WhoAreYouandWhatAreYouDoingHere?MarkEdmunsonContentsBackgroundStructureTextAnalysisExtensionWhatisthePurposeofUniversityEducation?TolearnsomethingTogetcertificatesTofindagoodjobTomakefriendsTokilltime…TheAuthorMarkEdmundsonisUniversityProfessorattheUniversityofVirginia.HismostrecentbooksareWhyWrite?andSelfandSoul:ADefenseofIdeals.OtherPublications:PartⅠPara.1-2Whatisthemainidea?Thespeakerbeginshisspeechbycongratulatingthestudentsbecausetheirsuccessfulentryintotheuniversityhasbeenachievedinspiteofthemessthecountryisin.Thushesetsthetoneofhisspeech:criticalofthesocietyingeneral,anditseducationinparticular.VocabularyCommendVerb.1.Praiseformallyorofficially“hewascommendedbythejudgeforhiscourageousactions”.synonyms:praise|compliment|congratulate|applaud|clap|cheer|toast2.Presentassuitableforapprovaloracceptance;recommend“Icommendhertoyouwithoutreservation”synonyms:recommend|suggest|putforward|propose|advance|approve3.Entrustsomeoneorsomethingto.“Icommendthemtoyourcare”/synonyms:entrust|trust|deliver|commit|handoverVocabularySlime-basedwithslimeasthemainsubstance低俗的slime:athick,wetsubstancewhichcoversasurfaceorcomesfromthebodiesofanimalsuchassnails.黏滑的污垢;烂泥-based:Comb.(与表示地点的名词连用)总部设在……的;以……为基地的Washington-basedorganization;(与名词连用)以……为中心的;以……为主要部分(或特征)的VocabularyGrit1.smalllooseparticlesofstoneorsand.Shehadabitofgritinhereye.synonyms:gravel·pebbles·stones·shingle·sand·dust·dirt2.(informal)courageandresolve;strengthofcharacter不屈不挠Hedisplayedthetruegritofthenavypilot.synonyms:courage·courageousness·bravery·pluck·mettleIt’sbeensaidthatraisingachildeffectivelytakesavillage:Well,asyoumayhavenoticed,ourAmericanvillageisnotinverygoodshape.(Para.2)Thereisanoldsayingthatittakesthecollectiveeffortofawholevillagetoraiseachildproperly,thatis,thewholevillageisresponsibleforthehealthyupbringingofachild.ourAmericanvillageisnotinverygoodshape:NotethatthespeakeristalkingaboutanytraditionalAmericanvillage?Heisusingthewordvillageinametaphoricalsense,takingittomeanthecountry.We’vegotguns,drugs,twowars,fanaticalreligions,aslime-basedpopularculture,andsomepoliticianswho—alittlerestrainthere—aren’twhattheymightbe.(Para.2)Guns:thelackofguncontrolandtheatrociouscrimesduetoeasyaccesstofirearmsDrugs:drugabuseanddrug-relatedcrimestwowars:thewarinAfghanistanandthewarinIraqfanaticalreligions:referringtoextremefundamentalistsectsandcultreligions.aslime-basedpopularculture:culturethatemployssexandviolencetoappealtopeople'sbasestinstinctsWe’vegotguns,drugs,twowars,fanaticalreligions,aslime-basedpopularculture,andsomepoliticianswho—alittlerestrainthere—aren’twhattheymightbe.(Para.2)somepoliticians:Thespeakerprobablywantstosay“somepoliticianswhoareloathsomeanddisgusting”,buthecheckshimselfanddecidestouseunderstatement;“who…aren'twhattheymightbe”islessoffensiveandmoreeffectivethanbluntaccusation.alittlerestrainthere:我这里也许应该说得稍稍克制一点(不要太刻薄)Thespeakersaysthistoshowthatheismakingaconsciouseffortnottobetoooutspoken.UnderstatementAnunderstatementisafigureofspeechemployedbywritersorspeakerstointentionallymakeasituationseemlessimportantthanitreallyis.Anunderstatementusuallyhasanironiceffect,asanequallyintenseresponseisexpectedinseveresituations,butthestatementinresponseistheoppositeofwhatwasexpected.Understatement“Heisnottoothin.”–Describinganobeseperson.“Itrainedabitmorethanusual.”–Describinganareabeingfloodedbyheavyrainfall.Anunderstatementisatoolthathelpstodevelopotherfiguresofspeech,suchasironyandsarcasm,bydeliberatelydecreasingtheseverityofasituation,whenanintenseresponseisexpectedbythelistenersorthereaders.Whydoesthespeakerbeginbycongratulatingthestudents?Inwhatsensedoeshethinkthattheyaretobecommended?QuestionsonParas.3-4:WhatisthemainideaofPara.3?Someconventionalbeliefsheldbymostuniversitystudents.Whycan’tthestudentsjustgoonasbefore?Trueeducationisnotsomethingthatwillbepresentedtoyouonaplatter.Youmuststriveforit.Youmustfight.Whatdoesthespeakeraskthestudentstofight?Fightagainstthoseproblemshementioned.Moreimportantly,fightagainstthe“institution”,becauseallinstitutionshaverules,traditions,systems,andprinciplesthatmightimpedestudents’creativethinking.…buttheeducationwillnotbepresentedtoyouwrappedandbowed.(para.4)MetaphorAmetaphorisafigureofspeechinwhichawordorphrasedenotingonekindofobjectoractionisusedinplaceofanothertosuggestalikenessoranalogybetweenthem.Ametaphorisanimpliedcomparison,asinthesilkofthesinger'svoice,incontrasttotheexplicitcomparisonofthesimile,whichuseslikeoras,asinavoicesmoothlikesilk.…andoccasionallyeventopissoffsomeadmirablepeople.(Para.4)…andoccasionallyeventooffendsomeadmirablepeople,likelearnedprofessorsandfineschoolleadersbecauseyoudonotagreeandfeelyoumustdefytheirauthorityandsticktoyourviews.topissoff:(impolite)toannoysb.verymuch使人发火;使生气Noticethespeaker’schoiceofwords.Heissometimesdeliberatelyusingwordsandexpressionsthatwillbringhimclosertothestudents.Doesthespeakerthinkthatthestudents’futureisguaranteedsolongastheykeepdoingwhatthey’vedonebefore?Whydoesthespeakersaythatthestudentscangetaterrific