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新编大学英语阅读部分第三册Unit4-1

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Unit 4
Science and Technology

In-Class Reading
Too Fast?

1 People who were born just before World War I remember waving at automobiles2 as they passed. Seeing a car was like watching a parade-exciting and out of the ordinary. The airplane-it was spelled "aeroplane" then-was another new invention. Refrigerators were "iceboxes," and a man delivered the ice for the box in the summer and the coal for the stove in the winter. Now, the iceman, like the blacksmith, survives only in literature.
2 Today, change comes so fast that working people can become obsolete3 because their occupations vanish in the middle of their lives. Knowledge, and thus the rate of change, increases geometrically. Every idea gives birth to a dozen new ones, and each of them has a dozen children. The people of the pre-World War I generation had hardly assimilated the inventions of that era before they were attacked by a new batch4 of even more sophisticated inventions. The Atomic Age dawned in 1945, August 6 to be exact, and then, before we could catch our breath, the Space Age arrived.
3 Change was not always this rapid. Certain important inventions, like the telephone, the airplane, the automobile1, and the radio, had been invented by 1914, but the effects of these inventions upon the lives of ordinary citizens were not felt until many years later. We now have the technology to develop machines before people are ready to use them. For example, we have the technology to enable people to pay their bills by phone-but even people with phones resist. The change is too much too fast. People don't want to talk to machines, especially if the machines talk back to them.
4 It is certain that technology, especially computer technology, will rule our lives to a greater and greater degree. This situation will not necessarily prove positive or negative in effect. Many people would be more comfortable if change came more slowly, but on the other hand, there are many for whom every innovation is like a new toy. They can't wait for the next invention to be available. When scientists talk about the remarkably5 adaptable6 nature of people, they probably have these people in mind.
5 But there is a limit to everyone's ability to adapt. What will happen to us when change comes so rapidly that we can no longer adjust to it? These same scientists who talk about our adaptable nature also tell us that change is to some degree emotionally painful to everyone. What then, will happen to us when change comes so rapidly that we can no longer stand the pain, and we refuse to change?
6 We have read a lot about scientific and technological7 change, but that is only part of the picture of modern life. There is often a great lag between scientific discovery and cultural acceptance. For example, Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, proposed over one hundred years ago and accepted by all serious scholars for generations, is still rejected by large segments of society. These segments see science as contradicting a higher religious authority. They see science as questioning and destroying their beliefs and culture.
7 The problem is not easily solved because it is in the nature of science to question, and it is in the nature of human beings not to want to question the things they believe in. Science is not merely a field of study like chemistry or physics or biology. Science is a method of looking at the world, a method that requires an open mind, objectivity, and proof based upon observation or experimentation8. It is a method that ignores religion, race, nationality, economics, morality, and ethics10. It pays attention only to the results of research. The scientific method has shown us endless marvels11 and wonders, but methods can't provide all the answers. Science cannot tell us whether or not to drop a bomb: That is a moral or political question. Science only tells us how to make one.
8 As we have already said, technological innovations are being made at faster and faster rates. The future will be even more revolutionary than the past. Will we, as a species, survive the revolutions that we have begun? There is plenty of evidence to think that we will. Our species has enormous potential that we have just begun to use. For example, we have only begun to control the environment. One day technology will make every desert bloom. It's simple, really. To do so, all we need to do is lower the cost of converting sea water into fresh water. Then, when the deserts bloom, will they provide enough food for our growing numbers? Most likely, they will. We have only just begun to discover the possibilities of highly intensive desert agriculture. We already have the technology to increase production ten times and to use one-twentieth of the water we needed before.
9 We know how to make agricultural miracles. What we need are the time and money to make the technology available to everyone.
10 In the nineteenth century, people believed in progress. They believed that science would lead them to a new era of endless prosperity and happiness. Well, it didn't work out that way. Two disastrous12 world wars convinced people of that. Yet, in our disappointment and in our fears that science was a monster that would one day destroy us, we forgot that science was not the monster; we were the monster. Science was merely a servant, and like fire, a good servant when treated properly.
11 Despite all the problems of the modern world, however, most people would not choose to live in any of the less scientific ages that have preceded ours. If-and this is a big if-we don't destroy ourselves in war, the future can only be better. Each year will bring a more bewildering array of scientific advances: diseases cured, space conquered, transportation and communication revolutionized, agriculture and industry completely transformed, etc. To some, the future sounds exciting; to others, frightening. But one thing is sure-it won't be boring. (1006 words)

