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1、上海外语教育出版社——新世纪英语高二全部课文（包括AdditionalReading）及重点词组高二第二学期17.WordsandtheirstoriesEAGERBEAVERAneagerbeaverisapersonwhoisalwayswillingtodoandisexcitedaboutdoingwhatisexpectedofhim.Suppose,forexample,thatateachertellshisstudentstheyeachmustsolveonehundredmathproblemsbeforecomingtoschoolthenex
2、tday.Thechildrencomplainaboutsomuchhomework.Butonestudentdoesnotprotestatall.Thatstudentisaneagerbeaver.Helovestodomathproblems,anddoesnotmindallthehomework.Theexpressionissaidtohavecomefromthenameofahard-workinganimal---thebeaver.Beaversarestrange-lookingcreatures.Theyspendalotoftimei
3、nthewater,buildingdamstocreatelittlelakesorponds.Theyusetheirhugeteethandworkhardtocutdowntrees,removebranchesandputthemacrossstreams.Theyusetheirtailstopackmudonthebranchestomakethedamssolid.Fewotheranimalsworksohard.HistorianssaythebeaverhadanimportantpartinthesettlementofNorthAmeric
4、a.TherewerehundredsofmillionsofbeaverswhenEuropeansettlersfirstarrived.Thesettlersputgreatvalueonthefurofbeavers.Infact,fortwohundredyearsormore,beaversprovidedthemostvaluablefurinNorthAmerica.Beaverskinsoftenusedasmoney.Youngmenlookingforadventureheadedwestacrossthecountrytosearchforb
5、eavers.Intheirsearch,theyexploredmuchofthewesternterritories.Thetradingposts,wheretheyexchangedbeaverskinsforthegoodstheyneeded,becamevillages,andlatertownsandcities.IT’SINTHEBAGThebag---oneofthesimplestandmostusefulthingsineverymanorwoman’slife---hasgiventheworldmanystrangeexpressions
6、thatarenotverysimple.AnumberoftheseexpressionsarewidelyusedintheUnitedStatestoday.SomewereimportedfromEnglandalongtimeago.Whenyouaresureofsomething,youcansay,“It’sinthebag.”Thisphraseseemedtohavearrivedwiththemodernpaperbag.Before,Americansusedtosay,“It’sallwrappedup.”Then,thingsyoubou
7、ghtwerewrappedinplainbrownpaper,orsometimesinoldnewspaper.Anotherwidelyusedexpressionsis“toletthecatoutofthebag”,meaningtorevealawell-keptsecret.Noonecanexplainhowthecatgotintothebag,orwhyitremainedthere.Butthereisanoldstoryaboutit.Longagotradesmansoldthingsinlargeclothbags.Onceawoma
