中财网亚里士多德的小故事:Lesson Three Go-Go Americans
来源：百度文库 编辑：中财网 时间：2024/04/27 08:55:16
2 “We are slaves to nothing but the clock,” it has been said. Time is treated as if it were something almost tangible. We budget it, save it, waste it, steal it, kill it, cut it, account for it; we also charge for it. It is a precious commodity. Many people have a rather acute sense of the shortness of each lifetime. Once the sands have run out of a person’s hourglass, they cannot be replaced. We want every minute to count.
3 A foreigner’s first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is in a rush—often under pressure. City people appear always to be hurrying to get where they are going, restlessly seeking attention in a store, elbowing others as they try to complete their errands. Racing through daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country. Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don’t, waiters will hurry you.
4 You also find drivers will be abrupt and that people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, small courtesies with strangers. Don’t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else “wasting” it beyond a certain courtesy point.
5 This view of time affects the affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what might be called “a short fuse.” We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some return—be this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upon differently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and daily life.
6 Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesies of a business call, for example. They will miss the ritual socializing that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee that may be traditional in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffee house. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talk; much less do they take them out for dinner, or around on the golf course while they develop a sense of trust and rapport. Rapport to most of us is less important than performance. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly.
7 Most Americans live according to time segments laid out in engagement calendars. These calendars may be divided into intervals as short as fifteen minutes.we often give a person two or three (or more) segments of our calendar, but in the business rorld we almost always have other appointments following hard on the heels of whatever we are doing. Time is therefore always ticking in our inner ear.
8 As a result we work hard at the task of saving time. We produce a steady flow of labor-saving devices; we communicate rapidly through telexes, phone calls or memos rather than through personal contacts, which though pleasant, take longer—especially given our traffic-filled streets. We therefore save most personal visiting for after work hours or for social weekend gatherings.
9 To us the impersonality of electronic communication has little or no relation to the importance of the matter at hand. In some countries no major business is carried on without eye contact, requiring face-to-face conversation. In America, too, a final agreement will normally be signed in person. However, peole are meeting increasingly on television screens, conducting “teleconferences” to settle problems not only in this country but also—by satellite—internationally. An increasingly high percentage of normal business is being done these days by voice or electronic device. Mail is slow and uncertain and is growing ever more expensive.
10 The U.S. is definitely a telephone country. Almost everyone uses the telephone to conduct business, to chat with friends, to make or break social engagements, to say their “Thank you’s,” to shop and to obtain all kinds of information. Telephones save your feet and endless amounts of time. This is due partly to the fact that the telephone service is good here, whereas the postal service is less efficient. Furthermore, the costs of secretarial labor, printing, and stamps are all soaring. The telephone is quick. We like it. We can do our business and get an answer in a matter of moments. Furthermore, several people can confer together without moving from their desks, even in widely scattered locations. In a big country that, too, is important.
11 Some new arrivals will come from cultures where it is considered impolite to work too quickly. Unless a certain amount of time is allowed to elapse, it seems in their eyes as if the task being considered were insignificant, not worthy of proper respect. Assignments are thus felt to be given added weight by the passage of time. In the U.S., however, it is taken as a sign of competence to solve a problem, or fulfill a job successfully, with rapidity. Usually, the more important a task is, the more capital, energy, and attention will be poured into it in order to “get in moving.”
