Reading 5.7

 

Unit 7  Words Can Hurt

Reading

It is a widely acknowledged truth that words have power. When people say mean or rude things, their words can hurt other people’s feelings. It comes as no surprise, then, that most people have encountered verbal abuse at some point in their lives. Seen from this point of view, verbal abuse is actually quite common. What many people may never have anticipated ([8n`tIs1&pet] vt.預料，預期anticipation [8n&tIs1`peS1n] n. [U]預料，預期), though, is how radically ([`r8dIkLI] adv.徹底地，完全地radical [`r8dIk1l] adj.徹底的，根本的) verbal abuse can affect its targets. In fact, recent scientific research has demonstrated that verbal abuse is not only emotionally damaging but also physically harmful.

Verbal abuse occurs when someone uses discourteous ([dIs`k3tI1s] adj. (fml.)粗魯的，失禮的courteous [`k3tI1s] adj.有禮貌的，客氣的courtesy [`k3t1sI] n. [U]禮貌，禮節) or foul ([fa5l] adj.下流的，粗魯的；難聞的，糟糕的) language, especially when the speaker is incensed ([In`sEns] vt.激怒，使大怒), and it can take many forms. Sometimes it is an active assault ([1`sOlt] n. [C]嚴詞批評，抨擊n. [U]傷害罪vt.攻擊，襲擊), as when a supervisor ([`sup2&vaIz2] n. [C]主管，監督者supervise [`sup2&vaIz] vt.監督，督導supervision [`sup2&vIZ1n] n. [U]監督，指導) tells a subordinate ([s1`bOrdIn1t] n. [C]部屬，下屬adj. 從屬的[s1`bOrd1&net] vt. (fml.) 使從屬於，使屬於次要地位) off ((因某事) 訓斥某人，斥責某人) by saying that he or she is an “idiot ([`IdI1t] n. [C] (infml.)笨蛋，傻瓜)” for missing a deadline ([`dEd&laIn] n. [C]截止日期，最後期限), or when a student is mocked, taunted ([tOnt] vt.奚落，嘲諷), or harassed ([h1`r8s] vt.騷擾harassment [h1`r8sm1nt] n. [U]騷擾) by his or her fellow students for being different from others. Although the family is the last place that one would expect verbal abuse to happen in, it happens there as well when a parent insults or scolds ([skold] vt.責罵，訓斥) a child regularly. Also, verbal abuse can be passive ([`p8sIv] adj.被動的，消極的), and this type of abuse takes place when someone is ignored or his or her opinions are discounted ([&dIs`ka5nt] vt.不予理會，低估；打折，降價[`dIs&ka5nt] n. [C] 打折，折扣).

For those who have been exposed to verbal abuse, it is highly possible that they will have developed low self­esteem and may even be plagued ([pleG] vt.使受折磨，煎熬n. [C]瘟疫，傳染病) by emotional problems, such as anxiety or depression. Moreover, verbal abuse often leaves scars in the minds of its victims. Every so often (偶爾，有時候), these scars are so deep that some victims may suffer from post­traumatic stress disorder ([&post trO&m8tIk `strEs dIs&Ord2] n. (abbr. PTSD)創傷後壓力症候群traumatic [trO`m8tIk] adj.創傷的，受創的disorder [dIs`Ord2] n. [C]失調，疾病). Left upset and hopeless, victims of serious verbal abuse run an increased risk of (冒 (某事的) 風險，有 (某事的) 危險) committing suicide. What’s worse, a few victims wind up (以…作結，落得…) imposing ([Im`poz] vt.使強制接受，迫使；強制執行，硬性推行) this pain on other people. They do so mainly because this is the only means of expression that they know. In this case, the vicious circle ([&vIS1s `s3kL] n.惡性循環) of abuse repeats because a victim may unconsciously want to regain power, and becoming an abuser is one way to attain the goal.

In addition to the above, recent studies have also uncovered ([^n`k^v2] vt.揭露，發現) the long­term physical damage that verbal abuse can cause. One of these studies focused on the brains of the verbally abused. By examining the brain scans of these subjects, researchers discovered that these victims’ brains looked much like those of disabled ([dIs`ebLd] adj.殘疾的，喪失能力的disable [dIs`ebL] vt. 使傷殘，使喪失能力) people. In some cases, the trauma ([`trOm1] n. [U]創傷) of verbal abuse can even halt ([hOlt] vt.使停止n. sing.停止，暫停) the left side of the brain from developing, which often leads to a permanent decline in memory. As a result, language ability can be reduced, and the senses may be diminished ([dI`mInIS] vt.使減少，使減弱).

Perhaps it is time to reassess ([&ri1`sEs] vt.重新評估，再次考慮assess [1`sEs] vt.評估，評定assessment [1`sEsm1nt] n. [U]評估，評價) the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Although it is true that most wounds ([wund] n. [C]傷口vt.使受傷) will heal ([hil] vi.癒合，復原) eventually, the mental scars resulting from verbal abuse can run very deep. Sadly, this suffering is often the last thing that people are able to recover from. Therefore, we should always bear in mind (記住某事) that our words can hurt and thereby ([DEr`baI] adv. (fml.)因此) we ought to (應該，應當) choose our words wisely and cautiously before uttering ([`^t2] vt. (fml.)說出，講) them. After all, once hurtful words have been hurled ([h3l] vt.大聲辱罵；大力丟，猛扔), they can never be taken back (收回 (不該說的話)).

—Theodore Pigott

Comprehension Check

Choose the correct answer to each question or statement.

(　　) 1. The reading is mainly about ________.

(A) how to protect ourselves from verbal abuse

(B) how to offer help to a victim of verbal abuse

(C) types of head injuries that cause brain damage

(D) the potential consequences of verbal abuse

(　　) 2. The purpose of the second paragraph is ________.

(A) to provide scientific theories about verbal abuse

(B) to analyze a victim of verbal abuse as an example

(C) to explain how the medical research has been carried out

(D) to describe where, when, and how verbal abuse often happens

(　　) 3. According to the reading, which of the following statements is true?

(A) Those who are verbally abused usually have acute senses.

(B) Verbal abuse hurts people in ways that can always be predicted.

(C) Verbal abuse may lead to a decline in memory and reduce one’s language ability.

(D) Brain damage caused by verbal abuse is slighter than that caused by physical abuse.

(　　) 4. Which of the following is NOT likely to be used to describe a verbal abuser?

(A) Longing for power.                                          (B) A life lesson for other victims.

(C) Rude and offensive.                                         (D) A former victim of verbal abuse.

(　　) 5. From the author’s point of view, the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is ________.

(A) practical                   (B) debatable                  (C) self­evident                      (D) everlasting

 

Word File

I. The prefix “sub­” The prefix “sub­” is put at the beginning of a noun or an adjective. It means “less important or powerful than someone or something” or “below or under something.”
ordinate → subordinate	culture → subculture	way → subway
conscious → subconscious	standard → substandard	normal → subnormal
II. The prefix “un­” The prefix “un­” is put at the beginning of a verb. It means “the opposite of a process or a specific action.”
cover → uncover	fold → unfold	do → undo
fasten → unfasten	lock → unlock	pack → unpack

 

Patterns in Use

1  (Subordinating conjunction +) V1­ing/p.p. 1 , S + be/V2 . . . Examples: ‧Seen from this point of view, verbal abuse is actually quite common. ‧Left upset and hopeless, victims of serious verbal abuse run an increased risk of committing suicide. ‧After giving an excellent speech, the speaker received loud applause.

◎Exercise:

Complete the following passage by using the given words and the above pattern. The first one has been done for you.

Lou Gehrig was a legend in the baseball world. He was the only child in his family to survive infancy (嬰兒期) and thus developed extremely close relationship with his mother. ¹__Brought up with his mother’s full love__ (bring up/one’s mother’s full love), Lou Gehrig got chances to fulfill his athletic pursuits. Though he attended university on a football scholarship, he made up his mind to pursue a career in baseball at a very young age. However, ²________________________ (have/little support/one’s family), Gehrig had to wait tables to pay his way through school.

In 1923, Gehrig started to play for the New York Yankees. ³________________________ (nickname/“The Iron Horse”), he was twice named the American League’s (美國聯盟) MVP. He also played in more than 2,000 games over 14 years without missing one, which was a record that would not be broken for another 50 years. Unfortunately, in 1939, ⁴________________________ (suffer/ALS (漸凍人症)), Gehrig had no choice but to retire early, since this disease had caused the star athlete to lose control of his muscles.

⁵________________________ (no longer/play/baseball), Gehrig took a job on the New York State Parole Commission (假釋委員會), where he quietly and efficiently performed his duties until about a month before he passed away in 1941. ALS, the disease that Gehrig had suffered from, later became known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

 

2  S1 + be + the last + N + to V/that + S2 + V Examples: ‧The family is the last place that one would expect verbal abuse to happen in. ‧This suffering is often the last thing that people are able to recover from. ‧Benjamin is always very eager to learn. He would be the last person ever to skip class.

Exercise:

Complete the following sentences by using the above pattern and rewriting the underlined sentences. The first one has been done for you.

1. It would be impossible for Amy to forget her fiancé’s birthday. It is very important to her.

→ Amy __would be the last person to forget her fiancé’s birthday__.

2. It is impossible for Tara to think of stealing other people’s idea. She is the most creative person in the class.

→ Tara _______________________________________________________________________.

3. It is impossible that Mother Teresa would ever turn her back on the poor.

→ Mother Teresa _______________________________________________________________.

4. My brother never goes to Internet cafés. He dislikes the loud noises and the smell of smoke there.

→ The Internet café _____________________________________________________________.

5. Out of all of the vegetables in the world, Heather hates to eat carrots the most.

→Carrots _____________________________________________________________________.

 

◎Extra Exercise:

Translate the following pairs of Chinese sentences into English by using the patterns on pages155 and156.

I.

1. Allan被同學言語嘲諷與肢體騷擾，他飽受情緒問題的折磨。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 獲知此消息，校長立即聲明這應是最不應該發生在校園裡的事。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

II.

1. 越來越多的學生覺得上課內容很無趣，於是在課堂中玩起手機。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 然而，上課不專心是學生們最不應該做的事。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

III.

1. Carol沒想過這家公司會接受她的申請，所以她不相信自己被選上了。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 在結果宣布之前，她認為自己是最不可能受雇於這麼知名的國際公司的人。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

Writing Hands-on

Classification: Part II

The purpose of a classification paragraph is to clearly define a term or category and then to further subdivide it into groups on the basis of important differences between them.

1. The Topic Sentence

The topic sentence of a classification paragraph should provide an overview (概述) for the whole paragraph. It is composed of two parts: the topic and the controlling idea, which is the basis of classification. It controls how the writer deals with the subject.

Examples:

‧Generally speaking, abuse can be categorized into physical abuse, mental abuse, and sexual abuse.

‧Sports shoes are divided into the categories of professional sports, stylish sports, and leisure sports.

‧We can classify energy resources into two types—renewable and non­renewable.

Exercise A:

Give each of the following paragraphs an appropriate topic sentence.

1. ______________________________________________________________________________

First, for those who have been exposed to verbal abuse, it is highly possible that they have developed low self­esteem. Some of them may even have gone through an identity crisis. Moreover, verbal abuse often leaves scars in the minds of its victims. Sometimes, these scars are so deep that some victims may suffer from post­traumatic stress disorder, which may lead to an increased risk of suicide. Sadly, a few victims wind up imposing their own pain on other people. They do so mainly because this is the only means of expression that they know.

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

Of the above three methods, regular exercise is the healthiest. Whether you go to a gym, work out at home, take part in an exercise class, or play on a sports team, it not only keeps you in good shape but helps you stay healthy. The second best way to lose weight is through calorie control. By carefully calculating and limiting the calories you take in every day, you can reach your ideal weight without affecting your health. Lastly, having surgery such as having a band put around the stomach, is also an effective way to get rid of excess weight. Most of the people who have undergone this operation lose 50% of their excess weight in the first two years after surgery.

 

2. The Supporting Ideas

In the body of the paragraph, you should describe or illustrate each subtype with key, defining details. Here are some tips for giving supporting ideas:

‧Supporting details should be focused on describing each category and how it relates to the broader topic.

‧The details should be arranged in the same order as they appear in the topic sentence. The most important category can be saved for last.

‧You should provide the same quantity and give the same number of examples for each category.

‧To connect the categories, be sure to use proper transitional words or phrases.

3. The Concluding Sentence

At the end of the paragraph, add a closing sentence to provide a general summary statement about the subject.

Exercise B:

Write a classification paragraph for the topic sentence “Scientists have categorized volcanoes into three main categories: active, dormant, and extinct.”

Scientists have categorized volcanoes into three main categories: active, dormant, and extinct. _________________________________________________________________________________________