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外研版高中英语选择性必修一 课文（标注语法典句版）
选择性必修一Unit 1 Laugh out loud!非限制性定语从句（...,which/where）....
The Best Medicine
As I approach the hospital wearing my white coat, I look just like any other doctor. That is until I put on my curly rainbow wig, big red nose, and add my name badge “Doctor Larry Laugh-Out-Loud”. I walk through the doors into the waiting area, where there’s a familiar atmosphere of boredom and tension. People sit uncomfortably on plastic chairs, looking through old magazines, all of which have been read hundreds of times previously. Anxious parents do what they can to comfort nervous and crying children.
In the middle of this particular scene I spot a small girl whose ankle is twice its normal size. I speak with the on-duty nurse, who tells me that Lara’s parents rushed her to the hospital after she fell off her bicycle. Since getting here, Lara has spent her time crying in pain. Although it’s the doctors and nurses who will treat her injury, it’s my job to make her feel better.
Scientific studies show that laughter produces chemicals to make people feel better, which means clown doctors can be helpful. We are specially trained clowns who work as part of a programme known as “hospital clowning”. I chose this career because of my experience of going to hospital when I was a kid. Although the doctors and nurses did a great job, hospitals weren’t really designed for children. I spent much of the time when I was there feeling frightened and more than little bored! Being a clown doctor means I can help people by entertaining them.
Visiting hospitals and other health care facilities,we clown doctors work together with medical professionals. On a typical day, we spend our time cheering up patients, their families, and more often than not, the hospital staff, too! We do this by doing magic tricks, singing songs, telling stories and, of course, telling silly jokes. Some children, though, don’t feel like laughing, especially if they’re in pain. We have to be very sensitive and work closely with the doctors and nurses, who keep us updated on each patient.
And my magic medicine does indeed seem to do the trick. While the doctor concentrates on examining Lara’s ankle, I get her attention by doing a magic trick. Although she is clearly still in some pain, her scared and anxious look has been replaced—first by a small smile, and then by loud laughter as I “magically” produce her sock from out of my pocket. Seeing their daughter so much happier has in turn made Lara’s parents more relaxed.
And as for me Well, when I take off my wig and my red nose, I’m still wearing a big smile, as I remember all the fun and laughter of the day. While there might be more hospital visits ahead for Lara and others, I hope that clown doctors help make it a friendlier place to visit. After all, it really is true that “laughter is the best medicine”.
The Importance of Humour
Humour has been an essential part of human behaviour for thousands of years. There is comedy in the texts of Ancient Greece, and medieval writings are filled with their authors understood that humour could not only entertain but also throw new light on sensitive or emotive issues.
Closer to modern times, someone who is remembered for his ability to combine humour with more serious messages is American writer, Mark Twain. Twain’s particular style of writing is funny and often mischievous. For example, in his classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, he famously says, “Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” But he is equally well known for his witty remarks in his everyday interactions with people. For instance, while on a lecturing tour of the United States, Twain went into a barber’s shop to get a hair cut and a shave. The barber, not recognising him, asked if he had a ticket to the lecture. When Twain replied that he didn’t, the barber told him that if he wanted to go to the event he would have to stand, as there were no seats left in the theatre. Twain’s response was, “That’s just my luck. I always have to stand when that fellow lectures!”
Like Twain, but on the other side of the world, Lin Yutang was soon to become famous for his unique brand of humour. A well-known bilingual writer, Lin brought the concept of humour to modern Chinese literature. In 1924, he creatively borrowed “youmo” from Ancient Chinese as the translation for the English word “humour”. “Youmo” is still being used in this way today.
Lin’s quick wit helped make him famous as a master of humour. Once, having been invited to dinner at a university, he was put on the spot when the president suddenly asked him to give a speech. Thinking on his feet, Lin started to tell a story about a cruel Roman emperor who tried to feed a man to wild animals. First came a lion. The man whispered something in the lion’s ear, after which the lion shook its head and walked away unhappily. Then along came a tiger. Again, the man whispered my animals ” said the emperor, astonished. “I told them they had to make a speech after eating me for dinner.” Lin’s audience roared with laughter. With this little joke, Lin was able to make people laugh, while gently telling off the president.
Both Twain and Lin understood that humour isn’t just about laughter, but is a way of life and a tool that can be used to illuminate the world. Lin even created an equation to explain this concept: Reality + Dreams + Humour = Wisdom. Living and working with others can sometimes be complicated, and humour makes this easier. Sharing jokes and laughing together can bring individuals and even communities together. Indeed, some may argue that our need for humour is almost as great as our need for water and air. In the words of Mark Twain, “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing”.
选择性必修一Unit 2 Onwards and upwards
现在分词（v-ing）和不定式（to do）作宾语v+v-ing/todo
We Regret to Inform You...
“We regret to inform you...” These are the words that every writer dreads receiving, but words every writer knows well. The response from a publisher comes back and the writer eagerly opens and reads it, their hearts sinking when they reach that final sentence. You may have spent years giving up your weekends and free time to write your life’s work, yet still this is often not enough. Everyone knows that success rarely happens overnight, but perhaps not many know that a lot of highly successful writers have previously faced rejection.
Take for example J.K. Rowling. When she received her first rejection letter, she decided that it meant she now had something in common with her favourite writers, and stuck it on her kitchen wall. Rowling had spent years surviving on little money, spending all her time writing. When she finally finished her first book, she received comments from publishers along the lines of “too difficult for children”, “too long”, “Children would not be interested in it”. Nevertheless, she persevered. “I wasn’t going to give up until every single publisher turned me down, but I often feared that would happen,” she later posted. After a total of twelve rejections, one publisher eventually agreed to print 500 copies of her first book, and as we know,Harry
Potter became a global success, with over 400 million books sold and translated into more than seventy different languages.
All too often writers of great works have had to face criticism along with rejection. J.D. Salinger started writing short stories in high school, but later struggled to get his works published. “We feel that we don’t know the central character well enough” was the criticism he received on his manuscript for The Catcher in the Rye. Despite rejections from several publishers, J.D. Salinger refused to give up. Even when serving in the US Army during the Second World War, he carried six chapters of The Catcher in the Rye with him and worked on the novel throughout his war service. When it was eventually published, the book became an immediate best-seller and went on to sell millions and millions of copies.
Perhaps the overall prize for perseverance should go to three sisters from Victorian England who dreamt of seeing their words in print. This, however, was a Laureate, Robert Southey, wrote to one of them: “Literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life, and it ought not to be.” Nevertheless, the sisters didn’t stop trying. Their response was to write a book of poems under male names. Even when the book sold only two copies, the sisters still didn’t give up. They started writing novels, and today Charlotte Bront ’Jane Eyre, Emily Bront ’Wuthering Heightsand Anne Bront ’Agnes Grey are regarded as classics of world literature. In fact, it is within the pages of Jane Eyre that we can find these words: “I honour endurance, perseverance, industry, talent; because these are the means by which men achieve great ends...”
So, it seems that talent alone isn’t enough to guarantee success. While a lot of hard work and a touch of luck play a part, perseverance is the key. Keep trying and eventually you will read the words “We are delighted to inform you...”
Three Days to See
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently, I asked a friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods what she h ad observed. “Nothing in particular,” she replied.
How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. If I can get so much pleasure from touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight And I have imagined what I should most like to see if I were given the use of my eyes, say for just three days.
On the first day, I should want to see the people whose kindness and gentleness and companionship have made my life worth living. I don not know what it is to see into the heart of a friend through that “window of the soul”, the eye. I can only “see” through my fingertips the outline of a face. I should like to see the books which have been read to me, and which I have revealed to me the deepest channels of human life and the human spirit. In the afternoon I should take a long walk in the woods and intoxicate my eyes on the beauties of the world of nature. That night, I should not be able to sleep.
On my second day, I should like to see the pageant of man’s progress, and I should go to the museums. I should try to probe into the soul of man through his art. The things I knew through touch I should now see. The evening of my second day I should spend at a theater or at the movies.
The following morning, I should again greet the dawn, anxious to discover new delights, new revelations of beauty. Today I shall spend in the workaday world, amid the haunts of men going about the business of life.
At midnight permanent night would close in on me again. Only when darkness had again descended upon me should I realize how much I had left unseen.
I who am blind can give one hint to those who see: Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. But of all the senses, I am sure that sight must be the most delightful.
(Excerpts from “Three Days to See” by He len Keller)
选择性必修一Unit 3 Faster, higher, stronger 现在分词（v-ing）作主语
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
Near the small town of Grottoes, Virginia, a narrow dirt road goes from the house of Stephen Curry’s grandfather to the woods nearby. A far cry from the bright lights and shiny courts of the National Basketball Association (NBA), it was along this road that Stephen’s grandfather built a simple basket by attaching a piece of plastic to a telephone pole.
Like his father, basketball star Dell Curry, Stephen spent many childhood hours playing on this muddy basketball court. He probably didn’t realise it at the time, but it was where he learnt to be creative and flexible as a player. You see, with every shot, the weak plastic backboard gave way. The bumps and rocks that lined the road under the basket caused the ball to bounce in all directions. Knowing where the ball would go wasn’t e asy. He had to adjust his own playing style as a result. Shooting with great into the heavy, thick basket. In this way, practising day in and day out helped Stephen sharpen his skills.
Despite his father’s successful career, Stephen was thought by many people, including his high school teammates and coaches, to be too short, too thin and too weak to follow in his father’s footsteps. But Stephen carried on. Playing basketball was his dream. He would not give up. He finally ended up playing college ball at a small, little-known school, Davidson College, not too far from where he lived. His creativity and perseverance made him Davidson’s star player.
Selected for the NBA in 2009, Stephen joined the Golden State Warriors. He performed beyond everyone’s expectations with his accurate shooting and continuous efforts. In 2015, Stephen won his first NBA championship, and he led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975.
After receiving the Most Valuable Player award for two years in row, Stephen explained his philosophy, “I never really set out to change the game... What I wanted to do was just be myself... I know it inspires a lot of the next generation, a lot of people who love the game of basketball to value the skill of it, value the fact that you can work every single day to get better. You’ve got to be able to put in the time and the work. That’s how I got here. That’s how I continue to get better every single day.” Inspiring others to believe in themselves, Stephen Curry is living proof that what other people think of you does not have to influence what you become. Through self-belief, hard work, perseverance and some help from an old hoop, he has shown that anything is possible.
The Return of the Champions
“The atmosphere here at Rio de Janeiro is electric! If China wins this point, they will walk out of the stadium with an Olympic gold medal. Zhang Changning serves. Over the net, Popovic dives for the ball. She only just reaches it... and it’s sent straight back to her by the Chinese spiker Hui Ruoqi. Popovic can’t get the ball back this time... and that’s it! It’s over! It’s gold for China! Look how the crowd has gone wild. You can see the joy and pride on the faces of the Chinese fans. And there we see the Chinese players embracing, with tears of happiness in their eyes... It’s a dream come true for China! The Chinese women’s volleyball team is Olympic champion once again!”
The Chinese women’s volleyball team holds a very special place in the nation’s heart. In the 1980s, the team burst onto the international volleyball scene with several major world titles, and an amazing three-set victory over the United States in the final of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. They became national heroes overnight. There was gold once more at Athens in 2004. But winning gold in Rio paints the most vivid portrait of the team’s competitive spirit.
In Rio, the Chinese women’s volleyball team needed all of its fighting spirit after it was assigned to the “group of death”, where it faced several strong opponents
the group, with just two wins in preliminary matches, they were not going to give up. Every single member of the team gave their all to the fight, including Hui Ruoqi who had had heart surgery less than five months previously.
Their perseverance paid off with an epic comeback against the defending champion Brazil in the quarter-finals. Next, the Chinese team defeated the Netherlands in the semi-final matches, having lost to them in the preliminaries. At last, showing a strong will and the steeliest nerves, they played a close match against Serbia to seize gold in the final.