Word List
Explore 探索；探险
element 要素；因素
tangible 有实体的；可触摸到的
budget 安排，计划（时间等）
account 解释，说明（常与for连用）
commodity 商品
acute 敏感的
hourglass 滴漏；更漏（一种旧式计时器）
replace 重置；更换
count 有价值；有用
restlessly 焦躁不安地
elbow 以肘推；挤
errand （短程的）差事；任务
race 赶紧，加速
abrupt 突然的
resent 怨恨，憎恨
proirity 优先；优先考虑的事
fuse 导火线；保险丝
slip 悄悄地溜走
terms （复）措辞
adjustment 调整
ritual 礼节性的
socialize 参加社交活动
socializing 交往，交际
leisurely 悠闲的
normally 通常
assess 评估
rapport 亲善；和谐
performance 业绩；表现
colleague 同事
probe 探求
professionally 职业上；专业上
socially 社交上
segment 部分
engagement 约会
calendar 日程表；日历
interval 间隔；停顿
heel （足）跟；末尾
tick 滴答作响
inner 内部的，里面的
device 装置
telex 电传
memo （口）备忘录（=memorandum）
gathering 聚会
impersonality 没有人与人的接触
electronic 电子的
communication 通讯
conduct 实施；进行
teleconference （通过电话、电视等的）电讯会议
satellite 卫星
internationally 在国际上
uncertain 不确定的
postal 邮政的
efficient 高效率的
secretarial 秘书的；有关秘书事务的
soaring 猛增的，剧增的
confer 商量；商议
location 地方；场所
elapse （时间）溜走；（光阴）逝去
insignificant 无关紧要的；无意义的
worthy 有价值的
passage （时间等的）消逝，推移
competence 能力
fulfill 完成
rapidity 快速
capital 资金；资本
Proper Names
Alison R. Lanier 艾莉森·R·拉尼尔
Useful Expresions
move ahead 进行，进展
fall behind 落后
account to…for 向……交代
make room for 腾出地方
take sth. Seriously/personally 认真对待/认为是针对自己的
attach importance to 重视
in terms of 就……而言
seek out 找到
carry on 经营
worthy of 值得
1.If you were asked to list………，you would……… 虚拟语气，表示与当前情况的假设。
If I had enough money，I would buy that car.
2.If next you were……，who somehow seem bigger than life，you might come up with an entire different list.
Bigger/larger than life：
超群的；夸大的 His sadness was bigger than life.他伤心极了。
come up with：bring forward with提出；想出
Some new issues were come up at the meeting.在这个会上提出了一些新问题
3.You might，in fact，name people who are celebrated for their wealth and glamour，rather than their achievements…。
be celebrated for：因——而受到颂扬、赞美
Most doctors and nurses were celebrated for their bravery in the battle against SARS.大多数医务人员由于在抗击“非典”战役中的勇敢表现而受到了人们的赞扬。
rather than：instead of 不是——（而是）
He was criticized by the teacher for his absence from class rather than his failure in the exam.他因缺课而受到了老师的批评，而不是因为他这次考试的失败。
4.And you would not be alone，because pollsters have found that people today do not choose political leaders who shape history for their “Most Admired”……
be not alone in thinking/believing：others agree with you在——方面别人也有同感
We're not alone in believing that Xiao Jiang is the best person for the job.
我们相信小江是这项任务的最佳人选，别人也有同感。
Dr.Applebaum is not alone in thinking that television gives children a false sense of reality.
不光是阿普尔鲍姆博士认为电视节目给孩子们展现的是虚假的现状。
The French are not alone in finding American movies breaking into their film market.
不只是法国人才发现美国电影打入自己的市场。
Professors are disappointed about what has happened in the presidential election，and they are not alone in that.
教授们对总统选举中所发生的一切感到失望，同感者大有人在。
shape：form or take shape，give signs of future development
Our plan is shaping well.我们的计划进展顺利。
Shape history（the course or events） 决定历史的进程（事件的发展）Great men can shape history but they can't make history.伟人可以决定历史的进程，但他们不能创造历史。
5.By definition，heroes and heroines are men and women distinguished by uncommon courage achievements，and self-sacrifice made most often for the benefit of others…
…heroes and heroines are people who are different from other people because of their unusual courage，achievements and the sacrifices they make in the interests of others.
by definition：by defining通过定义，界定
By definition，heroes are those who are distinguished by their accomplishment.根据定义，英雄以其所取得的成就而出名。
be distinguished （ from ）…by：to be noticeably different from or better than others of the same type because of an unusual quality以——而著称；有别于；不同于
Xiao Yang is distinguished from other young men by his unusual maturity.
小杨的老练程度超过了其他年轻人。
The little girl is distinguished from other four-year-olds by her excellent memory.
这小女孩的记忆力超出岁孩子了水平。
The zebra is distinguished from the horse by the lines on its body.
斑马列因其身上的条纹而不
同于马。 Chinese people are distinguished by their diligence and courage.中国人民以勤劳勇敢而著称。
Cf.distinguish between…/ sth.from sth.eles：to notice or understand the difference between…/ to tell one thing from another.区别
Colour-blind people find it hard to distinguish between red and green. 色盲的人很难分清红、绿两色。
City people often can't distinguish young wheat from weeds. 城里人往往分不清麦苗和野草。
The twin sisters are so much alike that sometimes even their father can't distinguish one from the other.
