新概念英语第四册课文

1、v1.0可编辑可修改www。xjmaktapocomLessonlWecanreadofthingsthathappened5,000yearsagointheNearEast,wherepeoplefirstlearnedtowrite.Buttherearesomepartsoftheworldwhereevennowpeoplecannotwrite.Theonlywaythattheycanpreservetheirhistoryistorecountitassagas-legendshandeddownfromonegenerationofstory-tellerstoanother

2、.Theselegendsareusefulbecausetheycantellussomethingaboutmigrationsofpeoplewholivedlongago,butnonecouldwritedownwhattheydid.AnthropologistswonderedwheretheremoteancestorsofthePolynesianpeoplesnowlivinginthePacificIslandscamefrom.ThesagasofthesepeopleexplainthatsomeofthemcamefromIndonesiaabout2,000yea

3、rsago.Butthefirstpeoplewhowerelikeourselveslivedsolongagothateventheirsagas,iftheyhadany,areforgotten.Soarchaeologistshaveneitherhistorynorlegendstohelpthemtofindoutwherethefirstmodernmencamefrom.Fortunately,however,ancientmenmadetoolsofstone,especiallyflint,becausethisiseasiertoshapethanotherkinds.

4、Theymayalsohaveusedwoodandskins,butthesehaverottedaway.Stonedoesnotdecay,andsothetoolsoflongagohaveremainedwheneventhebonesofthemenwhomadethemhavedisappearedwithouttrace.Lesson2Why,youmaywonder,shouldspidersbeourfriendsBecausetheydestroysomanyinsects,andinsectsincludesomeofthegreatestenemiesofthehum

5、anrace.Insectswouldmakeitimpossibleforustoliveintheworld;theywoulddevourallourcropsandkillourflocksandherds,ifitwerenotfortheprotectionwegetfrominsect-eatinganimals.Weowealottothebirdsandbeastswhoeatinsectsbutallofthemputtogetherkillonlyafractionofthenumberdestroyedbyspiders.Moreover,11v1.0可编辑可修改unl

6、ikesomeoftheotherinsecteaters,spidersneverdotheleastharmtousorourbelongings.Spidersarenotinsects,asmanypeoplethink,norevennearlyrelatedtothem.Onecantellthedifferencealmostataglanceforaspideralwayshaseightlegsandaninsectnevermorethansix.HowmanyspidersareengagedinthisworkonourbehalfOneauthorityonspide

7、rsmadeacensusofthespidersinagrassfieldinthesouthofEngland,andheestimatedthatthereweremorethan2,250,000inoneacre,thatissomethinglike6,000,000spidersofdifferentkindsonafootballpitch.Spidersarebusyforatleasthalftheyearinkillinginsects.Itisimpossibletomakemorethanthewildestguessathowmanytheykill,butthey

8、arehungrycreatures,notcontentwithonlythreemealsaday.IthasbeenestimatedthattheweightofalltheinsectsdestroyedbyspidersinBritaininoneyearwouldbegreaterthanthetotalweightofallthehumanbeingsinthecountry.Lesson3Modernalpiniststrytoclimbmountainsbyaroutewhichwillgivethemgoodsport,andthemoredifficultitis,th

9、emorehighlyitisregarded.Inthepioneeringdays,however,thiswasnotthecaseatall.Theearlyclimberswerelookingfortheeasiestwaytothetopbecausethesummitwastheprizetheysought,especiallyifithadneverbeenattainedbefore.Itistruethatduringtheirexplorationstheyoftenfaceddifficultiesanddangersofthemostperilousnature,

10、equippedinamannerwhichwouldmakeamodernclimbershudderatthethought,buttheydidnotgooutoftheirwaytocourtsuchexcitement.Theyhadasingleaim,asolitarygoal-thetop!Itishardforustorealizenowadayshowdifficultitwasforthepioneers.ExceptforoneortwoplacessuchasZermattandChamonix,whichhadrapidlybecomepopular,#v1.0可编

