当代研究生英语Unit The case against man

会计学1当代研究生英语UnitThecaseagainstmanBookOneContentWarming-upReadingWritingTextATextB第1页/共84页BookOneWarming-up第2页/共84页BookOne

Questions:

1)Inwhatwaysdoeshumanactivityinfluencetheenvironment?

Offersomeexamples.

2)HaveyouexperiencedthepressureofChina’slarge

population?Tellaboutyourexperiences.

3)ForhowlongdoyouthinkChinashouldinsistitsFamily

PlanningActivity?Why?

Groupdiscussion

第3页/共84页BookOne

THECASEAGAINSTMAN(PARTI)

IsaacAsimov第4页/共84页BookOneReading—TextATextStudyMainIdea&StructureSentenceAnalysisLanguagePointsUsefulExpressionTextTranslation第5页/共84页BookOneMainIdeaandStructureFirstreading:Scanthetextandtrytocatchthemainidea.Thefollowingwordsareforyourreferencetoorganizetheidea:

Mankindintricatewebdependentonsinglespecies

increasingexplosionSecondreading:readthepassageagainandtrytoidentifythestructureofthispassage.

ForyourreferenceForyourreference第6页/共84页BookOne

Mankindispartofanintricateweboflifeontheplanetanddependentontherestpartofthesystem.Inthepastthousandsofyears,mankindisthesinglespeciesthathasbeenincreasinginnumbers.Wehavetodosomethingtostophumanpopulationexplosion.MainIdea第7页/共84页BookOneStructurePara.8-11

Mainidea:Theentireplanetismadeupofnonlivingportionsandalargevarietyoflivingportionswhichareinterdependent.Andmankindispartoftheintricateweboflife.Mainidea:

Livingthingsareinterrelatedandinterdependent,justasvarioustypesofcellscomposingofamanareinterrelatedandinterdependent..Mainidea:Thewildincreaseofhumanpopulationwilldestroytheecologyjustasanyordinarycancerwoulddestroyanorganism.Para.12-16

Para.1-7Para.17-20

Mainidea:Tostophumanpopulationexplosionisaproblemoftopprioritytobesolved;

第8页/共84页BookOneTextStudy

第9页/共84页BookOne

1Thefirstmistakeistothinkofmankindasathinginitself.Itisn’t.Itispartofanintricateweboflife.Andwecan’tthinkevenoflifeasathinginitself.Itisn’t.ItispartoftheintricatestructureofaplanetbathedbyenergyfromtheSun.2TheEarth,inthenearly5billionyearssinceitassumedapproximatelyitspresentform,hasundergoneavastevolution.Whenitfirstcameintobeing,itverylikelylackedwhatwewouldtodaycallanoceanandanatmosphere.Thesewereformedbythegradualoutwardmovementofmaterialasthesolidinteriorsettledtogether.3Norwereocean,atmosphere,andsolidcrustindependentofeachotherafterformation.Thereisinteractionalways:evaporation,condensation,solution,weathering.Farwithinthesolidcrustthereareslow,continuingchanges,too,ofwhichhotsprings,volcanoes,andearthquakesarethemorenoticeablemanifestationshereonthesurface.Para.1-3第10页/共84页BookOnePara.4-64Between2billionand3billionyearsago,portionsofthesurfacewater,bathedbytheenergeticradiationfromtheSun,developedcomplicatedcompoundsinorganizationsufficientlyversatiletoqualifyaswhatwecall“life”.Lifeformshavebecomemorecomplexandmorevariouseversince.5ButthelifeformsareasmuchpartofthestructureoftheEarthasanyinanimateportionis.Itisallaninseparablepartofawhole.Ifanyanimalisisolatedtotallyfromotherformsoflife,thendeathbystarvationwillsurelyfollow.Ifisolatedfromwater,deathbydehydrationwillfollowevenfaster.Ifisolatedfromair,whetherfreeordissolvedinwater,deathbyasphyxiationwillfollowstillfaster.IfisolatedfromtheSun,animalswillsurviveforatime,butplantswoulddie,andifallplantsdied,allanimalswouldstarve.6Itworksinreverse,too,fortheinanimateportionofEarthisshapedandmoldedbylife.Thenatureoftheatmospherehasbeenchangedbyplantactivity(whichaddstotheairthefreeoxygenitcouldnototherwiseretain).Thesoilisturnedbyearthworms,whileenormousoceanreefsareformedbycoral.第11页/共84页BookOnePara.7-97Theentireplanet,plussolarenergy,isoneenormousintricatelyinterrelatedsystem.Theentireplanetisalifeformmadeupofnonlivingportionsandalargevarietyoflivingportions(asourownbodyismadeupofnonlivingcrystalsinbonesandnonlivingwaterinblood,aswellasofalargevarietyoflivingportions).8Infact,wecanpursuetheanalogy.Amaniscomposedof

