Pre-ing Activities Exercises Assignment

1. Pre-ing Activities • Exercises • Assignment

2. Pre-Reading Activities Listening Before you listen to the passage, predict the words that are missing in the printed version of the passage. Then when you hear the passage, mark where you hear differences between your predictions and what’s actually on the tape. Don’t worry about writing down exactly what you hear — just note where you hear differences.

3. Pre-Reading Activities The sense of dominates every modern culture to such an extent that most people never . Relying mainly on sight seems so natural — how could a culture favor instead? What would such a culture be like? It’s almost impossible to imagine. But is in fact not as “natural” as we normally think. Although most humans are born with , no one is born knowing how to . We must learn , and many of the rules we learn vary . is an excellent example: Before artists invented formal rules for portraying three dimensions, no one thought of distant objects as looking . If you doubt this, try explaining to a young child. Check-up

4. Pre-Reading Activities sight The sense of dominates every modern culture to such an extent that most people never . Relying mainly on sight seems so natural — how could a culture favor instead? What would such a culture be like? It’s almost impossible to imagine. But is in fact not as “natural” as we normally think. Although most humans are born with , no one is born knowing how to . We must learn , and many of the rules we learn vary . is an excellent example: Before artists invented formal rules for portraying three dimensions, no one thought of distant objects as looking . If you doubt this, try explaining to a young child. consider that it could be otherwise touch or hearing sight the potential to see use this potential how to see Perspective from culture to culture different from nearby ones the rule of perspective

5. wondern. — a feeling of great surprise and admiration caused by seeing or experiencing that is strange and new • Examples: • The sight of the Great Wall filled them with wonder. • The children watched the magician in silent wonder.

6. misfortune —n. bad luck • Examples: • They had the misfortune to be hit by a violent storm. • She bore her misfortunesbravely.

7. … for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. clear-eyed vision — untainted outlook More to learn

8. … for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — in apposition to “that clear-eyed vision”, a variation of the phrase “sense of wonder” More to learn

9. … for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmedand even lost before we reach adulthood. dim v. make (or become) less bright or unable to see clearly 使…看不清楚；变暗淡或模糊 a. (of a light) not bright; not easy to see昏暗的；模糊的 Paraphrase ? • Examples: • Old age hasn’t dimmed her memory. • In the middle of the storm, the lights suddenly dimmed. • A dim bulb provides the only light in the hall. • I had only a dim memory of a tall, slender man. • most of us have little or no more sense of wonder as we grow up

10. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life. influence with sb. — ability to obtain favorable treatment from sb., usu. by means of acquaintance, status, wealth, etc. • Examples: • She has great influence with the manager and could no doubt help you. • My influence with her is not very strong. More to learn

11. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life. angel — 天使 celestial being believed to be a messenger, or intermediary, between God, or the gods, and humankind in ancient Greek religion, in Judaism and Christianity, and in Islam. An angel can function also as a protective guardian, as a heavenly warrior, and even as a cosmic power. More to learn

12. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life. • preside over • — be head or director of; control or be responsible for • e.g. • The city council is presided over by the mayor. • The present director has presided over a rapid decline in the firm’s profitability. • preside vi. • — be chairman (at a conference, meeting, etc.) • e.g. • The vice president will preside at today’s meeting.

13. keep alive their natural sense of wonder without any such gift from the angels Paraphrase ? • retain their natural sense of wonder as they grow up without being given a lasting one by the angels

14. mysteryn. — something impossible to explain because no people or only very few people have the knowledge to be able to understand it. • Examples: • Despite years of study, sleepwalking remains a mystery. • It is a mystery to me why she married him in the first place.

15. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. inadequate — a.not good enough in quality, ability, size, etc. • Examples: • The safety precautions are totally inadequate. • I feel inadequate when I walk to Miranda about art because she knows so much. More to learn

16. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. confrontvt. — stand or meet face to face; bring face to face • Examples: • Can you think of some typical problems that confrontChinese learning English? • When I took office, I was confronted with new guidelines. • Becca will have to confront some frightening truths about this disease. More to learn

17. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. Paraphrase ? • physicala. • — having material existence; of or relating to material things • Examples: • the physical world • All physicalobjects occupy space. Parents often feel somewhat unable to cope with the situation in which children have a keen sense of wonder and are eager to learn about the natural world while parents themselves are not knowledgeable enough about its complexity.

