新概念英语4-课文

1、NEWCONCEPTENGLISH(IV)(newversion)2Lesson1FindingFossilmanWecanreadofthingsthathappened5,000yearsagointheNearEast,wherepeoplefirstlearnedtowrite.Buttherearesomepartsoftheworldwhereevennowpeoplecannotwrite.Theonlywaythattheycanpreservetheirhistoryistorecountitassagas-legendshandeddownfromonegeneration

2、ofstory-tellerstoanother.Theselegendsareusefulbecausetheycantellussomethingaboutmigrationsofpeoplewholivedlongago,butnonecouldwritedownwhattheydid.AnthropologistswonderedwheretheremoteancestorsofthePolynesianpeoplesnowlivinginthePacificIslandscamefrom.Thesagasofthesepeopleexplainthatsomeofthemcamefr

3、omIndonesiaabout2,000yearsago.Butthefirstpeoplewhowerelikeourselveslivedsolongagothateventheirsagas,iftheyhadany,areforgotten.Soarchaeologistshaveneitherhistorynorlegendstohelpthemtofindoutwherethefirstmodernmencamefrom.Fortunately,however,ancientmenmadetoolsofstone,especiallyflint,becausethisiseasi

4、ertoshapethanotherkinds.Theymayalsohaveusedwoodandskins,butthesehaverottedaway.Stonedoesnotdecay,andsothetoolsoflongagohaveremainedwheneventhebonesofthemenwhomadethemhavedisappearedwithouttrace.3Lesson2SparethatspiderWhy,youmaywonder,shouldspidersbeourfriends?Becausetheydestroysomanyinsects,andinsec

5、tsincludesomeofthegreatestenemiesofthehumanrace.Insectswouldmakeitimpossibleforustoliveintheworld;theywoulddevourallourcropsandkillourflocksandherds,ifitwerenotfortheprotectionwegetfrominsect-eatinganimals.Weowealottothebirdsandbeastswhoeatinsectsbutallofthemputtogetherkillonlyafractionofthenumberde

6、stroyedbyspiders.Moreover,unlikesomeoftheotherinsecteaters,spidersneverdotheleastharmtousorourbelongings.Spidersarenotinsects,asmanypeoplethink,norevennearlyrelatedtothem.Onecantellthedifferencealmostataglanceforaspideralwayshaseightlegsandaninsectnevermorethansix.Howmanyspidersareengagedinthisworko

7、nourbehalf?OneauthorityonspidersmadeacensusofthespidersinagrassfieldinthesouthofEngland,andheestimatedthatthereweremorethan2,250,000inoneacre,thatissomethinglike6,000,000spidersofdifferentkindsonafootballpitch.Spidersarebusyforatleasthalftheyearinkillinginsects.Itisimpossibletomakemorethanthewildest

8、guessathowmanytheykill,buttheyarehungrycreatures,notcontentwithonlythreemealsaday.IthasbeenestimatedthattheweightofalltheinsectsdestroyedbyspidersinBritaininoneyearwouldbegreaterthanthetotalweightofallthehumanbeingsinthecountry.T.H.GILLESPIESparethatSpiderfromTheListeneLesson3MatterhornmanModernalpi

9、niststrytoclimbmountainsbyaroutewhichwillgivethemgoodsport,andthemoredifficultitis,themorehighlyitisregarded.Inthepioneeringdays,however,thiswasnotthecaseatall.Theearlyclimberswerelookingfortheeasiestwaytothetopbecausethesummitwastheprizetheysought,especiallyifithadneverbeenattainedbefore.Itistrueth

10、atduringtheirexplorationstheyoftenfaceddifficultiesanddangersofthemostperilousnature,equippedinamannerwhichwouldmakeamodernclimbershudderatthethought,buttheydidnotgooutoftheirwaytocourtsuchexcitement.Theyhadasingleaim,asolitarygoal-thetop!Itishardforustorealizenowadayshowdifficultitwasforthepioneers

