英语泛读第三单元.ppt

Unit3,Web(I)JohnWyndham,I.BackgroundInformation,1.JohnWyndham:,Englishscience-fictionwriter,whogainedfamewithhiscatastrophenovels：TheDayoftheTriffids(1951)三角树时代TheKrakenWakes(1953)海妖苏醒TheChrysalids(1955)蝶蛹,LifeStory:,JohnWyndhamParkesLucasBeynonHarrisWasborninthevillageofKnowleinWarwickshire,England,thesonofGeorgeBeynonHarris,abarrister(大律师).Aftertryingseveralcareersincludingfarming,law,commercialartandadvertising,hestartedwritingshortstoriesforMoneyin1925.AfterservingintheCivilServiceandthearmyduringthewar,Wyndhamreturnedtowriting,inspiredbythesuccessofhisbrotherwhohadhadfournovelspublished.,Healteredhiswritingstyleandby1951,usingtheJohnWyndhampennameforthefirsttime,wrotethenovelTheDayoftheTriffids.ThebookprovedtobeanenormoussuccessandestablishedWyndhamasanimportantexponentofsciencefiction.HewentontowriteandpublishsixmorenovelsunderthenameJohnWyndham,allofwhichappearedinhislifetime.,Majorworks,TheDayoftheTriffids(1951),filmedin1962TheKrakenWakes(1953)waspublishedintheUnitedStatesasOutoftheDeeps.TheChrysalids(1955)waspublishedintheUnitedStatesasRe-Birth,andwasadaptedasaBBCRadio4playintheearly1980s.TheMidwichCuckoos(1957)hasbeenfilmedtwiceasVillageoftheDamned.TroublewithLichen(1960)Chocky(1968)hasbeenadaptedasaThamesTelevisionserial.,Web(1979)isashortnovelthat,althoughlesswellknown,includesallhismajorthemes.Thefirstfournovels,writtenoverafairlyshortperiodinthe1950s,arewidelyregardedasthepeakofhisachievement.TheDayoftheTriffidsremainsbest-knownwork,butsomeofhisreadersconsiderthatTheChrysalidswasreallyhisbest.,CentralThemeandHeroes:,ThecentralthemeinWyndhamsmajorworksiscatastrophe-thestruggleforsurvivalinextremesituations.Hisheroesareoftenordinarypeople,whotrytosustaincivilizedvalues,whenthenormalsocialsystemhascollapsed.MostofWyndhamsnovelshaveacontemporary1950sEnglishmiddle-classsetting,whichtodaygivesthemanold-fashionedsense,andimpliesapropersenseofrationality.,AnewformofScienceFiction,AlthoughWyndhamwaswritingattheheightofthecoldwar,hisanticipationoftheriseofgeneticengineeringmeansthatthestoryremainsjustasrelevant-andterrifying-today.Wyndhamwasalsoredefiningthesciencefictiongenre.Upuntilthelate1940s,sci-fiwasalmostexclusivelysetinspaceandinvolvedwhatWyndhamhimselfdescribedastheadventuresofgalactic(银河的)gangsters.,Bychoosinginsteadtowriteaboutsituationsthatwererationalextensionsofthepresentday,Wyndhampioneeredaformofsci-fithathelabelledlogicalfantasybutwhichiswidelyknownnowasspeculativefiction.SimilarlyaheadoftimeistheemphasisthatWyndhamputondisruptions(破裂，瓦解)tothebiosphere(生物界)asawhole.ThefamousAmericanwriterStephenKinghascalledWyndhamperhapsthebestwriterofsciencefictionthatEnglandhaseverproduced.,Web,Web(1979)depictedthebeginningofaworldtake-overbyspiders.Itisaboutagroupformingautopiancommunityonanisland,onlytodiscoverthattheislandiscoveredwiththespiderwebofkillerspiders,andonebyonethecommunityiskilledoff.Itisascary,grippingstory.,2.ScienceFiction(SF/Sci-fi):,Sciencefictionisagenreoffictiondealingwiththeimpactofimaginedinnovationsinscienceortechnology,ofteninafuturisticsetting.Itdiffersfromfantasyinthat,withinthecontextofthestory,itsimaginaryelementsarelargelypossiblewithinscientificallyestablishedorscientificallypostulatedlawsofnature(thoughsomeelementsinastorymightstillbepureimaginativespeculation).,Exploringtheconsequencesofsuchdifferencesisthetraditionalpurposeofsciencefiction,makingitaliteratureofideas.Sciencefictionislargelybasedonwritingrationallyaboutalternativepossibilities.Thesettingsforsciencefictionareoftencontrarytoknownreality,butthemajorityofsciencefictionreliesonaconsiderabledegreeofsuspensionofdisbeliefprovidedbypotentialscientificexplanationstovariousfictionalelements