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.Soarchaeologistshaveneitherhistorynorlegendstohelpthemtofindoutwherethefirst'modernmen'camefrom.Fortunately,however,ancientmenmadetoolsofstone,especiallyflint,because

4、thisiseasiertoshapethanotherkinds.Theymayalsohaveusedwoodandskins,butthesehaverottedaway.Stonedoesnotdecay,andsothetoolsoflongagohaveremainedwheneventhebonesofthemenwhomadethemhavedisappearedwithouttrace.3Lesson2SparethatspiderWhy,youmaywonder,shouldspidersbeourfriends?Becausetheydestroysomanyinsect

5、s,andinsectsincludesomeofthegreatestenemiesofthehumanrace.Insectswouldmakeitimpossibleforustoliveintheworld;theywoulddevourallourcropsandkillourflocksandherds,ifitwerenotfortheprotectionwegetfrominsect-eatinganimals.Weowealottothebirdsandbeastswhoeatinsectsbutallofthemputtogetherkillonlyafractionoft

6、henumberdestroyedbyspiders.Moreover,unlikesomeoftheotherinsecteaters,spidersneverdotheleastharmtousorourbelongings.Spidersarenotinsects,asmanypeoplethink,norevennearlyrelatedtothem.Onecantellthedifferencealmostataglanceforaspideralwayshaseightlegsandaninsectnevermorethansix.Howmanyspidersareengagedi

7、nthisworkonourbehalf?OneauthorityonspidersmadeacensusofthespidersinagrassfieldinthesouthofEngland,andheestimatedthatthereweremorethan2,250,000inoneacre,thatissomethinglike6,000,000spidersofdifferentkindsonafootballpitch.Spidersarebusyforatleasthalftheyearinkillinginsects.Itisimpossibletomakemorethan

8、thewildestguessathowmanytheykill,buttheyarehungrycreatures,notcontentwithonlythreemealsaday.IthasbeenestimatedthattheweightofalltheinsectsdestroyedbyspidersinBritaininoneyearwouldbegreaterthanthetotalweightofallthehumanbeingsinthecountry.T.H.GILLESPIESparethatSpiderfromTheListenerLesson3Matterhornma

9、nModernalpiniststrytoclimbmountainsbyaroutewhichwillgivethemgoodsport,andthemoredifficultitis,themorehighlyitisregarded.Inthepioneeringdays,however,thiswasnotthecaseatall.Theearlyclimberswerelookingfortheeasiestwaytothetopbecausethesummitwastheprizetheysought,especiallyifithadneverbeenattainedbefore

10、.Itistruethatduringtheirexplorationstheyoftenfaceddifficultiesanddangersofthemostperilousnature,equippedinamannerwhichwouldmakeamodernclimbershudderatthethought,buttheydidnotgooutoftheirwaytocourtsuchexcitement.Theyhadasingleaim,asolitarygoal-thetop!Itishardforustorealizenowadayshowdifficultitwasfor

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

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

13、dinnersandsleepingbetweenfinelinensheetsathome,thechangetotheAlpsmusthavebeenveryhardindeed.Lesson4SeeinghandsIntheSovietUnionseveralcaseshavebeenreportedrecentlyofpeoplewhocanreadanddetectcolourswiththeirfingers,andevenseethroughsoliddoorsandwalls.Onecaseconcernsan'eleven-year-oldschoolgirl,Ver

14、aPetrova,whohasnormalvisionbutwhocanalsoperceivethingswithdifferentpartsofherskin,andthroughsolidwalls.Thisabilitywasfirstnoticedbyherfather.Onedayshecameintohisofficeandhappenedtoputherhandsonthedoorofalockedsafe.Suddenlysheaskedherfatherwhyhekeptsomanyoldnewspaperslockedawaythere,andevendescribedt

15、hewaytheyweredoneupinbundles.Vera'scurioustalentwasbroughttothenoticeofascientificresearchinstituteinthetownofUIyanovsk,nearwhereshelives,andinAprilshewasgivenaseriesoftestsbyaspecialcommissionoftheMinistryofHealthoftheRussianFederalRepublic.Duringthesetestsshewasabletoreadanewspaperthroughanopa

16、quescreenand,strangerstill,bymovingherelbowoverachild'sgameofLottoshewasabletodescribethefiguresandcoloursprintedonit;and,inanotherinstance,wearingstockingsandslippers,tomakeoutwithherfoottheoutlinesandcoloursofapicturehiddenunderacarpet.Otherexperimentsshowedthatherkneesandshouldershadasimilars

