Lesson6ApologytotheFuture.ppt

yushuquake,latestthedeathtollhasclimbedto1,706fromadevastatingearthquakeinnorthwestchinasqinghaiprovince,with256peoplestillmissing,therescueheadquarterssaidsunday.asof10a.m.sunday,the7.1-magnitudequake,whichstruckthetibetanautonomousprefectureofyushuat7:49a.m.wednesday,hasalsoleft12,128injured,ofwhich1,424areinseverecondition,therescueheadquarterssaid.,byscottthomaseastham,apologytothefuture,1.topicofthetext2.thetop5extinctanimals3.theglobalproblems4.structuralanalysisofthetext5.detailedstudyofthetext6.keytotheexercisesonthetextbook,theprotectionoftheenvironmentagainstdamagefromhumanactivities.itemphasizestheimprovementofhumanrelationsnotjustwithournaturalsurroundings,butalsowithoneanother,inordertopreventourlivingenvironmentfromfurtherworsening.,thetopicofthisarticle,top5extinctspecies,no.1-thedodooh,dodo.poordodo.theflightlessbird,nativetotheislandofmauritius,intheindianocean,wasknowntomankindforlessthan100years.butthatsallittookforustoeradicatethespecies.,no.2-thedinosaurs,allofthem,no.3-largerodentstherodentthatlivedinsouthamericabetween2and4millionyearsagowascloserinrelationtoaguineapigthanarat;however,fossilizedremainsdiscoveredin1987indicatethatjosephoartigasiamonesiwas10feetlongandlikelyweighedover1,000pounds.,no.4-thesaber-toothedtigerhesthecatyouseeinpicturebooksaboutprehistorictimes,theonethatgottrapped(andpreserved)inthelabreatarpitswhilehuntingmammoths.hesbeengonefromtheearthforover10,000yearsnow,butthosehugecanineteeth,nowbelievedtobeusedprimarilyforrippingopenprey,stillinspireawe.,no.5-baijiwhitedolphinnativetotheyangtzeriverinchina,thefreshwaterdolphinwasnearlyblindandquiteintelligent.a2006expeditionsearchedtheyangtzeforsixweeks,butdidntfindanybaiji,markinganendtoaspeciesthathadbeenapartoftheriversinceancienttimes.areportedsightingin2007raisedhopes,butmostscientistsarguethatifafewofthebaijidostillexist,theirnumbersaremostlikelysosmallastomakethemfunctionallyextinct,meaningtheyrebeyondacomeback.,theglobalproblems,foamcontainersthreatentheenvironment,thevictimofthewar,thesurvivorofthehiroshimanuclearexplosion,palestinianscleanupabombedarea,salvagingtheremainsofthecollapsedworldtradecenter,iii.conclusionconcludesthearticlewithgoodwishes.(para16-17),structuralanalysisofthetext,i.theintroductoryfirstparagraphforetellsthereaderofthecomingoftwosubtopics.(paragraph1),mydearunborngrandchild:,instancesofourwrongdoingtotheenvironmentthechemicalwasteswehavebeendumpingheedlesslyforyears.thewrongwaytodisposeoforisolatethemountainsofnuclearwaste.oursocietaladdictiontofossilfuels.speciesaregoingextinctattheincrediblerate.,solution:tocollaboratewiththeearth,tobecomeresponsiblepartnerswithalltherhythmsanddynamismsofthelivingcosmos.,a.insteadofofferingrealhelptothestarvingmillions,thesuper-powerssellthemweapons-meanwhilespendingaboutabilliondollarsadayontheirownsuicidalarmsrace.b.thethreatofnuclearwars-thebigfinale.c.thewrongdoingofthegovernment.,solutions:wewouldhavetofindalternativestohead-onconflict.creative,constructive,dialogicalways,instancesofourwrongdoingtoeachother,assignment,1.warsorglobalproblemsthatinterestyou.nextweshare2.thinkaboutthestyleofthetext.3.youarerequiredtoreadthetextatleasttwice.,apologytothefuturebyscottthomaseastham,mydearunborngrandchild:bythetimeyoureadthis,ishallbedead-andprobablynotfromoldage.youhavegrowntomaturitynow,andbyrightsexpectverylittlefromyourforebears.thisisasitshouldbe.nevertheless,ifeelioweyouatleasttwothings-anapologyandanexplanation.,theapologytakesprecedence.icanguessthatyouarelivingonadevastatedearth,theruinofagardenplanet