But fighting spirit alone was not enough to guarantee victory. Strong team spirit also contributed greatly to their success. Cooperation between team members is essential. If each individual does her job and works well with others, then the end goal can be achieved. In fact, strong team spirit is more important than the skills of individual players. Zhu Ting, named Most Valuable Player at the Rio Olympics, also identified thi s as the special ingredient in the team’s success: “Teamwork is the key to China’s victory. Thanks to my teammates’ hard efforts, I had the opportunity to show my spiking skill.”
Together, the Chinese women’s volleyball team has fought their way through ups and downs. Led by well-known Chinese volleyball player and coach Lang Ping, they have continued to aim high. Lang is only too aware that as soon as a team steps off the victory podium, they need to start from zero to prepare for new challenges ahead. In this way, the team begins its journey to the next Olympics.
选择性必修一Unit 4 Meeting the muse
不定式（to do），现在分词（v-ing）和过去分词（v-ed）作表语（主系表结构）
What inspires you
Every artist’s wish is to create something that expresses an idea. But where do artists get their ideas from Who or what inspires them Here we find out more about the influences behind the successes of three very different artists.
Florentijn Hofman, visual artist
Florentijn Hofman is a Dutch artist, whose large sculptures are on display all over the world. One way for him to find inspiration is turning to his children’s toys. These objects have given him ideas for his animal sculptures, such as the famous Rubber Duck. A more recent work of his is the huge Floating Fish, which was set among the beautiful landscape of Wuzhen West Scenic Zone.
Hofman’s inspiration for Floating Fish came from Chinese folk tales passed down through the generations. He was particularly interested in the old story about a fish jumping through the “Dragon Gate”. This story came to life for Hofman when he visited Wuzhen and saw how people lived there.
“During the walk and my stay here in the town, I saw the fish being fed by people. You see also some fish sculpted on the wall.” These sights set Hofman’s idea for Floating Fish in motion.
Tan Dun, composer
“There is no territory in the world of music.” These are the words o f Chinese film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
To listen to Tan’s music is to experience a mix of Chinese musical traditions and Western influences. Since his first opera, Nine Songs, Tan Dun has been using a combination of Chinese music and sounds from all over the world to tell stories. As Tan once said, Chinese music should carry “universal expression” of the human spirit so as to be recognised by the whole world.
Yang Liping, dancer
Yang Liping’s passion is dancing. After winning a national competition in 1986 with her Spirit of the Peacock dance, she has been known as the “Peacock Princess”. The inspiration for her famous dances has come from the time she spent in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province.
“I feel very grateful for the years in Xishuangbanna,” says Yang. “It gave me a chance to go deeper into the lives of various ethnic groups... Our ethnic groups, especially the Dai people, admire the peacock. They think the peacock represents the beauty of nature. I especially like the dance style of the Dai people and it gives me lots of inspiration. My dance comes from their traditional belief and aims to bring out the Dai women’s beauty.”
ART&TECHNOLOGY
Louvre, or Chinese paintings in the Palace Museum Or maybe, just maybe, it’s a dancing pattern of lights
The artworks by American artist Janet Echelman look like colourful floating clouds when they are lit up at night. Visitors to one of her artworks in Vancouver could not only enjoy looking at it, they could also interact with it—literally. They did this by using their phones to change its colours and patterns. Exhibits such as these are certainly new and exciting, but are they really art
Whatever your opinion, people have been expressing their thoughts and ideas through art for thousands of years. To do this, they have used a variety of tools and technologies. Yet Michelangelo and others have been labelled as “artists” rather than “technicians”. This means that art and technology have always been seen as tw o very separate things.
Today, however, technological advances have led to a combination of art and technology. As a result, the art world is changing greatly. Now art is more accessible to us than ever before. Take for example one of China’s most famous paintings from the Song Dynasty, Along the River During the Qingming Festival. As this artwork is rarely on display, people have sometimes queued up to six hours for a chance to see it. Once in front of the painting, they only have limited time to spend taking in its five metres of scenes along the Bian River in Bianjing. Thanks to technology however, millions more people have been able to experience a digital version of this painting. Three-dimensional (3D) animation means that viewers can see the characters move around and interact with their surroundings. They can also watch as the different scenes change from daylight into nighttime.
The art-tech combination is also changing our concepts of “art” and the “artist” Not only can we interact with art, but also take part in its creation. With new technological tools at our fingertips, more and more people are exploring their creative sides. The result has been exciting new art forms, such as digital paintings and videos.
However, the increase in the amount and variety of art produced has also raised questions over its overall quality. Can a video of someone slicing a tomato played in slow motion really be called “art”
Similarly, such developments are making the line between art and technology less distinct. Can someone unfamiliar with traditional artists’ tools really call themselves an “artist” And is the artist the creator of the art itself, or the maker of the technology behind it A recent project used technology and data in the same way that Rembrandt used his paints and brushes. The end result, printed in 3D, was a new “Rembrandt painting” created 347 years after the artist’s death. These advances are perhaps bringing us closer to a time when computers rather than humans create art.
Where technology will take art next is anyone’s guess. Bu t one thing is for sure—with so many artists exploring new possibilities, we can definitely expect the unexpected.
选择性必修一Unit 5 Revealing nature 过去完成时had done
A Journey of Discovery
The captain of the ship, the Beagle, wanted someone who would “profit by the opportunity of visiting distant countries yet little known'”. The person who answered the call was not the captain’s first choice. It was a young man who had left medical school with out completing his degree. What’s more, he had recently received a letter from his father predicting that he would be “a disgrace to yourself and all your family”. Despite all this, his adventures on this ship would lead to one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time.
The young man in question, Charles Darwin, was a geologist and naturalist, fascinated by rocks, plants and animals. He left England on the ship, the Beagle, in 1831. The journey gave him the chance to study various living things in their natural environments. After Darwin had spent some time in South America, his room on the ship was crowded with samples of the plants and animals he had collected. As he studied these, he asked himself the question: how did different species come to exist
At that time, people believed that all species had appeared on Earth at the same time, and had not changed since. But Darwin began to think differently. He noticed that some species of animals were very similar to each other. Maybe animals evolved as they adapted to their changing environments It was just an idea, but enough to inspire Darwin to look for more evidence.
When the Beagle reached the Galápagos Islands in 1835, Darwin saw a variety of new species, but it was the birds that interested him the most. Darwin noticed that there was a difference between the finches on each of the islands. It seemed their beaks had evolved according to what food was available on that particular island.
Darwin suspected that the finches had evolved from a common ancestor, which had arrived on the islands a long time before. Over time, it had slowly evolved into many new species. And that was the answer to how new species of plants and animals came to exist: they evolved from earlier ancestors.
It was a completely new idea—a theory of evolution. Darwin explained this theory in his book, On the Origin of Species. It was not published until 1859 and immediately caused a storm. Many people refused to believe that living things, including humans, had evolved from lower forms of life. They were shocked. But Darwin’s scientific studies were so convincing that more and more people started to believe his theory.
Today, On the Origin of Species is regarded as one of the most important works ever written. It has changed ideas about life on Earth forever. And it all began with the journey on the Beagle.
The Secret Language of Plants
Talking plants have long been a thing of myths and legends. Many cultures have stories of talking trees that give advice as well as warnings to people. Alexander the Great and Marco Polo were said to have visited such a tree in India. And in some modern stories, such as the film Avatar, trees can communicate with animals and people.
With us long believing that talking plants are fantasy, new research has revealed something amazing: it appears that plants can communicate after all.
It has been known for some time that plants use chemicals to communicate with each other. This happens when a plant, say a bean plant, gets attacked by insects. The plant releases tiny amounts of chemicals from the leaves that are being eaten. This is like a warning, or a call for help: “I’m being attacked!” When another bean plant detects the chemicals from its injured neighbour, it starts to release its own, different chemicals. Some of these chemicals drive insects away. Others attract insects—the wasps! The wasps kill the insects that are eating the bean plants. Scientists hope to learn more about this plant warning system, so that we can use it to grow crops without pesticides.
More surprisingly, plants also use sound to communicate. People can’t hear these sounds, but plants are making them. Some plants make noises with their roots. Corn and chilli plants do this. They also “listen” to the noises from other plant s. A chilli plant can tell if a neighbouring plant is helpful, or unfriendly. Some trees make clicking noises when there is not enough water, indicating drought is arriving.
Most surprisingly of all, plants have an amazing system of communication that can link nearly every plant in a forest. Scientists call this system the “wood wide web”. It is in some ways similar to the Internet we use. While the Internet is a worldwide network of computers linked by cables and satellites, the wood wide web is linked underground by fungi. This fungal network links the roots of different plants to each other. Using the wood wide web, plants can share information and even food with each other. For example, some pine trees can send food to smaller pine trees to help them grow. But just like our own Internet, the wood wide web has its own version of “cybercrime”. Plants can steal food from each other, or spread poisons to attack other plants. Perhaps one day scientists will learn how to create a “firewall” to help prevent these attacks within the wood wide web.
Scientists are learning more every day about the secret ways in which plants talk to each other. Who knows Maybe one day we will know enough about plant communication to be able to “talk” with them ourselves.
选择性必修一Unit 6 Nurturing nature 完成完成进行时have/has been doing
The Sky Railway
Sitting back in my seat, I can’t quite believe that I’m about to travel along the railway that many foreign experts claimed was “impossible”. The train has been racing along steadily since it left Xining. All this time, the song “Sky Railway” has been playing inside my head. The words “railways like massive dragons are winding among the mountains” seem particularly vivid as I travel across the “roof of the world”.
I was one of the people who came from all parts of China to work on this railway. Taking years to complete, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a record of all of our efforts to overcome the most difficult engineering challenges. How to protect the delicate ecosystem was among the top concerns.
The first landmark to catch my eye is the splendid Qingshuihe Bridge, the world’s longest bridge built over permafrost. Look! A group of Tibetan antelopes is moving under the bridge,with some stopping to eat grass at their leisure.Thirty-three passages have been built under the railway to allow the animals to move safely and freely in their natural habitat. Wild animals such as these Tibetan antelopes have now been using these passages for years. They seem totally unaware that we are speeding past at over 100 kilo-metres an hour.
To prevent damage to wetlands and grasslands,675 bridges with a total length of about 160 kilometres were built between Golmud and Lhasa.We even moved 140,000 square metres of wetland to a new area in order to protect its distinct ecosystem.
The journey has been flying by, and before I know it, we have reached Tanggula Station.Located at over 5,000 metres above sea level,this is the highest railway station in the world.In locations such as this, the thin air, changeable weather and high levels of UV radiation presented perhaps the greatest challenge for railway workers. To make sure we stayed healthy, several oxygen-making stations were constructed.We were also able to enjoy regular breaks in lower areas.
As we pass Cuona Lake, I feel a sense of pride and achievement.Using thousands and thousands of sandbags, we built a twenty-kilometre wall along the lake to protect it from construction waste. Cuona Lake is so close to the railway that I want to reach out and touch its pale blue mirror-like surface.Water birds playing in the lake, and cattle and sheep wandering the grasslands bring the scenery to life.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been attracting people's admiration for centuries. Now, thanks to our efforts, passengers from all over the country have been enjoying these magical landscapes. I am proud that we built our“impossible”" railway, and did so with the care that the environment deserves. It truly is an extraordinary“Sky Railway
THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD
How would you like to spend six months living on an island and looking after the Great Barrier Reef The working hours are flexible and accommodation is provided. Key duties include exploring the islands of the reef and finding out what the area has to offer. You'll need to report back via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates. You'll also be asked to promote the islands through newspapers, magazines and TV interviews.
This call for an island caretaker attracted interest from all over the world.It was actually a very clever means to highlight the importance of the Great Barrier Reef and the need to protect it.