11、.ExceptforoneortwoplacessuchasZermattandChamonix,whichhadrapidlybecomepopular,Alpinevillagestendedtobeimpoverishedsettlementscutofffromcivilizationbythehighmountains.Suchinnsastherewereweregenerallydirtyandflea-ridden;thefoodsimplylocalcheeseaccompaniedbybreadoftentwelvemonthsold,allwasheddownwithco

12、arsewine.Oftenavalleyboastednoinnatall,andclimbersfoundshelterwherevertheycould-sometimeswiththelocalpriest(whowasusuallyaspoorashisparishioners),sometimeswithshepherdsorcheesemakers.Invariablythebackgroundwasthesame:dirtandpoverty,andveryuncomfortable.Formenaccustomedtoeatingseven-coursedinnersands

13、leepingbetweenfinelinensheetsathome,thechangetotheAlpsmusthavebeenveryhardindeed.5Lesson4SeeinghandsIntheSovietUnionseveralcaseshavebeenreportedrecentlyofpeoplewhocanreadanddetectcolourswiththeirfingers,andevenseethroughsoliddoorsandwalls.Onecaseconcernsaneleven-year-oldschoolgirl,VeraPetrova,whohas

14、normalvisionbutwhocanalsoperceivethingswithdifferentpartsofherskin,andthroughsolidwalls.Thisabilitywasfirstnoticedbyherfather.Onedayshecameintohisofficeandhappenedtoputherhandsonthedoorofalockedsafe.Suddenlysheaskedherfatherwhyhekeptsomanyoldnewspaperslockedawaythere,andevendescribedthewaytheyweredo

15、neupinbundles.VerascurioustalentwasbroughttothenoticeofascientificresearchinstituteinthetownofUIyanovsk,nearwhereshelives,andinAprilshewasgivenaseriesoftestsbyaspecialcommissionoftheMinistryofHealthoftheRussianFederalRepublic.Duringthesetestsshewasabletoreadanewspaperthroughanopaquescreenand,strange

16、rstill,bymovingherelbowoverachildsgameofLottoshewasabletodescribethefiguresandcoloursprintedonit;and,inanotherinstance,wearingstockingsandslippers,tomakeoutwithherfoottheoutlinesandcoloursofapicturehiddenunderacarpet.Otherexperimentsshowedthatherkneesandshouldershadasimilarsensitivity.Duringallthese

17、testsVerawasblindfold;and,indeed,exceptwhenblindfoldshelackedtheabilitytoperceivethingswithherskin.ltwasalsofoundthatalthoughshecouldperceivethingswithherfingersthisabilityceasedthemomentherhandswerewet.6Lesson5YouthPeoplearealwaystalkingabouttheproblemofyouth.IfthereisonewhichItakeleavetodoubt-then

18、itisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings-peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubi

19、s.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain-thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhavea

20、nairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.Itsasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.Allthatis

21、inmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichsaboutrespectforelders-asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.7Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeo

22、plesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidntknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatr

23、ed,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestio

24、nofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthesp

25、ectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve-atanyrateforshortperiods-thatrunning,jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.刘晓华liuxiaohua728Lesson7BatsNotallsoundsmadebyanimalsserveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextrao

26、rdinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthe Peoplearealwaystalkingabouttheproblemofyouth.IfthereisonewhichItakeleavetodoubt-thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings-peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyone

27、differencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain-thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem

28、.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseems

29、tometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.Itsasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichsaboutrespectforelders-asifmereagewere

30、areasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.7Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtom

31、eetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidntknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.O

32、nthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfoo

33、tballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve-atanyrateforshortperiods-thatrunning,jump

34、ingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.刘晓华liuxiaohua728Lesson7BatsNotallsoundsmadebyanimalsserveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextraordinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthe Peoplearealwaystalkingabouttheproblemofyouth.IfthereisonewhichItakeleavetodoubt-thenitisolderpeoplew

35、hocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings-peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateena

36、ger,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain-thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,an

37、dtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.Itsasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichsaboutrespectforelders-asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.7Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenI