new college english (book four, second edition) unit 9 science and technology 主讲人：靳慧敏

New College English (Book Four, Second Edition)

Unit 9 Science and Technology

主讲人：靳慧敏

Contents

2

3

4

Homework5

6 Time for Fun

Preparation1

Word Study

Structure of the Text

After-class Reading

PREPARATION

Lead-in

Technological Innovations in 20th Century

List the technological innovations you know in the 20th century as many as you can, and discuss with each other about their effects to our life.

rocket

helicopter

jet planes

submarine

man-made satellite

spaceship

sound

moviescable TV

video machines

cellular

phones

computerthe internet

robot

nylon

laser

plastics

penicillintest-tube baby

transplant operation

atomic bomb

cloning

Warm-up Questions

1) What are the major benefits science and technology have brought to us?

2) Have the development in science and technology also brought about some disasters? Give examples to support your answer.

3) In your opinion, is science mainly a monster or an angel? Explain your answer.

Sample

1) The major benefits science and technology have

brought to us include:

— more advanced facilities and equipment in offices;

— higher yields in agriculture;

— a greater variety of and more nutritious food;

— more effective medicine and better medical treatment;

— a greater variety of entertainment;

— a higher standard of living and easier life;

— longer lifespan for human beings.

2) The development of science and technology has also

brought about some disasters, including:

— more deadly weapons and thus more wars, more victims;

— pollution of nature;

— less communication and thus greater distance between people;

— more people suffering from mental problems;

— higher rate of unemployment;

— more high-tech crimes;

— juvenile delinquency;

— higher crime rate.

3) — I think science is mainly a monster. Science enables

people to develop weapons such as atomic bombs,

chemical weapons, etc. More people thus have become

the victims of wars. People constantly live in fear.

Science sometimes makes people crazy. Children are so

carried away by those wonderfully

made cartoons, computer

fames, etc. that they neglect

their studies.

— I think science is mainly an

angel. Science enables us to

experience and enjoy many things

that our forefathers didn’t even

dream of. Because of science, we

can know what is happening all over

the world without leaving home.

We can order food and other

things at home. We can even

receive education at home. It is

science that has enriched our lives

and improved our standard of

living.

WORD STUDY

adaptable (Line 33, Para. 4)

adj. able to change in order to be suitable or successful in new or different situations 适应性强，能适应的

ExerciseExerciseExerciseExercise

Successful business are highly adaptable to economic change.

成功的企业对于经济转变的适应能力很强。

Older workers can be as adaptable and quick to learn as anyone else.

较年长的工人的适应能力和学习速度有时并不亚于其他任何人。

assimilate (Line 11, Para. 2)

v. 1) take in an idea or information and make it part of your knowledge 吸收，理解，掌握

The committee will need time to assimilate this report

委员会需要时间来吃透这个报告

We assimilate some kinds of food more easily than others

我们对某些种类的食物比别的食物容易吸收。

TranslationTranslationTranslationTranslation

v. 2) become an accepted part of a community 融入，同化

Immigrants have been successfully assimilated into the community.


New arrivals find it hard to assimilate.

外来移民顺利的融入当地社会。

新来者感到难以融入当地社会。

反义词： assimilation n. 同化 , 同化作用 , 消化

batch (Line 12, Para. 2)n. 1) a group of people or things that are

arrive or are dealt with together 一批，一群，一组

He received a batch of telegrams.

他收到了一批电报。

Each summer a new batch of students tries to find work.

每年夏天都有一批新的学生要找工作。


n. 2) a quantity of a substance needed or produced at one time 一次性生产量、投入量


a batch of cookies.

一批曲奇饼。

We deliver the goods in batches.

我们分批交付货物。

bloom (Line 62, Para. 8)

v. produce bloom 开花

Most roses will begin to bloom from May.

大多数玫瑰从五月末开花。

Flowers bloom all over the yard.

朵朵鲜花开满了庭院。

n. 1) a flower or flowers 花


the exotic blooms of the orchid.

奇异的兰花。

n. 2) with the flowers fully open 开花（期）


The daffodils in full bloom.

水仙花盛开。

The spring flowers have come into bloom.

春天的花已经开放。

contradict (Line 45, Para. 6)v. 1) be contrary to, be inconsistent with 同……矛盾；同……抵触

ExerciseExerciseExerciseExercise 请完成下面的句子。

Popular Harry Potter series moviesPopular Harry Potter series movies ___________________________________________________________________. _______. 深受欢迎的哈利深受欢迎的哈利 ·· 波特系列电影波特系列电影在内容在内容上与原著略有出入上与原著略有出入。。

somewhat contradict the originals in

content

The two storiesThe two stories ____________________________ ____________________________. .

这两种说法这两种说法相互抵触相互抵触。。contradict each other

v. 2) disagree with something, especially by saying that the opposite is true 反驳，抗辩，否认


你恰好与你以前说的你恰好与你以前说的自相矛盾自相矛盾。。

You have just contradicted yourself.

整个晚上她说什么丈夫都整个晚上她说什么丈夫都反对反对。。

All evening her husband contradicted everything she said .

名词形式： contradiction n. 反驳 , 矛盾

形容词形式： contradictory adj. 反驳的 , 反对的 , 抗辩的

convert (Line 63, Para. 8) v. 1) change from one form or use to another ( 使 ) 转化

那家旅馆将被改建成私人疗养院。


The hotel is going to be converted into a nursing house 。

What rate will I get if I convert my dollars into euros?

如果我把美元兑换成欧元，汇率是多少？

v. 2) persuade someone to change to a different religion ( 使 ) 改变信仰


他由基督教改信伊斯兰教了。他由基督教改信伊斯兰教了。

她在中国学习宗教的哥哥使她她在中国学习宗教的哥哥使她改信改信了佛教。了佛教。

She was converted to Buddhism by his elderly brother who studied religions in China.

名词形式： conversion n. 变换 , 转化

He converted form Christianity to IslamHe converted form Christianity to Islam..

evolution (Line 43, Para. 6)

n. 1) the scientific idea that living things develop and change over time 演变，进化（论）

在进化的过程中，一些鸟失去了飞行的能力。


进化能使生物变得更加强壮 , 更加适应环境。

Evolution can enable creatures to become stronger and more adaptable to the environment.

In the course ofIn the course of evolutionevolution, some birds , some birds have lost the power of flight. have lost the power of flight.

n. 2) gradual change and development 发展

TheThe evolutionevolution of personal of personal computer computer

reflects the importance of science reflects the importance of science and technology. and technology. 个人电脑的发展反映出了科学与技术的重要性。


无线通讯技术在 20 世纪的发展是令人瞩目的。

The evolution of wireless communication technology is remarkable in the 20th century.

动词形式：evolve v. ( 使 ) 发展 , ( 使 ) 进展 , ( 使 ) 进化

innovation (Line 31, Para. 4)

n. 1) a new idea, method, or invention 新思路，新方法，新技术

ExerciseExerciseExerciseExercise

a great innovation

请完成下面的句子。

one technical innovation after another

Digital Video is reallyDigital Video is really ________________ ________________ for for those who are eager to shooting movies by those who are eager to shooting movies by themselves. themselves. DV 对于那些想自己拍电影的人来说的确是一个了不起的新技术。The technicians in our factory have accomplishedThe technicians in our factory have accomplished ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ . . 我们厂的技术员完成了一个又一个技术革新项目。

n. 2) the invention or use of new ideas, methods, equipment, etc. 革新，创新

InnovationInnovation is vital for the survival of an enterprise.is vital for the survival of an enterprise.

创新对于一个企业的生存至关重要。


在中小学教育当中应当鼓励学生的创新意识。

Students’ innovation should be encouraged in elementary and secondary education.

派生词：innovate vi. 改革 , 创新innovative adj. 创新的 , 革新 ( 主义 ) 的

prosperity (Line 71, Para. 10) n. the state of being (economically) successful 繁荣，成功

改革开放政策给中国带来了繁荣。

The policy of reform and opening-up brings China The policy of reform and opening-up brings China withwith prosperityprosperity. .

我们生活在一个繁荣昌盛的时代。

We live in a period of great prosperity.


adj. successful and rich 成功的；繁荣的；兴旺的

形容词形式： prosperous


这条路通往那个这条路通往那个富裕的富裕的村庄。村庄。

This road leads to that prosperousvillage.

我们应该努力把中国建设成为我们应该努力把中国建设成为富强富强，民主，文明的，民主，文明的社会主义国家。社会主义国家。

We should try to turn China into a strong and prosperous socialist country with a high level of culture and democracy.

副词形式： prosperously adv. 繁荣地

have something/somebody in mind(Line 33, Para.4)

be thinking about or considering a particular person, plan, etc. for a particular purpose 心中想着 ( 某人或某事 )

你有没有你有没有想到想到什么人可以做这项工作？什么人可以做这项工作？

我才不愿整个晚上看电视。

Do youDo you have anyone in mindhave anyone in mind for this for this job?job?

Watching TV all evening wasn’t exactly what I Watching TV all evening wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.had in mind.

STRUCTURE OF THE TEXT

The fast change of modern world (para 1-2)

A. People born just before World War I experienced the invention of automobiles and airplanes and the disappearance of the iceman and the blacksmith.

B. Working people can become obsolete because their occupations vanish in the middle of their lives.

C. Knowledge increases geometrically.

D. The Atomic Age began in 1945, followed quickly by the Space Age.

ExampleExampleExampleExample

People’s reaction to changes. (Para. 3-5)

A. When the change is too fast, people resist it. (Para. 3)

B. People react differently to changes. (Para. 4)

C.There’s a limit to people’s ability to adapt. (Para. 5)

Science and man (Para. 6-7)

A. There’s often a great lag between

scientific discovery and cultural

acceptance. (Para. 6)

B. The nature of science. (Para. 7)

The possibility for people to adapt to changes. (Para. 8-11)

A. People’s great potential to accept technical innovations. (Para. 8)

B. People’s ability to make agricultural miracles. (Para. 9)

C. Science can serve people well if treated properly. (Para. 10)

D. People’s unwillingness to live in any less scientific ages. (Para. 11)

AFTER-CLASS READING

Passage 1 True Love

Key words:

correlation, delicately, intimate, manipulation, measurement, resonance, resonate, a touch of (something), keep something to oneself, on (the) ground of, pick out

Summary of True Love

Mr. Milton Davidson is a computer programmer.

Nearly forty, he wanted to find a true love to marry.

He operates his computer Joe to match him to the

chosen girls. Everything seems all right. But at the

end, Milton was arrested on grounds of some illegal

actions in office, while Joe which was capable of

feeling the same emotions as Milton wanted to take

place of Milton to find the love for himself.

Today, it is very funny to imagine an emotionally

independent machine, but a lot of things we take for

granted now were once considered to be ridiculous.

Passage 2 Back for the Dead

Key words:

deterioration, dispose, equate, extension, facilitation, outline, skeptical, substitute, suspension, be short of, dispose of, equate…with…, in…condition

Summary of Back from the Dead

At the beginning of the passage, the author

gives us a vivid imagined picture of the progress

life scientists will have made.

Then cryonics is induced which is the technique

of deep-freezing a body in liquid nitrogen at the

moment of death in order that bodies can come

back to life.

Some people believe that liquid nitrogen holds

the key to the long-term preservation of the body.

These people look forward to waking up in the

distant future and often believe that death is

merely an illness, which science will eventually be

able to cure. But so far science proves it a wish.

There exists much more disputes concerning

whether this technique works among people.

HOMEWORK

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic: People’s Attitudes towards Cloning. You should write at least 120 words according to the given information below:

1.1. 有些人认为克隆有助于有些人认为克隆有助于………… ；；

2.2. 有些人认为克隆弊大于利有些人认为克隆弊大于利；；

3.3. 我的观点。我的观点。

Writing Practice

People’s Attitudes towards Cloning

To clone or not to clone? That is a

highly controversial question.

Some people assume that as an

amazing technological breakthrough in

science, cloning is helpful for solving

some problems. For instance, with the

help of cloning technology we could

breed and thus preserve （保护） such

endangered wild life as giant pandas （大熊猫） and golden monkeys （金丝猴） .

For another example, cloning may provide cures for many

deadly diseases and a key to prolonging human life （延年益寿） . Apart from these, scientists may increase the yield （产量） of grain crops （粮食作物） to eliminate （根除） world

hunger. Therefore they favor cloning.

However, some people are aware that the costs of

cloning can outweigh （胜过） their benefits. They

argue that it may cause moral confusion, ethical issues,

legal problems, and social challenges. While we work

wonders, we may create monsters （怪物） away from

the moral course （道德航线） . People may sacrifice

（牺牲） more to gain little. What if evil （邪恶的） people conducted evil deeds （作恶） with cloning

technology? How could police identify a criminal from a

group of people with the same DNA? In a word, cloning

can have some strong negative influences on human

progress.

In my eyes, human beings should take a cautious attitude

towards cloning. Cloning, like many other inventions and

developments, is a double-edged sword （双刃剑） . The tool

is neutral, but our use of it is not. As a blessing （福音） , it

benefits us. As a curse （灾祸） , it harms us. If it isn’t a must

for diverse reasons, we should be extremely careful about

applying this technology. We can only hope that people, while

making the best use of cloning, will find a satisfactory solution

to the problems caused by it.

TIME FOR FUN

Proverbs About Science and Technology

Intuition is the source of Intuition is the source of

scientific knowledge. scientific knowledge.

— —AristotleAristotle

Science is but an image of the Science is but an image of the

truth. truth.

— —PlatoPlato

Science is a wonderful Science is a wonderful

thing if one does not thing if one does not

have to earn one’s have to earn one’s

living at it.living at it.

— —Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

Natural science will in Natural science will in time incorporate into itself time incorporate into itself the science of man, just as the science of man, just as the science of man will the science of man will incorporate into itself incorporate into itself natural science: there will natural science: there will be one science. be one science.

— —Karl Marx Karl Marx

Science is what you Science is what you

know. Philosophy is know. Philosophy is

what you don’t know. what you don’t know.

— —Bertrand RussellBertrand Russell

Science does not know its Science does not know its

debt to imagination. debt to imagination.

— —Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

科学技术是第一生产力。

—— 邓小平

Science and technology constitute Science and technology constitute

a primary productive force. a primary productive force.

new college english (book four, second edition) unit 9 science and technology 主讲人：靳慧敏

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