17、ensitivity.DuringallthesetestsVerawasblindfold;and,indeed,exceptwhenblindfoldshelackedtheabilitytoperceivethingswithherskin.ltwasalsofoundthatalthoughshecouldperceivethingswithherfingersthisabilityceasedthemomentherhandswerewet.6Lesson5YouthPeoplearealwaystalkingabout'theproblemofyouth'.Ifth

18、ereisonewhichItakeleavetodoubt-thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings-peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfutureb

19、ehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain-thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking

20、.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.It'sasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelyc

21、ontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichsaboutrespectforelders-asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.7Lesson6Thes

22、portingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidn'tknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)thatin

23、ternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysim

24、plyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnot

25、thebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve-atanyrateforshortperiods-thatrunning,jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.刘晓华liuxiaohua728Lesson7BatsNotallsoundsmadebyanimalsse

26、rveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextraordinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthevoiceplaysastrictlyutilitarianrole.Togetafullappreciationofwhatthismeanswemustturnfirsttosomerecenthumaninventions.Everyoneknowsthatifheshoutsinthevicinityofawalloramountainside,anechowillcomeback.T

27、hefurtheroffthissolidobstructionthelongertimewillelapseforthereturnoftheecho.Asoundmadebytappingonthehullofashipwillbereflectedfromtheseabottom,andbymeasuringthetimeintervalbetweenthetapsandthereceiptoftheechoesthedepthoftheseaatthatpointcanbecalculated.Sowasborntheecho-soundingapparatus,nowingenera

28、luseinships.Everysolidobjectwillreflectasound,varyingaccordingtothesizeandnatureoftheobject.Ashoaloffishwilldothis.Soitisacomparativelysimplestepfromlocatingtheseabottomtolocatingashoaloffish.Withexperience,andwithimprovedapparatus,itisnowpossiblenotonlytolocateashoalbuttotellifitisherring,cod,oroth

29、erwell-knownfish,bythepatternofitsecho.Afewyearsagoitwasfoundthatcertainbatsemitsqueaksandbyreceivingtheechoestheycouldlocateandsteerclearofobstacles-orlocateflyinginsectsonwhichtheyfeed.Thisecho-locationinbatsisoftencomparedwithradar,theprincipleofwhichissimilar.刘晓华liuxiaohua729*Lesson8Tradingstand

30、ardsChickensslaughteredintheUnitedStates,claimofficialsinBrussels,arenotfittograceEuropeantables.No,saytheAmericans:ourfowlarefine,wesimplycleantheminadifferentway.Thesedays,itisdifferencesinnationalregulations,farmorethantariffs,thatputsandinthewheelsoftradebetweenrichcountries.Itisnotjustfarmerswh

31、oarecomplaining.AnelectricrazorthatmeetstheEuropeanUnion'ssafetystandardsmustbeapprovedbyAmericantestersbeforeitcanbesoldintheUnitedStates,andanAmerican-madedialysismachineneedstheEUsokaybeforeithitsthemarketinEurope.Asithappens,arazorthatissafeinEuropeisunlikelytoelectrocuteAmericans.So,askbusi

32、nessesonbothsidesoftheAtlantic,whyhavetwolotsoftestswhereonewoulddo?Politiciansagree,inprinciple,soAmericaandtheEUhavebeentryingtoreachadealwhichwouldeliminatetheneedtodouble-testmanyproducts.TheyhopetofinishintimeforatradesummitbetweenAmericaandEUonMay28th.Althoughnegotiatorsareoptimistic,thedetail

33、sarecomplexenoughthattheymaybehard-pressedtogetadealatall.Why?Onedifficultyistoconstructtheagreements.TheAmericanswouldhappilyreachoneaccordonstandardsformedicaldevicesandthenhammeroutdifferentpactscovering,say,electronicgoodsanddrugmanufacturing.TheEU-followingfinecontinentaltraditionswantsagreemen

34、tongeneralprinciples,whichcouldbeappliedtomanytypesofproductsandhaveextendedtoothercountries.刘晓华liuxiaohua7210Lesson9RoyalespionageAlfredtheGreatactedashisownspy,visitingDanishcampsdisguisedasaminstrel.Inthosedayswanderingminstrelswerewelcomeeverywhere.Theywerenotfightingmen,andtheirharpwastheirpass

35、port.Alfredhadlearnedmanyoftheirballadsinhisyouth,andcouldvaryhisprogrammewithacrobatictricksandsimpleconjuring.WhileAlfred'slittlearmyslowlybegantogatheratAthelney,thekinghimselfsetouttopenetratethecampofGuthrum,thecommanderoftheDanishinvaders.ThesehadsettleddownforthewinteratChippenham:thither