18. in a mood of self-defeat mood n. — state of mind or feelings心境，心情；情绪 Idioms with “mood”: in the mood for (doing) sth. /to do sth — feeling like doing sth; inclined to do sth. in no mood for (doing) sth. /to do sth — not feeling like doing sth; not inclined to to sth. • Examples: • She’s in a good mood today. • He’s always in a bad mood on Mondays.

19. I don’t even know one bird from another! Paraphrase ? • I can’t even tell the differences between birds.

20. sincerely — ad. 真诚地；忠实地 “Sincerely” or “sincerely yours” is a common way to end a letter to someone who is not a friend or relative, before you sign your name. Sincere — a. free from falseness; true and honest • Examples: • sincere friendship • More than sincere words of support, we need action. • I sincerely hope she’s happy with her decision.

21. not half — not at all Not half is used in informal English to emphasize an opinion or the truth of a statement. • Examples: • Films these days aren’t half as good as they used to be. • It isn’t half cold here in winter.

22. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. If … then … The if … then …structure consists normally of the first clause that begins with ifand the second starting with then. The ifclause implies an assumption the speaker is making which is not widely held, while the then clause lays out the consequences of that line of reasoning. The structure is mainly used in written English. Thenused in the structure often means “in that case”, “therefore”, or “as a result”. • Examples: • If it’s not on the table, then it will be in the drawer. • If any questions do occur to you, then don’t hesitate to write to us. • If I haven’t heard from you by Friday, then I’ll assume you’re not coming. • If we say “y” equals “ax3”, then we get a curve like this. More to learn

23. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. impressions of the senses — things that one receives by the five powers of the body; general feelings More to learn

24. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. Question: Which figure of speech is applied in this sentence, metaphor or simile? Rhetoric: simile — use of comparison of one thing with another Usage: A is like B; A is as B e.g.That soldier is like a lion. She is as beautiful as a flower. as brave as a lion an iron will Rhetoric: metaphor — use of a word or phrase to indicate sth. different from ( through related in some way to ) the literal meaning. Metaphor. Usage: (1) A is B e.g.A good book is a good friend. Experience is the best teacher. (2) B + of + A e.g.a palace of a house She has a heart of stone. Translation: A good tongue is a good weapon. Key: 能言善辩是利器．

25. arousevt. • — cause to become active; excite 唤醒；激发 • rousevt. • cause to become active; excite (= arouse) 唤醒；激发 • wake (sb.) up 唤醒；使醒来 Examples: • He works hard to arouse his students’ curiosity. • When he’s roused, he can get very angry. • She roused him from his sleep.

26. wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response Paraphrase ? wish to obtain knowledge about things for which a feeling of sympathy, or pity, or admiration, or love, has been aroused.

27. It is more important to pave the way for children’s desire to know than to put them on a diet of facts they are not ready to assimilate. pave the way (for) — create a situation in which something specified is possible and can happen Examples: • Data from the space flight should pave the way for a more detailed exploration of Mars. • His work paved the way for the new theory. Translation: 他的经济政策为信息产业的扩展铺平了道路。 Key: His economic policies paved the way for expansion of information industry. More to learn

28. It is more important to pave the way for children’s desire to know than to put them on a diet of facts they are not ready to assimilate. Paraphrase ? assimilate — vt. take in and make a part of oneself; absorb使同化；吸收 Examples: • The assimilation of immigrants (移民) into American culture has been a constant feature of US history. It is more important to prepare the children by arousing their sense of wonder than to feed them with a lot of facts which they are not ready to take in.

29. at one’s disposal — available for one to use as one whishes 供任意使用； 可自行支配 • disposevt. • put in place; set in readiness 布置;配置 • cause to have a tendency (to do sth.)使有倾向;使愿意 • (of) get rid of 清除;去掉 • Examples: • • The conductor disposed the singers in a semi-circle. • • Her sense of humor disposed me to like her. • • All the furniture has been disposed of. Examples: • I don’t have a car at my disposal. • If you want some help preparing for the party I can be at your disposal all day.