.,Thesemayinclude:Asettinginthefuture,inalternativetimelines,orinanhistoricalpastthatcontradictsknownfactsofhistoryorthearchaeological考古学(上)的recordAsettinginouterspace,onotherworlds,orinvolvingaliens,StoriesthatinvolvetechnologyorscientificprinciplesthatcontradictknownlawsofnatureStoriesthatinvolvediscoveryorapplicationofnewscientificprinciples,suchastimetravelorpsionics,ornewtechnology,suchasnanotechnology,faster-than-lighttravelorrobots,orofnewanddifferentpoliticalorsocialsystems(e.g.,adystopia非理想化的地方,糟透的社会;地狱般的处境,orasituationwhereorganizedsocietyhascollapsed),Severalearlyprecedentshavebeenclaimedforthegenre-notablyMaryShellysFrankenstein(1818)-buttruemodernsciencefictionbeginswithJulesVernesVoyageauCentredelaTerre(1864)andH.G.WellsTheTimeMachine(1895).,3.Utopia,(fromGreek,meaning“noplace”or“placedoesnotexist”)animaginaryisland,depictedbySirThomasMoreasaperfectsocial,legal,andpoliticalsystem.Inanegativemeaningitreferstoasocietythatisunrealisticandimpossibletorealize.Ithasalsobeenusedtodescribeactualcommunitiesfoundedinattemptstocreateanidealsociety.,II.FurtherInformationonText-RelatedDetails,1.theMidsummersandTanakuatua:,imaginaryislandsinthePacificOcean,justastheislandinSirThomasMoresbookUtopia.ThousandsofmainlysmallcoralandvolcanicislandsarescatteredacrossthePacificOcean,uninhabitedorisolated,suchastheonedescribedinthisnovel.Andtheybecometheperfectsiteofadventure,infictionsandreallifeaswell.,2.Argo,InGreekMyth,ArgowastheshiponwhichJasonsailstofindtheGoldenFleece.Inthetext,thenarratorcomparedtheirshiptoArgotoimplythattheywereabouttobeginanadventure.,3.theAegeanSea(爱琴海:地中海的一部分,在希腊和土耳其之间),anarmofMediterraneanSeabetweenGreeceandTurkey;about612km.longand299km.wide.ItwasthecenterofearliestEuropeancivilization,formallycalledMycenaean(古希腊迈西尼文化)orMinoan（米诺斯文化）butinbroaderaspectsnowtermedAegean(c.3000-1100B.C.),4.typesofvolcanoes,Apopularwayofclassifyingvolcanoesgoesbytheirfrequencyoferuption,withthosethateruptregularlycalledactive,thosethathaveeruptedinhistoricaltimesbutarenowquietcalleddormant,andthosethathavenoteruptedinhistoricaltimescalledextinct.Thehillsmentionedinthetextfallintothesecondcategory.,5.nativesofthePacificislands,ThepopulationsofthePacificarefewinnumber,andyettheyaredispersedoveranareacoveringalmostaquarterofthesurfaceoftheearth.TheculturesofthePacificdivideintothreedistinctgroups:thePolynesians(波利尼西亚人),theMicronesians(littleislands)(密克罗尼西亚人)andtheMelanesians(darkskins)(美拉尼西亚人).Thelocationsofthethreegroupsaregeographicallydistinct.WiththeexceptionoftheresidentsoftheStateoftheHawaii,Micronesiansareinthenorth,Melanesiansareinthesouth,andPolynesiansareinthemiddle.,III.DifficultPointsoftheText,1.whenIfirstheardofLordFoxfieldsProject.(Line26)Whatwastheproject?,Theprojectwastobuildafreeandpoliticallyindependentsocietyinwhichpeoplewereabletocreateanewwayoflife.,2.inwouldcomethefutureEinsteins,NewtonsandCuries.(Line70)Explainthesentence.,Einstein,Newton,andCuriewereallgreatscientists.Sothesentencemeanspeopleoftalentandpotentialwouldcomeandwouldbecomegreatscientistslikethosementionedabove.,3.In“normal”circumstancesIwouldalmostcertainlyseesomeonelikehimascrazy.(Line78)What“abnormal”circumstanceswasheinatthattime?,Hejustrecoveredfromaterriblecaraccident.Hisjudgmentwasupsetbythedeathofhisdaughterandwife.,4.TheMidsummersmeantnothingtomeatthetime(Line126)Whatisthemeaningofthesentence?,IknewnothingabouttheMidsummers,5.Afterthemeeting,theProjectbecamerealinanewsense.(Line129)HowdidtheProjectbecomerealinanewsense?,LordFoxfieldfoundaplacetobuildthesociety,whichmadetheProjectpractical.,6.