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.
New words and expressions 生詞短語
loom vi. 陰森的逼近（帶貶義）
Eg: The shadow of the impending war looms ahead/large/big.
(即將來臨的戰(zhàn)爭的陰影正在迫近。)
Eg: It was approaching the Spring Festival(vocation), the examinations were loomed up.
(春節(jié)快到了，考試也正在迫近。)
Eg: A high mountain looms ahead.
(一座大山橫在面前。)
manifest adj. 明顯的
S: visible adj. 明顯的，顯著的
patentn. 專利； adj. 顯著的，明顯的
另有：obvious/clear/parent…
mankind n. 人類
morality n. 道德
moral adj. 道德；moral code 道德準則；moral standard 道德標準
to enhance people’s consciousness of morality 提高人們的道德意識
communicate vt. 交流，交際
communication n. 交流
enhance communication between(among) people 加強交流
enhance communication among nations 增進國際交流
Eg: Language is a tool for communication.
(語言是交流的工具。)
communicative adj.
communicative means 交流方式
Eg: Language is a communicative tool.
(語言是交流的工具。)
enhance vt. 增進
enhance friendship 增進友誼
enhance cohesion 增強凝聚力
enhance consciousness/awareness 增強意識
S: boost v. 推進，促進
rein in force 促進
另有：heighten…
tempo n. 速率 trickle n. 涓涓細流torrent n. 滔滔洪流evil
evil thought 邪念
evil sigh 邪惡的跡象,兇兆（dog bark at midnight）
Eg: Your cough is an evil sign, probably I will lie in bed.
S: vice n. v. 惡
vice president 副總統(tǒng)；壞總統(tǒng)
wicked adj. 邪惡的； wickedness n. 邪惡
indifferently ad. 不在乎地------------------此處 flash 中直接跳過
grimly ad. 可怖地 whimsical a. 怪誕的
shatter v. 毀壞close at hand 附近
twofold a. 雙重的 fold 翻倍的； fivefold 五倍； time 倍數(shù)
n.
惡行
Notes on the text 課文注釋
主題：Social advancement 社會的進步
loom so large
in the modern world 在現(xiàn)代社會
surely because 引導原因，恰恰因為
progress of a particular kind 一種特別的進步，介詞短語作后置定語
particular 特殊的，特別的
more and more 越來越
manifest 明顯
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 經(jīng)歷
no general improvement （注意 no 的位置）
no 用 not any 替換，則…h(huán)as undergone no general improvement…
等同于：…h(huán)as not undergone any general improvement…
“…, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge.” it 指代人類，人中（
類的總稱,普遍所指時用 it）
accumulation 堆積，堆砌 extraordinary progress 顯著進步
Although…主題句提出，做原因解釋
Knowledge began to…此句：
be communicated 可以交流，傳遞 another = another individual
speech 口語
oral adj. 口頭的
Eg: … people go hunting.
I found the place where the bears are inhabited.
With…此句：
with… 隨著……
writing = written language
a great advance 巨大的進步
not only … but also …
communicated 交流；stored 儲存
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 反過來
in its turn added to = enrich 豐富
Eg: His humor added to the ball. (他的幽默使晚會增色不少。)
Fireworks added to the ball. （焰火使晚會增色不少。）
Eg: Harmony among peoples makes world peace possible, and world peace in its turn
enhances harmony. (民族間的和睦有助于世界和平，而世界和平反過來促進和睦。)
“：”后的句子解釋作用
the growth of knowledge 知識的增長
compound interest law [銀行業(yè)術語：復利法規(guī)則]
which 指代 the growth of knowledge
printing 印刷術
printing 對于知識的發(fā)展 is a great impetus
impetus 推動力
All this…此句：all this… 這一切…
comparatively slow 相對較慢 with the coming of science 科學的到來
with 引導插入語
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 系統(tǒng)化
Aristotle 亞里士多德 把知識分類為：
Physics 物理學；Psychics 心理學；Poetics 詩學；Math 數(shù)學
The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent.
涓涓細流匯成小溪；小溪又變成了奔騰的江河。
Moreover…此句：
as soon as 既然
acquired 獲得
account 賬戶：you can easily and freely get money from it
What is called…此句：
What is called 所謂的
all man's nature 人類本質(zhì)
a balanced development 平衡的發(fā)展
but 而
accumulated knowledge 積累的知識
to practical life 作后置定語，實際生活
Eg: Probably he has many abilities…
Eg: medical people 醫(yī)學奇才；English people 英語人才；doctor 博士；post doctor 博士后
The problem now facing humanity is: 總結
The problem now facing humanity is: 人類所面臨的問題是：
As…此句：
as 正如；指代從句 knowledge is…
Eg: As is often the case that he helps others. 他經(jīng)常幫助他人。
two-edged 雙刃的
for good or evil 可好可壞
indifferently 毫不在乎，引申為毫不辨析的
discriminate 辨析，區(qū)別
Could…此句：
Could…引導虛擬語氣的問句
spectacle 壯麗的場面
be more grimly whimsical 更加荒誕無奇
than that “that” 修飾 spectacle
gunner 槍手
shatter 擊碎，粉碎
field hospital 野戰(zhàn)醫(yī)院
We have to ask…此句：
with its ever-increasing power 狀語后置
ever-increasing 逐漸增強
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.
