Lesson 2 Spare that spider 不要伤害蜘蛛

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

How much of each year do spiders spend killing insects?

Why, you may wonder, should spiders be our friends? Because they destroy so many insects, and insects include some of the greatest enemies of the human race. Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals. We owe a lot to the birds and beasts who eat insects but all of them put 5 together kill only a fraction of the number destroyed by spiders. Moreover, unlike some of the other insect eaters, spiders never do the least harm to us or our belongings.

Spiders are not insects, as many people think, nor even nearly related to them. One can tell the difference almost at a glance, for a spider always has eight legs and an insect never more than six.

How many spiders are engaged in this work on our behalf? One authority on spiders made a census of the 10 spiders in a grass field in the south of England, and he estimated that there were more than 2,250,000 in one acre; that is something like 6,000,000 spiders of different kinds on a football pitch. Spiders are busy for at least half the year in killing insects. It is impossible to make more than the wildest guess at how many they kill, but they are hungry creatures, not content with only three meals a day. It has been estimated that the weight of all the insects destroyed by spiders in Britain in one year would be greater than the total weight of

15 all the human beings in the country.

T. H. Gillespie Spare that spider from The Listener

New words and expressions 生词和短语

beast (1.4) /bi:st/ n. 野兽

census (1.9) /'sensəs/ n. 统计数字

acre (1.11) /'eɪkə/ n. 英亩

content (1.13) /kən'tent/ adj. 满足的

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 you may wonder 是这个疑问句的插入语。

2 if it were not for the protection we get from insect-cating animals, 这是一个非真实条件状语从句. were 表示虚拟语气。

3 almost at a glance, 几乎一眼 (就能看出)。

参考译文

你可能会觉得奇怪. 蜘蛛怎么会是我们的朋友呢? 因为它们能消灭那么多的昆虫, 其中包括一些人类的大敌。 要不是人类受一些食虫动物的保护, 昆虫就会使我们无法在地球上生活下去, 昆虫会吞食我们的全部庄稼. 杀死我们的成群的牛羊。我们要十分感谢那些吃昆虫的鸟和兽, 然而把它们所杀死的昆虫全部加在一起也只相当于蜘蛛所消灭的一小部分。此外,蜘蛛不同于其他食虫动物,它们丝毫不危害我们和我们的财物。

许多人认为蜘蛛是昆虫,但它们不是昆虫,甚至与昆虫毫无关系。人们几乎一眼就能看出:者的差异,因为蜘蛛都是 8 条腿. 而昆虫的腿从不超过 6 条。

有多少蜘蛛在为我们效力呢？一位研究蜘蛛的权威对英国南部一块草坪上的蜘蛛作了一次调查。他估计每英亩草坪里有 225 万多只蜘蛛。这就是说, 在一个足球场上约有 600 万只不同种类的蜘蛛。蜘蛛至少有半年忙于吃昆虫。它们一年中消灭了多少昆虫, 我们简直无法猜测, 它们是吃不饱的动物, 不满意一日三餐。据估计, 在英国蜘蛛一年里所消灭昆虫的重量超过了这个国家人口的总重量。

Comprehension 理解

Give short answers to these questions in your own words as far as possible. Use one complete sentence for each answer.

1 Why have we reason to be grateful to insect-eating animals?

2 How can we tell the difference between a spider and an insect?

3 What do you understand by the statement 'One authority on spiders made a census of the spiders in a grass field ... '? (ll.9-10)

Vocabulary 词汇

Refer to the text to see how the following words have been used, then write sentences of your own using these words: destroy (1.1); devour (1.3); fraction (1.5); belongings (1.6); estimated (1.10).

Sentence structure 句子结构

A Combine the following sentences to make one complex statement out of each group. Make any changes you think necessary, but do not alter the sense of the original. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

1 Moreover, spiders are unlike some of the other insect eaters. They never do the least harm to us or our belongings. (ll.5-6) Unit 1 Lesson 2

2 Spiders are not insects. They are not even nearly related to them. Many people think they are. (I.7)

3 One can tell the difference almost at a glance. A spider has eight legs. An insect never has more than six. (II.7-8)

4 How many do they kill? It is impossible to make more than the wildest guess at this. They are hungry creatures. They are not content with only three meals a day. (II.12-13)

B Complete the following sentences in any way you wish. Then compare what you have written with the sentences in the passage:

1 Why, you may wonder, should spiders be our friends? Because _____ . (II.1-2)

2 We owe a lot to birds and beasts who _____ . (ll.4-5)

3 One authority on spiders _____ . (ll.9-10)

4 It has been estimated that _____ . (ll.13-15)

C Write three sentences saying why you like or dislike spiders.

Key structures 关键句型

A Compare these two sentences:

Instead of saying: I wonder why spiders are our friends.

We can say: Why ... should spiders be our friends? (1.1)

Write these sentences again using the construction with should in place of the phrases in italics:

1 I wonder why he is so disappointed.

2 I wonder why you are so unwilling to change your mind.

3 I wonder why there are so many traffic accidents.

B Note the form of the verb be in this sentence:

They would devour all our crops if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals. (ll.3-4)

Supply the correct form of ${be}$ in these sentences:

1 I certainly wouldn't buy that car if I (be) in your position.

2 Do you think you would buy it if it (be) cheaper?

3 If I (be) made such an offer I would certainly accept it.

C Supply $a$ , an, and the where necessary in the spaces below. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

_____spiders are not _____ insects, as _____ many people think. nor even nearly related to them. One can tell _____ difference almost at _____ glance for _____ spider always has eight legs and _____ insect never more than six.

How many spiders are engaged in this work on our behalf? One authority on _____ spiders made _____ census of _____ spiders in _____ grass field in _____ south of _____ England. and he estimated that there were more than 2,250,000 in _____ acre; that is something like 6,000,000 spiders of different kinds on _____ football pitch. (ll.7-11)

Unit 1 Lesson 2

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference:

1 all ... together (11.4-5) - altogether

Let's sing it again. All together now!

As far as I am concerned, Frank's proposal is altogether nonsensical.

2 other (1.5) - else

One of these blouses has buttons; the other hasn't.

We need one more helper. Can you find anyone else?

3 the least (1.6) - the last

He passed all his exams without seeming to make even the least effort.

She wouldn't marry him even if he was the last man on the planet.

4 harm (1.6) - hurt

Fertilizers have done a lot of harm to the soil. The bad effects will last a long time.

I banged my arm against the door and hurt myself. My arm still hurts. It's very painful.

5 glance (1.8) - - glimpse

Would you mind having a glance at my essay before I hand it in?

I caught a glimpse of him as he walked past my window.

6 work (1.9) - job

I'm looking for work as a journalist.

Have you been doing all this work on your own?

I'd like a job in TV. Are there any jobs in TV?

7 estimated (I.10) - calculated

I estimate there must be at least eight hundred names on the list.

We've calculated the cost of a new office and it's more than we can afford.

B Which verbs could be used in place of get in these sentences:

1 They would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were not for the protection we get from insect-

• eating animals. (II.2-4)

2 I got this hat at the shop on the corner.

3 Will you get that book for me please? It's on the shelf.

4 I got a letter from my brother yesterday.

5 I'm sorry, I didn't get that remark.

6 I didn't laugh because I didn't get the joke. C Note the use of tell in this sentence: One can tell the difference almost at a glance. (II.7-8) Supply the correct form of say or tell in these sentences: 1 Will you please _____ me the time? 2 I'm not very good at _____ stories. 3 You must _____ your prayers and go to bed. 4 Please _____ nothing more about it. 5 I can _____ you something about it. 6 We _____ goodbye and left. 7 I want you to _____ the truth.

Unit 1 Lesson 2

D Note the use of make in this sentence:

One authority on spiders made a census. (11.9-10)

Supply the correct form of make or ${do}$ in the following sentences:

1 I _____ a number of proposals, none of which was accepted.

2 I'll _____ the washing up.

3 Will you help me to _____ this crossword puzzle?

• 4 You've _____ quite a few mistakes.

5 I've _____ an appointment for you for next week.

6 They _____ an announcement about it on the radio.

7 I'll _____ my best to help you.

E Write sentences using the following phrases with at:

at a glance (1.8); at least (11.11-12); at any rate; at a loss; at sight; at a time.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions. Comprehension 理解

1 Spiders are our friends because they _____

(a) are beneficial insects

(b) destroy insects without hurting us in any way

(c) protect insect-eating animals

(d) include some of the greatest enemies of the human race

2 Birds and beasts _____.

(a) eat as many insects as spiders

(b) eat more insects than spiders

(c) can't compare with spiders as destroyers of insects

(d) destroy a larger fraction of insects than spiders

3 If spiders were insects, they would _____

(a) have eight legs

(b) have six legs

(c) be able to fly

(d) not destroy their own kind

4 Spiders are active in killing insects _____

(a) all the time

(b) for most of the year

(c) in the summer months

(d) for a minimum of six months of each year

Structure 句型

5 It would _____ impossible for us to live in this world if insects had no enemies. (ll.2-3)

(a) make it (b) stay (c) be (d) have it 15 Unit 1 Lesson 2

6 We owe _____ to the birds and beast who eat insects. (1.4)

(a) a great deal (b) a lot of (c) a great many (d) much of

7 How many spiders are involved

(a) at (b) for (c) in (d) to

8 There are many different _____ spiders. (1.11)

(a) sorts of (b) kind of (c) type of (d) kinds

Vocabulary 词汇

9 Spiders _____ insects. (ll.3-4)

(a) defend us from (b) guard (c) protect (d) insure us against

10 You can see at a glance that spiders are not _____ insects. (I.7)

(a) similar (b) like to (c) as (d) the same as

11 Spiders are creatures with large

(a) hunger (b) appetites (c) desires (d) eating

12 Spiders like to eat more than _____ a day. (1.13)

(a) three (b) three time (c) three times (d) threes