课文文本

Lesson 27 The Personality of Man 人的性格

Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world ? Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound-interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge ? As is so often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being used indifferently for both. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men's bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them ? We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.

生词短语

loom vi. 阴森的逼近（带贬义）
Eg: The shadow of the impending war looms ahead/large/big.
(即将来临的战争的阴影正在迫近。)
Eg: It was approaching the Spring Festival(vocation), the examinations were loomed up.
(春节快到了，考试也正在迫近。)
Eg: A high mountain looms ahead.
(一座大山横在面前。)
manifest adj. 明显的
S: visible adj. 明显的，显著的
patent n. 专利； adj. 显著的，明显的
另有：obvious/clear/parent…
mankind n. 人类
morality n. 道德
moral adj. 道德；moral code 道德准则；moral standard 道德标准
to enhance people’s consciousness of morality 提高人们的道德意识
communicate vt. 交流，交际
communication n. 交流
enhance communication between(among) people 加强交流
enhance communication among nations 增进国际交流
Eg: Language is a tool for communication.
(语言是交流的工具。)
communicative adj.
communicative means 交流方式
Eg: Language is a communicative tool.
(语言是交流的工具。)
enhance vt. 增进
enhance friendship 增进友谊
enhance cohesion 增强凝聚力
enhance consciousness/awareness 增强意识
S: boost v. 推进，促进
rein in force 促进
另有：heighten…
tempo n. 速率 trickle n. 涓涓细流 torrent n. 滔滔洪流 evil n. 恶行
evil thought 邪念
evil sigh 邪恶的迹象,凶兆（dog bark at midnight）
Eg: Your cough is an evil sign, probably I will lie in bed.
S: vice n. v. 恶
vice president 副总统；坏总统
wicked adj. 邪恶的； wickedness n. 邪恶
indifferently ad. 不在乎地------------------此处flash中直接跳过
grimly ad. 可怖地 whimsical a. 怪诞的
shatter v. 毁坏 close at hand 附近
twofold a. 双重的 fold 翻倍的； fivefold 五倍； time 倍数

课文注释

主题：Social advancement 社会的进步
loom so large
in the modern world 在现代社会
surely because 引导原因，恰恰因为
progress of a particular kind 一种特别的进步，介词短语作后置定语
particular 特殊的，特别的
more and more 越来越
manifest 明显
Eg: You were walking on the way, he loomed out of mist.

Although…此句：
in intelligence/morality 在智力/道德方面
undergone: experienced 经历
no general improvement （注意no的位置）
no 用not any替换，则…has undergone no general improvement…
等同于：…has not undergone any general improvement…
“…, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge.”中it指代人类，（人类的总称,普遍所指时用it）
accumulation 堆积，堆砌 extraordinary progress 显著进步
Although…主题句提出，做原因解释
Knowledge began to…此句：
be communicated 可以交流，传递 another = another individual
speech 口语
oral adj. 口头的
Eg: … people go hunting.
I found the place where the bears are inhabited.
With…此句：
with… 随着……
writing = written language
a great advance 巨大的进步
not only … but also …
communicated 交流；stored 储存
Libraries made education possible…此句：
libraries: a place where books of various kinds are stored
and education in its turn added to libraries…
add to 增加 in its turn 反过来
in its turn added to = enrich 丰富
Eg: His humor added to the ball. (他的幽默使晚会增色不少。)
Fireworks added to the ball. （焰火使晚会增色不少。）
Eg: Harmony among peoples makes world peace possible, and world peace in its turn enhances harmony. (民族间的和睦有助于世

界和平，而世界和平反过来促进和睦。)
“：”后的句子解释作用
the growth of knowledge 知识的增长
compound interest law [银行业术语：复利法规则]
which 指代the growth of knowledge
printing 印刷术
printing 对于知识的发展is a great impetus
impetus 推动力
All this…此句：all this… 这一切…
comparatively slow 相对较慢 with the coming of science 科学的到来
with 引导插入语
Eg: 4 years ago, in American telecommunication is not so popular.
If a person can predict what happens in 30 years, he is…
It’s really hard mobile phone really so big as first as…
Then knowledge began to… 此句：
systematic 系统化
Aristotle 亚里士多德 把知识分类为：
Physics 物理学；Psychics 心理学；Poetics 诗学；Math 数学
The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent.
涓涓细流汇成小溪；小溪又变成了奔腾的江河。
Moreover…此句：
as soon as 既然
acquired 获得
account 账户：you can easily and freely get money from it
What is called…此句：
What is called 所谓的
all man's nature 人类本质
a balanced development 平衡的发展
but 而
accumulated knowledge 积累的知识
to practical life 作后置定语，实际生活
Eg: Probably he has many abilities…
Eg: medical people 医学奇才；English people 英语人才；doctor 博士；post doctor 博 士后
The problem now facing humanity is: 总结
The problem now facing humanity is: 人类所面临的问题是：
As…此句：
as 正如；指代从句knowledge is…
Eg: As is often the case that he helps others. 他经常帮助他人。
two-edged 双刃的
for good or evil 可好可坏
indifferently 毫不在乎，引申为毫不辨析的
discriminate 辨析，区别
Could…此句：
Could…引导虚拟语气的问句
spectacle 壮丽的场面
be more grimly whimsical 更加荒诞无奇
than that “that” 修饰spectacle
gunner 枪手
shatter 击碎，粉碎
field hospital 野战医院
We have to ask…此句：
with its ever-increasing power 状语后置
ever-increasing 逐渐增强