passage 3 阅读重要词汇解析

1、Passage 3There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the s

2、easonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled

3、the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.假定；假设；臆断assumptionEconomists are working on the assumption of an interest rate cut.经济学家正在研究降低利率的假设。假定；以为；假设If you assume that something is tr

4、ue, you imagine that it is true, sometimes wrongly. If the package is wrapped well, we assume the contents are also wonderful.如果包装精美，我们就会认为里面装的也是好东西。掌管，夺取，取得（权力）；承担（责任）If someone assumes power or responsibility, they take power or responsibility. If there is no president, power will be assumed by th

5、e most extremist forces.若没有主席，权力就会落入最极端的过激分子手中。表现出（某种表情）；装出，做出（某种样子）If you assume a particular expression or way of behaving, you start to look or behave in this way. she contented herself by assuming an air of superiority.她表现出一副高高在上的样子以获得自我满足。使）逐步发展；（使）演化If something evolves or you evolve it, it gr

6、adually develops over a period of time into something different and usually more advanced. Popular music evolved from folk songs. 流行音乐从民歌演变而来。谋求；谋取；寻求When someone seeks something, they try to obtain it. they will seek the death penalty.他们会努力争取判处死刑。方法；手段；工具（means 用于此意时单复数同形）Business managers are focu

7、sed on increasing their personal wealth by any available means.企业经理一心只想用尽办法增加个人财富。保留；保持；保存To retain something means to continue to have that thing. she retains a deep respect for the profession.她对这个职业仍然深怀敬意。（使）（态度、想法）变得更坚定；（使）变得更强硬harden典礼；（宗教）仪式ritual 固定的；不变的fixed面纱；面罩，遮盖veil（传统的）仪式，典礼 rite（由）产生，引起

8、If something arises from a particular situation, or arises out of it, it is created or caused by the situation. .an overwhelming sense of guilt arising from my actions.我的行为带来的沉重的罪恶感坚持；执著If you persist in doing something, you continue to do it, even though it is difficult or other people are against

9、it. He urged the United States to persist with its efforts to bring about peace.他敦促美国继续进行和平斡旋。（不喜欢的事物）继续存在If something undesirable persists, it continues to exist. Contact your doctor if the cough persists.如果还是咳嗽就去看医生。Those who believe that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites con

10、tained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the acting area and the auditorium. In addition

11、, there were performers, and since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect success

12、 in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun - as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.籽；种子seed 面具；面罩；假面mask（演员或表演者的）戏服，表演服装 costume剧院或音乐厅的）观众席auditorium相当多的；相当大的Considerable means great in amount or degree. To be without Pe

13、arce would be a considerable blow.失去皮尔斯将是一个巨大的打击。将制定成法律；通过（法案）EnactsThe authorities have failed so far to enact a law allowing unrestricted emigration.到目前为止，当局未能通过允许自由移民的法律。演出；演绎；表演If people enact a story or play, they perform it by acting. She often enacted the stories told to her by her father.她经常

14、把父亲讲给她的那些故事表演出来。假冒；模仿impersonate超自然的；神奇的；不可思议的Supernatural 比划；用手势表示；以哑剧动作表达mime复苏；复兴；恢复；再次流行revival of 使）复苏；（使）复兴；（使）恢复；（使）再次流行When something such as the economy, a business, a trend, or a feeling is revived or when it revives, it becomes active, popular, or successful again. There is no doubt that

15、grades have improved and interest in education has revived.无疑，成绩提高了，上学的兴趣也恢复了。（使）苏醒；（使）清醒If you manage to revive someone who has fainted or if they revive, they become conscious again. he and a neighbor tried in vain to revive her.他和邻居想尽一切办法都没能让她苏醒过来。Another theory traces the theaters origin from th

16、e human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related

17、theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.追溯；查考；探索If you trace the origin or development of something, you find out or describe how it started or developed. I first went there to trace my roots。 我最初到那里是为了寻根

18、。（常包含魔法或惊险内容的）传说，故事tale 功绩；伟业；壮举feat（计划、系统、程序等）繁复的，详尽的Elaborate.elaborate efforts to conceal the problem.为了隐瞒问题而挖空心思精心制作；详细计划；进一步完善If you elaborate a plan or theory, you develop it by making it more complicated and more effective. His task was to elaborate policies which would make a market economy compatible with a clean environment.他的任务是制定详细政策，使得市场经济和清洁环境能够共存。详细说明；详尽阐述elabor