星座

 　　Rob: Hello I’m Rob - a Gemini. Welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m joined today by Neil.

　　Neil: Hi Rob. I'm a Virgo. So, what does that say about my personality? That's the group of thoughts, feelings and behaviours which make you who you are. It means I am supposed to be independent and observant!

　　Rob: Really? OK, observant - in other words, quick at noticing things. Well, as a Gemini, I'm supposed to be witty¹ and adaptable²!

　　Neil: I think that's true. You are adaptable, Rob. You get used to new things and situations very easily, I think.

　　Rob: Well, these characteristics we've mentioned are based on what astrologers say. And astrology is today's theme.

　　Neil: Astrologers are people who say they can find out about your personality, and maybe your future, by analysing the position of stars and planets the day you were born.

　　Rob: It's controversial. Many astronomers⁴ - the scientists who study the stars and planets - don't believe it's true, but some well-known people believe it's a very serious business. And I'll put a question to you about that.

　　Neil: People born under the sign of Virgo are said to be very precise. Hmm, I'm not so sure about that… But I'd better make sure everything I say today is very accurate so I fit the description!

　　Rob: OK. Let's see if you can answer this question accurately⁵. Which of these famous people were publicly criticised when it came to light that they relied too much on horoscopes to take decisions? Was it:

　　a) Margaret Thatcher⁶

　　b) Nancy Reagan or

　　c) Michael Jackson

　　Neil: I think… I can remember this. I think it's Nancy Reagan, b.

　　Rob: OK. Are you sure?

　　Neil: I am.

　　Rob: OK. Well, you'll have to be patient because you won't get the answer until the end of the programme.

　　Neil: Now, let me read my horoscope for today…

　　Rob: Oh, you and your horoscopes, honestly, Neil! Do you know when newspapers and magazines started to offer horoscopes to their readers?

　　Neil: No, I don't.

　　Rob: Well, let's hear from Nicholas Campion, who teaches the cultural history of astrology at the University of Wales. What does he have to say about it? Campion, a Pisces, uses one particular word when he describes how people feel about their place in the universe. Which word is it?

　　Nicholas Campion, University of Wales:

　　The newspaper horoscope was invented about 1930. There's a parallel between what was happening in astronomy at the time. In the late 20s, the idea that the universe is huge and expanding was discovered and popularised by the astronomer³ Edwin Hubble. This became a metaphor⁷ for the idea that we live on the edge of a distant corner of the universe and we are all very insignificant⁸. At the same time we suddenly get these horoscope columns appearing which I see as a kind of domestication⁹ of astrology.

　　Neil: Insignificant! It means of very little importance. He says that's how people felt when astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered how huge the universe is…

　　Rob: And this academic thinks astrology tried to bring this idea under control; it domesticated¹⁰ it. It brought it to our personal level, and made it all about routine, everyday events.

　　Neil: How interesting. It makes us think that the stars are all about us. Astrology tells us that the stars are all about me! I want to read my horoscope now!

　　Rob: Well, before you do that, you have to listen to what another specialist, this time a psychologist, has to say. Paul Rogers, a Sagittarius, teaches at the University of Central Lancashire, in the north of England.

　　Neil: A Sagittarius - he might be independent like me. Yes, go ahead!

　　Rob: OK. Well, he might spoil the fun you're having with your newspaper. Here he is:

　　Paul Rogers, University of Central Lancashire, England:

　　People are misperceiving these generalised statements as being unique to their own personality. There are other counter biases¹² that people fall prey¹³ to, for example, the confirmation¹⁴ bias¹¹. If you believe in something, you'll look for evidence to support that belief and you'll ignore evidence that rejects that belief.

　　Neil: He talks about belief! Something which you think is true without much proof. He says that people who think horoscopes are true do so because the predictions seem to confirm what they already think about themselves.

　　Rob: Yes, people look for evidence - an indication that something they believe is true. But it's all in their mind and not in the stars themselves. People believe what they want to believe. They need some sense of control over life.

　　Neil: You know what? This is true. Believe in horoscopes or not, it's very comforting to have this sense of direction in life.

　　Rob: Everything seems so unpredictable! Here's something predictable: our quiz. Let's go back to it and see if you got the question right. I asked you which of these famous people were publicly criticised when it came to light that they relied too much on horoscopes. Was it Margaret Thatcher, Nancy Reagan or Michael Jackson?

　　Neil: I said Nancy Reagan.

　　Rob: And you were right. Nancy Reagan, wife of the late president Ronald Reagan, has long been interested in astrology. In 1988, she was criticised and ridiculed¹⁵ when it was revealed that she had consulted astrologers during her time at the White House.

　　Neil: I knew I was right because I'm always accurate!

　　Rob: Of course. Well done! Right, well, before we go, could you remind us of some of the English words we’ve heard today?

　　Neil: personality

　　observant

　　adaptable

　　astrologers

　　astronomers

　　insignificant

　　domestication

　　evidence

　　belief

　　Rob: Thank you, Neil. Well, that’s it for this programme. Please join us soon again for 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.

　　Neil: Here's one thing you can predict: we’ll be back! Bye.

　　Rob: Bye bye.

1 witty   

adj.机智的，风趣的

参考例句：

• Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
• He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

2 adaptable   

adj.能适应的，适应性强的，可改编的

参考例句：

• He is an adaptable man and will soon learn the new work.他是个适应性很强的人，很快就将学会这种工作。
• The soil is adaptable to the growth of peanuts.这土壤适宜于花生的生长。

3 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

4 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

6 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

7 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

8 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

9 domestication   

n.驯养，驯化

参考例句：

• The first was the domestication of animals. 第一个阶段是驯养动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In northwestern China, there is no evidence for endemic domestication of any animals. 在中国西北，没有任何当地动物驯化的迹象。 来自辞典例句

10 domesticated   

adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is thoroughly domesticated and cooks a delicious chicken casserole. 他精于家务，烹制的砂锅炖小鸡非常可口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The donkey is a domesticated form of the African wild ass. 驴是非洲野驴的一种已驯化的品种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

12 biases   

偏见( bias的名词复数 )； 偏爱； 特殊能力； 斜纹

参考例句：

• Stereotypes represent designer or researcher biases and assumptions, rather than factual data. 它代表设计师或者研究者的偏见和假设，而不是实际的数据。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• The net effect of biases on international comparisons is easily summarized. 偏差对国际比较的基本影响容易概括。

13 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

14 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

15 ridiculed   

v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Biosphere 2 was ultimately ridiculed as a research debade, as exfravagant pseudoscience. 生物圈2号最终被讥讽为科研上的大失败，代价是昂贵的伪科学。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She ridiculed his insatiable greed. 她嘲笑他的贪得无厌。 来自《简明英汉词典》