Does America Still Exist?

Richard Rodriguez

Pre-reading questions

• What are some traditional symbols and words associated with America?

• Who are Americans? Is America a common culture or a diverse culture? Are all its citizens truly equal in the eyes of society?

• What’s the role of language in determining one’s cultural identity?

Richard Rodriguez (1944- )

• one of America’s most celebrated essayist and journalist.

• For the last two decades, Rodriguez has been examining the meaning of class, ethnicity and race in America and in his life.

• In Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez (1982), he talks about his own experience as a “minority” and shares his provocative views on bilingual education. He disagrees bilingual education (the practice of teaching immigrant children in the language of their families).

• Hunger of Memory is the story of a young Mexican-American boy who began his education in America knowing just fifty words of English and ended up achieving a wonderful education and attending Stanford University. It is a story of a minority student who acquires much social status and academic success, but at the same time loses intimacy with his family and ultimately his identity. Throughout his book he addresses many topics which he feels strongly about, such as bilingual education, affirmative action( 反对歧视少数族裔等）的维权行动） , his academic achievements and consequential losses.

• His work also stirred resentment because of Rodriguez's strong stands against bilingual education and affirmative action. Some Mexican Americans called him pocho — traitor — accusing him of betraying himself and his people. Others called him a "coconut" — brown on the outside, white on the inside. He calls himself "a comic victim of two cultures."

• “I worry these days that Latinos in California speak neither Spanish nor English very well. They are in a kind of linguistic limbo( 中间状态） between the two. They don't really have a language, and are, in some deep sense, homeless”.

• “I have often found myself in foreign settings where I became suddenly aware that I was not like the people around me. That, to me, is not a pleasant discovery”.

• Cement----join together or make firm or strong as if with cement 水泥、粘合剂；巩固、使团结

Cement a cellar floor A broken plate can be cemented. This agreement has cemented our friendship. The relationship between the two noble

families was cemented after the marriage.

Pluralism

• Diversity is just plurality, plain and simple — splendid, colorful, perhaps threatening.

• Pluralism is the engagement that creates a common society from all that plurality.

• Pluralism is only one of the possible responses to this diversity. • Some people may feel threatened by diversity, or even hostile

to it. Throughout American history there have been groups that have expressed prejudice and intolerance toward newcomers of other religions and cultures. Other people may look forward to the day when all these differences fade into the landscape of a predominantly Christian culture.

Paragraph 1

• Is existence of America merely an abstract concept?

• Pace-----the rate or speed in walking, marching, or running 步速、进展的速度、节奏

The old man can only walk at a slow pace. The plan was carried out at quite a good pace. slow down the pace of new product development I like the pace of life in Washington.

• Menacing----threatening 威胁的、险恶的 He advanced on me in a menacing fashion. The weather has grown more menacing.

• Decipher----to discover the meaning of sth 破译、辨认

The secret service is adept in deciphering the enemy’s code.

Can anyone decipher his handwriting?

• Descent---family origin 血统、祖籍、出身 He traces his line of descent from the Stuart

kings. She is of Indian descent, which could be

detected from her appearance.• Descendant---a person’s descendants are their

children 后裔、后代、子孙 Many of them are descendants of the earlier

settlers.

• Perch on ----(bird) stay on a branch; be on the top or the edge of sth 栖息；坐在边沿

A robin was perching on the fence. We perched on a couple of high stools at the bar. She perched herself on the edge of the bed.• A hyphen between two countries: African-American Mexican-American Chinese-American

• Faceless----without any clear character; anonymous 无个性的、身份不明的

Crowds of faceless workers pour into the city each day.

Some faceless soldiers helped the old man find his home.

• Exile----forced or unwanted absence from one’s country 流放、放逐

They exiled him to an island. He was exiled from his country for life.• Inarticulate---- not speaking clearly 发音不清的、

说不出话的 be inarticulate with astonishment The child uttered an inarticulate murmur in her

sleep.

• Wad---a piece of 一团、一卷 He took a wad of bills from his pocket to pay

for the meal.• Clasp---take or seize firmly 扣紧、紧握 He clasped the money in his hand while

waiting in line. He clasped his dying wife to his chest.

• As much as---although As much as the products are getting better,

the sales are on the decrease.• Pledge allegiance to----remain loyal to 发誓效

忠于 They have pledged that they will always

remain faithful.