30. whatever your resources Paraphrase ? Whatever your abilities; whatever stock of knowledge you have

31. release — vt. 1. give freedom to (sb.) 2. remove (sth.) from a fixed position; cause (sth.) to move freely n. freeing or being freed from something that confines Examples: • She gently released herself from his arms. • He releasedthe brake and the car rolled forward. • Death is often a welcome release from pain.

32. Water Cycle think of its long journey from sea to air to earth Paraphrase ? consider the water cycle, the long process of how water from the sea changes into vapor in the air, falls upon land through precipitation, and flows ultimately back into the sea

33. Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882) 达尔文 Natural Selection, the foundation concept supporting the theory of evolution, is the process by which environmental effects lead to varying degrees of reproductive success in individuals and groups of organisms. This revolutionary theory was developed by Charles Darwin and published in 1859 in his now famous treatise On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

34. embodyvt. • represent (a quality, idea, etc.) in a physical form体现；使具体化 • contain, include包含 Examples: • To me he embodies all the best qualities of a teacher. • The latest computer model embodies many new features.

35. ponder the mystery of a growing seed ponder — v. think about (sth.) carefully and for a long time, esp. in trying to reach a decision; consider Examples: • You have pondered long enough; it is time to decide. • I am pondering how to respond. • Mary pondered bitterly (on/ over) the meaning of life. Paraphrase ? • consider the inexplicable process of a seed growing into a plant

36. a matter of sth./doing sth. — a question of; an instance or a case of 一个…的 问题； 一件…的事 Examples: • Dealing with these problems is all a matter of experience. • Success in business is simply a matter of knowing when to take a chance.

37. be open to (an idea, etc.)— be ready and willing to accept and to try and understand or consider (and idea, etc.) Examples: • We are open to suggestions. • We haven’t decided on a price, but we’re open to offers.

38. with such unseeing eyes • Paraphrase ? • without noticing them

39. Those who dwell, as scientists or laypeople, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth Paraphrase ? dwell vi. — live (in a place or in a particular way) Example: • She dwelt in South Africa for ten years. dwell on/upon — think or talk about (sth.) a lot of the time Example: • Let’s not dwell on your past mistakes. those people, whether they are scientists or non-scientists, who live in a world full of beauties and mysteries.

40. contemplate — v.spend time considering (a possible future action), or to consider (one particular thing) for a long time in a serious way Examples: • She stood there contemplating the painting. • The owner of the team contemplated moving his football club to another city.

41. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. Question: What do you think is the symbolic beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring ?

42. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. Translation: ? healv. — make or become healthy or whole again “Heal” commonly suggests a restoring to soundness of an affected part after a wound or sore. Examples: • His wounds were slow toheal. • As people age, they tend to heal more slowly. 在大自然反反复复的循环中，有一种具有无限的治愈力的东西——黑夜过后是黎明，冬天过后是春天的这一保证。

43. in possession of — 占有；占据 If someone is in possession of something, they have it, esp. something valuable or important or something they were not expected to have. Examples: • He is in possession of a large fortune. • Their opponents (对手) were in possession of the ball for most of the match.

44. concerning — prep. (fml.) about; with regard to; in connection with关于 Examples: • If you have any information concerning the incident, please contact the police. •I spoke to him concerning his behavior.

45. an incurable romantic Translation: ? Question: Can you figure out the meaning of the word “incurable”? 一个不可救药的浪漫主义者 Key: incurable in cure able

46. he had not much longer to enjoy the earthly scene Paraphrase: ? he was not going to live much longer to enjoy human life

47. sustainvt. • bear (weight) without breaking or falling: support 承受住；支撑 • keep alive or in existence 维持生命或存在 Examples: • Will this shelf sustain the weight of all these books? • There must be enough oxygen (氧气) to sustainlife.

48. as to — with regard to; about Examples: • As to correcting our homework, the teacher always makes us do it ourselves. • There are no special rules as to what clothes you should wear.

49. Vocabulary • Listening The Sense of Wonder

50. Exercises • Vocabulary