中級口語教程9

Lesson 9 Why Is the World So Tough to Her? Text A David: What's the matter? Sue: Oh , I don't know. David: Oh, come on.. . it's something. What is it? Sue: It's just life. . . it's so boring. David: Oh , it's not so bad. . . you've got Daniel ! Sue: But he's only a baby! It's all right for you. You'll leave the house in five minutes. I'll be here all day. When'll you come home? You won't come home till seven! David: One of us must go to work, dear. Sue: Yes, but your day'll be interesting. My day'll be the same as every day. David: My work isn't always interesting. Sue: I know, but you travel around, you meet different people and you do different things. Who'll I meet today? What'll I do? Eh? I'll wash up, feed the baby, do the washing, clean the house, bath the baby, take the dog for a walk. . . David: But. . . but. . . dear. Sue: Then I'll go to the supermarket, prepare dinner, meet you at the station, have dinner, wash up again... David: But. . . but. . . dear. Sue: Then I'll feed the baby again, put the baby to bed ... What a life! Today, tomorrow, this week, next week, this month, next month, next year. . . for ever! David: It's just Monday , dear. .. you'll be O.K. latet. Sue: Will I? Text B Today my cousin paid us a visit. She is a technician working in an electronics factory. She has been very unhappy recently because of a quarrel with her boss. It all started when she was denied a chance to go abroad for a training course. By qualification she was the ideal choice - a college degree, a working knowledge of English and generally acknowledged as very good in her field. But the final choice fell on a young man inferior to her in every respect. Naturally she was very upset and wanted to know why. Her boss who in fact quite liked her told her quite candidly."We did think of sending you but decided against it because you are a girl." The answer infuriated her all the more and she accused him of sex discrimination. The best explanation she could get out of him was that it would not be"convenient" for a girl to be on her own in a foreign country as there was only one vacancv.Not convenicnt for whom? For herself? She didn't mind. For her fellow trainees? That's sheer nonsense. For her boss? How and in what way? Poor girl , I quite sympathize with her , but that women are at a disadvantage is a reality she'll have to face. I told her that our form master was telling us only the other day that girls shouldn't aim too high in choosing their future speciality or choosing a university: Certain subjects and certain departments are almost closed to them. They'll have to have 10 or more marks than the boys in order to be accepted."And it's not only the colleges and universities," Mum explained with anger."All organizations and work units are equally bad in sex discrimination when taking in new mployees. One's sex is more important than one's other qualities , it seems. Some departments take in women just as if they are forced to buy some inferior goods. The bargaining that goes on just makes me sick. You want to buy a carton of high-grade cigarettes? Very well , you must buy three packs of the cheap brand as well. So if you want to assign one girl to our department, you must give us two boys as well. It's really disgusting !""I don't blame them really," said Dad."However good a girl is , when she marries,trouble begins. First there is this long maternity leave. Then there'll be constant leaves because there will always be this or that wrong .with her darling baby. Even when she works she will be constantly thinking of her darling child or knitting for him or her. And she becomes petty too,breaking into tears at the slightest provocation and quarrelling