11、辑可修改Alpinevillagestendedtobeimpoverishedsettlementscutofffromcivilizationbythehighmountains.Suchinnsastherewereweregenerallydirtyandflea-ridden;thefoodsimplylocalcheeseaccompaniedbybreadoftentwelvemonthsold,allwasheddownwithcoarsewine.Oftenavalleyboastednoinnatall,andclimbersfoundshelterwhereverthey

12、could-sometimeswiththelocalpriest(whowasusuallyaspoorashisparishioners),sometimeswithshepherdsorcheese-makers.Invariablythebackgroundwasthesame:dirtandpoverty,andveryuncomfortable.Formenaccustomedtoeatingseven-coursedinnersandsleepingbetweenfinelinensheetsathome,thechangetotheAlpsmusthavebeenveryhar

13、dindeed.Lesson4IntheSovietUnionseveralcaseshavebeenreportedrecentlyofpeoplewhocanreadanddetectcolourswiththeirfingers,andevenseethroughsoliddoorsandwalls.Onecaseconcernsaneleven-year-oldschoolgirl,VeraPetrova,whohasnormalvisionbutwhocanalsoperceivethingswithdifferentpartsofherskin,andthroughsolidwal

14、ls.Thisabilitywasfirstnoticedbyherfather.Onedayshecameintohisofficeandhappenedtoputherhandsonthedoorofalockedsafe.Suddenlysheaskedherfatherwhyhekeptsomanyoldnewspaperslockedawaythere,andevendescribedthewaytheyweredoneupinbundles.Verascurioustalentwasbroughttothenoticeofascientificresearchinstitutein

15、thetownofUIyanovsk,nearwhereshelives,andinAprilshewasgivenaseriesoftestsbyaspecialcommissionoftheMinistryofHealthoftheRussianFederalRepublic.Duringthesetestsshewasabletoreadanewspaperthroughanopaquescreenand,strangerstill,bymovingherelbowoverachildsgameofLottoshewasabletodescribethefiguresandcolours

16、printedonit;and,inanotherinstance,wearingstockingsandslippers,tomakeoutwithherfoottheoutlinesandcoloursofa33v1.0可编辑可修改picturehiddenunderacarpet.Otherexperimentsshowedthatherkneesandshouldershadasimilarsensitivity.DuringallthesetestsVerawasblindfold;and,indeed,exceptwhenblindfoldshelackedtheabilityto

17、perceivethingswithherskin.Itwasalsofoundthatalthoughshecouldperceivethingswithherfingersthisabilityceasedthemomentherhandswerewet.Lesson5ThegorillaissomethingofaparadoxintheAfricanscene.Onethinksoneknowshimverywell.Forahundredyearsormorehehasbeenkilled,captured,andimprisoned,inzoos.Hisboneshavebeenm

18、ountedinnaturalhistorymuseumseverywhere,andhehasalwaysexertedastrongfascinationuponscientistsandromanticsalike.Heisthestereotypedmonsterofthehorrorfilmsandtheadventurebooks,andanobvious(thoughnotperhapsstrictlyscientific)linkwithourancestralpast.Yetthefactisweknowverylittleaboutgorillas.Noreallysati

19、sfactoryphotographhaseverbeentakenofoneinawildstate,nozoologist,howeverintrepid,hasbeenabletokeeptheanimalundercloseandconstantobservationinthedarkjunglesinwhichhelives.CarlAkeley,theAmericannaturalist,ledtwoexpeditionsinthenineteen-twenties,andnowliesburiedamongtheanimalshelovedsowell.Butevenhewasu

20、nabletodiscoverhowlongthegorillalives,orhoworwhyitdies,norwasheabletodefinetheexactsocialpatternofthefamilygroups,orindicatethefinalextentoftheirintelligence.AllthisandmanyotherthingsremainalmostasmuchamysteryastheywerewhentheFrenchexplorerDuChaillufirstdescribedtheanimaltothecivilizedworldacenturya

21、go.TheAbominableSnowmanwhohauntstheimaginationofclimbersintheHimalayasishardlymoreelusive.#v1.0可编辑可修改Lesson6Peoplearealwaystalkingabouttheproblemofyouth.IfthereisonewhichItakeleavetodoubt-thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhu

22、manbeings-peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain-thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenveryple

23、asedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,

24、andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.Itsasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentanlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,ill-mannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiont

25、odrearyclichesaboutrespectforelders-asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.Lesson7IamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcric

26、ket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidntknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)55v1.0可编辑可修改thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegam

27、ehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstincts

28、arearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybeli

29、eve-atanyrateforshortperiods-thatrunning,jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.Lesson8Parentshavetodomuchlessfortheirchildrentodaythantheyusedtodo,andhomehasbecomemuchlessofaworkshop.Clothescanbeboughtreadymade,washingcangotothelaundry,foodcanbeboughtcooked,cannedorpreserved,breadisbakedand

30、deliveredbythebaker,milkarrivesonthedoorstep,mealscanbehadattherestaurant,theworkscanteen,andtheschooldining-room.Itisunusualnowforfathertopursuehistradeorotheremploymentathome,andhischildrenrarely,ifever,seehimathisplaceofwork.Boysarethereforeseldomtrainedtofollowtheirfathersoccupation,andinmanytow

31、nstheyhaveafairlywidechoiceofemploymentandsodogirls.Theyoungwage-earneroftenearnsgoodmoney,andsoonacquiresafeelingofeconomicindependence.Intextileareasithaslongbeencustomaryformotherstogoouttowork,butthis#v1.0可编辑可修改practicehasbecomesowidespreadthattheworkingmotherisnowanotunusualfactorinachildshomel

32、ife,thenumberofmarriedwomeninemploymenthavingmorethandoubledinthelasttwenty-fiveyears.Withmotherearningandhisolderchildrendrawingsubstantialwagesfatherisseldomthedominantfigurethathestillwasatthebeginningofthecentury.Whenmotherworkseconomicadvantagesaccrue,butchildrenlosesomethingofgreatvalueifmothe

33、rsemploymentpreventsherfrombeinghometogreetthemwhentheyreturnfromschool.Lesson9Notallsoundsmadebyanimalsserveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextraordinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthevoiceplaysastrictlyutilitarianrole.Togetafullappreciationofwhatthismeanswemustturnfirsttosom

34、erecenthumaninventions.Everyoneknowsthatifheshoutsinthevicinityofawalloramountainside,anechowillcomeback.Thefurtheroffthissolidobstructionthelongertimewillelapseforthereturnoftheecho.Asoundmadebytappingonthehullofashipwillbereflectedfromtheseabottom,andbymeasuringthetimeintervalbetweenthetapsandther

35、eceiptoftheechoesthedepthoftheseaatthatpointcanbecalculated.Sowasborntheecho-soundingapparatus,nowingeneraluseinships.Everysolidobjectwillreflectasound,varyingac-cordingtothesizeandnatureoftheobject.Ashoaloffishwilldothis.Soitisacomparativelysimplestepfromlocatingtheseabottomtolocatingashoaloffish.W

36、ithexperience,andwithimprovedapparatus,itisnowpossiblenotonlytolocateashoalbuttotellifitisherring,cod,orotherwell-knownfish,bythepatternofitsecho.Afewyearsagoitwasfoundthatcertainbatsemitsqueaksandbyreceivingtheechoestheycouldlocateandsteerclearofobstacles-orlocateflyinginsects77v1.0可编辑可修改onwhichthe

37、yfeed.Thisecho-locationinbatsisoftencomparedwithradar,theprincipleofwhichissimilar.Lesson10Inournewsocietythereisagrowingdislikeoforiginal,creativemen.Themanipulateddonotunderstandthem;themanipulatorsfearthem.Thetidycommitteemenregardthemwithhorror,knowingthatnopigeonholescanbefoundforthem.Wecoulddo

38、withafeworiginal,creativemeninourpoliticallifeifonlytocreatesomeenthusiasm,releasesomeenergy-butwherearetheyWeareaskedtochoosebetweenvariousshadesofthenegative.Theengineisfallingtopieceswhilethejointownersofthecararguewhetherthefootbrakeorthehandbrakeshouldbeapplied.Noticehowthecold,colourlessmen,wi