这对双胞胎姐妹长得太像了，有时她们的父亲都分辨不出谁是姐姐谁是妹妹。
distinguished guests 贵宾
for the benefit of：for one's benefit：for the profit of：为——，为——的利益
The money is to be used for the benefit of the poor in the rural area.这笔钱要用来帮助农村地区的穷人。
for the benefit of the people/country为了人民/国家利益
6.… they are people against whom we measure others.
…they've become a sort of standard；we judge others by what they do and what they are.他们是我们评价别人的标准。
measure sth.against …：to judge the value of sb./sth.using sth.else as a standard；to compare sth. with a certain standard：对照——来评价——
Our production costs are high，when they are measured against the world's advanced level.
对照世界先进水平，我们的生产成本过高。
Your performance is poor when measured against the success of the other sales personnel.
与其他销售人员的业绩相比，你的业绩相当差。
7.Yet，some people say that ours is an age where true heroes and heroines are hard to come by，where the very ideal of heroism is something beyond us ——an artifact of the past.
Yet，some people say that we are living in a new age.In this age heroes and heroines are rare，and heroism is only something people admire but do not practice.Heroic and noble conduct is a thing of the past.可是，有人说，我们的时代是很难出现真正英雄的时代，英雄主义这一概念本身我们就难以理解——它已经成为历史。
come by 找到，遇到
How did you come by this second-hand book？你是怎样找到这本旧书的。
heroism is something beyond us：we have no idea what heroism is我们不知道英雄行为是何物
an artifact of the past历史文物，这个短语是对：heroism的补充说明。
Be beyond sb.：为某人所不能理解；对某人来说太难
与beyond搭配的词有：
beyond power越权
beyond belief不可相信
beyond understanding无法理解
beyond control无法控制
beyond doubt毫无疑问
beyond imagination难以想象
beyond one's means难以承受
beyond description难以描述
8.Consequently，bereft of cultural heroes，we have latched onto cultural icons…
As a result，when we no long have national heroes to admire and worship，we have become crazy about cultural icons…因此，缺少了民族英雄，我们就迷上了通俗文化偶像。
Consequently：As a result因此，于是
bereft of：失去；缺少bereft（bereave的过去式、过去分词）
The boy is bereft of hope.这孩子失去了希望。
latch onto/on to sb./sth.：（informal） to become very interested in sb./sth.，often finding them so useful that we don't want to let them go
对某人或某事产生极大的兴趣，往往不愿意放弃（这里作者的意思是：人们开始迷上了文化偶像之后，就一发不可收拾，对他们的崇拜愈来愈狂热。）
9.… who are simply famous for being famous.
…who are well-known just because they are frequently seen in public，so that a lot of people know them or know about them （not because they possess unusually fine qualities or because they have made great contributions to society）。仅仅因为有名而成名的人。
be famous for：be known for
10.They are people who manage to transcend celebrity，who are legendary，who somehow manage to become mythic.——Cultural icons make themselves more famous than celebrities；they inspire great admiration；and to a certain degree，they become important people.他们超越了名流，成为传奇式人物，甚至在某种程度上已是神话式的人物。
注意：此句此句用三个由Who引导出的并列的定语从句来修饰 people，界定“文化偶像”的三个特点：比名流名气更大，受到崇拜，成为重要人物。
11.In part，their lives have the quality of a story.——Part of the reason is that their lives are unusual，full of ups and downs like people in legends or myths.部分的原因是由于他们的生平带有传奇故事的色彩。
In part：partly；to a certain extent 在一定程度上，部分地
He failed in the exams in part because he was careless.他没通过考试在一定程度上是由于他粗心。
12.Good looks certainly help.漂亮的长相当然有用。
Attractive appearance is surely very useful in the making of an icon.