50trillioncellsofavarietyoftypes,allinterrelatedandinterdependent.Lossofsomeofthosecells,suchasthosemakingupanentireleg,willseriouslyhandicapalltherestoftheorganism:seriousdamagetoarelativelyfewcellsinanorgan,suchastheheartorkidneys,mayendbykillingall50trillion.9Inthesameway,onaplanetaryscale,thechoppingdownofanentireforestmaynotthreatenEarth’slifeingeneral,butitwillproduceseriouschangesinthelifeformsoftheregionandeveninthenatureofthewaterrunoffand,therefore,inthedetailsofgeologicalstructure.Aseriousdeclineinthebeepopulationwillaffectthenumbersofthoseplantsthatdependonbeesforfertilization,thenthenumbersofthoseanimalsthatdependonthoseparticularbee-fertilizedplants,andsoon.第12页/共84页BookOnePara.9-1110Orconsidercellgrowth.Cellsinthoseorgansthatsufferconstantwearandtear—asintheskinorintheintestinallining—growandmultiplyalllifelong.Othercells,notsoexposed,asinnerveandmuscle,donotmultiplyatallintheadult,underanycircumstances.Stillotherorgans,ordinarilyquiescent,asliverandbone,standreadytogrowifthatisnecessarytoreplacedamage.Whentheproperrepairsaremade,growthstops.11Inamuchlooserandmoreflexibleway,thesameistrueofthe“planetorganism”(whichwestudyinthesciencecalledecology).Ifcougarsgrowtoonumerous,thedeertheyliveon

aredecimated,andsomeofthecougarsdieofstarvation,sothattheir“propernumber”isrestored.Iftoomanycougarsdie,thenthedeermultiplywithparticularrapidity,andcougarsmultiplyquicklyinturn,tilltheadditionalpredatorsbringdownthenumberofdeeragain.Barringinterferencefromoutside,theeatersandtheeatenretaintheirpropernumbers,andbotharethebetterforit.(Ifthecougarsareallkilledoff,deerwouldmultiplytothepointwheretheydestroytheplantstheyliveoff,andmorewouldthendieofstarvationthanwouldhavediedofcougars.)第13页/共84页BookOnePara.12-1412Theneateconomyofgrowthwithinanorganismsuchasahumanbeingissometimes—forwhatreason,weknownot—disrupted,andagroupofcellsbeginsgrowingwithoutlimit.Thisisthedreaddiseaseofcancer,andunlessthatgrowinggroupofcellsissomehowstopped,thewildgrowthwillthrowallthebodystructureoutoftrueandendbykillingtheorganismitself.13Inecology,thesamewouldhappenif,forsomereason,oneparticulartypeoforganismbegantomultiplywithoutlimit,killingitscompetitorsandincreasingitsownfoodsupplyattheexpenseof

thatofothers.That,too,couldendinthedestructionofthelargersystem—mostoralloflifeandevenofcertainaspectsoftheinanimateenvironment.14Andthisisexactlywhatishappeningatthismoment.Forthousandsofyears,thesinglespeciesHomosapiens,towhichyouandIhavethedubioushonorofbelonging,hasbeenincreasinginnumbers.Inthepastcoupleofcenturies,therateofincreasehasitselfincreasedexplosively.第14页/共84页BookOnePara.15-1815AtthetimeofJuliusCaesar,whenEarth’shumanpopulationisestimatedtohavebeen150million,thatpopulationwasincreasingatsucharatethatitwoulddoublein1000yearsifthatrateremainedsteady.Today,withEarth‘spopulationestimatedatabout4000million(26timeswhatitwasinCaesar’stime),itisincreasingataratewhich,ifsteady,willcauseittodoublein35years.16ThepresentrateofincreaseofEarth’sswarminghumanpopulationqualifiesHomosapiensasanecologicalcancer,whichwilldestroytheecologyjustassurelyasanyordinarycancerwoulddestroyanorganism.17Thecure?Justwhatitisforanycancer.Thecancerousgrowthmustsomehowbestopped.18Ofcourse,itwillbe.Ifwedonothingatall,thegrowthwillstop,asacancerousgrowthinamanwillstopifnothingisdone.Themandiesandthecancerdieswithhim.Andanalogously,theecologywilldieandmanwilldiewithit.第15页/共84页BookOne19Howcanthehumanpopulationexplosionbestopped?Byraisingthedeathrateorbyloweringthebirthrate.Therearenootheralternatives.Thedeathratewillrisespontaneouslyandfinallycatastrophically,ifwedonothing—andthatwithinafewdecades.Tomakethebirthratefall,somehow(almostanyhow,infact),issurelypreferable,andthatisthereforethefirstorderofmankind’sbusinesstoday.20Failingthis,mankindwouldstandatthebarofabstractjustice(fortheremaybenoposteritytojudge)asthemassmurdereroflifegenerally,hisownincluded,andmassdisrupteroftheintricateplanetarydevelopmentthatmadelifeinitspresentglorypossibleinthefirstplace.Para.19-20第16页/共84页BookOneSentenceAnalysis第17页/共84页BookOne1.Between2billionand3billionyearsago,portionsof

thesurfacewater,bathedbytheenergeticradiation

fromtheSun,developedcomplicatedcompoundsin

organizationsufficientlyversatiletoqualifyaswhatwe

call“life”.(Para.4,Line1-3)versatile:havinggreatdiversityorvariety丰富多变的，多功能的e.g.

aversatilenewmachinedevelop:causetogrow形成TheSVOstructureoftheabovesentence:pounds…Thepartafter“compounds”isitspostmodifier(后置定语),meaning:

thesecompoundsweresufficientlyversatileinorganization,somuchsothattheywerequalifiedtobecalled“life”byus.第18页/共84页BookOne译文：在20亿到30亿年前期间，一部分地球表面的水在太阳能的作用下，形成了结构复杂的化合物，这些化合物灵活多变，足以形成我们称之为“生命”的东西。Thewordingof“develop”intranslation:

…developedenginetrouble发生故障

…developaverylargeliftforce产生升力…developedapracticallightningrod发明避雷针…developedatheoryofmagnetism提出理论…developthecapabilities提高能力

…

developedtuberculosis患上结核病

…

developthenaturalsubstances开发资源…developthedeposit开采矿床第19页/共84页BookOne2.Iftoomanycougarsdie,thenthedeermultiplywithparticularrapidity,andcougarsmultiplyquicklyinturn,tilltheadditionalpredatorsbringdownthenumberofdeeragain.(Para.11,Line4-5)

multiply:increaseinnumberbygivingbirthtooffspring;breed繁殖e.g.Whenanimalshavemorefood,theygenerallymultiplyfaster.

inturn:inorderofonefollowinganother依次e.g.

Weshookhandsinturnwitheachofthepeopleontheline.bringdown:reduce,injure,capture,orkill减少、打伤、捕获、杀死e.g.Withoneshothebroughtdownthewolf.译文:如果美洲狮死得过多，那么鹿的数量就会迅速得到增长，美洲

狮反过来就会迅速繁衍，直到新增加的美洲狮将鹿的数量再一

次减少。第20页/共84页BookOne3.Theneateconomyofgrowthwithinanorganismsuchasahumanbeingissometimes—forwhatreason,weknownot—disrupted,andagroupofcellsbeginsgrowingwithoutlimit.(Para.12,Line1-2)Thisisacompoundsentencewithaconj.“and”:Theneateconomy...is...disrupted,andagroupofcellsbeginsgrowing...theneateconomyofgrowth:thebalancedandinterrelateddevelopment(ofanorgan).“economy”means“avoidanceofwaste”;and“neat”means“tidy;ingoodorder,withnothingoutofplace”.disrupt:interruptthe,bringdisorderto扰乱,干扰e.g.Thewardisruptedeconomy.译文:某些有机组织(比如人)内的净增长有时候会受到干扰，有机体中的部分细胞开始无限制地增长——这究竟是因为什么原因，我们尚不得而知。

