Lesson 7 Bats 蝙蝠

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

In what way does echo-location in bats play an utilitarian role?

Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, and we have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echo-location in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role.

To get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions. Everyone knows that if he shouts in the vicinity of a wall or a mountainside, an echo will come back. The

5 further off this solid obstruction, the longer time will elapse for the return of the echo. A sound made by tapping on the hull of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and by measuring the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes, the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated. So was born the echo-sounding apparatus, now in general use in ships. Every solid object will reflect a sound, varying according to the size and nature of the object. A shoal of fish will do this. So it is a comparatively 10 simple step from locating the sea bottom to locating a shoal of fish. With experience, and with improved apparatus, it is now possible not only to locate a shoal but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo.

It has been found that certain bats emit squeaks and by receiving the echoes, they can locate and steer clear of obstacles-or locate flying insects on which they feed. This echo-location in bats is often compared 15 with radar, the principle of which is similar.

Maurice Burton Curiosities of animal life

Echo-location in bats is often compared with radar.

Unit 1 Lesson 7

New words and expressions 生词和短语

bat (1.2) /bat/ $n$ . 蝙蝠 interval (1.6) $/\ln t \rightarrow 0$ 时 $n$ . 间隔

strictly (1.2) /'strɪktli/ adv. 明确地 receipt (1.7) /rɪ'siːt/ n. 收到 utilitarian (1.2)/juːtɪlɪ'teәriәn/adj. 实用的 apparatus (1.8) ${I}_{1}$ æpəˈreɪtəs/ $n$ . 仪器

appreciation (1.3) $/{\theta }_{1}$ priːʃi’eɪʃən/ $n$ . 理解 shoal (1.9) / ʃəʊl/ n. 鱼群

obstruction (1.5) $/\partial {b}^{\prime }\operatorname{str}\Lambda \mathrm{k}\int a\mathrm{n}/n$ . 障碍物 herring (1.11) / herry/ n. 鲜鱼

elapse (I.5) $/{\tau }^{\prime }$ laeps $/v$ . 消逝 cod (1.11)/kod/n. 鳕鱼

hull (1.6) $/\mathrm{h} \land 1/n$ . 船体 squeak (1.13)/skwi:k/n. 尖叫声

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, 动物发出的声音不全是作语言交际。此句采用了部分否定, 即不是否定所有的动物, 而只是一部分。serve as, 作 …… 之用。

2 turn to, 求助于。

3 play a role in, 在 …… 方面起作用。

4 in the vicinity of, 在 …… 的附近。

5 So was born the echo-sounding apparatus, 这样就诞生了回声探测仪。这是一个倒装句, 主要是为了避免因主语过长而使全句失去平衡,同时也为了使 apparatus 的定语 now in general use in ships 紧挨着名词。in general use, 普遍使用。

6 steer clear of, 避开。

参考译文

动物发出的声音不都是用作语言交际。我们只要看一看蝙蝠回声定位这一极不寻常的发现, 就可以探究一下声音在什么情况下有绝对的实用价值。

要透彻理解这句话的意义, 我们应先回顾一下人类最近的几项发明。大家都知道, 在墙壁或山腰附近发出喊声,就会听到回声。固体障碍物越远,回声返回所用时间就越长。敲打船体所发出的声音会从海底传回来,测出回声间隔的时间,便可算出该处海洋的深度。这样就产生了目前各种船舶上普遍应用的回声探测仪。任何固体都反射声音,反射的声音因物体的大小和性质的不同而不同。鱼群也反射声音。从测定海深到测定鱼群,这一进展比较容易。根据经验和改进了的仪器, 不仅能够确定鱼群的位置, 而且可以根据鱼群回声的特点分辨出是鲱鱼、鳕鱼,还是人们所熟悉的其他鱼。

人们发现, 某些蝙蝠能发出尖叫声, 并能通过回声来确定并躲开障碍物, 或找到它们赖以为生的昆虫。蝙蝠的这种回声定位常常可与雷达相比较, 其原理是相似的。

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 How is the echo-location principle applied to measure the depth of the sea?

2 Why do the sounds reflected by solid objects vary?

3 What use do bats make of the principle of echo-location?

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: strictly utilitarian (1.2); vicinity (1.4); elapse (1.5); tapping (1.5); apparatus (1.8); shoal (1.9); comparatively (1.9); emit (1.13); steer clear (ll.13-14).

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. Refer to the passage when you have finished the exercise:

1 Not all sounds made by animals serve as language. We have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echolocation in bats. We can see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role. (II.1-2)

2 A sound can be made by tapping on the hull of ship. It will be reflected from the sea bottom. We can measure the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes. The depth of the sea at that point can be calculated. (ll.5-7)

3 Every solid object will reflect a sound. This varies according to the size and nature of the object. (II.8-9)

4 With experience, and with improved apparatus, it is now possible to locate a shoal. It is possible to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo. (II.10-12)

5 A few years ago it was found that certain bats emit squeaks.

They received echoes. They could locate obstacles.

They could stear clear of obstacles. They could locate flying insects on which they fed. (II.13-14)

B Without referring to the passage write three sentences indicating three different uses of the principle of echo-location.