“Youareleavingtoplantaseedinabravenewworld”(Line169)Whatdoestheword“brave”meaninthesentence?”,“Brave”heremeans“wonderful”.,7.Therewasalotmoreofthis,(Line173)Whatdoes“this”referto?,“This”referstoLordFoxfieldsconfusingspeech.,8.Horacewasthelifeofanyparty-andperhapshefoundoneinPanama,(Line200)WhatwasHoracelike?Whatdoes“one”referto?,Hewasthekindofpersonwhoenjoyedsocialoccasionsandwasfunandexcitingtobewith.“One”herereferstoapartyotherthanours.,9.Sheseemsalonelyfigure-there,butnotwithus.(Line213)Explainthissentence.,Shewastherewithus,butlostinherownthoughts.,10.Iwasabouttosail,notontheSusannahDinglybutonanewArgo.AsIlookthoughtfullyintothewatersoftheThames,itisnotLondonsdirtyriverthatIseebuttheshiningwatersoftheAegean-andadistantislandinwhichalostworldwillbebornagain.(Line218)Howdidhefeelatthattime?Howdoyouknow?,Hewasexcitedandfilledwithhope.HequotedtheAncientGreekstoryoftheArgoinquestoftheGoldenFleece,asifhe,himself,wassailingonaholyjourneyforagreatdiscovery.,11.Ah,well,itwillbetriedagain,Isuppose.(Line229)Whatdoes“it”referto?,ItreferstotheideaofbuildinganewandfreesocietylikewhattheyweredoingintheProject.,12.Bothofthehillsare,infact,volcanoes-butneitherappearedtohaveshownlifeforthousandsofyears.(Line240)Whatkindofvolcanoescanyouguesstheymightbe?,Maybetheywereextinctordormantvolcanoes.,13.ButtogetherwiththiswakingcameafeelingofalarmsimilartothatwhichIimaginetofollowalossofmemory.(Line260)Whatgavehimthefeelingofalarm?,HisnewandmorerealisticrealizationabouttheProjectandhiscompanionsalarmedhim.,14.Andnoanimalorplanthasarighttoexist.(Line377)WhatsCamillasargument?,Allthelivingthingshavetochangeandfightfortheirexistence.,15.butIhadthefeelingthattheislandwasthinkingwaiting.(Line401)Whydidhefeeltheislandwasthinkingandwaiting?,Becausehewasworriedthatsomethingterriblemighthappeninthefuture.,16.“Wedbetternottelltheothersforthemoment.”(Line417)WhydidWaltersuggestnottellingtheothersforthemoment?,Becausehedidntwanttocausemorepanicandtrouble.,17.Onthebeachwerehalfadozenbrownpatches.(Line480)Whatwerethebrownpatches?,Theyweregroupsofspiders.,IV.KeytoMultiple-ChoiceQuestions,1.D2.A3.C4.A5.B,V.SuggestedVersionsofTranslatedExercise,IwenttostaywithmysisterinTonbridge,butcontinuedtofeelemptyinbothheartandmind.(Line23),我搬去汤布里奇和姐姐同住，但是内心空虚失落。,2.Wewouldliketostartfromthebeginningagainandencouragepeopletoquestionbeliefstheyhavealwaysheld-principleswhichtiethemtotheworldasitisratherthantotheworldasitcouldbe.Theaimwillbetothrowoffthepastandlooktothefuture.(Line60),我们要再一次从头开始，鼓励人们去质询他们一直以来所坚持的信仰那种将他们束缚于现实世界而不去追求理想世界的原则。我们的目标是抛弃过去，展望未来。,3.NeitherWalternorIwashappyaboutthequalityofperson-andwecametorealizethattheProjectwasattractivetothosewhofounditdifficulttofitintothesocietytheywantedtoleave.(Line131),我和沃尔特都不满意所选中的人的素质而且我们开始意识到，这个计划只对那些很难融入他们想要逃离的这个社会的人有吸引力。,4.Itisasadphotograph.Wemaynotlookmuch,buteachofuswasthenfilledwithhighhopes.Andtheideathathadbroughtustogetherwasmuchgreaterthanourselves.(Line225),这张照片照得很糟糕。我们看起来可能不怎么样，但是，那时每个人心中都充满了美好的希望。那个使我们走到一起的理想远远超越了我们自身。,5.Mysecondthought,though,wasthatitlookedtoogoodtobetrue.(Line329),再仔细想想，我觉得这一切看上去太好了，好得那么不真实。,VI.KeytoText-RelatedQuestions,1.HowdidArnoldgetinvolvedintheProject?Whatroledidheplayinit?,ArnoldwasinvitedtodinnerbyhissistertomeetWalter,oneoftheinitiatorsoftheProject.Hewasexcitedatthethoughtofleavingbehindtheproblemsandworriesofthepresentandhelpingtobuildacleannewworldinacleannewplace.,AfterhemetLordFoxfield,hegotthejobofpreparingadocumentthatlistedthelawsofthenewsocietyandtherightsofitscitizens.Therefore,generallyspeaking,hisroleintheProjectwastohelpmakedecisionsaboutthebestwaysoforganizingthenewsocietyandpreventthedevelopmentoflesssatisfactoryformsoforganization.,2.WhatwasLordFoxfieldsideaoftheProject?Howdidhegettheidea?Whywashesokeenaboutit?,LordFoxfieldsideawastobuildafree,political