第21页/共84页BookOne4....thewildgrowthwillthrowallthebodystructureoutoftrueandendbykillingtheorganismitself.(Para.12,Line4-5)outoftrue:nothavingtheexactpositionorcorrectshapeorbalance;

deformed位置不正；形态不正；不均衡

e.g.Theaxleisoutoftrue,thereforetheyhavetofixitagain.Hefoundthattheslantingdoorisoutoftrue.Twoofthepictureshangingonthewallareoutoftrue.译文:疯长的癌细胞将会扰乱整个身体的结构，最终导致有机体本身的死亡。第22页/共84页BookOne5.Failingthis,mankindwouldstandatthebarofabstractjustice(fortheremaybenoposteritytojudge)asthemassmurdereroflifegenerally,hisownincluded,andmassdisrupteroftheintricateplanetarydevelopmentthatmadelifeinitspresentglorypossibleinthefirstplace.(Para.20)

fail:lack;beunsuccessfulin缺乏，失败

e.g.Ouryouthneverfailedaninvinciblecourage.thebar:thelawcourtsystem法庭e.g.Johnwasalawyer’ssonandwasdestinedtospendhiscareer

asamemberofthebar.standatthebarof...justice:bepresentatacourtoflawandtried第23页/共84页BookOneinthefirstplace:originally;atfirst起初，首先e.g.Whydostrikesoccursofrequentlyincoalminesinthefirst

place?Itwasn’tmyideatogotothatschoolinthefirstplace.Dad

shovedmein.译文:如果人类处理不好这一问题，那就会作为大规模杀害生灵（包括杀害自身）的凶手，以及大规模破坏地球错综复杂的进化发展（是这种进化发展最初形成了目前生命的繁荣景象）的罪魁祸首而受到抽象正义法庭的审判——因为到那时可能已没有子孙后代来审判他了第24页/共84页BookOneLanguagePoints

第25页/共84页BookOneadj.containingmanysmallpartsordetailsthatallworkorfittogether错综复杂的近义词complex,complicatede.g.Iwasunabletofindouttheintricatewindingsofthelabyrinth.我无法找出迷宫中扑朔迷离的路线。Thisisanovelwithanintricateplot.这是一本情节错综复杂的小说。intricatepatterns花纹精致的图案anintricateproblem错综复杂的问题anintricateknot复杂难解的结anintricateintrument复杂精细的仪器intricatedirections难懂的使用说明intricate第26页/共84页BookOneversatileadj.goodatdoingalotofdifferentthingsandabletolearnnewskills

quicklyandeasily多才多艺的

e.g.averyversatileauthor多才多艺的作家aversatileman多面手He'saveryversatileperformer;hecanact,sing,dance,and

playthepiano.

他是个多才多艺的演员，会演戏，唱歌，跳舞，还会弹钢琴。adj.havingmanydifferentuses有多种用途的，万能的e.g.Nylonisaversatilematerial尼龙是一种有多种用途的材料Silliconisahighlyversatilesubstance.硅是一种用途极为广泛的物质。第27页/共84页BookOne例题:Hewilleasilygetanotherjob;Heisso____.A.productiveB.versatileC.professionalD.progressive句意：他这么多才多艺，会很容易找到另外一份工作的。B.versatile第28页/共84页BookOnedecimatevt.todestroyalargepartofsomething大量毁灭近义词：eliminate,annihilatee.g.Thepopulationhasbeendecimatedbydisease.疾病导致大量人的死亡。Studentnumbershavebeendecimatedbycutsingrants.助学金削减后，学生人数大大减少。Thewheatcropwillbedecimatedwithoustrongspringrains.

春天如果不下几场大雨麦子可就要毁了。第29页/共84页BookOnemultiplyv.toincreasegreatlyormakesomethingincreasegreatly(使)大大增加e.g.Ourchancesofsuccesshadmultipliedseveraltimesover.我们成功的机会已大大增加。Wemustmultiplyoureffortstoclearupthemystery.我们必须加倍努力来澄清这一神秘的事件。v.todeacalculationinwhichyouaddanumbertoitselfaparticularnumberoftimes乘，使相乘

multiplysth.

bysth.e.g.3multipliedby4is12.3乘以4等于12。第30页/共84页BookOneV.tobreed繁殖，增殖近义词：reproduce,procreatee.g.Thebugscaneasilymultiplytogiveanastyboutoffood

poisoning.这些病菌繁殖迅速，容易引发严重的事物中毒。Rabbitsmultiplyquickly.兔子繁殖很快。

第31页/共84页BookOnedubiousadj.tonotbesurewhethersomethingisgoodortrue不能确定，疑惑近义词：doubtful,dubitablee.g.I’malittlebitdubiousabouttheideaoflendingJimmycar.我有点拿不定注意是不是该把车借给吉姆。Ifeeldubiousaboutwhattodonext.

我不知道下一步该怎么办。adj.makingyoudoubtwhethersomeoneorsomethingishonest,safe

etc.不大可靠的，令人生疑的e.g.Helookslikeadubiouscharacter.他看起来象是个不大可靠的人。Thisdealsoundshighlydubioustome.这笔交易在我看来十分靠不住。第32页/共84页BookOneswarmn.alargegroupofinsects,especiallybees,oranimals,orpeoplemovingtogether(昆虫或动物中的)一大群，(尤指)蜂群，或人群e.g.Thelocustswarmhasdestroyedallthecropsandvegetables.蝗虫群毁坏了所有的庄稼和蔬菜。

Swarmsofsightseers蜂拥而来的观光客vi.成群地行进；徘徊e.g.Thechildrencameswarmingin.孩子们蜂拥着进来了。Ashegotofftheplane,reportersswarmedonhim.他一下飞机，记者们蜂拥着向他挤去。Insectsswarmedroundthelamp.小飞虫成群地在灯的周围打转。第33页/共84页BookOneVt.tobefullofamovingcrowdofpeopleoranimals挤满(移动的人群或动物)

e.g.Passagersswarmedthedeck.乘客挤在甲板上。例题:ManpowerInc.,with560,000workers,istheworld'slargesttemporaryemploymentagency.Everymorning,itspeople______intotheofficesandfactories,seekingaday'sworkforaday'spay.

A.swarmB.strideC.separateD.slipA.swarm第34页/共84页BookOnespontaneousadj.happeningordonewithoutbeingplannedororganized自动的，自发的，一时冲动的e.g.Heisspontaneoustoofferhelp.他主动提供帮助。Thecrowdgaveaspontaneouscheerwhentheresultwas

announced.宣布结果时人群立即爆发出一阵欢呼声。aspontaneousmovement无意识的动作aspontaneousanswer脱口而出的答案

spontaneousbehavior自然的举止spontaneouscombustion自燃第35页/共84页BookOne例题:1.

Hisofferofhelpwasquite____;hehadn’tbeentoldtomakeit.A.hesitantB.reluctantC.spontaneousD.individual

句意：他提出帮忙完全是自发的，没有人要求他这么做。2.NothingHelensaysisever_______.Shealwaysthinkscarefully

beforeshespeaks.(2005年1月六级真题50题)

A.simultaneousB.homogenousC.spontaneousD.rigorous

句意：海伦的话很少是自发的，她总是经过深思熟虑才开口。C.spontaneousC.

spontaneous第36页/共84页BookOnecatastrophen.aterribleeventinwhichthereisalotofdestructionormanypeople

areinjuredordie毁灭性大灾难e.g.thecatastropheofaworldwideconflict世界性冲突的大灾难。Theoilspillthreatensanunparalleledecologicalcatastrophe.漏油事故造成一场前所未有的生态大灾难。n.aneventorsituationwhichisextremelybadforthepeopleinvolved麻烦，困境，不利的局面e.g.Itisaminorcatastrophe,isn’tit?只是个小灾难，对吧?Ifthecontractiscancelled,itwillbeacatastropheforeveryone

concerned.合同如果取消，将对各方面都不利。第37页/共84页BookOneUsefulExpression

第38页/共84页BookOnecomeintobeingbebornorcomeintoexistence形成，产生同义词：cometolife,comeaboute.g.Anewrulewillsooncomeintobeing.一个新规则很快就要出台了。Acarcomesintobeingthroughaseriesofcomplexoperations.汽车经过一连串的复杂作业程序而制成。Whendidtheworldcomeintobeing?世界是什么时候形成的？第39页/共84页BookOnebecomposedoftobeformedfromagroupofsubstancesorparts由……组成e.g.Wateriscomposedofhydrogenandoxygen.水由氢和氧组成。Theboardshallbecomposedofeightdirectors.Eachdirectorshallbeappointedorrecalledbyhisownside.