Key structures 关键句型

A Compare these two sentences:

Instead of saying: If we wish to get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions.

We can say: To get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions. (1.3) Complete the following sentences:

1 To understand _____.

2 To enjoy _____ .

3 To succeed _____.

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

Everyone knows that if he shouts in _____ vicinity of _____ wall or _____ mountainside,_____ echo will come back. _____ further off this solid obstruction, _____ longer time will elapse for _____ return of _____ echo. _____ sound made by tapping on _____ hull of _____ ship will be reflected from _____ sea bottom, and by measuring _____ time interval between _____ taps and _____ receipt of _____ echoes _____ depth of _____ sea at that point can be calculated. So

Unit 1 Lesson 7

was born echo-sounding apparatus, now in general use in _____ ships. Every solid object will reflect _____ sound, varying according to _____ size and _____ nature of _____ object. _____ shoal of _____ fish will do this. So it is _____ comparatively simple step from locating sea bottom to locating _____ shoal of _____ fish. (ll.3-10)

C Study the form of the verbs in italics in these sentences:

A sound made by tapping on the hull of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and by measuring the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes, the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated. (II.5-7) It has been found that certain bats emit squeaks and by receiving the echoes they can locate ... obstacles. (II.13-14) Write three sentences in the same way using by followed by the -ing form of a verb.

D Note that the verb compared is followed by with in this sentence: Echo-location in bats is ... compared with radar ... (ll.14-15)

Supply with, for, or to in the following sentences:

1 I have been corresponding _____ him for many years.

2 He was arrested and charged _____ murder.

3 How much do you charge _____ this service?

4 I can't provide you _____ all the things you need.

5 We have provided _____ every emergency.

6 Did you apply _____ that job?

7 If you want a loan you should apply _____ the bank.

8 He's much too quick for me. I just can't compete _____ him.

Special difficulties 难点

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

1 sound (1.1) - echo (1.2)

Don't make a sound, any of you!

The echo of the gunfire died away, and the valley was quiet again.

2 discovery (1.1) - invention (1.3)

The discovery of oil in Alaska was a boon to the economy.

The invention of personal computers was a very important event in the second half of the twentieth century.

3 appreciation (1.3) - estimation

He lacks a realistic appreciation of the situation.

In my estimation, you'll need twelve rolls of wallpaper.

4 obstruction (1.5) - obstacle (1.14)

There's an obstruction in the fuel pipe.

Fear of change is the greatest single obstacle to progress.

5 steer (1.13) - drive

The captain steered his ship into the harbour.

It's quite possible to drive from Geneva to London in a day.

B Supply the missing words in these sentences:

1 Not all the sounds made _____ animals serve as language. (1.1)

2 This camera was made _____ Japan.

Unit 1 Lesson 7

3 Glass is made _____ sand and lime.

4 This watch is made _____ gold.

C Explain the word experience in these sentences:

1 With experience it is now possible not only to locate a shoal but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish. (ll.10-11)

2 He is a very experienced surgeon.

3 It was one of the strangest experiences I have ever had.

D What does the phrase to tell if mean in this sentence:

It is now possible to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish. (II.10-11)

Write two sentences using to tell if.

E Note the spelling of echoes (1.12). Write the plural of the following words: potato, piano, tomato, solo.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions. Comprehension 理解

1 What happens if you shout on a mountainside?

(a) You will be able to measure distance.

(b) Nothing.

(c) It will take a long time for an echo to come back.

(d) You will hear an echo.

2 You can measure the depth of the sea by _____.

(a) shouting so you get back an echo

(b) tapping on the hull of a ship

(c) working out how long it takes to get an echo from the sea bottom

(d) calculating the reflection

3 The echo-location principle means you can even _____

(a) locate and distinguish different species of fish

(b) hear a fish's echo

(c) improve the apparatus now in use

(d) easily catch different species of fish

4 Bats use echo-location to _____.

(a) see where they're going

(b) avoid bumping into things

(c) avoid flying insects

(d) emit squeaks

Unit 1 Lesson 7

Structure 句型

5 Not _____ sound made by animals serves as language. (1.1)

(a) every (b) each (c) the whole (d) the entire

6 We have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echo-location in bats to see a case _____ the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role. (II.1-2) (a) which (b) where (c) when (d) why 7 _____ he shout in the vicinity of a wall, an echo will come back. (1.4) (a) Should (b) If (c) When (d) Though 8 _____ the echo-sounding apparatus was born. (ll.7-8) (a) Such (b) The way (c) That's how (d) Like this Vocabulary 词汇 9 The voice plays a strictly _____ role. (1.2) (a) secondary (b) important (c) usual (d) practical 10 A sound made by _____ the hull of a ship - (ll.5-6) (a) hitting (b) knocking (c) beating (d) bashing 11 The sound varies _____ the size and nature of the object. (II.8-9) (a) depending on (b) relating to (c) influencing (d) by 12 A _____ of fish will do this. (1.9) (a) class (b) herd (c) school (d) flock