Located off the coast of North-east Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living thing on the planet.About the size of Japan, it even can be seen from outer space. More than 25 million years old, the Great Barrier Reef is made up of living coral growing on dead coral. It is host to many species of birds and sea creatures. But this unique and delicate place is now under threat from pollution and climate change.
To get this job, the candidates had to make a short video showing how much they knew about the reef. They also needed to prove why they were the best person to do the job. Out of the thousands of applicants, eleven were selected, including a young woman from China. Eventually, the job was offered to Ben Southall from the UK.
Ben did a lot during his time as an island caretaker.In addition to blogging, taking photos and writing articles about the reef, he made a number of appearances on television to argue in favour of its defence. He also worked as a presenter for the National Geographic Channel, before going on to write a book about his experiences. Ben later joked that the job should have been advertised not as the "best", but the "busiest job in the world"!
Whether it was a genuine job offer or an eye-catching marketing event isn't really important.The most important thing was that people all over the world became aware of the beauty of the ocean in the area. What's more, they came to understand the delicate balance that the environment exists in and what can, and must, be done to protect the reef. That way, it will remain a safe habitat for wildlife, as well as a dream destination for millions of tourists who visit it each year.外研版高中英语必修三课文（标注语法典句版）
必修三 Unit 1 Knowing me,knowing you 过去分词（v-ed）作状语
Absolute agony!
Dear Agony Aunt,
I’m in a total mess here—hope you can help me out!
I’m 17, and a member of our school basketball team. I’m crazy about basketball, and pretty good at it too, which is probably why I was so mad when we lost our last match. We played well, but I felt the team were let down by one member, our point guard. The point guard is a key player, but it was like he wasn’t even on the court! Disappointed by his behaviour, I said all this to my best friend. I was just letting off steam really, because I was so angry, but then my friend went and told everyone else what I’d said.
This is so totally awkward. I’m really angry with my friend—what should I say to him And should I say anything at all to my teammate
Embarrassed and ashamed, I can’t concentrate on anything. Please help!
Ben
Our Agony Aunt answers your questions.
Dear Ben,
There is an old American saying, “Loose lips sink ships.” This means that if you speak too much about something, especially to people who you don’t know so well, it’ll cause all kinds of trouble.
The situation here is so much worse because the “loose lips” were your best friend’s. Treated this way, you’re sure to feel hurt—we should always be able to trust those closest to us, and it hurts even more when we find we can’t.
But I have to say that it’s partly your fault, isn’t it You admit that you were “letting off steam”. It is understandable in that situation, but we should always think before we speak.
Here’s what you need to do. First, apologise to your teammate. If you ever want to win any more basketball games (and I’m sure you do!), you need to work together, and that means communicating with each other clearly and resolving conflicts. So have a chat with your teammate. Tell him directly and honestly that you were talking without thinking.
Then, talk to your friend. Friendship should be one of the greatest things in the world, but sometimes it can be difficult. Again, your strategy is clear communication. Tell your friend you’re angry with him for repeating what you said and making the situation worse, but that you want to move on. Approached in this way, your friendship will soon be repaired.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, think about your own behaviour. Don’t say too much when you’re angry! Filled with anger, you tend to say whatever comes to your mind. This gives people the wrong signal. Take a deep breath, calm down, and always remember: think first, speak later. If you feel one of your teammates isn’t pulling their weight, then raise your concerns in a professional way with your team coach.
If you think about other people’s feelings as well as your own, you'll soon find everything works out.
Good luck！
Agony Aunt
Little White Lies
Written more than two hundred years ago, these lines by Walter Scott remain one of the most well-known excerpts of Scottish poetry:
Oh, what a tangled web we weave,When first we practise to deceive!
We all know that honesty is an important value and that lying is wrong, but who can honestly say that they’ve never told a lie Perhaps we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that most of the lies we tell are “white lies”: little lies that we tell to protect others from the truth.
We’ve all surely had the experience of someone cooking a meal for us that we don’t like. The majority of us of course don’t tell the truth—we lie and say that the food is “delicious”.
Or if a friend asks us what we think of their new haircut, we say “It’s great!”, even if we think it’s awful. But to what extent can we justify telling white lies like these
One of the main reasons for telling a white lie is to try to make others feel better. However, when we lie and say that someone’s haircut looks good, or when we say that we love a meal that we secretly hate, are we really hoping to improve the situation for someone else Perhaps we are in fact lying to protect ourselves from the disappointment and anger of others.
Another reason for telling a white lie is to give encouragement. Say for example that your friend asks you what you think of his singing. You of course say that it’s wonderful, despite secretly thinking that your cat can sing better. Stop for a moment and consider that perhaps your friend wants some frank comments from you so that they can improve. Or perhaps, they need to know that they should look for a different hobby.
Finally, we may also tell a white lie when we want to protect others from bad news. If you’ve had a bad day, do you tell your parents about it, or do you hide your tears and lie that your day was “fine” If the latter, don’t you think your parents would want to listen to you and understand your feelings Wouldn’t it be better to respect their concern for you and ask for their advice
Going back to Walter Scott’s lines, we may find even white lies have results we cannot know in advance. Perhaps the meal you said was “delicious” will be served every time you visit. Would your friend trust your opinion again if he found out you had lied about his “wonderful” singing How would you expect others to truly understand your emotions if you only shared good news instead of bad Moreover, how would you feel if you discovered that the people closest to you had been hiding the truth from you
必修三 Unit 2 Making a difference 过去分词（v-ed）作定语
The Well that Changed the World
As a six-year-old Canadian schoolboy, Ryan had trouble believing the words spoken by his teacher that many people in developing African countries couldn’t get enough clean water. He looked across the classroom at the drinking fountain. It was very close—only ten steps away. So, Ryan asked himself, “Why do some African children have to walk ten kilometres to get water every day And why is the water so dirty that it makes them sick ” Young Ryan thought, “Life is easy for me, but hard for those people. Why don’t I help ”
At first, his plan was to earn money to build a single well somewhere in Africa. He cleaned windows and did gardening for his family and neighbours. He soon reached his first target of $70, but when he gave the money to a charity, he was told that it actually cost $2,000 to build a well. Seventy dollars was only enough for a hand pump. Ryan understood that a hand pump wouldn’t help the children. What they needed was a well dug near their homes.
Two thousand dollars was a lot of money, but Ryan didn’t give up. He was determined to help other children have clean water. He started to ask for help from his classmates and neighbours and persuaded them to donate money. At the same time, a friend of Ryan’s mother helped make his story go public. After several months, Ryan had raised the $2,000, with which a well was built near a primary school in Uganda. The children at the school no longer needed to walk for hours to get water. They were grateful to him and invited him to visit.
In Uganda, Ryan at last saw the finished well with his own eyes. But that was not all. He also saw hundreds of delighted students who had turned out to welcome him. They sang and danced happily. Some even offered him food and gifts. At first Ryan was nervous, but soon a great warmth filled him. He really had made a difference for these children. He broke into a joyful smile.
Later, Ryan’s experience led him to set up a foundation to encourage more people to help. Many inspired people gave him their support. Ryan’s foundation continues to attract support from more and more people, so the work of building more wells can go on. Today, over 800,000 people in 16 countries across Africa have benefited from the life-changing gift of clean, safe water.
Now, as an adult, Ryan says that the question to ask is not “Why don’t I help ”, but “How can I help today ”. This insight grew from the determined attitude of a six-year-old boy who had the courage and perseverance to make his dream a reality.
The Power of Good
“The British Schindler”: the life of
It is August 1939, and a group of frightened children are boarding a train at Prague’s Wilson Station. Their heartbroken parents do not join them. Indeed, they fear they may never see their children again. But they know that their children will live. These are among the 669 children, most of them Jewish, that Nicholas Winton will go on to save from death at the hands of the Nazis.
Nicholas Winton was born on 19 May 1909 in London, to German-Jewish parents. The family later took British nationality. On leaving school, Winton worked in banks in Germany and France. He returned to Britain in 1931, where he worked in business.
In December 1938, a friend asked Winton to come to Prague to aid people who were escaping from the Nazis. In Prague, Winton saw people living in terrible conditions and whose lives were in danger. He decided to help transport children to safety in Britain. He established an office to keep records of the children, and then returned to Britain to find temporary homes for them. He used donated funds and his own money to pay the 50 pounds per child that the British government required. By August 1939, Winton had saved 669 children.
During World War II, Winton served as an officer in Britain’s Royal Air Force. He left the military in 1954. He then worked for international charities and for various companies. For the most part, he did not mention the children he saved, and his actions soon disappeared from people’s memories.
That all changed in 1988 when his wife Grete found a forgotten journal at home. The journal contained photographs and names of the children and addresses of the families that took them in. She sent the journal to a newspaper, and that year Winton was seen on the British television programmeThat’s Life. At one point, the host asked people in the audience to stand up if Nicholas Winton had saved their lives. A shocked Winton watched as the majority of people rose to their feet. The programme brought his actions to public attention, and Winton became a respected figure around the world.
Later, Winton received various honours for his achievement, including a knighthood in 2003, and the Czech government’s highest honour, the Order of the White Lion, in 2014.
Nicholas Winton passed away on 1 July 2015, at the age of 106. As the Chinese saying goes, “A kind-hearted person lives a long life.”
必修三 Unit 3 The world of science现在完成时被动语态have/has been done
The New Age of Invention
Interviewer: Good evening, and welcome to Between the Pages. This evening, I’ll be talking to Dr Richard Fairhurst,whose new book The New Age of Invention has just been published. Welcome, Richard!
Richard:Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Interviewer: I guess you have been asked about the title of your book before. It suggests that the present day is a new age for inventions, but many people might think that the great age of invention is over.
Richard:Well, that’s an interesting point. There have been golden ages of invention throughout history. Think of the four great inventions in Ancient China: gunpowder, papermaking, printing and the compass. These things changed the world forever. Then there were the great Western inventions: the steam engine, the telephone and the radio. And now, we find ourselves in the great new age of technology.
Interviewer: So are most of the new great inventions tech-based
Richard:A lot, yes. For example, advances in virtual reality and wearable tech, as well as the flexible battery, mean we should soon be seeing further developments. In addition, important advances have been made in medicine and environmental science thanks to increasing computer power.
Interviewer: Can you give us some examples
Richard:Sure. New inventions like 3D printers have been used to make replacement hearts and bone parts. In terms of the environment, it is now possible to create an intelligent walking house. It is capable of using GPS technology to travel to different places, with computing technology controlling its “legs”. What’s more, huge advances in solar technology mean it can be eco-friendly, too.
Interviewer: Impressive stuff! I’ve also been told that you’re an inventor yourself. Is that correct
Richard:Yes, I am, but I’m only one member of a big team—most inventors now work as part of big international teams.
Interviewer: I see. So what is it that inspires us to invent things
Richard:Most inventions start with recognising a problem that needs a solution. This was no doubt the reason behind the invention of the wheel in ancient times, which much later developed into the car. Now, reduced energy supplies and environmental pollution have led to more advances in the technology of new energy vehicles. But what remains important is that we have an incredible desire to think and create, and that’s the real spirit of invention.
Interviewer: One last question. This is the one everyone really wants to know: will anybody ever invent a time machine
Richard:I think you’ve been watching too many movies! Nothing like this has been invented yet and I’d say we’re a long way from an invention like that at the moment! But, as they say, “Never say never!”
FRANKLIN’S EXPERIMENT: How Much Is True
Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with lightning has introduced generations of children to science. However, new research suggests that the story may be fiction instead of fact.
The well-known story is that the American Founding Father and scientist flew a kite during a storm in 1752. At that time, there was much interest in electricity. People wanted to know if lightning was really produced by electricity or something else. Franklin was one of them. He raised the kite with a piece of string tied to it. A metal key was attached to the string. A flash of lightning hit the kite, and electricity was conducted through the string to the key. Franklin then touched the key with his finger and got an electric shock. This, he said, proved that lightning was a form of electricity.
