英语博客：Stereotypes.

　　Have you ever wondered what a stereotype¹ is, and why we have them? Do you, culturally, have certain stereotypes² about certain people? Of course, all countries do. I'm sure that, in the past, I have judged people according to stereotypes I had learned, and been completely wrong about those individuals. One definition of a stereotype is an assumption about someone based on his looks, dress, job, age, and ethnicity. When I first came over to the U.S., everything was quite new to me. I had, up until then, only experienced the U.S. culture through television, and through some American friends who I had met in London. But, as they say, 'there's nothing quite like being there.' One day, while I was visiting for the first time, I walked into the lounge and saw Tom, the man I later married, and his father sitting on the sofa watching baseball on television, both wearing baseball hats. My immediate⁴ reaction was to laugh. It seemed, to my ignorant eye, that they had put their hats on out of enthusiasm for the game. To me, because baseball is very much an American game, it seemed typical or stereotypical⁵. Well, now that I live here, I realize that nearly everybody wears baseball hats because it is so sunny. Wenatchee receives about 300 days of sun a year, and a very strong sun at that. I wear baseball hats regularly to protect my eyes and skin. Some people wear cowboy hats for the same, practical purpose, or even because they are cowboys. So, my immediate assumption was wrong, and I had made that assumption by judging how two people looked. It's scary how easily, and quickly we can make an assumption like that. To widthhold judgement I think needs higher thinking skills and some wisdom. And I think the most important part of not living in judgment⁶ of others is to see them as absolute equals, so rather than fearing the unknown and forming ill informed judgments⁷, we can perhaps respect and care about the individual, simply because he is our equal. Gosh, I'm getting philosophical⁸! I have experienced a lot of assumptions from people about me because I am from England. They have assumed a lot about my knowledge, likes and dislikes, and even experiences. The U.S. is faced with a huge challenge, at the moment, of how to deal with a stereotype that came up ten years ago on September 11th, when the Twin Towers in New York were bombed. How do you control a stereotype that has developed through something so tragic⁹ and violent, so as not to make terrible wrong judgments? What do you think? Are we capable of withholding¹¹ judgment? There is a saying here that you have to read to understand properly. It says, 'When you ass³-u-me, you make an ass out of you and me.'
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to withhold¹⁰, stereotypical, ethnicity.
1. My boss withheld¹² my salary for two months until his tax troubles had been resolved.
2. A man in a bowler¹³ hat, drinking tea is a stereotypical view of an English man.
3. My ethnicity is English, though my blood is mixed.

1 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

2 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 stereotypical   

n.常规

参考例句：

• Personas should be typical and believable, but not stereotypical. 人物角色应该是典型和可信赖的，但不是一成不变的。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Anything could be stereotypical, so I guess it could be criticism. 任何东西都可以变的老套，所以我猜那就是一种批评。 来自互联网

6 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

7 judgments   

判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判

参考例句：

• A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。
• He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

8 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

9 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

10 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

11 withholding   

扣缴税款

参考例句：

• She was accused of withholding information from the police. 她被指控对警方知情不报。
• The judge suspected the witness was withholding information. 法官怀疑见证人在隐瞒情况。

12 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。