董事会由八名董事组成，各方的董事将由各方自行任命或罢免。TheHKSAR'sexecutiveauthoritiesandlegislatureshallbecomposedofpermanentresidentsofHongKong.香港特别行政区的行政机关和立法机关由香港永久性居民组成。第40页/共84页BookOnewearandteardecreaseinvalueofanassetduetoobsolescenceoruse磨损，消耗近义词：depreciatione.g.Thestaircarpetgetsalotofwearandtearandwillsoonneed

replacing.铺在楼梯上的地毯磨损得很厉害，因而很快就要更换。Theinsurancepolicydoesnotcoverdamagecausedbynormal

wearandtear.

保险单内容不包括正常使用所导致的损坏。

Thisclothisdesignedtostanduptoalotofwearandtear.

这种布料十分耐用。第41页/共84页BookOnebringdown

1.toflyanaircraftdowntothegroundandstop使得飞机降落e.g.HebroughttheCessnadowninahay-meadowbytheriver.他把那架塞斯纳小型飞机降落在河边的牧草场。Thepilotbroughthiscrippledplanedowninafield.

驾驶员把失灵的飞机降落在田地里。2.tomoveyourarmoraweapon,tooletc.

quicklydownwards

放下，使向下e.g.Hebroughtdowntheaxewithathud.他砰的一声用斧子砍了下去。3.toshootataplane,birdoranimal;sothatitfallsontheground射下，打落e.g.Abomberhadbeenbroughtdownbyanti-aircraftfire.一架轰炸机被高射炮火击落。第42页/共84页BookOne4.bringdownthegovernment/presidentetc.推翻政府，总统等e.g.Thescandalmaybringdownthegovernment.

这一丑闻可能导致政府垮台。5.toknocksomeoneoverinagameoffootball,rugbyetc.(比赛中)被撞倒e.g.Klinsmannwasbroughtdownontheedgeofthearea.克林斯曼在球场边缘被撞倒了。第43页/共84页BookOneliveliveon:靠吃……生活e.g.

Atthattime,welivedonwildfruit.那段时间我们靠吃野果为生。livefor:为……而生活；盼望e.g.Aftershediedhehadnothingtolivefor.她去世後,他便没有了生活目标。liveoff:以……为食料；靠……过日子e.g.Inordertoliveoffagarden,youpracticallyhavetoliveinit.

为了靠果园生活，你得住进里边去。liveout:不住宿在工作或学习的地方；e.g.Idoubtifshe'llliveoutthewinter.我看她活不过今年冬季。liveupto:遵守，符合，不辜负(期望)e.g.Wewillneverfailtoliveuptowhatourparentsexpectofus.我们决不辜负我们的父母对我们的期望。第44页/共84页BookOneturnturnaway:回绝，拒绝e.g.Somerefugeeswereturnedaway.Thereweretoomanyhungrymouthstofeedalready.

一些难民们被打发走了，因为需要提供食物的饥民太多了。turnback:折回,折转,改变方向e.g.Turnbacktopagesix,please.请翻回到第六页。turnin:上床睡觉；交还，上交e.g.Iwanttoturninearlytonightandgetagoodnight'srest.今晚我要早睡，好好地休息一夜。turnout:制造，生产；结果，原来是e.g.Ifthedayturnsoutwet,wemayhavetochangeourplans.

万一下雨的话，我们估计得改变计划。第45页/共84页BookOneattheexpenseof

1.Involvingtheridiculeofsb.Else;involvingacut,lossorreductionmadesomewhereelse嘲讽别人；在别处遭受伤害、损失或削减e.g.Don’tyouknowthey’relaughingattheexpenseofyourparents?你难道不知道人家在拿你父母取笑吗？Nowtheministerhopestoencouragefixedcapticalinvestment

attheexpenseofconsumerspending.现在部长希望以削减消费性开销鼓励固定资本投资。2.withthelossofsth.以（损害……）为代价；丧失e.g.Highproductionratesareoftenachievedattheexpenseof

qualityofwork.高产率往往是以牺牲产品质量为代价的。Ithasachievedspeedattheexpenseofaccuracy.获得了速度但丧失了精确性。第46页/共84页BookOneTextTranslation第47页/共84页BookOne译文

状告人类1第一个错误是把人看作是某种独立的事物。其实并不是。人是复杂的生命网络系统中的一部分。我们甚至不能将生命本身视为某种独立的事物。它确实不是。生命是一颗沐浴着太阳能的行星上的复杂结构的一部分。

2地球自从呈目前的形状近50亿年以来，已经历了一场巨大的演变。在形成的初期，地球上很可能没有我们今天称之为海洋和大气层之类的东西。当地球的内部固体紧压在一起时，物质的逐渐向外运动就形成了海洋和大气层。

3地球形成之后，海洋、大气层以及坚固的地壳之间也并非相互独立。它们之间总有相互作用：蒸发，凝结，溶解，风化，等等。在坚固的地壳内很深之处也有不断的缓慢变化，其中温泉、火山、以及地震是在地球表面上较为引人注目的地质运动。第48页/共84页BookOne4在20亿到30亿年前期间，一部分地球表面的水在太阳能的作用下，形成了结构复杂的化合物，这些化合物灵活多变，足以形成我们称之为“生命”的东西。生命形式从那时起就变得更为复杂，更为丰富多彩。5但是生命形式和地球上许多无生命的部分一样，是地球结构中的一部分。它是整个地球体系中不可分割的一部分。如果把任何动物与其他的生物形式完全隔离开，那么该动物肯定要饿死。要是没有水，由于脱水很快就会死亡。要是没有空气，不论是充分的空气还是溶于水的空气，动物会因窒息死得更快。要是没有太阳，动物可能会存活一段时间，但是植物会枯死，如果所有植物枯死，那么所有的动物将会饿死。6反过来情况也一样。地球的无机世界是由生命造就成形的。大气层的性质已经被植物活动所改变（植物活动给空气增添了大量的游离氧气，而这是通过其他方式所不能获取的）。蚯蚓翻松土壤，珊瑚形成一个个巨大的海礁。第49页/共84页BookOne7整个地球，加上太阳能，形成了一个错综复杂、相互联系的巨大系统。整个星球是一种由无机部分和各种各样的有机生命构成的生命形式(正如我们自己身体那样，既是由各种各样的有机部分构成，又是由骨骼中的无机晶体和血液中的无机水分所构成)。8事实上，我们可以将上述类推继续进行下去。人是由各种类型的细胞构成的，这些细胞多达50万亿，它们之间相互联系，相互依赖。如果丧失某些细胞，比如说失去构成整条腿的那些细胞，将会严重影响有机体的其余部分；如果某一器官(如心脏或肾)中较少的细胞受到严重损害，可能会最终导致所有50万亿细胞的死亡。9同样，从全地球的规模考虑，砍掉一整片森林不会在总体上对地球生命构成威胁，但是这样做会对该地区的生态形式造成严重的影响，甚至会造成水的流失，因此引起地质结构的细微变化。蜜蜂数量的大量减少将影响依赖蜜蜂授粉的那些植物的数量，然后又影响到靠蜜蜂授粉的植物生存的动物的数量，依此类推。