For many years, schools have taught the story of Franklin’s lightning experiment. More than one generation of schoolchildren has been amazed by his bravery and his scientific approach to looking for the truth. Franklin, along with many other scientists, has inspired us and taught us that scientific experiments are important in order to establish the truth and to contribute towards later scientific discoveries and inventions.
However, neither the story nor the details of the experiment are entirely true. Although it has been proved that Franklin’s experiment took place, more than one scientist has questioned what really happened. The detail about the string and the key is true. But scientists all agree that if Franklin had actually touched the key, he would certainly have died from the electric shock.
Scientists often question accepted ideas because they want to establish the facts. Some have even questioned the story about the apple that fell on Newton’s head and led him to come up with his theory of gravity. In fact, more than one account suggests that while Newton was certainly inspired by a falling apple, there is no proof that it hit him on the head.
Admittedly, fiction is often more interesting than the truth. People have been more inspired by Franklin’s spirit of scientific exploration than by the facts themselves. But in science, facts should be proved by experiments and research, and we should not always believe everything we read or hear—even if it is a great story.
必修三 Unit 4 Amazing art 现在进行时被动语态be+being done
Live from the Louvre
Hi, it’s Zack! Greetings from Paris, everyone! This broadcast is being brought to you from the largest museum on Earth—the Louvre! Today we’re going to find out about some of the Louvre’s most amazing treasures. Here we go!
Now, at the top of these stone stairs... get a load of that! That huge sculpture you can see is theWinged Victory of Samothrace, or Nike of Samothrace! I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing this is! It looks like she has just flown down out of the sky and is standing on a ship. Her head and arms are missing, but you can imagine her holding her arms up high, celebrating the result of an ancient battle. And just look at how her dress is being folded by the wind! I really can’t believe she’s made of stone. The skill of the sculptor is just incredible.
Okay, I’d better move on. You can see there are so many people here. I’m being pushed around quite a bit, in fact. And you’re really going to love what’s coming up next. It’s the one and onlyMona Lisa! The painting is a lot smaller than you would expect, and is protected by glass. But from here I can get a good view to show you. When I look into her eyes it seems she has a mind of her own! One moment she seems to be laughing at me, but then again I catch a sense of sadness in her smile. I guess that’s why she attracts so many visitors every day.
And now, it’s time to get up close and personal with one of history’s greatest artists—Rembrandt! He painted this self-portrait about 400 years ago. Throughout his life, he made over 90 self-portraits! No one really knows why. Perhaps it was his way of taking a 17th-century selfie Or was it simply cheaper to paint himself than to pay for a model
About 35,000 works are currently being displayed in over 300 rooms in the Louvre, and it would take a lifetime to see everything! I’ll say bye for now, and hope you can all visit this fantastic place one day to feel the power of these great works of art for yourselves. They really do reach out to us across the centuries as if time itself were nothing. By the way, if you have enjoyed this live broadcast, subscribe to find out where I’m visiting next!
Han Gan and His Horses
What a magnificent horse! Even after more than a thousand years have passed, we can still feel the power within its burning eyes, bared teeth and kicking hooves.Night-Shining White, now kept in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, is regarded as one of the most significant horse paintings in the history of Chinese art. Its artist, Han Gan, is known for his skill in capturing not only the physical features of the animal, but also its inner spirit and strength.
Born into a poor family in the early Tang Dynasty, the young Han Gan had to help support his family by working in a local wine shop. His artistic talent was discovered by accident when he was sent to the poet Wang Wei’s house to collect payment for some wine. While waiting at the gate, Han Gan used a stick to draw pictures in the dirt and was seen by the poet himself. Wang Wei decided to sponsor the young man to study painting and recommended him to a master. Due to Han Gan’s natural talent and years of hard work, he was eventually chosen to serve Emperor Xuanzong in the royal palace.
The Tang emperors were very fond of horses. This meant that the animal was a frequent subject for artists. At that time, the most common way to study horse painting was by copying the works of previous painters. Han Gan’s method, however, was different—he observed the animal itself. He was a frequent visitor to the royal stables and even moved in to live with the stable workers for quite some time. The horses, whether resting or on the move, offered him plenty of inspiration. The more time he spent observing these animals, the more his understanding of them grew. Day after day, Han Gan painted the horses, his brush presenting every detail that he saw with his own eyes.
It is said that when the Emperor asked Han Gan to take a master of horse painting as his teacher, the artist replied, “I have my own teachers, Your Majesty. All the horses in your stables are my very teachers.”
Those who saw Han Gan’s horse paintings all sang high praises for his unique skill, saying that his horses “could gallop off the paper”. Even Su Shi, the famous poet of the Song Dynasty, expressed his admiration for Han Gan as a master of horse painting with the words, “The horses painted by Han Gan arereal horses.”
必修三 Unit 5 What an adventure! 过去将来时would do,was/were going to do
CLIMBING QOMOLANGMA: WORTH THE RISKS
Last year, hundreds of people spent good money on an experience that they knew would include crowds, discomfort and danger. Many would become sick, due to the extreme cold and low air pressure, and a few would even lose their lives. Yet, despite all this, by the end of the trip many were already planning to return. For these people, climbing Qomolangma is an experience like no other, making some feel weak and others, powerful.
British mountain climber George Mallory wrote of climbing Qomolangma, “What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy... We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for.” Sadly, Mallory would die on the mountain in 1924, although his body would not be found until many years later. It is still not known if he succeeded in reaching the top of Qomolangma before it took his life.
In 2011, words similar to those of Mallory were spoken by American mountain climber Alan Arnette, who climbed Qomolangma in that year and was going to climb other high mountains around the world. “It brings into focus what’s important to you.” He added, “There are a thousand reasons to turn around and only one to keep going. You really have to focus on the one reason that’s most important and unique to you. It forces you to look deep inside yourself and figure out if you really have the physical, as well as mental, toughness to push when you want to stop.”
With the majority of attempts to climb Qomolangma resulting either in total success or failure, is there also a scientific reason behind this risk-taking Recent studies indicate that risk-taking may be part of human nature, with some of us more likely to take risks than others. Psychologist Frank Farley has spent years studying people who jump out of planes and drive fast cars, as well as those who climb Qomolangma. He refers to the personalities of these people as “Type T”, with the “T” standing for “thrill”.
Speaking to theLA Times about the “Type T” personalities, Farley said, “They’ll say, ‘I’m not taking risks, I’m an expert...’ They don’t want to die and they don’t expect to die.”
Research also suggests that our desire to seek risks can be connected to how much we expect to benefit from the result.
With this in mind, are the benefits of climbing Qomolangma worth the risks It’s totally up to you.
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
In 1866, a terrible sea creature is seen by several ships. Biologist Professor Pierre Aronnax and his servant, Conseil, join a ship to find and kill the creature. After a long journey into the Pacific Ocean, the creature is finally seen. While attacking from the ship, Aronnax and Conseil, along with the whale hunter Ned Land, fall into the sea, and discover that the “creature” is actually a submarine. They are captured and taken inside the submarine, where they meet the man in charge, Captain Nemo. Ahead of its time, the submarine is also a secret from the rest of the world. In order to keep this secret, Captain Nemo tells his three newest passengers that they are not permitted to leave the submarine. While Ned Land can think only of escaping, Aronnax and Conseil are fascinated by their adventures in the new underwater world. In this part adapted from a chapter of the book, Aronnax describes the experience of walking on the sea bed...
And now, how can I look back upon the impression left upon me by that walk under the waters Words are not enough to relate such wonders! Captain Nemo walked in front, one of his men following some steps behind. Conseil and I remained near each other, as if an exchange of words had been possible through our metal cases. I no longer felt the weight of my clothes, or of my shoes, of my air supply, or my thick helmet, inside which my head shook like a nut in its shell.
The light, which lit the soil thirty feet below the surface of the ocean, astonished me by its power. The solar rays shone through the watery mass easily, and consumed all colour, and I clearly distinguished objects at a distance of a hundred and fifty yards. Beyond that the colours darkened into fine shades of deep blue, and gradually disappeared. Truly this water which surrounded me was but another air heavier than the Earth’s atmosphere, but almost as clear. Above me was the calm surface of the sea. We were walking on fine, evens and, not wrinkled, as on a flat shore, which keeps the impression of the waves. This dazzling carpet, really a reflector, drove away the rays of the sun with wonderful intensity, which accounted for the vibration which passed through every atom of liquid. Shall I be believed when I say that, at the depth of thirty feet, I could see as if I was in broad daylight
(Adaptation from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne)
必修三 Unit 6 Disaster and hope 词汇在句中省略
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Picking up a free newspaper at the Tube station, I see the title “Hot! Hot! Hot!”. Today, the temperature in London is expected to reach 30 plus degrees! The average high temperature in July is only 22 degrees, so over 30 is not usual for London. It’s going to be awful on the Central Line, with no air conditioning. Why did they have to invent the Tube before air conditioning It’s just typical that my journey is on one of the oldest lines, as well as one of the deepest. It’s the hottest on the whole Tube system.
Sure enough, going down the stairs and onto the platform is like jumping into a volcano that’s erupting. This, however, is nothing compared to the train. Because there’s no air conditioning, the temperature inside the train can reach 35 degrees! It’s lovely in the beach, but not so when you’re wearing a suit and in a crowd of passengers! I’m sure the passenger next to me and I are melting and becoming one! I had bacon and eggs for breakfast, and now I’m feeling a bit sick—I hope I can make it to Bank station... I’ll avoid the feeling by thinking about work. I work in a tall, glass building. One very hot summer, the sun reflected off it and melted cars parked below! Will this happen again today
Yes, each summer in London definitely seems hotter than the last. I suddenly feel a bit scared. Perhaps now is the time to start planning for the future I should probably put my flat on the market and buy a boat. That way, when the Thames rises and there is a flood in London, I’ll still be able to get to work. But wait! Would I still have a workplace to go to My office is only on the third floor of the building, so quite low. I’ll speak with my manager about moving to the top floor. Most importantly, I will need to learn to swim! I’ll join a beginner’s swimming class immediately. Then I’ll be able to survive even when the tall buildings are flooded.
Looking through my newspaper, I’m shocked by photos showing that a hurricane in Asia has destroyed a town. What’s more, heavy rain in Eastern Europe has caused landslides, and the heat across Southern Europe has caused forest fires. Experts say this bad weather has occurred due to climate change. News like this makes me feel nervous. Now that it’s hard to avoid a disaster on Earth, perhaps I should start thinking about moving to space...
“The next station is Bank!” comes the announcement. That’s my destination. Stepping out of the station with a heavy heart, I suddenly feel a fresh wind on my face. Well, maybe I have been worrying too much. After all, it’s only 30 degrees outside!
Stars after the storm
It’s strange, but I don’t really remember much about the hurricane itself. It all happened so quickly. I was sitting in my room with my cat, Smartie, on my lap, when the roof just flew off. All of a sudden, there was sky where the roof had been. I was so frightened that I just froze.
Mom cried to get out quickly, but it was already too late by then. The rain was coming down so hard and so fast. Our street turned into a river in seconds. We were going nowhere.
At first, I was pleased we could stay at home, but soon it got really tough. Without a roof, staying inside was too dangerous. There was water everywhere, but we couldn’t drink any of it otherwise we’d get really sick. We just had drinking water that was sent to us by helicopter, but it was never enough. It was August, so it was really, really hot and it smelled so bad everywhere! I just spent the days watching the boats going up and down the street and looking out for Smartie. He had disappeared the moment the storm hit.
