新标准大学英语综合教程4教师用书(外研社)(3)

were designed for all students in

a social philosophy of bringing diverse students together whether they were academic or not. Those students

who went to a comprehensive school probably felt that had to study particularly hard (I worked my backside

off) to get to university, compared to those who went to grammar schools where all students were academic –comprehensive students felt they had to struggle to get to university.

Chicken suit This refers to a large yellow costume that someone wears which makes the person look like a

giant chicken. Before he became a famous actor, Brad Pitt once dressed in such a costume when he had a job

advertising for a restaurant called El Pollo Loco (The Crazy Chicken’ in Spanish) – the job meant that he had

to walk around the streets like a chicken to attract customers to come to the restaurant.

Language points

1 Those memories of forking out thousands of pounds a year so that he could eat well and go to the

odd party, began to fade. Until now. (Para 1)

The parents paid a lot of money for their son’s university fees and living expenses (so that he could eat

well) and for occasional social events – at graduation these memories of money were mostly forgotten

because the parents were proud. But now the parents are thinking of money again because the son doesn’t

have a job and doesn’t seem to be actively seeking one.

2 This former scion of Generation Y has morphed overnight into a member of Generation Grunt.

(Para 2)

The distinguished son of Generation X (of the parents’ generation who worked hard, got jobs, and had

good careers and expected their son to do the same) has changed into a member of Generation Grunt – he

doesn’t seem to communicate much, lies around and doesn’t get a job (or can only do a low status routing

job).

3 I passed the exams, but at the interviews they accused me of being too detached and talking in

language that was too technocratic , which I didn t think possible, but obviously it is. (Para 5)

He passed the entrance exams for a government post, but he was criticized in the selection interviews: