Lesson 32 Galileo reborn 伽利略的复生

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

What has modified our traditional view of Galileo in recent times?

In his own lifetime Galileo was the centre of violent controversy; but the scientific dust has long since settled, and today we can see even his famous clash with the Inquisition in something like its proper perspective. But, in contrast, it is only in modern times that Galileo has become a problem child for historians of science.

The old view of Galileo was delightfully uncomplicated. He was, above all, a man who experimented: who despised the prejudices and book learning of the Aristotelians, who put his questions to nature instead of to the ancients, and who drew his conclusions fearlessly. He had been the first to turn a telescope to the sky, and he had seen there evidence enough to overthrow Aristotle and Ptolemy together. He was the man who climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa and dropped various weights from the top, who rolled balls down 10 inclined planes, and then generalized the results of his many experiments into the famous law of free fall.

But a closer study of the evidence, supported by a deeper sense of the period, and particularly by a new consciousness of the philosophical undercurrents in the scientific revolution, has profoundly modified this view of Galileo. Today, although the old Galileo lives on in many popular writings, among historians of science a new and more sophisticated picture has emerged. At the same time our sympathy for Galileo's

15 opponents has grown somewhat. His telescopic observations are justly immortal; they aroused great interest at the time, they had important theoretical consequences, and they provided a striking demonstration of the potentialities hidden in instruments and apparatus. But can we blame those who looked and failed to see what Galileo saw, if we remember that to use a telescope at the limit of its powers calls for long experience and intimate familiarity with one's instrument? Was the philosopher who refused to look through Galileo's 20 telescope more culpable than those who alleged that the spiral nebulae observed with Lord Rosse's great telescope in the eighteen-forties were scratches left by the grinder? We can perhaps forgive those who said the moons of Jupiter were produced by Galileo's spyglass if we recall that in his day, as for centuries before, curved glass was the popular contrivance for producing not truth but illusion, untruth; and if a single curved glass would distort nature, how much more would a pair of them?

Michael Hoskin Galileo Reborn from The Listener

New words and expressions 生词和短语

controversy (1.1) /’kontrəvɜːsi/ n. 争议, 争论

dust $\left( {1.1}\right) /\mathrm{d}\Lambda$ st $/n$ . 纠纷,骚动

clash (1.2) $/\mathrm \approx \int /n$ . 冲突

Inquisition (1.2) ${/}_{1}\mathrm$ ’zɪʃən $/n$ . (罗马天主教的) 宗教法庭

perspective (1.3)/pə'spektɪv/n. 观点,看法

despise (1.6) $/$ dIs’paɪz $/v$ . 蔑视

Aristotelian (1.6) $/$ ,ærɪstɒ'tiːljən/ $n$ . 亚里士多德学派的人

Aristotle (1.8) $/$ ’zeristɒtl/ $n$ . 亚里士多德(公元前 384-322, 古希腊哲学家)

Ptolemy (1.8) /’tolumi/ $n$ . 托勒密 (公元 90-168, 古希腊天文学家)

Leaning Tower of Pisa (1.9) 比萨斜塔

Artist concept of the space telescope showing the shuttle, TDRSS, and a ground station

generalize (1.10) $/$ ’ozenərəlaɪz $/v$ .归纳

undercurrent (1.12) /’ʌndəˌkʌrənt/ n. 潜流

theoretical (I.16) $/\theta$ Iə’retɪkəl/ adj. 理论上的

potentiality (1.17) $/\mathrm{p}{\partial }_{t}\mathrm\int {\mathrm{i}}^{\prime } \approx \mathrm{l}\mathrm{I}\mathrm/n$ . 潜能

intimate (1.19) / inturnIt/ adj. 详尽的

familiarity (1.19) /fəˌmɪliˈærɪti/ n. 熟悉

culpable (1.20) / ‘kʌlpəbəl/ adj. 应受谴责的

spiral (1.20) / spaɪərəl/ adj. 螺旋状的

nebula (1.20)/'nebjulә/ ([复] nebulae /'nebjuliː/)

n. 星云

scratch (1.21) /’skrætʃ/ $n$ . 擦痕

contrivance (1.23) $/\mathrm{k}$ on’trarvəns $/n$ . 器械

distort (1.24) $/$ dIs’ to :t $/v$ . 歪曲

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 something like, 多少, 大约。

2 a problem child, problem 作定语, 修饰 child。这是一种比喻修辞法, 意思是 “新出现的问题”。

3 a man who ... who ... who ... who ..., 这里一连用了 4 个定语从句, 均用 who 引导, 构成了排比结构, 起加强语气的作用。

4 at the time, 当时。

5 use a telescope at the limit of its power, 用望远镜的极限功率。

参考译文

伽利略在世时是激烈论战的中心。但是, 自他逝世以来, 那场科学上的纷争早已平息了下来, 甚至他和宗教法庭的著名冲突,我们今天也能正确如实地看待。但是相比之下,对于科学史家来说,伽利略只是在现代才变成一个新的难题。

令人高兴的是, 过去对伽利略的看法并不复杂。他首先是个实验工作者, 他蔑视亚里士多德学派的偏见和空洞的书本知识。他向自然界而不是向古人提出问题,并大胆地得出自己的结论。他是第一个把望远镜对准天空的人,观察到的论据足以把亚里士多德和托勒密一起推翻。他就是那个曾经爬上比萨斜塔,从塔顶向下抛掷各种重物的人; 他就是那个使球体沿斜面向下滚动, 然后将多次实验结果概括成著名的自由落体定律的人。

Unit 4 Lesson 32

但是, 对那个时代的深化了解, 尤其是以科学革命中哲学潜流的新意识为依据, 进一步仔细研究, 就会极大地改变对伽利略的看法。今天, 虽然已故的伽利略继续活在许多通俗读物中, 但在科学史家中间, 一个新的更加复杂的伽利略的形象出现了。与此同时, 我们对伽利略的反对派的同情也有所增加。伽利略用望远镜所作的观察确实是不朽的, 这些观察在当时引起了人们极大的兴趣, 具有重要的理论意义, 并充分显示出了仪表和仪器的潜在力量。但是, 如果我们想到, 使用一架倍数有限的望远镜需要长期的经验和对自己仪器的熟悉程度, 那么我们怎么能去责备观察了天空但没有看到伽利略所看到的东西的那些人呢？某位哲学家曾拒绝使用伽利略的望远镜去观察天空；到了 19 世纪 40 年代,有人硬把罗斯勋爵高倍望远镜观测到的螺旋状星云说成是磨镜工留下的磨痕。难道反对伽利略的哲学家比诋毁罗斯勋爵造谣者应受到更大的谴责吗？如果我们回想一下伽利略之前的几个世纪期间, 曲面镜一直是一种用于产生幻影而不是产生真象的把戏装置, 那么我们就会原谅那些当初把伽利略观察到的木星卫星说成是伽利略用他的小望远镜变出来的人们, 何况一片曲面镜就可歪曲自然, 那么伽利略的两片曲面镜对自然的歪曲又该多大呢?

Comprehension 理解

Answer these questions:

1 State in a sentence the main difference between the old and the modern view of Galileo.

2 How does the author justify Galileo's contemporaries' failure to see what he saw?

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: violent controversy (1.1); clash (1.2); proper perspective (II.2-3); despised the prejudices (1.6); consciousness (1.12); profoundly modified (1.12); consequences (1.16); potentialities (1.17); culpable (1.20); contrivance (1.23); distort (1.24).

Summary 摘要

A Drawing your information from the last paragraph (lines 11-24), write a list of points in note form to answer the following question: How has a closer study of the evidence profoundly modified the old view of Galileo?

B Using this list of points, reconstruct the author's argument in not more than 90 words. Your answer should be in one paragraph.

Composition 作文

Write a composition of about 300 words on the following subject:

'New ideas can never be readily accepted by those who cling to old beliefs.'

Argue in favour of this statement. You may use some or all of the ideas given below if you wish:

1 Why new ideas are resisted: prejudice, fear, narrow sensibilities. Examples: the length of time the views of Aristotle and Ptolemy persisted. Copernicus' reluctance to publish his work.

2 New ideas which are resisted when they first make their appearance are gradually assimilated until they finally become commonplace. Examples: The observation of Copernicus that the earth goes round the sun; the views of Galileo: the scientific method; Kepler's ideas on planetary motions; Darwin's idea of evolution; Freud's ideas on psychology. Unit 4 Lesson 32

3 There are, however, exceptions. Some great ideas have been accepted almost without question from the time they made their appearance: Newton's ideas on gravitation were acclaimed in the eighteenth century just as Einstein's ideas on relativity were acclaimed in the twentieth.

Key structures 关键句型

A Supply the missing words in the following paragraph. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

He had been the first to turn a telescope _____ the sky, and he had seen there evidence enough to overthrow Aristotle and Ptolemy together. He was the man who climbed the Leaning Tower _____ Pisa and dropped various weights_____the top, who rolled balls _____ inclined planes, and then generalized the results _____ his many experiments _____ the famous law _____ free fall. (II.7-10)

B Supply $a$ or the where necessary in the following paragraph. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

But _____ closer study of _____ evidence, supported by _____ deeper sense of _____ period, and particularly by _____ new consciousness of _____ philosophical undercurrents in _____ scientific revolution, has profoundly modified this view of _____ Galileo. Today, although _____ old Galileo lives on in _____ many popular writings, among _____ historians of _____ science _____new and more sophisticated picture has emerged. (II.11-14)

C Compare these two sentences:

Instead of saying: Using a telescope at the limit of its powers calls for long experience and intimate familiarity with one's instrument.

can say: To use a telescope at the limit of its powers calls for long experience and intimate familiarity with one's instrument. (ll.18-19)

Write sentences which begin with the following words: To build; Reading; To eat; Smoking.

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference. 1 plane (1.10) - plain The problem of drawing this on paper is the problem of representing a three-dimensional object in a single plane. The mountain rises sharply from the plain.

2 popular (1.13) - folk

You can always hear a lot of popular songs on radio request programs.

Some composers like Bartok made use of folk music.

3 sympathy (1.14) - affection

Those children need a lot more than sympathy now that they've lost their mother.

His affection for his family is obvious.

4 blame (1.17) - accuse

Don't blame me for our missing the train. You didn't allow enough time.

He was falsely accused of stealing.

5 refuse (1.19) - deny

I offered to pay him for his help but he refused.

The secretary denies all knowledge of the missing letter.

Unit 4 Lesson 32

6 scratch (1.21) - scrape

You're bound to get one or two scratches in the paintwork as soon as you begin using the car. (= lines that make the surface imperfect)

We listened to the scrape of heavy furniture being dragged across the floor upstairs. (= the process of one thing being pushed across another roughly)

B Explain the meaning of the verb settle in these sentences:

1 Have you settled down in your new house yet?

2 I settled down in an armchair to read a book.

3 I shall settle my account next week.

4 We must settle this problem once for all.

5 His ancestors settled in Boston in the eighteen fifties.

C Note the use of on in this sentence to indicate continuity:

The old Galileo lives on in many popular writings. (1.13)

Write sentences using the following verbs: keep on; carry on; go on; drive on; walk on; read on.

D Explain the verbs in italics:

1 To use a telescope calls for long experience. (1.18)

2 I'll call on you on my way home from work.

3 I'll call you up at the office tomorrow morning.

4 It's impossible to have a party tomorrow. Why don't we call the whole thing off?

5 May I leave this suitcase here? I'll call for it later.

6 I think you'd better call in a doctor.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 Before Galileo, people

(a) did exactly as they were told because of their fear of the Inquisition _____

(b) believed what they read in Aristotle and Ptolemy

(c) made observations about the universe by using telescopes

(d) depended on the evidence of their eyes to understand the universe

2 The old view of Galileo was delightfully uncomplicated probably because _____

(a) he was the first to turn a telescope to the sky

(b) he put his questions to nature instead of to the ancients

(c) he performed various experiments with weights and balls

(d) we considered his achievements from only one point of view

3 Before we had a better understanding of the period, we probably _____

(a) overrated Galileo's achievements

(b) underrrated Galileo's achievements

(c) were over-critical of his opponents

(d) agreed with his opponents

4 We have to conclude that in Galileo's time, optical instruments were _____

(a) sufficiently developed to enhance our view of the sky

(b) rather primitive

(c) full of scratches left by glass grinders

(d) created to produce not truth but illusion

Structure 句型

5 The scientific dust settled _____ . (ll.1-2)

(a) a long time ago (b) since a long time (c) for a long time still (d) a long time yet

6 Before modern times, Galileo _____ a problem child for historians. (1.3)

(a) did not (b) had not been (c) has not been (d) was not

7 Before Galileo, no one _____ a telescope to the sky. (ll.7-8)

(a) was turning (b) had turned (c) has turned (d) will turn

8 Can we blame those who looked and failed to see _____ Galileo saw? (II.17-18)

(a) that (b) the which (c) which (d) the things that

Vocabulary 词汇

9 Today we can see even his famous _____ with the Inquisition ... (1.2)

(a) crash (b) contrast (c) conflict (d) opposition

10 He was, above all, a man who _____ the prejudices of the Aristotelians. (11.4-5)

(a) had a low opinion of (b) condemned

(c) accepted (d) denied

11 A closer study of the evidence has profoundly _____ this view of Galileo. (1.11-13)

(a) confirmed (bb) altered (c) increased (d) sharpened

12. The old Galileo lives on in many_____.

(a) writings by different people (b) writings of the people

(c) widely read and admired writings (d) folk tales

Unit 5

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE STUDENT

Content

This unit consists of eight passages followed by exercises on Comprehension, Vocabulary, Summary, Composition, Key structures, Special difficulties and Multiple choice questions.

Aim

To carry the skills acquired in the previous unit a stage further.

How to work

1 Read each passage carefully two or three times.

2 Answer the questions in the order in which they are given.

Summary

You will be required to write a summary of a part of each passage in a limited number of words. Your work should fall into three distinct parts:

1 Write a list of points in note form deriving the specific information required by the question.

2 Join these points to write a draft summary in your own words as far as possible. When you have completed the draft, correct and amend it making sure you have not exceeded the word limit.

3 Write a fair copy of your summary. At the end, state the number of words you have used.

Composition

You will be required to write a composition of about 400 words on a subject connected in some way with the passage. Your work should fall into two distinct parts:

1 Write a list of ideas in note form which might be used to discuss the subject.

2 Write a composition based on these ideas.