新概念英語4-課文

ModernalpinisModernalpinistsrytoclimbmountainsbyaroutewhichwillgivethemgoodsport,andthemoreNEWCONCEPTENGLISH(IV)(newversion)2Lesson1FindingFossimlanWecanreadofthingsthathappened5,000yearsagointheNearEast,wherepeoplefirsltearnedtowrite.Buttherearesomepartsoftheworldwhereevennowpeoplecannotwrite.Theonlywaythattheycanpreservetheirhistoryistorecountitassagas--legendshandeddownfromonegenerationofstory-tellerstaonother.Theselegendsareusefulbecausetheycantellussomethingaboutmigrationosfpeoplewholivedlongago,butnonecouldwritedownwhattheydid.AnthropologistwsonderedwheretheremoteancestorsofthePolynesianpeoplensowlivinignthePacifiIcslandscamefrom.ThesagasofthesepeopleexplaitnhatsomeofthemcamefromIndonesiaabout2,000yearsago.Butthefirspteoplewhowerelikeourselveslivedsolongagothateventheirsagasi,ftheyhadany,areforgottenS.oarchaeologishtasveneitherhistorynorlegendstohelpthemtofindoutwherethefirs'tmodernmen'camefrom.Fortunatelhyo,wever,ancientmenmadetoolsofstone,especiallfylintb,ecausethisiseasiertoshapethanotherkinds.Theymayalsohaveusedwoodandskinsb,utthesehaverottedaway.Stonedoesnotdecay,andsothetoolsoflongagohaveremainedwheneventhebonesofthemenwhomadethemhavedisappearedwithouttrace.3Lesson2SparethatspiderWhy,youmaywonder,shouldspidersbeourfriends?Becausetheydestroysomanyinsectsa,ndinsectsincludesomeofthegreatestenemiesofthehumanrace.Insectswouldmakeitimpossibleforustoliveintheworld;theywoulddevourallourcropsandkilolurflocksandherds,ifitwerenotfortheprotectionwegetfrominsec-teatinganimals.Weowealottothebirdsandbeastswhoeatinsectsbutallofthemputtogetherkilolnlyafractioonfthenumberdestroyedbyspiders.Moreover,unlikesomeoftheotherinsecteaterss,pidersneverdotheleastharmtousorourbelongings.Spiderasrenotinsectsa,smanypeoplethink,norevennearlyrelatedtothem.Onecantellthedifferencaelmostataglanceforaspideralwayshaseightlegsandaninsectnevermorethansix.Howmanyspidersareengagedinthisworkonourbehalf?OneauthoritoynspidersmadeacensusofthespidersinagrassfieldinthesouthofEngland,andheestimatedthatthereweremorethan2,250,000inoneacre,thatissomethinglike6,000,000spidersofdifferenktindsonafootballpitchS.pidersarebusyforatleasthalftheyearinkillinignsectsI.tisimpossibletomakemorethanthewildestguessathowmanytheykillb,uttheyarehungrycreaturesn,otcontentwithonlythreemealsaday.IthasbeenestimatedthattheweightofalltheinsectsdestroyedbyspidersinBritaiinnoneyearwouldbegreaterthanthetotalweightofallthehumanbeingsinthecountry.TH.GILLESPIESparethatSpiderfromTheListeneLesson3Matterhornmandifficultitis,themorehighlyitisregarded.Inthepioneeringdays,however,thiswasnotthecaseatall.Theearlyclimberswerelookingfortheeasiestwaytothetopbecausethesummitwastheprizetheysought,especiallyifithadneverbeenattainedbefore.Itistruethatduringtheirexplorationstheyoftenfaceddifficultiesanddangersofthemostperilousnature,equippedinamannerwhichwouldmakeamodernclimbershudderatthethought,buttheydidnotgooutoftheirwaytocourtsuchexcitement.Theyhadasingleaim,asolitarygoal--thetop!Itishardforustorealizenowadayshowdifficultitwasforthepioneers.ExceptforoneortwoplacessuchasZermattandChamonix,whichhadrapidlybecomepopular,Alpinevillagestendedtobeimpoverishedsettlementscutofffromcivilizationbythehighmountains.Suchinnsastherewereweregenerallydirtyandflea-ridden;thefoodsimplylocalcheeseaccompaniedbybreadoftentwelvemonthsold,allwasheddownwithcoarsewine.Oftenavalleyboastednoinnatall,andclimbersfoundshelterwherevertheycould--sometimeswiththelocalpriest(whowasusuallyaspoorashisparishioners),sometimeswithshepherdsorcheesemakers.Invariablythebackgroundwasthesame:dirtandpoverty,andveryuncomfortable.Formenaccustomedtoeatingseven-coursedinnersandsleepingbetweenfinelinensheetsathome,thechangetotheAlpsmusthavebeenveryhardindeed.5Lesson4SeeinghandsIntheSovietUnionseveralcaseshavebeenreportedrecentlyofpeoplewhocanreadanddetectcolourswiththeirfingers,andevenseethroughsoliddoorsandwalls.Onecaseconcernsan'eleven-year-oldschoolgirl,VeraPetrova,whohasnormalvisionbutwhocanalsoperceivethingswithdifferentpartsofherskin,andthroughsolidwalls.Thisabilitywasfirstnoticedbyherfather.Onedayshecameintohisofficeandhappenedtoputherhandsonthedoorofalockedsafe.Suddenlysheaskedherfatherwhyhekeptsomanyoldnewspaperslockedawaythere,andevendescribedthewaytheyweredoneupinbundles.Vera'scurioustalentwasbroughttothenoticeofascientificresearchinstituteinthetownofUIyanovsk,nearwhereshelives,andinAprilshewasgivenaseriesoftestsbyaspecialcommissionoftheMinistryofHealthoftheRussianFederalRepublic.Duringthesetestsshewasabletoreadanewspaperthroughanopaquescreenand,strangerstill,bymovingherelbowoverachild'sgameofLottoshewasabletodescribethefiguresandcoloursprintedonit;and,inanotherinstance,wearingstockingsandslippers,tomakeoutwithherfoottheoutlinesandcoloursofapicturehiddenunderacarpet.Otherexperimentsshowedthatherkneesandshouldershadasimilarsensitivity.DuringallthesetestsVerawasblindfold;and,indeed,exceptwhenblindfoldshelackedtheabilitytoperceivethingswithherskin.ltwasalsofoundthatalthoughshecouldperceivethingswithherfingersthisabilityceasedthemomentherhandswerewet.6Lesson5YouthPeoplearealwaystalkingabout'theproblemofyouth'.Ifthereisone—whichItakeleavetodoubt--thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings--peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain--thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.It'sasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichesaboutrespectforelders--asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidn'tknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve--atanyrateforshortperiods--thatrunning,jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.劉曉華8Lesson7BatsNotallsoundsmadebyanimalsserveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextraordinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthePeoplearealwaystalkingabout'theproblemofyouth'.Ifthereisone—whichItakeleavetodoubt--thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings--peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain--thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.It'sasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichesaboutrespectforelders--asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.7Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatifonlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhavenoinclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidn'tknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936OlympicGames,forinstance)thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfromgeneralprinciples.Nearlyallthesportspractisednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaningunlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocalpatriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionofprestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themostsavagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviouroftheplayersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations.whoworkthemselvesintofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve--atanyrateforshortperiods--thatrunning,jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.劉曉華8Lesson7BatsNotallsoundsmadebyanimalsserveaslanguage,andwehaveonlytoturntothatextraordinarydiscoveryofecho-locationinbatstoseeacaseinwhichthePeoplearealwaystalkingabout'theproblemofyouth'.Ifthereisone—whichItakeleavetodoubt--thenitisolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings--peoplejustliketheirelders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasagloriousfuturebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain--thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,andIwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedinseeking.Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomeanambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterialthings.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.It'sasiftheywereinsomesensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,illmannered,presumptuousoffatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichesaboutrespectforelders--asifmereagewereareasonforrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.Lesson6ThesportingspiritIamalwaysa