Lesson 22 Knowledge and progress 知识和进步

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

In what two areas have people made no 'progress' at all?

Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world? Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could

be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming of science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a

0 systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge? As is so often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being

15 used indifferently for both. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men's bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them? We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.

G. N. M. Tyrrell The Personality of Man A military field-hospital

Unit 3 Lesson 22

New words and expressions 生词和短语

loom $\left( {1.1}\right) /\operatorname{lux}\mathrm{m}/v$ . 赫然耸起

manifest (1.2) / menIfest/ adj. 明显的

morality (1.3) $/\mathrm{m}{\partial }^{\prime }\mathrm{r} \mathrel{\text{æl}} \mathrm{r}\mathrm{t}/n$ . 道德

communicate (1.5) $/{\mathrm{k}}_{\mathrm{a}}$ 'mjuːnɪkeɪt/v. 交流,交际

compound (1.7) /'kɒmpaʊnd/ adj. 复合的

enhance (1.8) $/{\mathrm{m}}^{\prime }\mathrm{h}\alpha \mathrm{x}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{s}/v$ . 增进

tempo (1.9) $/\prime$ temp $\ni \sigma /n$ . 速率

trickle $\left( {1.10}\right) /$ trik $\partial \mid /n$ . 涓涓细流

torrent (1.10) $/$ torənt/ $n$ . 滔滔洪流

humanity (1.13) /hjuː'mænɪti/ n. 人类

indifferently (1.15) /In 'difәrәntli/adv. 不在乎地

grimly (1.15) /'grimli/ adv. 可怖地

whimsical (1.15) / 'wimzɪkəl/ adj. 怪诞的

shatter (1.16) /’ʃætə/ $v$ . 毁坏

twofold (1.17) / tuːfɔʊld/ adj. 双重的

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 with the invention of writing, 短语中的 with 是 “由于” 的意思。

2 education in its turn added to libraries, 教育反过来也丰富了藏书。

3 a kind of compound interest law, 一种复利法则。compound interest law 有时也被称作雪球法则,即利上滚利,增长很快。

4 turn ... to account,利用 ……。

5 Could any spectacle, ... to restore them? 这句话从形式上是个疑问句, 但实质上起一个加强语气的陈述句的作用, 这种疑问句常被称为修辞疑问句。

参考译文

为什么进步这个概念在现代世界显得如此突出? 无疑是因为有一种特殊的进步实际上正在我们周围发生, 而且变得越来越明显。虽然人类在智力和道德上没有得到普遍提高, 但在知识积累方面却取得了巨大的进步。人一旦能用语言同别人交流思想,知识的积累便开始了。随着书写的发明,又迈进了一大步,因为这样一来,知识不仅能交流,而且能储存了。藏书使教育成为可能,而教育反过来又丰富了藏书,因为知识的增长遵循着一种 “滚雪球”的规律。印刷术的发明又大大提高了知识增长的速度。所有这些发展都比较缓慢,而随着科学的到来,增长的速度才突然加快。于是,知识便开始有系统有计划地积累起来。涓涓细流汇成了小溪,小溪现已变成了奔腾的江河。而且, 新知识一旦获得, 便得到实际应用。所谓“现代文明”并不是人的天性平衡发展的结果, 而是积累起来的知识应用到实际生活中的结果。现在人类面临的问题是: 用这些知识去做什么？正像人们常常指出的, 知识是一把双刃刀, 可以用于造福, 也可用来为害。人们现在正漫不经心地把知识用于这两个方面, 例如: 炮兵利用科学毁坏人的身体、而外科医生就在附近用科学抢救被炮兵毁坏的人体, 还有什么情景比这更可怕、更怪诞的吗？我们不得不严肃地问问我们自己:随着日益增长的知识的力量,如果我们继续利用知识的这种双重性, 将会发生什么样的情况呢?

Comprehension 理解

Answer these questions:

1 How does the author define the word 'progress'?

2 How was the spread of knowledge affected by the coming of science?

3 What problem has the spread of knowledge given rise to?

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: loom so large (1.1); manifest (1.2); accumulation (1.4); enhanced (1.8); indifferently (1.15); spectacle (1.15); grimly whimsical (1.15); twofold (1.17)

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Unit 3 Lesson 22

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The paragraph 段落

A Drawing your information from lines 4-13 ('Knowledge began ... practical life.') write a list of points in note form to answer the following question: How did the growth of knowledge follow 'a kind of compound

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interest law'?

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B Read lines 13-18 again. ('The problem ... continues.') Then, using the list of points given below, reconstruct the author's argument in your own words as far as possible. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise.