第50页/共84页BookOne10还可以以细胞的生长为例。不断受到磨损的器官的细胞（如皮肤、肠内壁）自始至终都在不断发育、增长。另外一些较为隐蔽的细胞，如神经细胞、肌肉细胞，在成年之后再也不会增长。还有一些器官，通常为肝脏和骨骼之类的静止器官，在需要替换受损部位的时候随时可以生长。当完成适当的修复任务以后，便停止生长。11同样，“行星有机体”(这正是我们在生态学中研究的)也是如此，只不过是按照一种较为松散、更加灵活的方式运行罢了。如果美洲狮的数量太多，它们赖以生存的鹿就会被过度捕杀，一些美洲狮就会饿死。这样一来，美洲狮就恢复到一个“适当的数量”。如果美洲狮死得过多，那么鹿的数量就会迅速得到增长，美洲狮反过来就会迅速繁衍，直到新增加的美洲狮将鹿的数量再一次减少。如果排除外界的干扰，食肉动物和被吃动物都保持一个适当的数量，这样对双方都有好处。(如果美洲狮被斩尽杀绝，鹿肯定会大量繁衍，直到吃光它们赖以生存的植物。这样，更多的鹿会饿死，而不是葬身狮腹。)第51页/共84页BookOne12某些有机组织(比如人)内的净增长有时候会受到干扰，有机体中的部分细胞开始无限制地增长——这究竟是因为什么原因，我们尚不得而知。这就是令人生畏的癌症。除非以某种方式阻止癌细胞日益增长，否则疯长的癌细胞将会扰乱整个身体的结构，最终导致有机体本身的死亡。13在生态学领域，如果出于某种原因，一种有机体开始无限度地不断繁衍，消灭竞争对手，以毁掉其他物类的食物为代价来增加自己的食物，那么将会发生同样的情况。这也可能会导致更大的生物体系的毁灭——绝大部分或所有生命，甚至无生命环境中的某些方面。14这就是此时此刻正在发生的事。数千年来，人类这惟一的种群在数量上一直不断上升。我们大家都属于这一种群，这可说不上是什么光彩的事。在过去几世纪，人口增长率一直呈爆炸趋势。第52页/共84页BookOne15在凯撒时代，世界人口估计为1.5亿。如果按当时那样的速度平稳地增长，世界人口再1,000年增加一倍。今天，世界人口大约为40亿(是凯撒时代的26倍)，如果目前的增长率稳定不变，那么世界人口将在35年之后翻倍。16目前世界人口的急剧增长率使人类可以被称为生态恶性肿瘤。这种恶性肿瘤肯定会摧毁生态环境，正如普通的癌细胞会摧毁人的肌体一样。17有什么治疗方法吗?正如任何癌症的治疗方法一样，必须以某种方式使癌细胞停止增长。18当然，它会停止增长的。如果我们不采取任何措施，这种增长终将停止，就像人体中癌细胞的增长一样，不加治疗，人死了，癌细胞也随之死亡。与此类似，生态也会毁灭，人类也会随之灭亡。第53页/共84页BookOne19那么怎样才能制止人口爆炸?要么提高死亡率，要么降低出生率。除此之外，再没有别的选择了。如果我们不采取任何措施，在未来几十年中死亡率将会自动上升，而且最终将极具灾难性。不管怎样(事实上，几乎可以说无论如何)，使出生率下降肯定更为可取，因此这是人类今天应着手解决的头等大事。20如果人类处理不好这一问题，那就会作为大规模杀害生灵（包括杀害自身）的凶手，作为大规模破坏地球错综复杂的进化发展（是这种进化发展最初形成了目前生命的繁荣景象）的罪魁祸首而受到抽象正义法庭的审判——因为到那时可能已没有子孙后代来审判他了。第54页/共84页BookOneKeytoQuestions1.ManisaninseparablepartoftheEarth’soverallecosystem,likeanyotherthingsintheworld.Thisisclearlystatedinpara1.Theargumentcanalsobefoundinthefollowingparasastheauthorexplainshowtheoriginoflifecameintobeing.第55页/共84页BookOneKeytoQuestions2.Atthebeginningofthetexttheauthorstatesthat“thefirstmistakeistothinkofmankindasathinginitself”.Bymakingsuchastatement,theauthortriestoredressacommonmistakeinpeople’sminds.Accordingtotraditionalconcept,humanbeingsarequitedifferentfromotheranimals,andtheyalwayscallthemselves“masteroftheworld”.Actually,suchkindofconceptleadstovariousmisbehaviorsonthepartofpeople,thuscausingthedestructionoftheeco-balance.Accordingtotheauthor,humanlifeisasmuchapartofthestructureoftheEarthasanyanimateportionis.Manisnotathinginitself,butratheraninseparablepartoftheEarth’sov