• Distinct----different, separate 有区别的、独立的 ;clearly noticed 明显的、清楚的

The two ideas are distinct from each other. There is a distinct smell of burning in the room. There was a distinct note of annoyance in her reply.• Distinctive----clearly marking a person as different from others

特别的、有特色的 the distinctive scent of roses a new and distinctive generation 有特色的新一代 What’s distinctive about the French Revolution?

• "Protestant" is a general term for all those Christian groups that "protested" the Roman Catholic church in the 1500s-1600s. It began with the "reformation" of Martin Luther in 1517 when he posted his "95 theses" on a church door. (The "theses" were individual topics he wanted to argue in formal debate with church leaders.)

• "Puritan" refers to English Christians who believed that the "English Reformation" begun when King Henry VIII separated from the Catholic church to form the Anglican church (or "the church of England") didn't go far enough. They believed its doctrines (church teachings) and rituals needed changes. They believed they should "purify" it from within, and not just leave it.

• "Pilgrims," on the other hand, believed the English church was not able to be fixed. They encouraged Anglican Christians to "separate" themselves from the church, and form a new church of gr eat simplification of doctrine and practice. Such "Separatists" became "Pilgrims," largely based on the book "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan.

• Both Pilgrims and Puritans were aboard the "Mayflower" when it landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Their religious ideas and practices became the basis for what would become the "congregational" denomination (with all power centered in the local congregation). Both the Puritans and the Pilgrims (and today's Congregationalists, now part of the larger denomination called the United Church of Christ) are Protestants, as are Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Adventists, and in fact all but the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox denominations, and Episcopalians.

• Congregation----a group of individuals who worship regularly in particular church( 教堂的）会众

The congregation stood to sing the hymn.

• Conscience----an inner sense that knows the difference between right and wrong 良心、道德心

have a good(clear)/bad (guilty) conscience examine one’s conscience 扪心自问 follow one’s conscience 按良心行事 This is a matter of individual conscience.• Conscientious----taking care to do things carefully and

correctly 勤勉认真的、一丝不苟的 She performed all her duties conscientiously.

• Pious---faithful 虔诚的 The priest was moved by the man’s pious

utterances.• Emblem--- an object which is a sign or symbol

of sth 标志、图案 The national emblem of England is a Rose. America’ s national emblem is the bald eagle. The dove is an emblem of peace.

• Plunder---- seize goods unlawfully or by force抢劫、掠夺

The invaders plundered the village before they set it afire.

The abbey had been plundered of its valuables.

• Gringo---a term generally used by Latin Americans in speaking of white Americans 美国佬

• Retire----withdraw from use or active service退出，离开

She fell badly, spraining his ankle and had to retire.

After dinner he likes to retire to his study.

• Clank----make a short, loud sound 发出叮当响 I heard a door clank shut. The prisoner’s ankle chains clanked as he

walked.• Quaint---attractive in an unusual or old-

fashioned way 新奇有趣的、古色古香的 The visitors were surprised at the quaint village

customs. a quaint seaside village 古朴典雅

• Melting pot: various cultural ingredients of immigrants from different countries are melted to form a new American culture.

• The melting process is a process of assimiliation.

• Salad bowl: In the salad bowl model, various American cultures are juxtaposed — like salad ingredients — but do not merge into a single homogeneous culture. Each culture keeps its own distinct qualities.

• Chromium---- 铬 a chemical element. It is a hard grey metal that shines brightly when polished and is often used to cover other metals in order to prevent them from rusting.

• Deteriorate----cause to become worse 恶化 His health has been deteriorating for the last

few months. The economy of the US deteriorated after the

depression.

• Champion---fight for, support strongly or defend a principle, movement, etc.

Brought up in a poor family, the man devoted himself to championing the rights of the poor.

• Be reduced to ----become weaker or inferior as a result of sth.; have to do sth. although it is unpleasant or humiliating

Politics was reduced to class struggle during that period of time.

He was reduced to begging for a living.2`

• Secession----formal separation from a group or organization 退出、脱离

The secession of the southern states from the USA in the 1860s led to civil war.

Singapore seceded from the Federation of Malaysia and became an independent sovereign state in 1965.

• Brandish----wave a weapon about 挥舞武器 He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. He brandished a newspaper at me and said, “ Have

you read this exciting news?”• Exuberance----the quality of overflowing with life and

cheerful excitement 繁茂、生机勃勃 We are amazed at the sight of the exuberance of the

tropical rain forest. The exuberant young girl with dark hair decided to

become a screen actress.