39、thoutideasandwithnootherpassionbutacravingforsuccess,getoninthissociety,capturingoneplumafteranotherandtakingthejuiceandtasteoutofthem.Sometimesyoumightthinkthemachinesweworshipmakeallthechiefappointments,promotingthehumanbeingswhoseemclosesttothem.Betweenmid-nightanddawn,whensleepwillnotcomeandallt

40、heoldwoundsbegintoache,Ioftenhaveanightmarevisionofafutureworldinwhichtherearebillionsofpeople,allnumberedandregistered,withnotagleamofgeniusanywhere,notanoriginalmind,arichpersonality,onthewholepackedglobe.Thetwinidealsofourtime,organizationandquantity,willhavewonforever.Lesson11AlfredtheGreatacted

41、ashisownspy,visitingDanishcampsdisguisedasaminstrel.Inthosedayswanderingminstrelswerewelcomeeverywhere.Theywerenotfightingmen,andtheirharpwastheirpassport.Alfredhadlearnedmanyoftheirballadsinhisyouth,andcouldvaryhisprogrammewithacrobatictricksandsimpleconjuring.#v1.0可编辑可修改WhileAlfredslittlearmyslowl

42、ybegantogatheratAthelney,thekinghimselfsetouttopenetratethecampofGuthrum,thecommanderoftheDanishinvaders.ThesehadsettleddownforthewinteratChippenham:thitherAlfredwent.Henoticedatoncethatdisciplinewasslack:theDaneshadtheself-confidenceofconquerors,andtheirsecurityprecautionswerecasual.Theylivedwell,o

43、ntheproceedsofraidsonneighbouringregions.Theretheycollectedwomenaswellasfoodanddrink,andalifeofeasehadmadethemsoft.AlfredstayedinthecampaweekbeforehereturnedtoAthelney.TheforcethereassembledwastrivialcomparedwiththeDanishhorde.ButAlfredhaddeducedthattheDaneswerenolongerfitforprolongedbattle:andthatt

44、heircommissariathadnoorganization,butdependedonirregularraids.So,facedwiththeDanishadvance,Alfreddidnotriskopenbattlebutharriedtheenemy.Hewasconstantlyonthemove,drawingtheDanesafterhim.Hispatrolshaltedtheraidingparties:hungerassailedtheDanisharmy.NowAlfredbeganalongseriesofskirmishes-andwithinamonth

45、theDaneshadsurrendered.Theepisodecouldreasonablyserveasauniqueepicofroyalespionage!Lesson12WhatcharacterizesalmostallHollywoodpicturesistheirinneremptiness.Thisiscompensatedforbyanouterimpressiveness.Suchimpressivenessusuallytakestheformoftrulygrandioserealism.Nothingissparedtomakethesetting,thecost

46、umes,allofthesurfacedetailscorrect.Theseeffortshelptomasktheessentialemptinessofthecharacterization,andtheabsurditiesandtrivialitiesoftheplots.Thehouseslooklikehouses,thestreetslooklikestreets;thepeoplelookandtalklikepeople;buttheyareemptyofhumanity,credibility,andmotivation.Needlesstosay,thedisgrac

47、efulcensorshipcodeisanimportantfactorinpredeterminingthecontentofthesepictures.Butthecodedoesnotdisturbtheprofits,northe99v1.0可编辑可修改entertainmentvalueofthefilms;itmerelyhelpstopreventthemfrombeingcredible.Itisnttooheavyaburdenfortheindustrytobear.Inadditiontotheimpressivenessofthesettings,thereisaus

48、eofthecamera,whichattimesseemsmagical.Butofwhathumanimportisallthisskill,allthiseffort,allthisenergyintheproductionofeffects,whenthestory,therepresentationoflifeishollow,stupid,banal,childishLesson13Oxfordhasbeenruinedbythemotorindustry.ThepeacewhichOxfordonceknew,andwhichagreatuniversitycityshoulda