Time taken: _______ minutes

Proper Name

Charles Darwin
(男子名)查尔斯.达尔文


New Words

adaptable
adj. able to change in order to be suitable or successful in new or different situations 适应性强的
e.g. The rural areas are losing their brightest, most educated and adaptable members to the cities.

agricultural
adj. relating to crops or farming 农业的
e.g. the agricultural problems of Third World countries

airplane
n. a flying vehicle with wings and one or more engines 飞机

array
n. a group, or collection of things 一系列;大量
e.g. There was a splendid array of food on the table.

atomic
adj. related to the energy produced by splitting atoms or the weapons that use this energy 原子的
e.g. Plutonium (钚) is used almost exclusively in atomic weapons.

batch
n. a group of people or things that arrive or are dealt with together 一批
e.g. The travel agent gave us a batch of holiday leaflets and brochures(小册子).

bewildering
adj. confusing, especially because there are too many choices or things happening at the same time 使人困惑的
e.g. There was a bewildering array of books to choose from.

blacksmith
n. someone who makes and repairs things made of iron 铁匠

bloom
v. produce flowers 开花
e.g. This plant blooms during May and June.
n. a flower or flowers 花
e.g. The green leaves with red blooms are very pleasant to look at.

contradict
v. be contrary to 同……矛盾;同……抵触
e.g. I ) His story contradicts the facts.
II ) Perfectly13 reputable(声誉好的) books may contradict each other.

convert
v. change from one form or use to another 使转化
e.g. Coal can be converted to gas by burning.

disastrous
adj. causing damage, destruction, suffering or deaths 灾难性的
e.g. A few disastrous investments ruined the company.

ethic9
n. moral rules or principles of behavior for deciding what is right or wrong 道德标准;行为准则

evolution
n. the scientific theory that plants and animals develop gradually from simpler to more complicated forms 进化
e.g. Many scientists do not accept the traditional ideas of evolution.

experimentation
n. the process of testing various ideas, methods, etc. 实验,试验

geometrically
adv. in a geometric progression 成几何级数地

icebox
n. a box where food is kept cool with blocks of ice, 冰箱; (AmE old) a refrigerator电冰箱

innovation
n. a new idea, method, or invention 新方法,新办法,革新
e.g. For people who hate washing dishes, the dish washer was a welcome innovation.

lag
n. a delay or period of waiting between one event and a second event 滞后,延缓
e.g. There was a short lag while the astronaut's voice was transmitted from the spaceship back to the earth.
v. move or develop more slowly than others 落后
e.g. The second-place runner lagged far behind the winner.

literature
n. books, plays, poems etc. that people think have value文学,文学作品
e.g. I envy you having a friend with whom you can discuss art and literature.

morality
n. beliefs or ideas about what is right and wrong and about how people should behave 道德
e.g. The minister believed that America's morality was in decline.

negative
adj. bad or harmful 负面的,不良的
e.g. All this had an extremely negative effect on the criminal justice system.

objectivity
n. the state of not being influenced by one's own feelings or opinions 客观性

obsolete
adj. no longer useful because something newer and better has been invented 淘汰的,过时的

propose
v.
1) state that a theory is probably true 提出
e.g. Newton proposed that heavenly and terrestrial (地球的) motion could be unified14 with the idea of gravity.
2) put forward for consideration 建议,提议
e.g. I ) He proposed that we (should) go there by air.
II) A new method has been proposed to solve the problem.

