Detailed Reading

I. Difficult Sentences

1. Nor can one prevent further advances in the future. (Para. 2)
Why is this sentence reversed?
(The word “nor” here appears at the beginning of the sentence to give force to the negation.
- Nor will I deny that.)

2. The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppressed anything new, and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this wouldn’t succeed. (Para. 2)
1) What is the grammatical function of the first “that”?
(Here “that” brings about an attributive clause.)
2) What does the structure “such that” here mean?
(The structure is used to give an explanation for something.
- His manner was such that he would offend everyone he met. )
3) What can we infer from this sentence?
(No way can suppress anything new, as human initiative and inventiveness do exist.)

3. All it would do is slow down the rate of change. (Para. 2)
Why is there no “to” between “is” and “slow”?
(When “do” appears in the subject of a sentence, the sign “to” of an infinitive which is used as the predicative can be omitted.
- The first thing he did was (to) look for a guide.
- All we could do now is (to) remain cool-headed.)

4. At the moment, the public is in two minds about science. (Para. 3)
1) What does “in two minds about” mean?
(Unable to decide whether or not you want sth. or want to do sth.
- I think she’s in two minds about whether to accept his present or not.)
2) What can we learn from the sentence?
(The public finds itself holding two contradictory viewpoints about science. On the one hand, it expects the improvement in the standard of living that has been brought by science; on the other hand, it also distrusts science because it does not understand it.)

5. It is also an important element behind support for the Green parties. (Para. 3)
1) What does “it” refer to?
(The public’s distrust of science)
2) What part of speech is “support” here?
(It is a noun.)

6. But in schools science is often presented in a dry and uninteresting manner. (Para. 4)
Paraphrase the sentence.
(But in schools science is often taught in a dull and boring way.)

7. Maybe I would have sold twice as many copies without it. (Para. 4)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(如果不用这个公式的话，也许我能多卖出一倍的书。)

8. But I have sufficient faith in the good sense of the public to believe that we might prove this wrong. (Para. 7)
1) What does “sense” here mean?
(Power of judging.)
2) What does this sentence imply?
(The author believes that the public will have a good understanding about science and can make informed judgments by itself.)

II. Words & Expressions

likely:

1. adj. probable

- An incident likely to lead to war is reported on TV. (电视报导出一可能导致战争的事件。)

2. adv. probably

- I shall very likely be here again next month.

Pattern:

It is likely that …                         很可能…

- It is highly likely that he will succeed.

CF: likely, possible & probable

这些词都有“可能的”意思。

likely 系常用词，指从表面迹象来看很有可能。例如：

- The likely outcome of the contest varies from moment to moment. (比赛结果每分钟可能都在变化。)

possible 指由于有适当的条件和方法，某事可能发生或做到，强调客观上有可能，但常含有实际希望很小的意思。例如：

- Is it possible to get to the city by train, or must I take a bus? (坐火车可以到这个城市去吗？还是我必须得坐公共汽车？)

probable 语气比 possible 强，指有根据、合情理、值得相信的, 带有大概、很可能的意思。例如：

- It is probable that he has forgotten our appointment. (很可能他是忘了我们的约会了。)

do without:  manage to survive, continue, or succeed, although you do not have sth. you need

- I haven’t enough money to buy a car, so I’ll just have to do without.

- He can’t do without the services of a secretary.

Collocation:

do away with                                                                    摆脱；废除，取消

do up                                                                                                      系上，扣上；修理；打扮

have something to do with                         和…有关系

have nothing to do with                              和…没有关系

highly: adv.

1) very

- Mr. Smith was a highly successful salesman.

2) to a high degree

- He speaks very highly of you.

- 出席这次会议的大部分人是受过高等教育的女性。(Most of the people present at the meeting are highly educated women.)

CF: highly & high

这两个词都表示“高高地”。

highly 指的是抽象意义上的“高”。例如：

a highly paid official              薪俸优厚的官员

think highly of sb.         器重某人

high 用作副词时，一般指的是具体意义上的“高”。例如：

aim high                                                               向高处瞄准

search high and low              到处寻找

其他类似的例子还有:

closely & close

closely 细心地，严密地。例如：

- Watch what I do closely. (仔细观察我所做的。)

- The prisoners were closely guarded. (囚犯被严密看守着。)

close 邻近。例如：

- He lives close to the school. (他住得离学校很近。)

put / turn the clock back:  return to a situation that used to exist, usually because the present situation is unpleasant

- The employment bill in which women are not allowed to take jobs will put the clock back fifty years.