help：to improve a situation or to make sth.happen起作用
Wisdom，not strength helps in the matter. 在这方面智慧起作用，力量无济无事。
To be young and single definitely help when you're looking for a job 年轻又单身在找工作时是有得的条件。
Material incentives alone won't help（to） increase production. 光凭物质刺激无助于提高生产。
13.So does a special indefinable charisma，with the help of the media.——
A particular great charm that is hard to define also proves useful.The media help to impress people with it.在媒体的抄作下某种难以描述的、特殊的个人魅力也起作用。
这是个倒装句，A special indefinable charisma 是主语，does 是谓语，代表helps，介词短语 with the help of the media作状语。
14.But nothing becomes an icon more than a tragic and early death然而悲剧性地过早离开这个世界，却是造成偶像最重要的因素。
become：适合；与——相称
Purple
becomes her.紫色很适合她Don't be rude，it doesn't become you.别动粗，这同你的身份不相称。
more than：Nothing could satisfy him more than money.没有比钱更能满足他的东西了。
15.Being Somebody《当名人》
somebody：an important person名人；重要人物
It is said that his father is somebody in the show business. 据说他的父亲是演艺界的大腕人物。
He spoke as if he was somebody in the department. 他说话的样子好像他是系里了不起的人物似的。
Cf.something：a thing or a person that thought to be important or worth noting有见地；有道理；了不起
There's something in what the boy says. 那男孩子的话还真有道理。
Christy has learned to write with his left foot.It's really something.克里斯蒂学会用左脚写字了，真了不起。
You've done it，Chris.You're really something. 克里斯，你成功了。你可真了不起。
17.Their accomplishments are still evident in our own day.
Today we still see or feel what they achieved in the past.
18.Today's celebrities，however，often do not become known for any enduring achievement.——But，today，people often do not become famous because they've achieved something （a great book，an invention，a discovery，a way of thinking，etc.） that will last or influence people for a long time.然而，当今的名人往往并不是由于他们所取得的成就而闻名。
Be/become known for：to be/become famous because of
Suzhou is known for its beautiful gardens. 苏州因其美丽的园林而闻名。
He became known for a book he wrote when he was 17.他因17岁时写的一本书而出名。
Cf.be known as：to be called，regarded as，looked upon as以——而著称
In China，Suzhou and Hangzhou are known as “paradises on earth” 在中国，苏州和杭州被称为“人间天堂”。
The girl has an unusually large vocabulary and is known as a “walking dictionary”。
那女孩知道的词真多，被称为“活字典”。
Singapore is known as a garden city.新加坡以花园城而闻名。
19.The year before，that distinction went to President Carter's wife，Rosalynn.——The year before，the title / honour was given to President Carter's wife，Rosalynn./The year before，President Carter's wife，Rosalynn，won the honour.前一年，这个称号又送给了卡特总统夫人，罗萨琳。
（prize，title，honour，property，etc.） go to sb./sth.：to be given to，awarded to，or inherited by sb.赠送给，授予
The money they raised from the concert all went to the flooded area.举办音乐会所得款项全部捐赠给水灾地区。
The title “The Best Woman Football Player of the Millenium” went to a Chinese，Sun Wen.
“千年最佳女足运动员”的称号授予了中国运动员孙雯。
The house was left to his son，and all the paintings went to his daughter.
房子留给了他的儿子，女儿继承了所有绘画。
The 2000 Nobel Prize for Peace went to Kim Dae Chong. 2000年诺贝尔和平奖授予了金大中。
20.The hero was distinguished by his accomplishment；the celebrity by his image or trademark.
The hero was differen
t from ordinary people because of what he had achieved；the celebrity differs from ordinary people merely because he is well-known.英雄因其成就而出众，而名流则因其形象或其特征而出名。
21.The hero created himself；the celebrity is created by the media
The hero was admired for what he had hone for society；the celebrity bursts onto the scene through the work of the media.英雄因其成就而名，而名流则因媒体的宣传而出名。（英雄造就自己，媒体造就
名流。） 22.The hero was a big man；the celebrity is a big name.
the hero was an outstanding man with excellent qualities；the celebrity is an average person with an enviable reputation.英雄是了不起的人物，名流是了不起的名声。
23.Except for the attention they get from the media，these people are exactly like us.——If the media didn't give them so much attention，they wouldn't be any different from ordinary people.要不是媒体的关注，这些人和我们没什么两样。
注意except 和except for的区别：
except for：with the exception of （used to introduce the only thing or a person that prevent a statement from being completely true）
1）从一个表示整体的单数名词中除掉一部分
The essay is excellent except for the conclusion. 这篇文章除结尾之外总体不错。
Cf.All the essays are good except yours and John's. 除了你和约翰的文章之外，其他人的都不错。
The whole class passed the test except for John. 全班除了约翰之外都通过了测试。
Cf.We all passed the test except John. 除约翰之外我们都通过了测试。
2） 所谈及的名词和除外的名词代表不同的类别时
The country is not worth seeing，except for its temples. 那个国家除了寺庙之外没有什么值得游览的
The road was deserted except for a few cars. 路上除了几辆轿车之外杳无人绝迹。
Cf.All the roads are deserted except one. 除了一条路之外，其他路上行人绝迹
24.Previously，men like Gould and Harriman，whose names everyone knew，could easily have passed through a crowd without being recognized.——In the past，when famous men like Gould and Harriman walked through a crowd，it was quite possible that people don't recognize them，though everyone knew of them.