prosperity
n. the state of being (economically) successful 繁荣;成功
e.g. Because of the nation's prosperity, there was need for taxes.

revolutionary
adj. completely new and different, especially in a way that leads to great improvement 突破性的,完全创新的
e.g. A revolutionary improvement in the design mad the product cheaper to produce.

scholar
n. someone who knows a lot about a particular subject 学者
e.g. Dr Miles was a distinguished15 scholar of Russian history and government.

segment
n. a part of something that is in some way different from or affected16 differently from the whole 部分,部门
e.g. John divided the line into one-inch segments.

technological*
adj. related to technology 技术的
e.g. The development of the steam engine was the greatest technological advance of the 19th century.

Phrases and Expressions

catch one's breath
rest for a short while after hard work so as to be able to continue later 喘一口气
e.g. We sat down over coffee to catch our breath.

give birth to
1) lead to 引起,产生
e.g. The discovery of gold in the West gave birth to the settlement of California.
2) produce 生(孩子),产(仔)
e.g. They were delighted when she gave birth to a healthy child.

have something/somebody in mind
be thinking about or considering a particular person, plan, etc. for a particular purpose 心中想着(某人或某事)
e.g. I) I don't know whom he has in mind for the job.
II) I could see she was not telling me all he had in mind.

on the other (hand)
often used together with "on the one hand" when comparing different or opposite facts or ideas 另一方面
e.g. On the one hand her temper was likely to cause trouble; on the other we needed her expertise17.

out of the ordinary
unusual or unexpected 不寻常的
e.g. Suddenly they became aware that something out of the ordinary was happening.

to be exact (spoken)
used when giving an exact answer, statement, etc. 确切地说
e.g. It's about two o'clock —three minutes and thirty-five seconds past, to be exact.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 automobile rP1yv     
n.汽车,机动车
参考例句:
  • He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
  • The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
2 automobiles 760a1b7b6ea4a07c12e5f64cc766962b     
n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后,就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上,汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
3 obsolete T5YzH     
adj.已废弃的,过时的
参考例句:
  • These goods are obsolete and will not fetch much on the market.这些货品过时了,在市场上卖不了高价。
  • They tried to hammer obsolete ideas into the young people's heads.他们竭力把陈旧思想灌输给青年。
4 batch HQgyz     
n.一批(组,群);一批生产量
参考例句:
  • The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
  • I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。
5 remarkably EkPzTW     
ad.不同寻常地,相当地
参考例句:
  • I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
  • He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。
6 adaptable vJDyI     
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。
7 technological gqiwY     
adj.技术的;工艺的
参考例句:
  • A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
  • Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今, 随着科技进步,生活节奏不断增快。
8 experimentation rm6x1     
n.实验,试验,实验法
参考例句:
  • Many people object to experimentation on animals.许多人反对用动物做实验。
  • Study and analysis are likely to be far cheaper than experimentation.研究和分析的费用可能要比实验少得多。
9 ethic ziGz4     
n.道德标准,行为准则
参考例句:
  • They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
  • The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。
10 ethics Dt3zbI     
n.伦理学;伦理观,道德标准
参考例句:
  • The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
  • Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。
11 marvels 029fcce896f8a250d9ae56bf8129422d     
n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 );令人惊奇的事物(或事例);不平凡的成果;成就v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春,病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句
  • Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句
12 disastrous 2ujx0     
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的
参考例句:
  • The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
  • Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨,血本无归。
13 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
14 unified 40b03ccf3c2da88cc503272d1de3441c     
(unify 的过去式和过去分词); 统一的; 统一标准的; 一元化的
参考例句:
  • The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
  • The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。
15 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
参考例句:
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。
16 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
17 expertise fmTx0     
n.专门知识(或技能等),专长
参考例句:
  • We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
  • You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。
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