- Forget all about it and look to the future; you can’t turn the clock back.

bring about:  cause to happen

- 这是怎么发生的？ (What brought it about?)

- Some educators are hoping to bring about major changes in the educational system.

Collocation：

bring forth                                    产生；提出

bring forward                     提前；提出

bring up                                         教育；养育；提出

Fill in the blanks with the above phrases and change the form where necessary.

1. They proposed that the date of the congress be brought forward a few months.

2. The trees in the orchard brought forth many apples.

3. He was well brought up.

4. At the meeting the next morning, they brought up / forward / forth many problems and discussed them one by one.

inquire:

1. vt. ask to be told

- He inquired (of her) the reason for being late again.

- He asked for his key and inquired whether there had been any message for him.

2. vi. seek information by questioning

- 我打电话询问有关火车时刻的事情。(I rang up to inquire about train times.)

Collocation：

inquire after                                 问候

inquire for                                              求见

inquire into                                            查究，调查

CF: inquire, ask & question

这些词都有“问，询问”的意思。

inquire 是较正式的书面用词，渴望知道某人或某事的确实情况。例如：

- He inquired your telephone number. (他询问你的电话号码。)

ask 是最常用词, 指为了了解某人或某事而提出问题, 请别人解答或向别人打听消息。例如：

- Excuse me. May I ask you a question? (对不起，我能问你一个问题吗？)

question 指对某事不断提出问题，以便了解详细情况。例如：

- The suspect was questioned by the police. (警察审讯嫌疑人。)

initiative: n.

1) ability to make decisions and take action without the help of others

- If you show that you have initiative, you will sooner or later be promoted.

- The workers are able to solve the problem on their own initiative.

2) used in the phrase “take the initiative”: be the first person to take action to improve a situation or relationship, esp. when other people are waiting for sb. else to do sth.

- He took the initiative in organizing a party after his brother’s wedding.

rate: n.

1) value, cost, speed, etc. measured by its relation to some other amount

- The world’s forests are disappearing at an even faster rate than experts have thought.

- 出生率是出生数与人口数之比。(The birth rate is the number of births compared to the number of the people.)

2) of the (numbered) quality

a first-rate performer; a second-rate comic

ensure: vt.  make sure; guarantee

- The new treaty will ensure peace.

- 我不能确保他能及时到这儿。(I can’t ensure that he will be here in time.)

informed: adj.  knowing things; having all the information

- 随时告诉我新的发展。(Keep me informed of fresh development.)

- He’s a well-informed man.

CF: inform, tell & instruct

这些词都有“把某消息或某件事传达给别人”的意思。

inform 向某人传递信息, 特别适用于告知所发生的情况或有关资料（可以用于上级对下级，也可以用于下级对上级的通知）。例如：

- I have just received a letter from my old school informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Reginald Page, will be retiring next week. (我刚接到母校的一封信，通知我说我的老校长雷金纳德·佩奇先生将于下星期退休。)

tell 最通用，最不正式。指把某事告诉某人。例如：

- Glancing at her scornfully, he told her that the dress was sold. (他轻蔑地看了她一眼，告诉她说那件衣服卖掉了。)

instruct 较正式，意为“指示（一般用于上级对下级），通知”。例如：

- The editor at once sent the journalist a telegram instructing him to find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall. (编辑立即给这位记者发了一份电报，叫他查明台阶的准确数目以及围墙的高度。)

steady: adj.

1) constant; regular in movement

- The government’s policies have brought a period of steady economic growth with falling unemployment.

- There has been a steady growth in the industry.

2) firm

- Using the razor requires a steady hand.

basis: (pl. bases) n.

1) facts or ideas from which sth. can be developed; foundation (usu. used as a singular noun, followed by for or of )

- The writing is full of arguments that have a firm basis.

- What is the basis for your opinion?

2) circumstance that provides a reason for some action or opinion (usu. followed by of or that-clause)

- On the basis that recognizing the problem is halfway to a solution, we should pay much attention to his comments.

- 基于我们售货的预测，我们明年将开始赚钱。(On the basis of our sales forecasts, we may begin to make a profit next year.)