此句的意思是：这两个人要是在人群里走走的话，人们完全可能不知他们为何许人。（但他们极少出现在人群之中。）
could have done sth.（ could have done sth.）。（情态助动词could与完成时形式的动词不定式have done sth.连用）表示过去可能会发生但实际上没有发生的事情：
You could have got a job last year. 你本来去年就可能会找到工作的。（实际上没有找到）
Ten people were killed in the accident.They could have been saved.
事故中有10人死亡，他们的生命本来是可以挽救过来的
pass through：to go through a town，etc，stopping there for a short time but not staying
25.The reproduction of photos in newspapers turned famous people into celebrities whose dress，appearance ，and personal habits were widely commented upon.——When famous people's photos appeared in newspapers，their outward features-their appearance，their clothes，and the way they carried themselves-began to attract public attention and get talked about，In this way these famous people gradually became celebr
ities.
现在报纸上能刊登照片，这使名人成为名流，他们的衣着、外貌和体态举止都成为人们评论的对象。
Turn…into…：to cause sth./sb.to become…使——成为；把——变成
Her bitter experience has turned her into a strong woman. 痛苦的经历使她成了一个坚强的女人。
The mobile medical team turned an old temple into a first-aid station.流动医疗队把一座古庙改造成了急救站。 Comment on/upon：to give/express opinions about评论；议论
The U.S.2000 presidential election has been much commented upon.
2000年美国的总统选举招致了不少的议论。
I don't think it right to comment on people's private affairs. 我觉得议论别人的私事是不对的。
26.Slowly，the focus of public attention began to shift away from knowing what such people did to knowing what they looked like.公众的注意力逐渐由了解这些人做了些什么转移到了了解他们长得是什么样子。
Shift（away）from…to…：to change in emphasis，direction or focus：转移
When the wind shifted from south to north，it began to get cold. 风向由南转北，天气变冷了。
In the early 1960s，the emphasis of our country's economy shifted from heavy industry to light industry and agriculture.20世纪60年代初期，我国经济的重点工业转向轻工业和农业。
look like：to have the appearance of看起来像
The restaurant looks like a ship. 这家餐馆的外形像条船。
From the way they treat each other they look like sisters. 她们亲昵的样子看起来像是姐儿俩。
like 常与其他表示感官功能（如视觉、触觉、味觉、听觉等look like；feel like；smell like；sound like）的动词连用。
In the middle of the night we were woken up by some noise.It sounded like a fight.
半夜里我们被吵醒了，听起来像是吵架的声音。
The dish sells like fish，but tastes like beef. 这道菜闻起来像鱼，尝起来像牛肉。
The material feels like silk. 这块料子摸起来像丝绸。
27.With the arrival of television…
Because we now have television…由于电视的出现
with：because of having
With a large family to support，he cannot afford a new coat this year
由于有一大家人要养活，他今年不能给自己买新大衣了。。
With John away，we've got more room.
由于约翰不在，我们的地方显得更宽敞。
With all the homework to do，I cannot go out this weekend.
有这么多作业要做，这个周末我不能出去了
28.…than we did about most of the people we know personally.
…than we know about most of the people we actually know.
29.Less than seventy years after the appearance of the first moving pictures，the shift from hero-worship to celebrity-worship was complete.
第一部电影问世后不到70年，英雄崇拜就彻底转变成名人崇拜了。
电影起源于19世纪末，人们传统上认为1899年是电影诞生之年，此句的意思是在20世纪60年代末人们崇拜对象的转变就完成了。
moving picture 的其他名称为：picture，motion picture，film，movie等。
30.Today an appearance on a television talk show is the ultimate proof of “making it ”；in America.——Today，if you are invited as a guest on a TV talk show，you definitely have proved yourself successful in America.今天在电视台的一个脱口秀节目上一露脸
就绝对能证明你在美国“一举成名了”。 Make it：（informal）to be successful in one's career；to succeed，to win acceptance达到预定目标，顺利度过一段困难时期；成功；及时到达。
When he won the prize，he realized that he had made it. 得了奖，他意识到自己成功了。
He's been in some 30 films，but he's never made it as a great actor.他演了三十多部电影，可是从来没有红起来。
The train leaves at 3，it's 2：30 now，I am afraid I can't make it.火车是3点开，现在已经两点半了，恐怕我赶不上了。
31.Celebrities do not appear on such a program because of an actual desire-or ability-to talk，but simply to gain recognition，and prove，merely by showing up，that they are “somebody.”—Celebrities often appear on talk shows，not because they really want to talk，or because they have something to say，but simply because they want tobecome famous and to show that they are important.