1 Problem facing humanity: what to do with knowledge.

2 Two-edged weapon: good and evil.

3 Used for both.

4 Ironical use of science. E.g. gunner-wounded men-surgeons.

5 Where will this twofold use lead?

C Write a paragraph of about 200 words on one of the following subjects:

1 Support the author's view that mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality.

2 Support the author's view that knowledge is a two-edged weapon.

Key structures 关键句型

A Supply the correct form of the verbs in parentheses in these sentences. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

1 Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual _____ (can communicate) to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance _____ (make), for knowledge then not only _____ (can communicate) but also _____ (store). (ll.4-6)

2 The growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound interest law, which greatly _____ (enhance) by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming of science, the tempo suddenly _____(raise). Then knowledge began to _____ (accumulate) according to a systematic plan. (11.7-10)

3 Moreover, as soon as new knowledge _____ (acquire), it now _____ (turn) to practical account. (11.10-11)

4 As so often _____ (point) out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which _____ (can use) equally for good or evil. It now _____ (use) indifferently for good or evil. (ll.13-14)

B Study this sentence pattern:

Libraries made education possible. (1.6)

Write sentences using make in the same pattern with the following words: unnecessary; desirable; unrecognizable.

C Compare these two sentences:

Instead of saying: The problem which now faces humanity ...

We can say: The problem now facing humanity... (1.13)

Complete the following sentences:

1 People emigrating long dashes, _____

2 All aeroplanes arriving long dashes,_____

3 Ships sailing long dashes, _____

Unit 3 Lesson 22

D Compare the expressions in italics in these two sentences:

Instead of saying: What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature, but of accumulated knowledge which has been applied to practical life.

What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. (ll.11-13)

Complete the following sentences:

1 Photographs taken _____

2 Passports issued _____

3 Passengers delayed _____

Special difficulties 难点

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

1 surely (I.1) - certainly

Surely you can ride a bike!

I don't know how far it is to Edinburgh, but it's certainly a long way.

2 extraordinary (1.3) - outstanding

Fancy meeting you here! What an extraordinary coincidence! (= unusual, surprising)

Sarah is a woman of extraordinary ability.

Sarah's ability is quite outstanding. (= exceptional, possibly unique)

3 spectacle (I.15) - view

The National Day parade was a magnificent spectacle.

We had a really good view of the beach from where we stayed.

B Write sentences using the following words and phrases:

more and more (1.2); by means of (1.5); in its turn (1.7); a kind of (1.7); comparatively (1.8); according to (1.9); at hand (1.16).

C What do you understand by the following metaphor:

The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. (1.10)

D Note the use of ever- in this phrase: its ever-increasing power. (1.17)

Write sentences using the following expressions:

ever-expanding; ever-changing; ever-diminishing.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 One of these statements is true. Which one?

(a) Humans today have greatly improved in moral behaviour.

(b) Advances in human intelligence have made progress possible.

(c) The body of knowledge available to humans becomes greater and greater.

(d) Knowledge increases, morality declines. Unit 3 Lesson 22

2 One of the greatest advances humans have made is in their ability _____

(a) to learn about things

(b) to tell other people what they have learned

(c) to think about what they have learned

(d) to keep records of things they have learned

3 One of these statements is true. Which one?

(a) The rate of growth of knowledge becomes faster and faster.

(b) Libraries increase with amazing speed.

(c) The invention of printing had a minor effect on the growth of knowledge.

(d) The compound interest law is the basis of everything.

4 As soon as human beings learn something new, they _____

(a) find out more about 'modern civilization'

(b) use it for the benefit of mankind

(c) make it work for them

(d) create a systematic plan

Structure 句型

5 Knowledge began to increase as soon as humans could _____ with each other. (II.4-5)

(a) communicating (b) communicate (c) to communicate (d) be communicate

6 Knowledge could not only be communicated but stored

(a) as well (b) together (c) both (d) either

7 Knowledge began _____ accumulated according to a systematic plan. (II.9-10)

(a) to (b) was (c) to being (d) being

8 What are they going _____ with all this knowledge?. (1.13)

(a) to be done (b) to do (c) do (d) doing

Vocabulary 词汇

9 Progress of a particular kind is actually _____ around us. (11.1-2)

(a) doing (b) making (c) occurring (d) taking part

10 The growth of knowledge was greatly _____ by the invention of printing. (II.7-8)

(a) reduced (b) applied (c) renewed (d) improved

11 As soon as new knowledge is _____ , it is turned to practical account. (!!.10-11)

(a) obtained (b) acknowledged (c) accepted (d) recorded

12 Could any _____ be more grimly whimsical - (1.15)

(a) landscape (b) sight (c) scene (d) view 131