49、lwayshave,hasbeensweptruthlesslyaway;andnobenefactionsandresearchendowmentscanmakeupforthechangeincharacterwhichthecityhassuffered.AtsixinthemorningtheoldcourtsshaketotheroarofbusestakingthenextshifttoCowleyandPressedSteel,greatlorrieswithadoubledeckcargoofcarsforexportlumberpastMagdalenandtheUniver

50、sityChurch.Loadsofmotor-enginesarehurriedhitherandthitherandthestreetsarethrongedwithapopulationwhichhasnointerestinlearningandknowsnostudiesbeyondservo-systemsanddistributors,compressionratiosandcamshafts.Theoreticallythemarriageofanoldseatoflearningandtraditionwithanewandwealthyindustrymightbeexpe

51、ctedtoproducesomeinterestingchildren.Itmighthavebeenthoughtthatthecultureoftheuniversitywouldradiateoutandtransformthelivesoftheworkers.Thatthishasnothappenedmaybethefaultoftheuniversity,foratbothOxfordandCambridgethecollegestendtoliveinanerawhichiscertainlynotofthetwentiethcentury,anduponaplanetwhi

52、chbearslittleresemblancetothewar-tornEarth.WhereverthefaultmayliethefactremainsthatitisthetheatreatOxfordandnotatCambridgewhichisonthevergeofextinction,andtheonlyfruitofthecombinationofindustryandthe#v1.0可编辑可修改rarefiedatmosphereoflearningisthedustinthestreets,andapatheticsenseofbeinglostwhichhangsov

53、ersomeofthecolleges.Lesson14Someoldpeopleareoppressedbythefearofdeath.Intheyoungthereisajustificationforthisfeeling.Youngmenwhohavereasontofearthattheywillbekilledinbattlemayjustifiablyfeelbitterinthethoughtthattheyhavebeencheatedofthebestthingsthatlifehastooffer.Butinanoldmanwhohasknownhumanjoysand

54、sorrows,andhasachievedwhateverworkitwasinhimtodo,thefearofdeathissomewhatabjectandignoble.Thebestwaytoovercomeit-soatleastitseemstome-istomakeyourinterestsgraduallywiderandmoreimpersonal,untilbitbybitthewallsoftheegorecede,andyourlifebecomesincreasinglymergedintheuniversallife.Anindividualhumanexist

55、enceshouldbelikeariver-smallatfirst,narrowlycontainedwithinitsbanks,andrushingpassionatelypastbouldersandoverwaterfalls.Graduallytherivergrowswider,thebanksrecede,thewatersflowmorequietly,andintheend,withoutanyvisiblebreak,theybecomemergedinthesea,andpainlesslylosetheirindividualbeing.Themanwho,inol

56、dage,canseehislifeinthisway,willnotsufferfromthefearofdeath,sincethethingshecaresforwillcontinue.Andit,withthedecayofvitality,wearinessincreases,thethoughtofrestwillbenotunwelcome.Ishouldwishtodiewhilestillatwork,knowingthatotherswillcarryonwhatIcannolongerdo,andcontentinthethoughtthatwhatwaspossibl

57、ehasbeendone.Lesson15Whenanyoneopensacurrentaccountatabank,heislendingthebankmoney,repaymentofwhichhemaydemandatanytime,eitherincashorbydrawingachequeinfavourofanotherperson.Primarily,thebanker-customerrelationshipisthatofdebtor1111v1.0可编辑可修改andcreditor-whoiswhichdependingonwhetherthecustomersaccoun

58、tisincreditorisoverdrawn.But,inadditiontothatbasicallysimpleconcept,thebankanditscustomerowealargenumberofobligationstooneanother.Manyoftheseobligationscangiverisetoproblemsandcomplicationsbutabankcustomer,unlike,say,abuyerofgoods,cannotcomplainthatthelawisloadedagainsthim.Thebankmustobeyitscustomer

59、sinstructions,andnotthoseofanyoneelse.When,forexample,acustomerfirstopensanaccount,heinstructsthebanktodebithisaccountonlyinrespectofchequesdrawnbyhimself.Hegivesthebankspecimensofhissignature,andthereisaveryfirmrulethatthebankhasnorightorauthoritytopayoutacustomersmoneyonachequeonwhichitscustomerssignatureha