名流在这样的节目中出场，并不是因为他们真想说什么，或是口才很棒，而纯属为了出名，并通过在荧屏上露面，证明他们是“重要人物”。
注意not…because （of ） to do sth.的结构中，否定的部分是because （of ），而不是appear.
I didn't see the film because you recommended it.I wanted to see Henry Fonda.
我看了这部电影可不是因为你的推荐，我是想看亨利·方达的表演。
The children didn't do it to please their parents，but simply to enjoy themselves.
孩子们做这件事可不是为了父母高兴，而是自己想玩一玩。
show up：（ informal ） to appear；to arrive，often after a delay到场；露面
He didn't show up at his sister's wedding. 他居然没有在他妹妹的婚礼上露面。
I wonder if he will show up at all. 真不知道他还会不会来。
We all thought he had been killed in the plane crash，but three days later he showed up safe and sound.
我们都以为他在收音机失事中丧生，但三天以后，他却安然无恙地出现了。
Only three of people we had invited didn't show up at the party.
邀请的人当中，只有三人末出席这次聚会。
32.Most hosts are grateful just to get someone who will fill the room with sound.——Most hosts are more than happy as long as the guests keep talking.多数主持人只要有人说话，让演播室老有声音就很满意了。
fill…with…：to make…full of…用——装满
Would you fill these bottles with water，please？请把这些瓶子灌满水好吗？
Each time I went to see her，my grandma would fill my pockets with sweets.
每次我去看奶奶，她总是在我的衣兜塞满糖果。
此句型常用于被动结构：
The room is filled with an unpleasant smell. 这屋子里有股难闻的味。
The supermarket is filled with shoppers at weekends. 每逢周末这家超市总是挤满了购物的人。
此句型有引申的意思：
She filled her days
with trivial tasks. 她整天忙于处理琐碎的事务。The thought filled me with pleasure. 这个想法使我感到高兴。
I'm filled with gratitude to all those who have helped me. 我对帮助过我的人充满感激之情。
Her heart was filled with happiness at the party her students organized in her honor.
在学生们为她举行的聚会上，她沉浸在幸福之中。 He was filled with pity for the poor girl.他对那个可怜的女孩子充满怜悯之情。
The sound of the music filled me with memories.音乐声使我沉浸在回忆之中。
fill 也可作不及物动词：
The market filled rapidly. 市场很快挤满了人。
fill 表示to become full of：Laughter filled the hall. 笑声响彻整个大厅。
When the young lady refused to pay for the shoes she had ordered，unhappiness filled the poor shoemaker's house.
那位年轻的女士不肯付款来付她定做的那双鞋，此时，穷鞋匠的家里人人愁眉不展。
33.… a ratings nightmare.
… a terrible thing for the show，for it wouldn't attract many ratings：the popularity of a television of radio programme as measured by the number of people viewing or listening 对收视率来说是可怕的事34.This kind of attitude rewards smooth，insincere talk，and makes hesitancy look like stupidity.——Talk show coordinators are concerned about whether the guest talks fluently.They don't care whether he/she talks sensibly and intelligently.By doing so，they actually encourage and praise talk show guests who speak fluently but insincerely and make viewers believe those who don't speak fluently are stupid people.这种看法结果是鼓励了口若悬河的空话，而把迟疑看作是愚笨。
Reward：酬谢；奖赏
He was rewarded with a three-week-holiday for his achievements.由于他的成就，他被奖励了三个星期的假期。
其引申意思，表示“得出——的结果，得到回报”
I am sure that all your hard work will be rewarded.我相信你的辛苦工作一定会得到丰硕的结果。
35.he'd be dragging his bottom in the ratings.
Today，if he were invited to speak on a talk show，he wouldn't be able to attract a large number of viewers.
Drag one's bottom 可能是由习语drag one's heels/feet（故意拖延，磨洋工）而来。