36、Alfredwent.Henoticedatoncethatdisciplinewasslack:theDaneshadtheselfconfidenceofconquerors,andtheirsecurityprecautionswerecasual.Theylivedwell,ontheproceedsofraidsonneighbouringregions.Theretheycollectedwomenaswellasfoodanddrink,andalifeofeasehadmadethemsoft.Alfredstayedinthecampaweekbeforehereturned

37、toAthelney.TheforcethereassembledwastrivialcomparedwiththeDanishhorde.ButAlfredhaddeducedthattheDaneswerenolongerfitforprolongedbattle:andthattheircommissariathadnoorganization,butdependedonirregularraids.So,facedwiththeDanishadvance,Alfreddidnotriskopenbattlebutharriedtheenemy.Hewasconstantlyonthem

38、ove,drawingtheDanesafterhim.Hispatrolshaltedtheraidingparties:hungerassailedtheDanisharmy.NowAlfredbeganalongseriesofskirmishes-andwithinamonththeDaneshadsurrendered.Theepisodecouldreasonablyserveasauniqueepicofroyalespionage!刘晓华liuxiaohua7211*Lesson10SiliconvalleyTechnologytrendsmaypushSiliconValle

39、ybacktothefuture.CarverMead,apioneerinintegratedcircuitsandaprofessorofcomputerscienceattheCaliforniaInstituteofTechnology,notestherearenowworkstationsthatenableengineerstodesign,testandproducechipsrightontheirdesks,muchthewayaneditorcreatesanewsletteronaMacintosh.Asthetimeandcostofmakingachipdripto

40、afewdaysandafewhundreddollars,engineersmaysoonbefreetolettheirimaginationssoarwithoutbeingpenalizedbyexpensivefailures.Meadpredictsthatinventorswillbeabletoperfectpowerfulcustomizedchipsoveraweekendattheofficespawninganewgenerationofgaragestart-upsandgivingtheU.S.ajumponitsforeignrivalsingettingnewp

41、roductstomarketfast.Wevegotmoregarageswithsmartpeople,'Meadobserves.Wereallythriveonanarchy.'AndonAsians.Already,orientalsandAsianAmericansconstitutethemajorityoftheengineeringstaffsatmanyValleyfirms.AndChinese,Korean,FilipinoandIndianengineersaregraduatingindrovesfromCalifornia'scollege

42、s.Astheheadsofnext-generationstart-ups,theseAsianinnovatorscandrawoncustomsandlanguagestoforgetighterlinkswithcrucialPacificRimmarket.Forinstance,AlexAu,aStanfordPh.D.fromHongKong,hassetupaTaiwanfactorytochallengeJapan'snearlockonthememory-chipmarket.India-bornN.DamodarReddystinyCaliforniacompan

43、yreopenedanAT&TchipplantinKansasCitylastspringwithfinancingfromthestateofMissouri.Beforeitbecomesaretirementvillage,SiliconValleymayproveaclassroomforbuildingaglobalbusiness.刘晓华liuxiaohua7212Lesson11HowtogrowoldSomeoldpeopleareoppressedbythefearofdeath.Intheyoungthereisajustificationforthisfeeli

44、ng.Youngmenwhohavereasontofearthattheywillbekilledinbattlemayjustifiablyfeelbitterinthethoughtthattheyhavebeencheatedofthebestthingsthatlifehastooffer.Butinanoldmanwhohasknownhumanjoysandsorrows,andhasachievedwhateverworkitwasinhimtodo,thefearofdeathissomewhatabjectandignoble.Thebestwaytoovercomeit-

45、soatleastitseemstomeistomakeyourinterestsgraduallywiderandmoreimpersonal,untilbitbybitthewallsoftheegorecede,andyourlifebecomesincreasinglymergedintheuniversallife.Anindividualhumanexistenceshouldbelikeariver-smallatfirst,narrowlycontainedwithinitsbanks,andrushingpassionatelypastbouldersandoverwater

46、falls.Graduallytherivergrowswider,thebanksrecede,thewatersflowmorequietly,andintheend,withoutanyvisiblebreak,theybecomemergedinthesea,andpainlesslylosetheirindividualbeing.Themanwho,inoldage,canseehislifeinthisway,willnotsufferfromthefearofdeath,sincethethingshecaresforwillcontinue.Andit,withthedeca

47、yofvitality,wearinessincreases,thethoughtofrestwillbenotunwelcome.Ishouldwishtodiewhilestillatwork,knowingthatotherswillcarryonwhatIcannolongerdo,andcontentinthethoughtthatwhatwaspossiblehasbeendone.刘晓华liuxiaohua7213Lesson12BanksandtheircustomersWhenanyoneopensacurrentaccountatabank,heislendingtheba

