Lesson 4 Seeing hands 能看见东西的手

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

How did Vera discover she had this gift of second sight?

Several cases have been reported in Russia recently of people who can read and detect colours with their fingers, and even see through solid doors and walls. One case concerns an eleven-year-old schoolgirl, Vera Petrova, who has normal vision but who can also perceive things with different parts of her skin, and through solid walls. This ability was first noticed by her father. One day she came into his office and happened to put 5 her hands on the door of a locked safe. Suddenly she asked her father why he kept so many old newspapers locked away there, and even described the way they were done up in bundles.

Vera's curious talent was brought to the notice of a scientific research institute in the town of Ulyanovsk, near where she lives, and in April she was given a series of tests by a special commission of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federal Republic. During these tests she was able to read a newspaper through an

10 opaque screen and, stranger still, by moving her elbow over a child's game of Lotto she was able to describe the figures and colours printed on it; and, in another instance, wearing stockings and slippers, to make out with her foot the outlines and colours of a picture hidden under a carpet. Other experiments showed that her knees and shoulders had a similar sensitivity. During all these tests Vera was blindfold; and, indeed, except when blindfold she lacked the ability to perceive things with her skin. It was also found that although she

5 could perceive things with her fingers this ability ceased the moment her hands were wet.

ERIC DE MAUNY Seeing hands from The Listener

Another Russian girl, Rosa Kuleshova, reads blindfold.

Unit 1 Lesson 4

New words and expressions 生词和短语

solid /'sɒlɪd/ adj. 坚实的

safe /seɪf/ n. 保险柜

Ulyanovsk /u:ˈljɑːnəfsk/ n. 乌里扬诺夫斯克

commission /kəˈmɪʃən/ n. 委员会

opaque /əʊˈpeɪk/ adj. 不透明的

lotto /'lɒtəʊ/ n. 一种有编号的纸牌

slipper /'slɪpə/ n. 拖鞋

blindfold /'blaɪndfəʊld/ adj. & adv. 被蒙上眼睛的

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 of people who can read ..., 这个定语从句用来修饰主语 cases, 由于太长, 因此被移至谓语之后。

2 through solid walls 与 with different parts of her skin 并列, 作 perceive 的状语。

3 lock something away, 把……锁藏起来。

4 do up, 引起捆, 包

5 bring ... to the notice of, 引起某人注意。

6 except when blindfold, 其中 when 之后省略了 she was 。

7 the moment her hands were wet,这是一个时间状语从句, the moment 有 " - …… 就 ……" 的意思。

参考译文

俄罗斯最近报导了几个事例,有人能用手指看书识字和辨认颜色,甚至能透过厚实的门和墙看到东西。其中有一例谈到有一个名叫维拉 · 彼托洛娃的 1 】岁女学生。她的视力与常人一样,但她还能用皮肤的不同部位辨认东西, 甚至看穿坚实的墙壁。是她父亲首先发现她这一功能的。一天, 维拉走进父亲的办公室, 偶然把手放在一个锁着的保险柜的门上,她突然问父亲为什么把这么多的旧报纸锁在柜子里,还说了报纸捆扎的情况。

维拉的特异功能引起了她家附近乌里扬诺夫斯克城一个科研单位的注意。4 月里, 俄罗斯卫生部的一个特别委员会对她进行了一系列的测试。在这些测试中,她能隔着不透明的屏幕读报纸。更为奇怪的是,她把肘部在儿童玩的“罗托”纸牌上移动一下, 便能说出印在纸牌上的数字和颜色。还有一次, 她穿着长筒袜子和拖鞋, 能用脚识别出藏在地毯下面的一幅画的轮廓和颜色。其他实验表明,她的膝盖和双肩有类似的感觉能力,在所有这些实验中,维拉的双眼都是蒙着的。如果不蒙上双眼她的皮肤就不再具有识别物体的能力。这是千真万确的。同时还发现, 尽管她能用手指识别东西, 但她的手一旦弄湿, 这种功能便会立即消失。

Comprehension 理解

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

1 How did Vera's father accidentally discover that his daughter possessed unusual powers of perception?

2 Under what conditions was Vera incapable of perceiving objects with her skin?

3 Under what conditions did Vera lose the ability to perceive objects with her fingers?

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: several (1.1); detect (1.1); vision (1.3); perceive (1.3); curious (1.7); series*(1.8); outlines (1.12); a similar (1.13); ceased (1.15).

Unit 1 Lesson 4

Sentence structure 句子结构

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

1 Several cases have been reported in Russia recently of people _____ can read_____ detect colours with their fingers, _____ even see through solid doors and walls. One case concerns an eleven-year-old schoolgirl, Vera Petrova, _____ has normal vision _____ can also perceive things with different parts of her skin, _____ through solid walls. (II.1-4)

2 It was also found that _____ she could perceive things with her fingers, this ability ceased _____ _____ her hands were wet. (ll.14-15)

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

1 One day she came into his office and _____ . (11.4-5)

2 Suddenly she asked her father why _____ . (ll.5-6)

3 Vera's curious talent was _____ . (1.7)

4 During these tests she _____ . (1.9)

5 It was also found that _____ . (ll.14-15)

C Write three sentences describing Vera's unusual abilities.

Key structures 关键句型

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

1 Several cases _____ (report) in Russia recently of people who can read and detect colours with their fingers. (II.1-2)

2 This ability first _____ (notice) by her father. (1.4)

3 Vera's curious talent _____ (bring) to the notice of a scientific research institute in the town of Ulyanovsk, near where she lives, and in April she _____ (give) a series of tests by a special commission of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federal Republic. (II.7-9)

4 It also _____(find) that although she _____(can) perceive things with her fingers, this ability _____ (cease) the moment her hands _____ (be) wet. (ll.14-15)

B Compare the word order in these two sentences:

Why did he keep so many old newspapers locked away there?

She asked her father why he kept so many old newspapers locked away there. (II.5-6)

Write these sentences again, beginning each one with the words $I$ asked him:

1 When did he buy that car?

2 Where did he find that book?

3 Why did he send a fax?

4 How did he know I was here?

5 Which one did he like best? Unit 1 Lesson 4

C Note the form of the verb in italics in this sentence:

By moving her elbow over a child's game of Lotto she was able to describe the figures and colours printed on it. (ll.10-11) Supply the correct form of the verbs in parentheses: 1 He can walk for miles without _____(get) tired. 2 On _____ (arrive) at the station, I went and bought a ticket. 3 While _____ (try) to climb over that wall, he fell down and broke his leg. 4 You will never succeed in _____ (persuade) me to come with you. D Compare these two sentences: Instead of saying: She was able to describe the colours and figures printed on it. (II.9-10) We can say: She succeeded in describing the colours and figures printed on it. Supply could or was able to in the following sentences: 1 I _____ easily swim across this river if I wanted to. 2 He _____ run a mile in five minutes when he was younger. 3 Amundsen _____ reach the South Pole before Scott. 4 I rang up several times before I _____ contact him. 5 I _____ get these tickets because I was willing to stand in the queue for several hours.

Special difficulties 难点

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

1 normal (1.3) - ordinary

I'm not looking for anything fancy, just a normal kettle.

1 m just an ordinary person.

2 skin (1.3) - complexion

I got so sunburnt that my skin is peeling.

Drinking a lot of water is good for the complexion.

3 noticed (1.4) - remarked

I've noticed that there are more butterflies this year.

'You're looking very well!' she remarked.

4 office (I.4) - study

Reuters is a big news agency with offices all over the world.

I'll have a bigger study in my new apartment.

5 game (1.10) - toy

Let's play a game of hide-and-seek.

Alice got a new toy for her birthday.

6 lack (1.14) - need

His real problem is that he lacks confidence.

We need an hour to get to the airport.

7 wet (1.15) - damp

Don't sit on that bench. The paint is still wet.

You shouldn't wear that shirt if it's still damp.

B Explain the expressions in ítalics:

1 The newspapers were done up in bundles. (1.6) Unit 1 Lesson 4

2 It's too late to save him now. He's done for.

3 She'll never go back to her husband. She's done with him for good.

4 This room looks lovely now that we've done it up.

5 I wouldn't trust him if I were you. He once did me out of a lot of money.

C Explain the word figure in these sentences:

1 By moving her elbow over a child's game of Lotto she was able to describe the figures and colours printed on it. (ll.10-11)

2 I could make out the figure of a man on the bridge.

3 She has such a beautiful figure, she could make a living as a model, I'm sure.

D Explain the expressions with make in these sentences:

1 She was able to make out with her foot the outlines and colours of a picture. (II.10-12)

2 The thief made off with quite a lot of money.

3 He's a strange fellow. I just can't make him out.

4 Before he died, he made over all his money to his wife.

5 Are you any good at making up stories for children?

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 Solid doors and walls are _____.

(a) no obstacle for people who can read and detect colours with their fingers

(b) invisible to people who can read and detect colours with their fingers

(c) transparent to people who can read and detect colours with their fingers

(d) concerned in cases reported in Russia recently

2 Vera Petrova's father _____.

(a) had always known his daughter had this talent

(b) found that his daughter could perceive things with different parts of her skin

(c) discovered his daughter's gift by accident

(d) described the way newspapers were done up in bundles

3 The scientific research institute in the town of Ulyanovsk _____ .

(a) made Vera read a newspaper

(b) arranged that Vera should undergo a number of experiments

(c) tested Vera thoroughly

(d) set up a game of Lotto with Vera

4 Which one of these statements is true?

(a) Vera couldn’t always perceive things with her skin.

(b) Vera was occasionally blindfold when she did the tests.

(c) Vera's hands had to be wet before she could perceive things through her skin.

(d) Vera's knees didn't have the same sensitivity as her fingers.

Unit 1 Lesson 4

Structure 句型

5 Several cases have been reported in Russia recently of people _____ can read ... (1.1)

(a) whom (b) that (c) which (d) they

6 One day she came into his office and put her hands on the door of the safe _____(1.5)

(a) as it happened (b) by chance (c) perhaps (d) intentionally

7 _____ these tests were being conducted, she was able to read a newspaper. (1.9)

(a) During (b) On occasion (c) While (d) As if

8 Vera couldn't 'see' with her skin _____ she was blindfold. (ll.13-14)

(a) only (b) except (c) as if (d) unless

Vocabulary 词汇

9 This ability was first _____ by her father. (1.4)

(a) observed (b) remarked (c) regarded (d) acknowledged

10 Vera's curious talent was brought to the _____ of a research institute. (1.7)

(a) attention (b) observation (c) regard (d) care

11 - wearing stockings and slippers, she was able to _____ colours with her foot. (II.11-12)

(a) draw (b) see (c) understand (d) watch

12 This ability _____ the moment her hands were wet. (1.15)

(a) continued (b) renewed (c) increased (d) stopped