上海建桥学院大学英语制作

Book Three

Unit Four

Extraterrestrials

Text A The Watery Place

ContentBackground Information

Warm-up Activity

Text organization

Sentence study

Words and Phrases

Abstract

Background Information

EExtra-terrestrial life( E.T.)xtra-terrestrial life( E.T.)

It is the life-forms that may have evolved on other planets. There is no solid evidence at present that life exists other than on the Earth.

Background Information

The PlanetsOur solar system has nine planets

within it. These planets are

: Mercury, Venus, Earth,

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,

Uranus, Neptune and Pluto back

Background Information

Venus Venus is the second major

planet in order of distance from the Sun and nearest to the Earth of all the planets in the solar system. Also known as

Hesperus, the evening star when it is in the west at sunset, or Phosphorus, the morning star when it appears in the east at sunrise, Venus can be the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon and follows a near-circular path some 106 million kilometers from the Sun, taking 225 days to complete one orbit.

Background Information

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) is a Russian-born American writer and scientist. He was a distinguished biochemist, but is more widely known as the author of many works of science fiction, books on science for non-scientists, and essays on a wide variety of subjects. Among his best-known science fiction are I, Robot (1950) and the Foundation trilogy (1951-1953). Building on Karel Capek’s concept of the robot, in 1941 Asimov coined the term robotics.

The text is taken from The Complete Stories (volume 1) published by Doubleday in 1990.

Brief Introduction to the Author

Warm-up Activity

Warm-up Activity

1. 1. Have you ever seen some movies or read some science fictions about ET?

2.Do you believe there are lives on other planets, say, Mars or Venus? Could you imagine their appearance?

3.If there were to be space visitors to the earth, how would they come ? Would you welcome them or drive them away?

Text organization

This passage is a narration.

The narrator first presents a thesis, an overall theme for the story.

Then, the story unfolds, in chronological order, with sufficient detail and description that readers can experience the events along with you.

Text organization

The narrator claims that no ET will ever land on earth (paras1~3)

An account of the encounter with ETs ,making it clear that they will never return.

Before the ET’s arrival(paras4~5)

The landing of the flying saucer.(paras6-11)

The meeting with the ET(paras12~34)

After the ET’s departure(paras35~48)

The text is arranged by time order Text organization

Text organization

Parts Paragraphs Main ideas

Part

one

Paras 1--3 The narrator claims that no extraterrestrials will ever land on earth.

Part

two

Paras 4-48 The narrator gives an account of his encounter with extraterrestrials, making it clear why he claims that they will return no more.

Sentence study

Sentence study

1. You could see the light break in on Cameron (L.54) 1. You could see the light break in on Cameron (L.54) 你可以看到卡默伦脸上开始显出领悟的神情。你可以看到卡默伦脸上开始显出领悟的神情。

【【解析解析】】句中 “句中 “ light”light” 是“启发，了解”的意思。其他含是“启发，了解”的意思。其他含有类似有类似 lightlight 用法的短语有：用法的短语有：come/bring to lightcome/bring to light 成为人所周知成为人所周知see the lightsee the light 了解真相；接受看法了解真相；接受看法throw/shed light onthrow/shed light on 解释，使显得清楚解释，使显得清楚

新证据最近才为人所知。新证据最近才为人所知。 New evidence has recently New evidence has recently come come to lightto light..

她没向他们提供任何有关她丈夫下落的线索。她没向他们提供任何有关她丈夫下落的线索。She has told them nothing that could She has told them nothing that could shed light onshed light on her husband's whereabouts.her husband's whereabouts.

Sentence study

Sentence study2. Cameron didn’t go much for foreigners, never having 2. Cameron didn’t go much for foreigners, never having met many outside the army, but generally he tried to be met many outside the army, but generally he tried to be fair.(L.55-56) fair.(L.55-56) 卡默伦不怎么喜欢外国人，退伍后就没怎么见过卡默伦不怎么喜欢外国人，退伍后就没怎么见过外国人，不过总的来说他尽力做到为人公正。外国人，不过总的来说他尽力做到为人公正。

【【解析解析】】句中 “句中 “ go for go for ” ” 的意思是“ 的意思是“ be attracted by, like be attracted by, like or preferor prefer ” ” 。 “。 “ not having met many outside the not having met many outside the army” army” 这个现在分词的完成式做插入语，补充说这个现在分词的完成式做插入语，补充说明他没怎么见过外国人这一情况。明他没怎么见过外国人这一情况。

许多年轻人都喜欢流行音乐。许多年轻人都喜欢流行音乐。 Many young people Many young people go forgo for pop pop music.music.

说到唱歌，你今晚愿意和我一块去音乐会吗？说到唱歌，你今晚愿意和我一块去音乐会吗？ Talking of singingTalking of singing, will you go to the concert with , will you go to the concert with me tonight?me tonight?

Sentence study

Sentence study

3. …but I couldn’t as much as fall down if someone had 3. …but I couldn’t as much as fall down if someone had pushed the chair out from under me.(L.69-70) pushed the chair out from under me.(L.69-70) …… 可此刻若有人从我身后把椅子抽开，我也不会摔倒可此刻若有人从我身后把椅子抽开，我也不会摔倒在地。在地。

【【解析解析】】““do not as/so much as do sth”do not as/so much as do sth” 表示“ 表示“ do not even do not even do”,do”, 这句话中表示“ 我甚至不会摔倒”。这句话中表示“ 我甚至不会摔倒”。

约翰走了过去，看都没看我一眼。 John walked by without so much as giving me a glance of recognition.

Sentence study

Sentence study4. 4. He was too surprised to resist and when he recovered his wits enough to make like he was going to knock me down, he caught sight of what was going on outside the window and the breath went out of him. (L.102-104)他在震惊之下都没有反抗，等他回过神来似乎想要把我击倒时，正好看见窗外的情景，顿时气都喘不出来了。

【【解析解析】】““wit”wit” 表示“表示“ quick understanding; intelligence”,”, 其他其他witwit 的 短 语 还 有 ：的 短 语 还 有 ： at one’s wit’s end at one’s wit’s end 智 穷 计 尽 ；智 穷 计 尽 ； collect/gather one’s witscollect/gather one’s wits 使 自 己 镇 定 下 来 ； 使 自 己 镇 定 下 来 ； display/exercise one’s witsdisplay/exercise one’s wits ；； 展 露 才 智展 露 才 智 // 动 脑 筋 ；动 脑 筋 ； rack one’s wits 绞尽脑汁。

1.1.I'm at my I'm at my witswits' end worrying about how to ' end worrying about how to pay the bills.pay the bills. 2.The little girl was terrified out of her 2.The little girl was terrified out of her witswits.. 3.3.Generations of urban living sharpened their Generations of urban living sharpened their witswits..

Sentence study

Words and Phrases

那个腿部受伤致残的士兵正沉浸在悲哀之中。那个腿部受伤致残的士兵正沉浸在悲哀之中。The soldier The soldier disableddisabled by wounds in his leg is by wounds in his leg is buried in sadness.buried in sadness.

Words and Phrases1. disable

vt. make ( a person) unable to use his / her body properly 使残废

他恐惧地张大了双眼。His eyes bugged with horror.

Words and Phrases2. bug

vt. open wide, cause to stick out; annoy 张大，使突出，打扰

n. 臭虫 , 窃听器 , [ 计算机 ] 漏洞

Don’t bug me with petty details.别拿琐碎的细节问题来烦我。

科学家们已分离出引起这种流行病的病毒。科学家们已分离出引起这种流行病的病毒。 Scientists have isolated the virus causing the epidemic.

Words and Phrases3. isolate

vt. set apart; cut off from others 使隔离，使孤立

我们采用了新的酿酒方法。We adopted the new method of making wine.

Words and Phrases4. adopt

vt. take over and use as one’s own; take into one’s family and make legal son or daughter 采用，收养

The Red Cross has adopted a lot of homeless children in Afghanistan.

红十字会在阿富汗收养了大批无家可归的孩子。

亮光照射着她时，她眨了眨眼睛。She blinked (her eyes) as the bright light shone on her.

Words and Phrases5. blink

v. shut and open the eyes quickly; flash on and off 眨（眼），闪烁

The lights were blinking on the horizon. 灯光在地平线上闪烁着。

Words and Phrases

6. at sb’s service

willing to help sb. 愿意为某人效劳

其他 service 的搭配还有：

be of service to sb (对某人）有好处，能帮忙

On service 在职，在服现役

in/ out of service (尤指车辆等）在使用中 / 已不能用

In service (of) 在（为… )服役

“Would you fetch me my glasses from the kitchen, Bob?” “At your service, madam.”

Don’t thank me—I’m glad to be of service.Don’t thank me—I’m glad to be of service.

Words and Phrases

Words and Phrases

7. Come around

visit someone at their house; become conscious again; 顺便走访 , 复苏

其他表示“走访”“顺便来访”的短语还有：

Call at/ on 短暂拜访

Call in 顺路到某处 /某人家里

Drop in ( on sb) 顺便走访某人

Stop by/ in 顺便走访

I've been so sorry you couldn't come around this week.

It was three weeks before she It was three weeks before she came around.came around.

Words and Phrases

他们把钢琴抬到了舞台上。They hove the piano onto the stage.

Words and Phrases8. heave

v. raise or lift; rise up 举起，升起

这个想法似乎被淡忘了，俱乐部始终没有建立起来这个想法似乎被淡忘了，俱乐部始终没有建立起来。。

The idea seemed to The idea seemed to fade outfade out and the club was never and the club was never formed.formed.

Words and Phrases9. fade out

disappear gradually 逐渐消失

其他 fade 的搭配有：

Fade away 逐渐凋谢，慢慢减弱

Fade in （使）淡入，渐显

Abstract

Summary

The Watery Place is a science fiction short story. It is narrated by the unnamed deputy sheriff of Twin Gulch, Idaho, who opens the story by claiming that extraterrestrials will never land on earth. This, he says, is due to his boss, Sheriff Bart Cameron. The deputy explains that Cameron is an impatient man generally, and becomes particularly impatient when he's working on his income taxes. It was the world's bad fortune that the first extraterrestrials to land on Earth happened to arrive in Twin Gulch, Idaho on the evening of 14 April, 1956.