakingbecausetheirlivesareotherwisetoopeacefulandcomfortable.PartTwoREADING-CENTEREDACTIVITIESIn-ClassReadingPre-Readi