CF: basis, base & foundation 
这些词都有“基础，根基”的意思

basis 多用于比喻，指信念、议论等的根据。例如：

- Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy. (慈善待人是她人生观的基点。)

base 多用于指有形的或具体的基地或根基，尤指军事或工业方面的基地。例如：

- We picnicked at the base of the mountain. (我们在山脚下野餐。)

- The lamp stands on a circular base. (那盏灯由圆形底座支撑。)

foundation 强调基础的稳固与坚牢，可用于比喻。例如：

- Those thoughts rocked her assurance to its foundations. (那些想法从根本上动摇了她的信念。)

- The huge lorries shock the house to its foundations. (大卡车驶过，连屋基都震动了。)

lie in:  exist or be found in (sth.)

- The root of all these events lay in history.

- 这部戏剧令人感兴趣的地方在于它提出了一些婚姻方面的问题。(The play’s interest lies in the questions it raises about marriage.)

in terms of:  as regards (sth.); expressed as (sth.)

- In terms of salary, the job is terrible.

- 以百分数回答这个问题。(Give the answer in terms of a percentage.)

tend:

1. vi. be likely to happen or have a particular characteristic or effect

- Some people tend to get up later at weekends.

- 物价正在上涨。(Prices are tending upwards.)

2. vt. watch over; attend to

- shepherds tending their flocks

- tend the sick and wounded

precise: adj.

1) exact

- We will never know the precise details of his death.

- Our train leaves at about half past ten, or – to be precise – 10:33.

2) taking care to be exact and not to make errors

- 他是个非常谨慎的人。(He is a very precise man.)

grasp:

1. v.

1) understand

- This is a concept we in the West find difficult to grasp.

2) seize firmly

- The drowning man grasped the rope.

- 贪得无厌的人可能毫无所得。(A man who grasps at too much may lose everything.)

2. n. power of grasping

- 这个作品我看不懂。(This work is beyond my grasp.)

- Success is within her grasp.

sufficient: adj.  enough

- $30 should be sufficient for a new pair of shoes.

- 有足够的证据证明他是有罪的。 (There was sufficient evidence to prove that he was guilty.)

convey: vt.

1) make (ideas, feelings, etc.) known to another

- 我无法用言语表达我的感情。(I can’t convey my feelings in words.)

- This picture will convey to you some idea of the beauty of the scenery. (这幅画可将那处风景的美丽向你传达一二。)

2) take; carry

- This train conveys both passengers and goods.

put across:  cause to be understood

- 他非常善于表达自己的意见。(He’s very good at putting his ideas across.)

- Good teachers are the ones who are able to put things across well.

Collocation：

put aside                                       储存（钱、时间）；把…放在一边

put forward                                  提出（意见、建议）

put in                                                       花费，付出（时间、精力等）

put off                                                     阻止；推迟

put on                                                     穿上

put out                                                    熄灭

put through                                  为…接通电话

put up with                                   忍受

proportion: n.

1) part of a group or an amount

- A large proportion of the dolphins in that area will eventually die because of water pollution.

- 这个城市的很大一部分人已年过半百。(A large proportion of the city’s population is aged over 50.)

2) relation of one thing to another in quantity, size, etc.

- The proportion of men to women in the medical profession has changed in recent years.

Collocation：

in proportion to                                                       与…成比例；和…相比

in direct proportion to                        与…成正比例

in inverse proportion to                     与…成反比例

in proportion                                                            符合比例的

out of proportion                                           不成比例的

fit into:  be part of a situation, system, or plan

- The new college courses fit into a national education plan.

- College English videos are designed to fit into the syllabus.

educate: vt.  teach or train

- You should educate your children to behave well.

- 这个男孩只能在工作做完后晚上自修。(The boy had to educate himself in the evening after finishing his work.)

entertain: v.

1) give pleasure (to)

- Children’s television programs not only entertain but also teach.

- 我们都对他的戏法感兴趣。(We were all entertained by his tricks.)

2) receive (people) as guests

- According to the school regulations, women students are not allowed to entertain men in their rooms.

- The Smiths entertain a great deal.

contact:

1. vt. get in touch with

- Feel free to contact us if you need my help.

2. n. touching or communication

- We can learn much by being brought into contact with other minds.

- 他在加拿大期间，曾结识了许多对他有益的社会人士。(He made many useful social contacts while he was in Canada.)

CF: contact, contrast & contract

这些词形式相似，意思却不同。

contact              接触，联系

contrast                    对比，对照

contract            订合同，订契约

Fill in the blanks with the above words and change the form where necessary.

1. Research is more mentally fatiguing, contrasted with physical labour.

2. They have contracted to build a railway across Africa.

3. I must contact my lawyer before I made my final d