,anearthrenderedwell-nighuninhabitablebyforcessetinmotionbymygenerationandthosethatprecededus.iapologizeforallofuswhomayberesponsible.iamespeciallysorrybecausealltheportentsforetellingthekindofworldyouwillinhabitarealreadypresenttoday.iwishicouldsaywedontknowanybetter,butwedo.,weknowthatthechemicalwasteswehavebeendumpingheedlesslyfordecadeshaveprobablycausedirreversibledamagetothehumangenepool.thereisundoubtedlymorecongenitalsufferinginyourtime,moreweaknessoflimbandofbrain,morepeoplebornthenthannowwhomightprefertobedead.weknowfurtherthatthereisnosafewaytodisposeoforisolatethemountainsofnuclearwasteweareaccumulating;byyourday,thedamagewillbedone.weknowalsothatoursocietaladdictiontofossilfuelsisreleasingfartoomuchcarbondioxideintotheatmosphere.,wehaveevenpredictedthecatastrophicresultsofthisgreenhouseeffectaninevitablewarmingandshiftintheearthsclimaticregions,meltingofthepolaricecaps,andthusfloods,massmigrations,famines,etc.neverthelesswescoffatalternativestofossilfuelsandnuclearenergy.theyarecostlyandunrealistic,wesay,andsowegougeevermoredeeplyintothefleshoftheearthtofindandburnupmoreofthesame.,inasinglecentury,wehaveturnedtheearthintoasickoldlady.speciesaregoingextinctattheincrediblerateofoneeveryotherday.someofthatisnaturalselection,ofcourse,butthelionsshareofthedamageismansdoing.thefoodchainisgoingtocollapseoutfromunderusoneday,butthatsaproblemforthefuturetosolve,orsowesay.ohyes,wecanseeallaroundusthegrimbeginningsofyourworld.,itsnotjustwhatweredoingtotheenvironmentthatspeaksoftheworldwearecreatingforyou,butjustasevidentlywhathumanbeingsaredoingtooneanother.atthelatestestimate,some50,000peopledieofstarvationeveryday-thatsonedeatheveryothersecond.insteadofofferingrealhelptothesestarvingmillions,thesuperpowerssellthemweapons-meanwhilespendingaboutabilliondollarsadayontheirownsuicidalarmsrace.,mostpeopleareafraidofworldwariii,butdontrealizethatthethirdworldwarisalreadywellunderway;morepeoplehavediedintheapproximately160warssinceworldwariithanperishedinthatgreatconflagration.evenasiwriteyou,thereareabout40shootingwarsbeingfoughtinandbetweensocalledthirdworldnations,mostofthemlikequicksandpits-themoreyoustrugglethedeeperyousink.,thehumandeathtollisalreadyenormoustoday,evenifweneverusethemassivethermonucleararsenalswevebeenbuildingupforthebigfinale-whichcouldcomeatanymoment.everycityintheu.s.andtheu.s.s.rwithapopulationof25,000ormoreispresentlytargetedwithatleastonenuclearbombandthecomputercontrolsarenotonlyonhairtriggers,butinadditiontheyarenotoriouslyunreliable.everytimelightningstrikestheamunicipalpowergridincoloradosprings,thenorthamericanairdefensecommandcomputersthereregistersovietmissilestrikeandpreparetostrikeback.perhapsthisisalloldnewstoyou.,foryouandyourcontemporaries,itmaywellbetoolate.perhapsyouarealreadylivingintheradioactiverubbleofournightmares;perhapsyouknowfirsthandaboutgeneticmutations,radiationdamage,infantleukemia,shortenedlifeexpectancy,andalltheotherhorrorswevebeensavingupforyou.,ifearthereisaninevitabilityhere,too.humankindhasneveryetdevelopedaweaponitdidnoteventuallygetaroundtousingonitself.whenalfrednobelinventeddynamitein1866,hesupposedthat,withsuchaterribleweaponintheworldsarsenals,nobodycouldevercountenancewagingwaragain.inthenuclearage,thatkindofinnocenceislostforever.evenifyouhavebysomeincrediblestrokeofprovidencebeensparedanatomicarmageddon,youwillseeourhandiworkinalltheothergruesomelegacieswehaveleftyouandwithwhichyoumusttrytolive-orshouldisaysurvive?,governmentissupposedtobethewaywehumanbeingshandleourcollectiveaffairs,butwejustcantseemtogetthehangofit.youdbeappalledatwhatpassedforgovernmentinthis,ourenlightenedmodernage.intheu.s.,forinstance,youdthinkwedontreallybelieveanybodyknowshowtorunanythingproperly.wevegottenverycynical,andexpectfraud,malfeasance,andliarsinpublicplaces.dontmistakemymeaning;itsnotonepoliticalpartyortheotherthatsatfault-itsthesystem,thebureaucraticmegamachine.ourentiresocietyhasbeenpoliticized,polarized,andfactionalizedtotheextentthateverybodyis,inthefinalanalysis,atoddswitheverybodyelse,insuchaperversestateofaffairs,affairsofstatetendtoundergosomeratherbizarrereversals.wehaveadefensedepartmentthatpreparesforandcovertlywagesaggressivewar.wehaveaninteriordepartmentthatsellsoffpubliclandsforprivateprofit,anduseswastefulslash-and-burnclearcutlumberingtechniquesonthelandsitdoesretain.wehaveanenvironmentalprotectionagencywhichstymiesenforcementofthemeagerenvironmentallegislationwedohaveonthebooks,wehaveastatedepartmentwhoseunstatesmanlikebusinessistomeddleintheinternalaffairsofotherstates,andacommercedepartmentwhichdoeseverythinginitsconsiderablepowertoputupbarrierstofreetradebetweenfreenations.wehaveanenergydepartmentwhosemajorutilityistoserveasafrontfornuclearweaponprocurement.wehaveaneducationdepartmentwhosemainfunctionappearstobetodismantlepubliceducationfromthetopdown.thelistgoesonandon.,forallofthis,ourgenerationowesyoursanapology-butnotwithoutexplanation.theexplanation,however,isgoingtobeharderforyoutocomprehend.icantellyouwhatitis,byandlarge,butyouwillprobablybeunabletoacceptit.imalivenow,witnessingthegenesisofyourterribleworld,andicanscarcelybelieveitmyself.itsalltheoldhumanfollies,writlarge.itsgreedandstupidityandself-interestandallthebanalandroutineevilsthatgounnoticedaswesingle-mindedlyconductourbusiness-as-usual.,thereligionsofhumankindhavebeenwarningusfortwoorthreethousandyearsthatwedbettershapeup,orelse,butwegenerallydonttakefreeadvice.itisnohideoushornedmonsterthathasariseninthelatterhalfofthe20thcentury.itsjustthesameoldvicesofthesquabbling,petty,self-centered,bad-tempered,cantankeroushumanspecies,buttheeffectshavebeenhugelymagnifiedbyournewtechnologies,magnifiedandprojecteddirectlytoyou.itisnotabirthrightweveleftyou,itsabirthwrong.(生不逢时）youhavebeengrievouslywrongedlongbeforethedayofyourbirth,andiamashamedtoadmitthatyouaregoingtohavetojudgeourgenerationbyitsworstandmostdestructiveelements.,youwontseetheothersideofit,ofcourse,butthereisanothersideitmustseemincomprehensibletoyouthatweofthe1980scouldforeseeallthesethings,yetcollectivelyandindividuallysquanderourlastbestmomenttoturntheworldaroundandleaveahabitableplanetforourprogeny.soletmetellyoualittleofwhatwemighthavedone,hadwegivenourselves-andyou-halfchance.,afterhiroshima,weknewverywellthat,ifhumankindwastosurvive,wewouldhavetofindalternativestohead-onconflict-creative,constructive,dialogicalwaystodealwiththeirreduciblediversityofthehumanfamily.peaceisnotjustanaccident,alullbetweenwars;peaceisahard-wonachievement,acreativeact,asocietalworkofart.itisalsoanimperative.,nuclearweaponsleaveusnochoice-eitherwehumanbeingslearntolivewithpeoplewhodisagreewithus,orelseweallgotohellinahandbasket.forhumanlifeinitsentiretytoendure,wearegoingtohavetoshedgetridofsomeofourdeeplyrootedculturalbiasesandpretensions.weareinthemidstofdiscovering,forexample,thatwesterntechnocracyisnottheonlywaytoliveahumanlife,andthatitisplainwrongheadedtotrytosolveglobalhumandilemmasfromwithinthestructuresandstricturesofasinglecivilizationalmodel-one,beitnoted,whichseemsincreasinglypronetoflirtwithitsowntotaldestruction.,wearealsowellawarethatwevetakentheearthforgrantedfartoolong.thingshavechangedrapidlyfortheworseonourcrowdedplanet;wevewornoutourwelcomeintheoldhomestead.thesearethesignsofourtimes.iftheairistobefittobreathe,ifthegrassandthetreesaretocontinuetogrow,ifhumanlifeistoflourishalongwithitscompanionspecies,thenwearegoingtohavetolearn-andlearndamnedquickly-tocollaboratewiththeearth,tobecomeresponsiblepartnerswithalltherhythmsanddynamismsofthelivingcosmos.thismeansthatwearegoingtohavetorelylessonmechanismsofforce-andmoreonthevitalconnectionswesharewiththeentirecreationandwithoneanother,alongthesamelines,weknowalsothathumancivilization,howeverhighitstechnicaloraestheticattainments,ispeculiarlyvulnerabletoitsowngarbage.athens,medievaleurope,andelizabethanenglandallsuccumbedtoplaguespawnedinstreetsthatranwithrawsewage,andournewtechniquesofbiochemicalinterferencearelikelytobefarmoredevastatingthantheoccasionalrat-infestedship.werightlyfearthatweshallbepoisoned,buried,andmemorializedbyourowngarbage.,ithinkwedoknow,aboveallanddespiteall,thatlifeisagift,amiracle,really,thatitisfittingtocelebrateandpassonenhancedtoourdescendants.slowaswearetoacknowledgeit,weknowthatthisgiftisinourhandsnow-forbetterorforworse.,sowhatcanitellyou?thatinmygeneration,homomaniacus,thecrazyfellow,isbusywritingtheepitaphforhomosapiens,thesupposedlywisefellowwith6,000yearsofaccumulatedhumanexperiencetodrawfrom?thatallthebeautyandwisdomanddignitythathumanlifehaspainfullybutsteadilyacquiredovermillenniawillbesquanderedbyasingle,mindlessgenerationinawildfrenzyofdestruction?idontknow.,icertainlyhopenot,butitoftenseemslikeahopeagainsthope.ihopeourgenerationcanseethealternativesandmaketheresponsiblechoices-livingryinsteadofweaponry,creationinsteadofdestruction,lifeinsteadofdeath.iwishiknewtheoutcome,butonlyyoucanknowthatforsure.onlyyou,myunknownandnamelessgrandchild,canproperlyjudgeyourparentsandgrandparentsandtheworldtheyvehandedovertoyou,thelifetheyvepassedontoyou.asforme,ionlywishiknewwhetherweareevengoingtoallowyoutoexist.hollowly,yourgrandfather,passageone1.notfromoldage:notdienaturally,butispoisonedtodeathbythepollutedenvironmentorkilledinasenselesswar2.byrights:rightly;withgoodreason.heretheauthormeansthatitiscorrectyoudonotclaimanythingfromyourforebears,butifeelweoweyoutwothingsatleast.3.forebear:forefather(literarywordwhileancestorsacommonword)4.thisisasitshouldbe:thisisaswenormallyhope.(setexpression),passagetwo5.takeprecedence:shouldbedealtwithfirst6.devastated:completelydestroyed;greatlydamaged7.gardenplanet:aplanetwhichiscoveredwithtreesandflowersincontrasttodesolateanduninhabitableplanets8.renderedwell-nighuninhabitable:madealmostunsuitableforpeopletoliveon9.forcessetinmotion:destructiveforceswhichareactivatedorsettowork10.portents:warningsigns11.iwishicouldsaywedontknowanybetter,butwedo:iwishitwereallbecausewehavelessthanenoughknowledgetomakeusrealizewearedoingwrong,passagethree12.dumpingheedlessly:discardingwithoutpropercare13.irreversibledamage:damagethatcaninnowayberepaired14.thehumangenepool:allthegenesavailabletothehumanspeciesconsideredasawhole15.congenitalsuffering:alsobirthdefects;diseasethatstartatthetimeofbirthbutnotnecessarilyhereditary16.disposeof:getridof;throwsth.away17.isolate:keepwastesstrictlyfromleakingintothenaturalenvironment,18.addictiontofossilfuels:indulgenceinusingfossilfuels/mineralfuelssuchascoal,petroleumandnaturalgas19.inevitablewarming:theglobalwarmingcausedbythegreenhouseeffect20.shiftintheearthsclimaticregions:theearthisdividedintoclimaticzonesbasedonaveragepearlytemperatureandprecipitation21.massmigration:themovementoflargegroupsofanimals22.scoffat:speakinascornfulmockingwayasitisridiculousorinadequate,passagefour,23.asickoldlady(para.4)motherearthgonesickfromallthedamage,pollution,anddevastationdonebymaninthewest,theearthisthoughttobeawoman.bycontrast,aweakeningcountryineuropeissometimescalledthesickmanofeurope,aphrasefirstcoinedin1844bytherussianczarnicholasitorefertoturkey,whichhadlongbeenindecline.onfeb.21,1853,hesaidthisagaininaconversationwithsirg.seymour:irepeattoyouthatthesickmanisdying;andwemustneverallowsuchaneventtotakeusbysurprise.,24.oneeveryotherday(para.4)everytwodaysthereisonespecieswhichdisappearsfromthefaceofearth(becauseofadverselivingconditions).25.thelionsshare.mansdoing(para.4)itismanwhocausesthegreatestpartofdamagetotheenvironment.thelionsshare:thegreatestpart;nearlyall,e.g.heneverofferstobuyanywine,butwhenabottleisopened,healwaystakesthelionsshare.thephrasecomesfromoneofaesopsfables.thestorygoesthatseveralanimalswerehuntingforfood.thelionclaimed3quartersofthefoodforhimself,forhissuperiorcourage,andforhiswifeandyoungrespectively.theotheranimals,beingafraidofhisanger,alsogaveupthefourthquartertohim.,26.thefoodchain.usoneday(para.4)afoodchainisaserialprocessbywhichweakcreaturesaretypicallyeatenbystrongeronesinascendingorder.forexample,inthegrasslandfoxesfeedonrabbits,whichinturnfeedongrass.inoceans,tinyfisheatalgae.inturn,thesetinyfishareeatenbylargerfish,andthosebystilllargerfish.inthisway,foodispassedthroughfoodchainsaseachmembereatstheonebelowitandiseatenbytheoneaboveit.thetruepictureofthenaturalworldisfarmorecomplexthanthis,though.asmanycreaturesusemorethanonespeciesasfood,severalfoodchainsmayoverlapatmanypointstoformafoodweborfoodcycle.forexample,mice,rabbits,anddeeralleatplants,butowlseatmiceandrabbits,andmountainlionseatrabbitsanddeer.thesefivespecies,therefore,becomepartsofafoodweb.,suchfoodrelationshipscanbevisuallyrepresentedashierarchicalpyramid-shapeddiagrams,withthebottomlinkalwaysbeingagreenplant(becauseonlythegreenplantcanmakefoodfromsunlightthroughphotosynthesis),andwiththehumanbeingsupposedlybeingatthetop.suchanecologicalsystemissofinelybalancedthatremoval(distinction)ofanyonespecies,suchascausedbydroughtorpollution,canbedisastrous.thiswillleadthefoodchaintocollapseout(thespeciesisvisually,asitwere,forcedoutofthetreediagram),anditwillcollapseoutfromunderus,becausewehumansareatthetop.29.orsowesay(para.4)ifinfactthatisnotaproblemforthefuturetosolve,atleastwethink(=say)itis.or(so)isusedtomakeaconcessiontothepreviousstatementyouhavemade.itmeanswhatyouhavejustsaidmaynotbeatruefact,butatleastsomeonesaysorthinksso,e.g.jamesisleavingtonight,orsohesaid.(=hemightnotleavetonight,butatleasthesaidhewould.)maryscomingoverthissummerorsoiveheard.apparentlyhisfirstwordstoherwerewillyoumarryme?orsothestorygoes(=oratleastthatiswhatpeoplesayhappened).itsgoingtosnowtomorrow,orthatswhattheforecastsays.,27.grim:unpleasant,depressing,difficulttoacceptpassagefive28.itsnotjust.tooneanother,(para.5)ourbehaviortowardstheenvironmentindicates(speaksof)clearly(evidently)whatkindofworldyouaregoingtohave.butinaddition,ourbehaviortowardsoneanotheralsoindicatesthat,andjustasclearly(asourbehaviortowardstheenvironment)(1)speakof:indicate;suggest;giveevidenceof,e.g.hisbatteredshoesspokeof(=showedhehadhad)alongjourney.thebloodstainsonthefloorspokeof(=wereevidenceof)thefiercefightingthenightbefore.everythingatthepartyspokeof(=wasindicativeof)carefulplanning.inthefardistanceasoftnessofgraygreenspokeof(=suggested)waterinthedesert.,(2)whenthecomparativeclauseintheas.as.structureisomittedforbeingunderstoodfromthecontext,thewordjustisoftenadded.thefollowingexampleisthemoraloftheindian