New words and expressions 生詞短語
loom vi. 陰森的逼近（帶貶義）
Eg: The shadow of the impending war looms ahead/large/big.
(即將來臨的戰(zhàn)爭的陰影正在迫近。)
Eg: It was approaching the Spring Festival(vocation), the examinations were loomed up.
(春節(jié)快到了，考試也正在迫近。)
Eg: A high mountain looms ahead.
(一座大山橫在面前。)
manifest adj. 明顯的
S: visible adj. 明顯的，顯著的
patentn. 專利； adj. 顯著的，明顯的
另有：obvious/clear/parent…
mankind n. 人類
morality n. 道德
moral adj. 道德；moral code 道德準則；moral standard 道德標準
to enhance people’s consciousness of morality 提高人們的道德意識
communicate vt. 交流，交際
communication n. 交流
enhance communication between(among) people 加強交流
enhance communication among nations 增進國際交流
Eg: Language is a tool for communication.
(語言是交流的工具。)
communicative adj.
communicative means 交流方式
Eg: Language is a communicative tool.
(語言是交流的工具。)
enhance vt. 增進
enhance friendship 增進友誼
enhance cohesion 增強凝聚力
enhance consciousness/awareness 增強意識
S: boost v. 推進，促進
rein in force 促進
另有：heighten…
tempo n. 速率 trickle n. 涓涓細流torrent n. 滔滔洪流evil
evil thought 邪念
evil sigh 邪惡的跡象,兇兆（dog bark at midnight）
Eg: Your cough is an evil sign, probably I will lie in bed.
S: vice n. v. 惡
vice president 副總統(tǒng)；壞總統(tǒng)
wicked adj. 邪惡的； wickedness n. 邪惡
indifferently ad. 不在乎地------------------此處 flash 中直接跳過
grimly ad. 可怖地 whimsical a. 怪誕的
shatter v. 毀壞close at hand 附近
twofold a. 雙重的 fold 翻倍的； fivefold 五倍； time 倍數(shù)
n.
惡行
Notes on the text 課文注釋
主題：Social advancement 社會的進步
loom so large
in the modern world 在現(xiàn)代社會
surely because 引導原因，恰恰因為
progress of a particular kind 一種特別的進步，介詞短語作后置定語
particular 特殊的，特別的
more and more 越來越
manifest 明顯
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 經(jīng)歷
no general improvement （注意 no 的位置）
no 用 not any 替換，則…h(huán)as undergone no general improvement…
等同于：…h(huán)as not undergone any general improvement…
“…, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge.” it 指代人類，人中（
類的總稱,普遍所指時用 it）
accumulation 堆積，堆砌 extraordinary progress 顯著進步
Although…主題句提出，做原因解釋
Knowledge began to…此句：
be communicated 可以交流，傳遞 another = another individual
speech 口語
oral adj. 口頭的
Eg: … people go hunting.
I found the place where the bears are inhabited.
With…此句：
with… 隨著……
writing = written language
a great advance 巨大的進步
not only … but also …
communicated 交流；stored 儲存
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 反過來
in its turn added to = enrich 豐富
Eg: His humor added to the ball. (他的幽默使晚會增色不少。)
Fireworks added to the ball. （焰火使晚會增色不少。）
Eg: Harmony among peoples makes world peace possible, and world peace in its turn
enhances harmony. (民族間的和睦有助于世界和平，而世界和平反過來促進和睦。)
“：”后的句子解釋作用
the growth of knowledge 知識的增長
compound interest law [銀行業(yè)術語：復利法規(guī)則]
which 指代 the growth of knowledge
printing 印刷術
printing 對于知識的發(fā)展 is a great impetus
impetus 推動力
All this…此句：all this… 這一切…
comparatively slow 相對較慢 with the coming of science 科學的到來
with 引導插入語
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 系統(tǒng)化
Aristotle 亞里士多德 把知識分類為：
Physics 物理學；Psychics 心理學；Poetics 詩學；Math 數(shù)學
The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent.
涓涓細流匯成小溪；小溪又變成了奔騰的江河。
Moreover…此句：
as soon as 既然
acquired 獲得
account 賬戶：you can easily and freely get money from it
What is called…此句：
What is called 所謂的
all man's nature 人類本質(zhì)
a balanced development 平衡的發(fā)展
but 而
accumulated knowledge 積累的知識
to practical life 作后置定語，實際生活
Eg: Probably he has many abilities…
Eg: medical people 醫(yī)學奇才；English people 英語人才；doctor 博士；post doctor 博士后
The problem now facing humanity is: 總結
The problem now facing humanity is: 人類所面臨的問題是：
As…此句：
as 正如；指代從句 knowledge is…
Eg: As is often the case that he helps others. 他經(jīng)常幫助他人。
two-edged 雙刃的
for good or evil 可好可壞
indifferently 毫不在乎，引申為毫不辨析的
discriminate 辨析，區(qū)別
Could…此句：
Could…引導虛擬語氣的問句
spectacle 壯麗的場面
be more grimly whimsical 更加荒誕無奇
than that “that” 修飾 spectacle
gunner 槍手
shatter 擊碎，粉碎
field hospital 野戰(zhàn)醫(yī)院
We have to ask…此句：
with its ever-increasing power 狀語后置
ever-increasing 逐漸增強