48、nkmoney,repaymentofwhichhemaydemandatanytime,eitherincashorbydrawingachequeinfavourofanotherperson.Primarily,thebanker-customerrelationshipisthatofdebtorandcreditor-whoiswhichdependingonwhetherthecustomer'saccountisincreditorisoverdrawn.But,inadditiontothatbasicallysimpleconcept,thebankanditscus

49、tomerowealargenumberofobligationstooneanother.Manyoftheseobligationscangiverisetoproblemsandcomplicationsbutabankcustomer,unlike,say,abuyerofgoods,cannotcomplainthatthelawisloadedagainsthim.Thebankmustobeyitscustomer'sinstructions,andnotthoseofanyoneelse.When,forexample,acustomerfirstopensanacco

50、unt,heinstructsthebanktodebithisaccountonlyinrespectofchequesdrawnbyhimself.Hegivesthebankspecimensofhissignature,andthereisaveryfirmrulethatthebankhasnorightorauthoritytopayoutacustomer'smoneyonachequeonwhichitscustomer'ssignaturehasbeenforged.Itmakesnodifferencethattheforgerymayhavebeenave

51、ryskilfulone:thebankmustrecognizeitscustomer'ssignature.Forthisreasonthereisnorisktothecustomerinthemodernpractice,adoptedbysomebanks,ofprintingthecustomer'snameonhischeques.Ifthisfacilitatesforgeryitisthebankwhichwilllose,notthecustomer.刘晓华liuxiaohua7214Lesson13ThesearchforoilThedeepesthole

52、sofallaremadeforoil,andtheygodowntoasmuchas25,000feet.Butwedonotneedtosendmendowntogettheoilout,aswemustwithothermineraldeposits.Theholesareonlyborings,lessthanafootindiameter.Myparticularexperienceislargelyinoil,andthesearchforoilhasdonemoretoimprovedeepdrillingthananyotherminingactivity.Whenithasb

53、eendecidedwherewearegoingtodrill,weputupatthesurfaceanoilderrick.Ithastobetallbecauseitislikeagiantblockandtackle,andwehavetolowerintothegroundandhauloutofthe.groundgreatlengthsofdrillpipewhicharerotatedbyanengineatthetopandarefittedwithacuttingbitatthebottom.Thegeologistneedstoknowwhatrocksthedrill

54、hasreached,soeverysooftenasampleisobtainedwithacoringbit.Itcutsacleancylinderofrock,fromwhichcanbeseenhestratathedrillhasbeencuttingthrough.Oncewegetdowntotheoil,itusuallyflowstothesurfacebecausegreatpressure,eitherfromgasorwater,ispushingit.Thispressuremustbeundercontrol,andwecontrolitbymeansofthem

55、udwhichwecirculatedownthedrillpipe.Weendeavourtoavoidtheold,romanticideaofagusher,whichwastesoilandgas.Wewantittostaydowntheholeuntilwecanleaditoffinacontrolledmanner.刘晓华liuxiaohua7215*Lesson14TheButterflyEffectBeyondtwoorthreedays,theworld'sbestweatherforecastsarespeculative,andbeyondsixorseven

56、theyareworthless.TheButterflyEffectisthereason.Forsmallpiecesofweatherandtoaglobalforecaster,smallcanmeanthunderstormsandblizzards-anypredictiondeterioratesrapidly.Errorsanduncertaintiesmultiply,cascadingupwardthroughachainofturbulentfeatures,fromdustdevilsandsquallsuptocontinent-sizeeddiesthatonlys

57、atellitescansee.Themodernweathermodelsworkwithagridofpointsoftheorderofsixtymilesapart,andevenso,somestartingdatahastobeguessed,sincegroundstationsandsatellitescannotseeeverywhere.Butsupposetheearthcouldbecoveredwithsensorsspacedonefootapart,risingatone-footintervalsallthewaytototopoftheatmosphere.S

58、upposeeverysensorgivesperfectlyaccuratereadingsoftemperature,pressure,humidity,andanyotherquantityameteorologistwouldwant.Preciselyatnoonaninfinitelypowerfulcomputertakesallthedataandcalculateswhatwillhappenateachpointat12.01,then12.02,then12.03.ThecomputerwillstillbeunabletopredictwhetherPrinceton,

59、NewJersey,willhavesunorrainonadayonemonthaway.Atnoonthespacesbetweenthesensorswillhidefluctuationsthatthecomputerwillnotknowabout,tinydeviationsfromtheaverage.By1.201,thosefluctuationswillalreadyhavecreatedsmallerrorsonefootaway.Soontheerrorswillhavemultipliedtotheten-footscale,andsoonuptothesizeoftheglobe.刘晓华liuxiaohua7216Lesson15SecrecyinindustryTwofactorsweighheavilyagainsttheeffectiv