Living in the open air, we became breakfast, lunch and dinner for the mosquitos. But Mom said that whatever happens, we should always try to see the good side of things. It was difficult to stay positive, though. We had lost our home and everything in it, including Smartie. All we had left were the clothes on our backs. But as Mom kept on reminding us, we were all together and safe. Mom’s words made us feel better. I remember us all lying under the midnight sky and looking up at the stars. Because there were no lights, we could see the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper and the Milky Way. It was amazing! Even though we had lost a lot, moments like those gave us hope for the future.
Although it was only a few days before we were rescued, it felt like months. We were taken to another town in a faraway county. Thankfully, Smartie came home just in time. We were so happy to take him with us, although then, none of us knew that we wouldn’t be back for quite a while.
Now, one year has passed and I’m back home in New Orleans. Some families have yet to return, but many others have come back. Although we are surrounded by reminders of the disaster, we are working together to rebuild our homes and our lives. Now we have another chance to look up at the stars of New Orleans, their beauty inspiring us and giving us confidence to move on.外研版高中英语必修一课文（标注语法典句版）
必修一Unit 1 A new start 基本句型复习
My first day at senior high
Monday 4 September
After I had pictured it over and over again in my mind, the big day finally arrived: my first day at senior high! I woke up early and rushed out of the door in my eagerness to get to know my new school.
The campus was still quiet when I arrived, so I decided to explore a bit. I was looking at the photos on the noticeboard when I heard a voice behind me. “New here ” Turing around, I saw a white-haired man. “Yes,” I replied. “I’m wondering what life is going to be like here.” “Don’t worry,” he gave me a smile. “You’ll soon find out.”
How true these words were! When my English teacher stepped into the classroom, I was surprised to see the same man I had met earlier.
“Good morning, everyone. Before we start, please come to the front one by one and introduce yourself to the class. I’ll go first…”
“What !” I tried to turn on my brain but the engine just wouldn’t start. “I should say my name, of course. But what else What could I say to make a good first impression Something about my insect collection, perhaps.” I was organizing my words in my head when the girl next to me gave me a nudge. “It’s your turn!”
With butterflies in my stomach, I breathed deeply. “Hi, I’m Meng Hao.” Everyone started laughing. I looked at them in panic. “Nice to know we share the same name,” said my new teacher. I had been too nervous to pay attention when he introduced himself! Although I was embarrassed, his words made me a lot more relaxed!
When we had all introduced ourselves, Mr Meng said, “Well done, everyone! I know this isn’t easy for many of you. But this is just the kind of thing you are going to face at senior high. Challenges like this might sometimes put you under pressure. But it all depends on what you do. Keep calm and be prepared. That way, you’ll make the most of your time at senior high.”
People say, “Well begun, half done.” I guess this was a good beginning to my new school life.
High School Hints
Interviewer: Hello and welcome to School Talk! Today I’m joined by a former student of our school, Lisa Osborne. Lisa graduated from our school last June and is about to go to college in New York. Lisa, thank you for coming to share your suggestions for high school with us.
Lisa: Hi, everybody. I’m very glad to be back. I feel as if high school was only yesterday!
Interviewer: So what helped when you first started high school
Lisa: Orientation Day was really helpful. It’s a fantastic opportunity for new students to get to know the school and the other students. I even made some new friends! Just keep an open mind and take part in as much as possible.
Interviewer:That’s sound advice for sure. But how did you deal with new challenges, like starting a new course
Lisa:I had a chemistry test right at the end of the first week. I was frightened at the sight of the test paper. But then I figured I’d better just go all out and see what happens. If you fail, no problem—next time you can fail better!
Interviewer: So, hold your head up, then. But life is not always easy. You must have had some moments when you were disappointed. If so, how did you deal with them
Lisa: As a member of the school volleyball team, I wasn’t selected for the end-of-year competition. At first I was really sad, but later I realized that I joined the team for the love of the sport. It wasn’t just about winning. So I kept working hard to support my teammates during our training. There’s always a way to be part of something you love, isn’t there
Interviewer: Yes, I totally agree. Is there anything else in particular that you’d like to share with us
Lisa:Looking back on my high school life, the most important advice I’d give is these wonderful words from the writer Maya Angelou. She said, “Be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” So, give your friends a hand when they need it. And this will make you feel good, too.
Interviewer: Neat! Well, thanks again for coming to speak to us, Lisa. And good luck with college!
Lisa: Thank you.
必修一Unit 2 Exploring English 构词法复习
Neither Pine nor Apple in Pineapple
Have you ever asked yourself why people often have trouble learning English I hadn’t, until one day my five-year-old son asked me whether there was ham in a hamburger. There isn’t. This made me realize that there’s no egg in eggplant either. Neither is there pine nor apple in pineapple. This got me thinking how English can be a crazy language to learn.
For example, in our free time we can sculpt a sculpture and paint a painting, but we take a photo. And when we are traveling we say that we are in the car or the taxi, but on the train or bus! While we’re doing all this traveling, we can get seasick at sea, airsick in the air and carsick in a car, but we don’t get homesick when we get back home. And speaking of home, why aren’t homework and housework the same thing
If “hard” is the opposite of “soft”, why are “hardly” and “softly” not an opposing pair If harmless actions are the opposite of harmful actions, why are shameless and shameful behaviors the same
When we look out of the window and see rain or snow, we can say “it’s raining” or “it’s snowing”. But when we see sunshine, we can’t say “it’s sunshining”.
Even the smallest of words can be confusing. When you see the capitalized “WHO” in a medical report, do you read it as the “who” in “Who’s that ” What about “IT” and “US”？
You also have to wonder at the unique madness of a language in which a house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm is only heard once it goes off!
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race. That is why when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And that is why when I wind up my watch, it starts, but when I wind up this passage, it ends.
Misadventures in English
Last week, our forum asked if you had any funny or strange stories about using English. We didn’t expect to get so many posts. Here are some of our favourites, to remind us that some of the English we learn in the classroom is rather different from the English in the outside world!
Yancy: People say that the British always play safe with what they eat. Not true! I went to a summer school in Manchester and my English teacher was called Maggie. One day, a different teacher took our class. He told us that Maggie couldn’t teach that day COZ she had a frog in her throat. Poor Maggie—but why did she try to eat such a big frog
135 comments
Sophie: When I first visited New York, I went to a downtown shopping centre to buy some winter boots. At the information desk at the entrance, I asked a lady where the shoe section was. She said that it was on the first floor. So I went up to the first floor, but couldn’t find any shoes. I decided to leave. When I was looking for the exit, I saw that shoes were actually sold downstairs on the ground floor, not the first floor. Why did she give me the wrong information？
128 comments
Julien: I’ve got an English penfriend, who I finally got to meet in London this summer. He had told me that his grandfather was “really wicked”. But when I met his grandfather, I liked him a lot. I found it very odd. Why did my friend use a negative word about such a nice man
63 comments
Zheng Xu: The British must have really high standards. I was part of a student exchange programme between a university in England and my university in China. I spent days preparing and writing my first English paper. I knew I had done a good job and was looking forward to getting a positive comment. When I got the paper back, I found my teacher had written the comment “Not bad!” Not bad But there weren’t any errors in my paper.
85 comments
必修一Unit 3 Family matters 时态复习
Like Father, Like Son
(The living room. Friday night. A table and two chairs at front centre. Grandfather and Father, seated at the table, are playing chess.)
Grandfather：And...I win！
(Son enters room.)
Father：Not again! Oh look, here comes my boy. How are you, son
Son：(nervously approaching the table) Erm... Dad, can we talk
Father：Sure! You know you can always turn to your dad for a chat.
Son：OK. Here it is. I’ve decided not to go to university. I want to focus on my band and have a career in music when I leave school.
Father：(raising his voice in surprise) You can’t be serious! What about your future career as a lawyer？！
Son：I knew you’d say that. You just assume I want to be a lawyer, but that’s only because you are a lawyer.
Father：What’s wrong with being a lawyer Lawyers help people and are respected by others.
Son：Yes, but I’m not interested in law. I want to work in a studio, not a court.
Grandfather：(looking at Father) Calm down. OK
Father：(ignoring Grandfather’s words) Stop daydreaming! Playing in a band is not a job.
Son：Of course it is! The music industry is developing fast now. Making music is a job.
Grandfather：(stepping between Father and Son and raising his voice) Hey! I told you to calm down, both of you!
Father：But I told him to study something useful at university!
Grandfather：(laughing) Easy, son! I remember when you were his age, you said that you wanted to be a professional football player.
Father：And you wanted me to be an engineer!
Grandfather：I just wanted you to be happy, and an engineer—a happy engineer.
Father：But in the end, you just advised me to think carefully.
Grandfather：Yes, and you have found the career that suits your talents. I’m so proud of you. Your son is proud of you, too.
Son：Of course I am, but I have different talents.
Grandfather：(turning to Son) Why don’t you also take my advice and think carefully before jumping in with both feet
Son：Well, I could try...
Grandfather：If you go to university and play music at the same time, you will have two options for your future. And I’m sure playing in a band will help you make lots of new friends at university.
Father：Yes, lots of new lawyer friends!
Son：(with a sigh) Dad...
(Curtain)
JUST A BROTHER
It was the final part of the 2016 World Triathlon Series in Mexico. With just 700 metres to go, Alistair Brownlee was in third place and his younger brother, Jonny, was in the lead. Alistair pushed himself towards the finish line in the burning heat, but as he came round the corner, he saw his brother about to fall onto the track. Alistair had to choose—brotherly love, or a chance to win the race
For Alistair, the choice was clear. His brother was in trouble. He had to help. Alistair ran towards Jonny, caught him and started pulling him towards the finish line. Alistair then pushed his brother over the line. The move put Jonny in second place and Alistair himself in third. It was an unexpected end to the race, but Alistair did not want to discuss it with the media. He just wanted to see his younger brother, who had been rushed to the medical area.
The Brownlee brothers have been doing triathlons since they were children. “Obviously, when your older brother is doing it, you think it’s a cool thing to do,” says Jonny. Alistair says that they encourage each other as much as they can when they train. Despite arguments over “stupid things” now and then, Alistair agrees that having a brother is an advantage. “Throughout my entire life, I’ve had my brother trying to beat me at everything I do. It has been an enormously positive force.”
Watched by millions, the ending to the race has divided opinions: should the brothers have been disqualified or highly praised for their actions But for Alistair, this decision was easy to explain: “Mum wouldn’t have been happy if I’d left Jonny behind.” At that moment, he was no longer an athlete aiming for a medal—he was just a brother.
必修一Unit 4 Friends forever 定语从句that, which, who, whom，whose
CLICK FOR A FRIEND
How would you feel if moving to a new town meant losing track of your friends What if the only way of getting news from faraway friends was writing letters that took ages to be delivered This was how things worked not very long ago. Thanks to advances in technology, how we make friends and communicate with them has changed significantly.
Nowadays, we can move around the world and still stay in touch with the people that we want to remain friends with. Social media tools let us see what our friends are up to and maintain friendships. All you need is a wi-fi connection.
The digital age also enables us to find people who share our interests, such as collecting model cars or playing an unusual instrument. Whatever our hobbies, the Internet can connect us with others who also enjoy doing them, even if they live on the other side of the world.
But when you “friend” people online, does this mean that they really are your friends It depends.
If people always exchange true personal information online, then yes, these friendships can be real and meaningful. But we need to keep in mind that what we see on social media is often not the whole truth about a person.
On social media sites, people tend to post only positive updates that make them appear happy and friendly. But smiling photos can hide real problems. Remember the saying: on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. A young person could be old; a woman could be a man; we could even be sharing our information with criminals.
But this doesn’t mean that we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Although technology has changed the way we acquire friends, the meaning of friendship and our longing for friends remain the same. As Aristotle said, no one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other goods.
After Twenty Years
The short story “After Twenty Years” is set in New York on a cold, dark night. Most people have left work to go home, and this part of the city is now quiet. A policeman who is checking the area sees a man outside a shop. He goes up to the man and finds he has a scar on his face. They have a chat and the man starts to tell his story.
“Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “ I dined here at ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn’t have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.”
“It sounds pretty interesting, ” said the policeman.“Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven’t you heard from your friend since you left？”
“Well, yes, for a time we corresponded, ” said the other. “But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive, for he always was the truest, staunchest old chap in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and it’s worth it if my old partner turns up.”
(Excerpts from “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry)
必修一Unit 5 Into the wild 定语从句where, when，why
The Monarch’s Journey
Many animals move from one place to another at certain times of the year. This annual movement is called migration. They migrate to find food, seek a partner, or in search of warmer weather. One of the most wonderful migrations in nature is that of the North American monarch butterfly.
Every autumn, millions of these beautiful insects with fine black and orange wings begin a long and difficult journey. Somehow they manage to travel around 4,000 kilometres south and find their way to California or Mexico. However, until recently no one knew how they did this.
A team of scientists led by Professor Eli Shlizerman at the University of Washington has now found the answer. They have found out that the monarch is able to tell the time of day. It uses its eyes to measure the position of the sun. These two pieces of information — the time of day and the point where the sun is in the sky — allow the butterfly to determine the way to go. Eventually, it manages to reach the places where it will spend the winter.
The solution to the mystery of the monarch’s amazing ability comes at a time when it is in serious trouble. Its population has crashed by as much as 90 per cent in the last few years. Sadly, human activity is the main reason why the number of monarch butterflies is falling. In many of the places where the butterfly can be found, people are destroying the natural environment. They cut down trees and use chemicals that kill the plants that monarch caterpillars eat.
The research on the monarch’s behaviour has however led to a greater awareness of this creature. People have been working together to record its migration and make sure that there are enough plants for it to feed on. If this works, there may come a time when the number of monarch butterflies increases once again. The more we know about this lovely creature, the greater the chance it will survive and keep its place in the natural world for a long time to come.
An Encounter with Nature
As a nature photographer, I have to brave the elements. But despite the wind and the rain, I still enjoy working outside in the wild. One of the best things about this job is that you can observe animals in their natural environment.
My favourite place to take photos is Yellowstone National Park. As the world’s first national park, Yellowstone is famous for the variety of its wildlife, but it is probably best known for its bears. These huge, strong animals can live for 30 years. Despite a weight of up to 300 kilograms, they can run at a speed of around 64 kilometres per hour and are also excellent swimmers.
Last spring in Yellowstone, I followed a path that took me through a dark forest. When I finally stepped out of the trees, the view was breathtaking. An eagle flew over the snow-capped mountains, which were reflected in the still lake below. While I was concentrating on photographing this amazing scene, I suddenly had a feeling that I was being watched. Slowly, and with the camera still held to my eye, I turned... and froze. Only meters away from me was a bear. With water falling off its thick, brown hair, the bear stared back at me. Time stood still as the bear and I both waited to see who would move first. My legs started shaking. Somehow, I forced my finger to press the button. A second later, the bear turned and ran back into the forest. When I recovered from the shock, I looked at my camera. My most frightening but magical experience was now captured forever in a single image.
From time to time I look at the photo as a reminder to show respect to all animals. It is after all we who are the visitors to their world.
必修一Unit 6 At one with nature 定语从句（介词） + whom / which
Longji Rice Terraces
Imagine mountains wrapped in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer sees the mountains turn bright green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered in sheets of white frost. These are the colours of the Longji Rice Terraces.
These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people, to whom Guangxi is home. Starting in the Yuan Dynasty, work on the terraces took hundreds of years, until its completion in the early Qing Dynasty. Reaching as far as the eye can see, these terraces cover tall mountains, often from the bottom to the very top.
So why did these people go to so much trouble to turn the entire mountains into terraces Firstly, there are few large, flat areas of land in the region. Building the terraces therefore meant that they could increase the areas in which they could grow rice. Secondly, although the region has plenty of rain, the mountains are steep and the soil is shallow. The flat terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away.
But perhaps what is most significant is the way in which people have worked in harmony with nature to make these terraces and grow rice. The terraces are cleverly designed, with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. During the rainy season, it is along these waterways that rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces. The sun heats the water and turns it into vapour.This forms clouds from which rain falls down onto the mountain terraces once again. These terraces also provide a perfect environment for birds and fish, some of which feed on insects that can harm the rice crops.
Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the people for whom traditions hold much value. This knowledge is passed down through families, which means that new generations continue to use ancient methods of agriculture to maintain the terraces. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors who come to admire this great wonder created by people and nature working together.
A Love of Gardening
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” These words come from the author of the book The Secret Garden, first published in 1911. At that time, only the very rich in Britain had gardens. Very soon after this, homes with gardens began to be built. This is what started the British love of gardening！Today, millions of Brits like to say that they have “green fingers”, with around half the population spending their free time gardening.
For many people in the UK, their garden is their own private world. Each spring, children plant sunflowers and wait to see which one is the tallest.Expert gardeners know just the right corner for roses, and others spend hours trying to grow perfect vegetables to enter into competitions. And while many Brits like nothing better than spending their Sunday cutting the grass, some are happy just to sit under the branches of the trees and enjoy the beauty of the world around them.
But in cities, limited space has led to people looking for new solutions. Those without outside space can rent small pieces of land on which to grow things. Today, there are over 4,000 people in London waiting for such pieces of land. One recent idea has been to turn rooftops and walls into private gardens. These gardens have helped make the cities greener and improve air quality.
As well as being good for the environment, gardening is also good for the soul. What other free-time activity allows you to be at one with nature and create more beautiful living things And if you’re in any doubt about this, take a moment to reflect on this line from The Secret Garden: “Where you tend a rose... A thistle cannot grow.”外研版高中英语必修二课文（标注语法典句版）
必修2 Unit 1 Food for thought
情态动词be able to,dare not,have to,had better,needn’t
A child of Two Cuisines
Growing up in England with a British father and a Chinese mother, I’ve enjoyed food from both countries ever since I was able to hold a knife and fork—and chopsticks!
Mum has sweet memories of the food from her home town in Sichuan, and often cooks spicy dishes. Thanks to this, Dad has come to love hot pot! But there are still some dishes that Dad dare not try even after many years of marriage to my mother. He once told me he was surprised by what he saw on the table when he first visited my mother’s parents in China. He was even shocked at their wedding when he saw how the Chinese ate almost every part of an animal. Even today, he still does not easily take to eating things like chicken feet.
But I enjoy that sort of food myself. Last week, I went to the butcher’s and asked, “Do you have pigs’ ears ” “No,” the butcher said, pulling at his own ears, “just these ordinary ones.” He must have thought I was joking.
Dad can cook a super “full English breakfast” of bacon, eggs, beans, sausages and toast with butter—Mum and I just have to find a way to get him into the kitchen! He also does a typical Sunday roast. We all love roast beef and vegetables, but Mum says we’d better not eat too much roast food as it may make us suffer from heat inside our bodies, according to traditional Chinese medicine.
I’ll never forget my first visit to China. Mum encouraged me to try different kinds of food, and I did! I loved everything. But just when I thought I could deal with all Chinese food, I came across stinky tofu, a horrible grey thing that looked and smelt like a burnt sports shoe. “You needn’t try it if you don’t want to,”Mum said, but I gathered all my courage to take a bite and was amazed to find it wasn’t so bad. It reminded me of blue cheese, a similarly strong smelling type of food you either love or hate. Maybe I’ll fall in love with stinky tofu—someday.
People say that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, but I feel at home with food from both my cultures. To me, there’s nothing better than a cross-cultural afternoon tea of English biscuits and a cup of Chinese oolong tea in a fine china cup!
Cold Truths
Is there any truth behind the saying “You are what you eat” We put this to the test by asking five people to open their fridge doors and talk about their lifestyles. Can you guess which fridge belongs to which person Maybe you can recognise your own fridge here!
Ellie 24 Junior doctor
There’s not enough room to swing a cat in my small apartment, so I don’t cook very often. My fridge is usually half empty and I’m often too tired to eat much anyway. I often end up saving part of my meal for the next day. Some evenings, I’ll just have something quick, like toast, or even just a yoghurt with honey. As a doctor, I know I had better change the way I eat, but I just don’t have the time or the energy right now.
Jenny 31 Teacher
My husband and I avoid all products that come from animals. This means we don’t eat meat, and any milk or cheese had better be dairy-free. We like cooking at home and make our meals from fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables. Cooking together gives us a chance to relax and catch up on each other’s days. If we have children, I want to bring them up just like us, but my husband says that everyone should be able to make their own lifestyle choices.
Ted 35 Construction worker
Each day at the construction site is more or less the same—tiring! When I get back home, there’s nothing more satisfying than a big meat dinner. I guess l’ve always been a big meat eater and in this house, no family meal is complete without some form of meat. I still don’t think that anything can beat my mum’s homemade sausages, though.
Mike 49 Chef
With five children, we’re one big family! My wife and I both work full-time, so life can get pretty busy! Like a lot of chefs I know, I don’t really do much cooking at home. Sometimes I bring home food from the restaurant where I work. Once a week, we do a big shop and buy a lot of frozen food. I know we should eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, but ready meals are so convenient.
Max 19 College student
There are five of us living in our shared student house. My mum says I need to have three healthy meals a day, but I’m too busy studying and meeting friends! We don’t really buy fresh food, and I suppose the fridge could be kind of cleaner... I daren’t let my mum see this photo!
必修2 Unit 2 Let's celebrate!
情态动词can /could, may/ might,must
THE REAL FATHER CHRISTMAS
Many people still remember the magic of Father Christmas from when they were children. As parents, they try to keep that magic alive for their children for as long as they can.
That is why Letters from Father Christmas could be the perfect book for those who regard Christmas as a special time of year. The man who wrote these letters is one of the most famous names in English literature—J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. The letters were Tolkien’s way of keeping Father Christmas alive for his four children, over a period of more than twenty years.
Every Christmas, an envelope with a North Pole stamp arrived. It was addressed to Tolkien’s children. Who could it be from The children must have been very excited as they opened it. Inside, they would find a handwritten letter from Father Christmas. The letters were also beautifully illustrated—each must have taken its true author, Tolkien, a long time to complete.
The letters told wonderful stories about Father Christmas’s life and adventures at the North Pole. A regular character in the letters was Polar Bear, who once climbed the North Pole (an actual pole in this case) and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house. In another letter, Father Christmas complained about how he could not stop his helpers playing games with the toys instead of wrapping them up. Interestingly, the letters did not contain the usual warnings to children that they might not receive their presents if they were not good. The letters did, however, change as Tolkien’s children got older: ... but if you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite as many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people.
Letters from Father Christmas tells us that as well as enjoying the adventures of Father Christmas, Polar Bear and other characters at the North Pole, we can all share the true spirit of giving at Christmas time. By expressing love for his children in such a special way, Tolkien may indeed have been the real Father Christmas.
Time for a Change
Social Insights
A family dinner is an important tradition to celebrate Spring Festival. Nowadays, some people choose to have the dinner in a restaurant, but not everyone is keen on this idea. What do our readers think
Dear Editor,
We have eaten out for the Spring Festival family dinner for the last three years, and we have enjoyed it no less than eating at home. I don’t understand why some people refuse to embrace the change.
Can’t they admit that the preparations for the dinner are hard work I really don’t think it’s worth the effort of spending so much time preparing for a single meal, and then another hour cleaning up the mess after it’s over. We work all year, so why can’t one day be about spending time with family and relaxing
Eating out is a good choice and it has nothing to do with loss of traditions. We still have the dinner with the same people, just in a different place. The occasion is more enjoyable without all that tiring cooking, and the dishes taste better!
In my opinion, what or where we eat on Spring Festival Eve really doesn’t matter. Eating out may change the form of this tradition, but the love between the family members sitting around the table together remains the same.
Wang Peng, software engineer
Dear Editor,
For this year’s Spring Festival family dinner, my son has booked a table at the best restaurant in town, but I’m a bit unhappy about it. For me, it just won’t feel like Spring Festival having the diner out.
When I was a little boy, the dinner on the eve of Spring Festival was what I looked forward to most. It was not only for the delicious food that we seldom got to eat, but for the opportunity to have our whole family gathered together. I would run around the house, listening to the adults chatting about their year. I’d get under my mother’s feet in the kitchen, watching her make dumplings. She’d put tokens in some dumplings: candies for a sweet life and peanuts for a long and healthy one. In the evening, all of us would sit around the table, enjoying the food and being together again. We toasted each other, we laughed, and the simple, homemade dishes tasted more delicious than anything cooked by a top chef.
I hope my children and their children will still value our memories of preparing the dinner together. To me, the process is even more important than the dinner itself.
Liu Yonghui, retired teacher
必修2 Unit 3 On the move不定式（to do）作定语和结果（目的）状语
A Game for the World
These days, football is one of the most popular sports in the world. Given that Neil Armstrong wanted to take a football to the Moon, we could even say that it is also the most popular sport out of this world! The history of the game goes back over two thousand years to Ancient China. It was then known as cuju (kick ball), a game using a ball of animal skins with hair inside. Goals were hung in the air. Football as we know it today started in Great Britain, where the game was given new rules.
That football is such a simple game to play is perhaps the basis of its popularity. It is also a game that is very cheap to play. You don’t need expensive equipment; even the ball doesn’t have to cost much money. All over the world you can see kids playing to their hearts’ content with a ball made of plastic bags; just like Pelé did when he was a boy.
Another factor behind football’s global popularity is the creativity and excitement on the field. It is fun enough to attract millions of people. You do not have to be a fan to recognise the skill of professional players—how they use their bodies to pass, score and defend can be amazing to see—or to feel the excitement of a game ending with a surprising twist.
What’s more, football has become one of the best ways for people to communicate: it does not require words, but everyone understands it. It breaks down walls and brings people together on and off the field. Take, for example, the famous football game on Christmas Day 1914. World War I had broken out months before, but British and German soldiers put down their guns and played football together—one moment of peace to remember during years of conflict.
“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, ... ” said Bill Shankly, the famous footballer and manager. “I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” This might sound funny, but one only has to think about the Earth to realise that our planet is shaped like a football.
Running into a Better Life
This global site is a place for runners to share their stories about running. So, if you are a runner with a story to tell, get in touch—we’d love to hear from you!
Li Yue, 16, Beijing
I was born with asthma and I never thought I’d be a runner! I only joined my local athletics club because my doctor told me that in my particular case exercise could improve how my lungs work. But before I knew it, I was taking part in local races. As my fitness and my running improved, I started running in national competitions. This year I won silver in the under 18’s 10,000 metres! And who knows, next year I could win gold!
Sarah, 36, Montreal
Not so long ago, I didn’t do any exercise—not even any jogging! Then I discovered an app called Running Power. It lists your performance against other runners in your social network. At first, I kept running just to see my name in the top five. Soon, I found that I was not alone—I came across other runners in the same area running for the same purpose! Now I no longer use the app, but I’ve fallen in love with running, and still do it with my running friends.
David, 52, New York
As a computer engineer, there’s always a new challenge just around the corner! It can be quite stressful at times, though, which in turn makes me feel anxious. To help deal with this, I go running as often as I possibly can. Whether I’m at the gym or on the road, my nervous energy pushes me through mile one. By mile two, the tension has moved from my mind to my legs. By the end of the run, all my stress has disappeared and I’m ready to face the next day at work!
Grace, 25, Manchester
This year I entered the Great Gorilla Run in London. This is a programme run by The Gorilla Organization to raise money to save the world’s last remaining gorillas from dying out. Each runner receives a gorilla suit and off they go! It’s a bit hot and sweaty inside the suit, and my legs ache, but it’s a lot of fun. The funniest moment was when someone watching the race offered me a banana—a real treat for a running gorilla! I had a great day out in London, as well as helping to save gorillas!
必修2 Unit 4 Stage and screen现在分词（v-ing）作状语
When HAMLET meets PEKING OPERA
I thought I knew a lot about Hamlet. As a high school student with English literature as one of my main subjects, I have to! Shakespeare’s Hamlet is probably the most important play by the most important writer in English. Almost everybody knows “To be, or not to be”, right Having seen quite a few productions of Hamlet and read the play many times, I was full of confidence—until the Peking Opera came to town!
Dating back to the 18th century, Peking Opera has over two hundred years of history. Does this mean it’s easier than a Shakespeare play to understand To find out the answer, I just had to go and see The Revenge of Prince Zidan—the Peking Opera version of Hamlet.
Starting with an orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments, the opera brought a completely new sound to my Western ears. At first, I thought what I heard was a violin, but later I learnt that it was an instrument with two strings called jinghu. Then, seeing the main characters come on stage, I was surprised! The costumes and masks were amazing. The performers of course sang in Chinese, but the music, exaggerated movements and mime helped get the meanings across to the audience. The voices themselves sounded really unique—some of the female voices were so high that I was sure they could break glass! And the stage was really simple:a decorated whip represented a horse, and a screen with Chinese characters, a study. Using such techniques, the opera had transformed a small stage into the whole universe.
Easily my favourite part of the show was how the characters moved on stage. I had never seen Prince Hamlet do a backflip before! That was simply incredible. It was so dazzling and energetic that I wasn’t sure if the characters were performers or athletes! Everyone was clapping.
Before experiencing The Revenge of Prince Zidan, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it. But, in fact, I was on the edge of my seat! Feeling the strong emotions of love, anger, fear and grief in the performance, I could easily recognise the theme of Hamlet. So, if you want to see a show that combines music, singing, drama, poetry and costume design with explosive effect, The Revenge of Prince Zidan ticks all the right boxes!
Good Book, Bad Movie
They say that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but the briefest look at books and the movies based on them would have anyone questioning this common saying. All too often, great words end up being turned into cinematic “turkeys”.
Good movies need good stories. If so, why has one of the earliest and greatest works in Western storytelling, Homer’s The Odyssey, never had an equally great movie based on it Movies need strong characters. So why have the movies based on The Great Gatsby never been praised as “great” Movies of course need impressive images, so why has Alice in Wonderland only resulted in movies best described as “interesting”
One of the key reasons behind this is that while a book usually takes a few days to read, a movie typically lasts under two hours, This means that great books can lose plot details and characters when they move to the big screen. This is something that even the highly successful Harry Potter movies can’t escape from, with fans of the books disappointed not to see some of their favourite characters in the movie versions.
Movies also disappoint us when things don’t look the way we imagined them in the books. Take, for example, the epic movie Troy, which is in part based on Homer’s The Iliad and was met with mixed reviews from the audience. The most questionable issue was the actress chosen to play the part of Helen. Many people thought she didn’t live up to Helen’s title of “the most beautiful woman in the world”, influencing opinions of the movie to some extent.
There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes. Furthermore, books and movies are two different forms of media and therefore have different rules. With this in mind, perhaps we should judge a movie in its own right, and not against its original source. Interestingly, audiences have in recent years turned to television series such as Sherlock or Mad Men, which can have many characters and gradual plot development. Perhaps, one day, readers of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most admired work will find themselves glued to their screens by episodes of The Great Gatsby.
必修2 Unit 5 On the road 现在分词（v-ing）作定语
Blogging Australia
Who are you and what do you do
My name is Lauren Elizabeth Pirie Bath, Until a few years ago I was a chef, and a happy one at that, but I wanted more out of life. I wanted to TRAVEL. At that time I discovered blogging and found that I took pretty good pictures. So I decided to post pictures on my blog. In less than 18 months, there were over 200,000 people reading my blog! At first, I only regarded it as a hobby, but companies started paying me to take photos and publish them. In 2013, I was determined to make my dream come true: I would become Australia’s first professional photo blogger. It was a challenging job, but I did it. Now I spend three weeks out of every month travelling and have over 464,000 fans following me online. I’ve got to know more about this country and its people.
What is your connection to Western Australia
I first visited Western Australia for work in 2013. I fell in love with northern WA and have been back six times. Some of my favourite photographs were taken there. I have made over 140 work trips, but my best work trip ever was to Broome in the Kimberley region.
What do you love most about Western Australia
It is extremely beautiful and you can experience the indigenous Australia there more than anywhere else. The Kimberley region, in particular, is unique and untouched. As a photographer, I love the bright light and amazing colours: red rocks, green plants, blue-green waters and blue skies.
How does your love of nature influence your photography
To work full time in travel, you have to love nature. I try to take every opportunity to get outside and admire the natural world. I love to photograph the rising sun, so I force myself into the natural world by waking early each day. I also enjoy photographing animals, such as dolphins and kangaroos.
Does your photography support environmental protection
I hope so. I use my photography to make an impact on people, especially when it comes to environmental issues. Today I’ve been photographing a crocodile swimming close to our boat, the Kimberley Quest, all day. When I post the picture online, I will make a comment about how bad it is to feed wild crocodiles. This crocodile is used to passengers throwing food from boats and now she is becoming familiar with humans. Over time, this could make her a danger to people living in the area. If I can do something to make others aware of the problem, then that’s part of the solution.
Coast to Coast
Hi Amy,
We made it! My family and I have managed to cross the North American continent, from western to eastern Canada, in two weeks! I can’t wait to share the stories with you.
We started from Vancouver, where we picked up our vehicle for the trip—a home on wheels. It took us where we wanted, when we wanted. Dad did the driving but he has a poor sense of direction. We got lost a few times even with the help of GPS, but eventually we managed to cross the Rocky Mountains. I was hoping to see a bear or even an eagle, but all I saw was a small group of deer. The views were fantastic, though. There were forests, mountains with snowy tops and masses of ice. It’s like another world.
We reached Quebec on the eighth day, where most people speak French. Well, actually, they speak Quebecois, which is a type of Canadian French. The funniest thing happened on that day. I’d fallen asleep, when I heard Dad’s phone ringing. He was driving, so I answered it. Guess who it was Mum! It was then that I realised her seat was empty! How did that happen Well, while I was sleeping, Dad stopped for some petrol and Mum also got out to take photos, and you can guess the rest... She was so mad! To cheer her up, we went to a typical Quebec restaurant for lunch. We had the famous “poutine”, which is a dish of French fries, fresh cheese and a hot brown sauce called “gravy”. It’s usually followed by pancakes with maple syrup—delicious!
So, we’re now in Newfoundland, the very eastern part of Canada and the end of our journey. To celebrate, we went on a boat trip yesterday. Mum was using Dad’s phone to take photos of the colourful little houses along the coast when we saw something amazing—a killer whale! Mum was so excited that she dropped the phone into the sea. This time it was Dad’s turn to get mad! Anyway, another family from Quebec was also on the boat and they got some great photos of the whale. They’re going to send them to us when they get back home. What’s more, their son’s the same age as me. He’s so cool! We’re going to keep in touch, so I now have someone to practise French with!
With love,
Eva
必修2 Unit 6 Earth first 现在分词（v-ing）和过去分词（v-ed）作补语
SHARKS: DANGEROUS OR ENDANGERED
We see a woman swimming at night in a dark sea. Suddenly, she is pulled underwater. She surfaces, cries in fear, then disappears forever. This is the opening scene from the 1975 film Jaws, showing a shark attack. It tells the story of a great white shark that attacks and kills swimmers. Jaws was a great success, attracting huge audiences and winning many awards. It strengthened people’s long-held idea of the great white shark as a dangerous animal.
People have always been scared of sharks, but Jaws made things worse. It made people frightened of sharks, especially of the great white shark. Many people who saw the film started to believe that sharks were bad animals that ate humans. Some people stopped swimming in the sea, afraid of the horrible creature from the film. Other people started fishing for sharks, killing as many as they could. At that time, nobody cared if sharks were killed, or how many were killed. People just wanted them killed.
After 1975, the number of large sharks around America fell quickly, and soon fell around the world. This was not only due to fear of sharks, but also finning. Finning is a type of fishing where sharks are caught and their fins cut off. The sharks are thrown back into the sea where they die slowly and painfully. The fins are used in shark fin soup. Finning kills millions of sharks a year.
Finning would have an unexpected effect upon Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the book the film Jaws was based on. In 1980, Benchley was diving when he came across an awful sight. It was an area where fishermen were finning, and the sea floor was covered with dead sharks. Benchley saw sharks being killed and this caused a deep change in him. He came to see people as a danger to sharks, rather than the other way round. From that day on, he fought to protect sharks. He admitted that his book was wrong about sharks’ behaviour. “Sharks don’t target humans,” he said. Experts have proved that sharks do not see people as food, and they attack us by mistake. Only around six people are killed by sharks every year.
Fortunately, not everyone who watched the film Jaws became afraid of sharks—some became interested in understanding them. Today, as we learn more about sharks, more people than ever want to protect them from extinction.
What’s really green
Most of us are aware that we must take care of the environment, and the majority of us take steps to save energy and reduce waste and pollution. But recently, some “green truths” have been shown to be only half true, or even completely false. Here are some common ones. Which are really green
Paper shopping bags are better than plastic ones.
Plastic bags cause litter and are a danger to wild animals, which mistake them for food. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to break down, but much less time for paper. Because of this, people think paper bags are the better environmental choice.
However, making a paper bag uses four times as much energy as making a plastic bag and up to three times the amount of water. The process also produces more greenhouse gases.In fact, both kinds of bags are bad for the environment. So, take a reusable bag with you when you go shopping.
When you turn off a device, it stops using power.
When we turn off a device, such as television, it goes into stand-by mode. Devices in this mode still use power, and older devices in stand-by mode can use even more. This happens because electricity continues to leak from the device, even when it is turned “off”. To make sure your appliance is in fact off, remove the plug from its power supply.
Eating local food is good for the environment.
It seems like common sense: eating local food should be better for the environment, because it does not need to be transported long distances and kept cold during transport. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. It is the production of food, not its transport, that uses most of the energy and produces most of the greenhouse gases. In some cases, local produce might have used more energy and produced more greenhouse gases than produce grown a long way away—even taking into account its transport.
It’s better to take a shower than a bath.
It depends on how long you spend in the shower and how large your bath is. If you spend more than eight minutes in a shower, you’ll use as much water as in a bath—about 50 litres of water. Therefore, the key is to keep your shower time as short as possible.
Environmental awareness is now part of daily life. But it’s worth checking common ideas and opinions to see what’s really green. 外研版高中英语选择性必修二 课文（标注语法典句版）
选择性必修二 Unit 1 Growing up 将来进行时will be doing
The Age of Majority
In most countries, turning 18 marks the start of adulthood. But what does reaching this milestone, the age of majority, really mean Will you be completely in charge of your own life and able to express yourself in new and exciting ways What new responsibilities will this freedom bring Here, three young people tell us what turning 18 means, or meant, to them.
Bethany 16, Victoria, Australia
I can't wait to be 18. One reason is that although I'vebeen working ever since leaving school, I won't be voting in the next general election. Why Because I still won't be old enough Surely, if you're old enough to earn a wage and pay taxes, you should be allowed to have a say on how the government spends them! I've also been taking driving lessons, and in fact I will be taking my driving test on the very day I turn 18. My mum worries about me being behind the wheel. As an ambulance driver, shes seen a lot of car accidents involving teenagers and thinks the legal age for getting a driving licence should be 21. But I think I'm already mature enough understand that driving a car also means taking responsibility for my life and the lives of other people
Lin Ning 19. Shanghai China
I celebrated my 18th birthday just before I went to university. Iexpected to feel instantly different, as if I had closed the door on my childhood and stepped into a whole new adult world. But it wasn't like that. When I woke up the next day, there were still rules to obey and lessons to attend. In fact. the change has been more subtle and gradual than I imagined. Instead of being the selfish teenager I used to be, I have begun to feel more aware of other people and to develop a stronger sense of social responsibility. To give an example, I will be signing an organ donation agreement this time tomorrow. This was a big decision for me and I made it without asking my parents (although I knew they would approve). Turning 18 also changed the way that society viewed me. I was really surprised when a bank contacted me with a credit card offer. Of course. I would like to have more freedom with money and no doubt I will be getting a credit card at some point, but I currently don’t have a stead income, so getting a credit card might tempt me to spend more money than I have
Morgan 20, Florida, the US
People say that 18 marks a new chapter in our lives, and that we should become more independent. I used to believe this, but the reality for me has been very different. I assumed I'd already have a well-paid job and that I'd be moving into a rented apartment as soon as I turned 18, but how wrong I was My librarians salary means that I'll be living at home with my parents for a while longer. Because I contribute to the household bills and my commute to work is quite expensive, I find it hard to save any money. I'll be starting a new job next month, however, so maybe things will get easier. I know I could get a bank loan to pay the deposit on my very own apartment, but I don’t feel ready to make that kind of commitment, and I do like my mom's cooking I guess some responsibilities are more about attitude than age
The Little Prince
Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest.It was a picture of a boa constrictor In the act of swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of the drawing.
In the book it said: ＂Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole,without chewing it. After that they are not able to move， and they sleep through the six months that they need for digestion
I pondered deeply,then,over the adventures of the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making m first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked like this:
I showed my masterpiece to the grown-ups, and asked them whether the drawing frightened them
But they answered: Frighten Why should anyone be frightened by a hat ”
My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the grown-ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of the boa constrictor, so that the grown-ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this
The grown-ups' response, this time, was to advise me to lay aside my drawings of boa constrictors. whether from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history arithmetic and grammar. That is why, at the age of six, I gave up what might have been a magnificent career as a painter. I had been disheartened by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two. Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them
So then I chose another profession, and learned to pilot airplanes I have flown a little over all parts of the world: and it is true that geography has been very useful to me. At a glance I can distinguish China from Arizona. If one gets lost in the night, such knowledge is valuable
In the course of this life, I have had a great many encounters with a great many people who have been concerned with matters of consequence. I have lived a great deal among grown-ups .I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And that hasn't much improved my opinion of them.
Whenever I met one of them who seemed to me at all clear-sighted, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding. But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say:“That is a hat”
Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level I would talk to him about bridge, and golf, and politics and neckties. And the grown-up would be greatly pleased to have met such a sensible man
(Excerpt from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
选择性必修二Unit 2 Improving yourself 过去完成时被动语态had been done
Social Media Detox
Moderator
Today marks the last day of the Social Media Detox, Brenton High’s fundraising campaign for new sports equipment. At the start of the detox, over 100 students had been persuaded to stop using social media, in ANY form, for seven days. This meant no messaging friends, no posting photos, no blogging----nothing. They had been promised money by family and friends for each day spent without using social media. They were nervous. But could they do it
With the detox finished, they’ve switched on their devices and they’re back online. I bet you’re as eager as I am to find out just how many have been motivated enough to last the full seven days! And what, if anything, have been learnt from the experience
Anna 17
I lasted two days. The detox was more difficult to tolerate than I had expected. I felt like I had lost an arm! Not eating for two days would have been easier! But on reflection, I can see how much of my time had been occupied with checking my phone. I’m now trying to spend less time online and more time picking up my hobbies.
Devon 16
I lasted four days. On Monday, our classmate and I spoke about what we did at the weekend—it felt strange not to already know what he had done. We would have posted pictures and updated our profiles. Doing the detox meant we had to talk and explain what we were ding and thinking! It made me realise the value of real contact that I hand forgotten.
Cindy 18
I managed the whole week! At first, I really felt I was missing out. Then,instead of messaging my friend, I went around to her house. Without our phones, we had a proper conversation for over two hours. Without being distracted by messages from other people, it felt so good! Then i decided to visit a different friend every day. By the fifth day, I wondered—was I really missing out by not constantly checking my phone to see what everyone else was up to
Gorge 16
I did all seven days, too! To be honest, I didn’t find the detox too difficult, but I did give my phone to my father to avoid giving in! My brother thought I should make full use of the time without my phone; so he took me to check out our local sports centre. An hour’s sport each day left me tired out and sent me early to bed. The detox made me healthier!
Max 17
I’m embarrassed to say that I threw in the towel on the first day! I knew there was a party happening that evening, but without access to social media I couldn’t remember where it was! In the end, I turn on my phone to check, but couldn’t resist having a quick look at my social media accounts. What’s worse, I then spent so much time catching up on news, I almost missed the party.
Moderator
The detox raised a total of $1,632.82 for new school sports equipment! Well done,everyone who took part! After reading the posts on this forum, it seems that something rather than money has also been raised through the detox. Awareness of just how much we rely on social media can help us step away from it and communicate with each other better.
Valuable Values
The spending power of young people varies from person to person. Each, however, is faced with the same question: what to do with the money Some handle this less well than others. Recent headlines have seen more and more teens maxing out their parents’ credit cards on games and other online activities.
In contrast to these big spenders, there are also teens that prove age is no barrier to making good use of money. With the help of her grandfather, eight-year-old Khloe Thompson started making “Kare Bags” for the homeless people in her district. Inside the bags are necessities such as toothpaste, soap and socks,bought first with her pocket money and then through crowd funding. These items helped to make the lives of the poor and homeless people a little bit easier. On receiving a Kare bag, one woman said, “You make me feel like a human being.”
However people intend to use their money, managing it seems to be unprecedentedly important to younger generations. A 2016 study said 17 states of the US require high school students to take course in personal finance. For those who have no access to courses, help might be at hand thanks to Jerry Witkovsky and his method of using four jars to teach teenagers how to spend their money wisely.
When Jerry’s grandchildren turned 13, his present to each of them were three jars: one for spending, one for saving, and another for giving—he has since added a fourth jar for investing. It was from then on that his grandchildren started to be in control of what to do with the money they receive: spend, save, invest, or give Jerry’s birthday present to his grandparents is, however, much more than money and a few jars—he is giving them an opportunity to learn lifelong values.
The value taught with the Spending jar is that you are responsible for your own happiness. Money gives you independence and the opportunity to buy something you like. After all, it’s OK to be nice to yourself!
While spending jar is about here and now, the saving jar gives you a vision for future. This could involve saving for university, but it could also mean saving for that special something you’ve seen in the stores— it’s up to you.
The Investing jar not only represents a vision for the the future, but gives the opportunity to build for the future. Although this could likewise involve putting aside money for your university education, it also means investing in yourself.
The Giving jar is all about kindness and helping. Whether you want to help out a friend, give money to an animal charity or to children in another country, it’s your money to give to whatever cause you believe in.
The wider aim of the jars is to encourage teenagers to think more objectively about money and the things that it can do, so that they grow up understanding, if you like, the value of the valuable. In this way, they will be better equipped in their adult lives to make informed choices about how they use the money they have. Indeed, the small change inside their jars could mean a big change in how they manage their money.
选择性必修二Unit 3 Times change! 过去进行时被动语态was/were being done
A New Chapter
The day I heard that the Rainbow Bookstore was closing after50 years of business, I was heartbroken. The bookstore, which was a legendary fixture in the neighbourhood, was a place where anyone could drop in and connect through their love of books.
When I hurried to the store. I saw that the books were already being packed into boxes. I had a long chat with Casey, thestores elderly owner. Sighing deeply, he told me how becoming difficult to run an independent bookstore. Most people preferred reading e-books on tablets. More and more customers were being attracted by chain stores and online discounts. I tried to think of some words of sympathy, but I had to admit that the Rainbow Bookstore couldn't stay in business much longer.
Childhood memories came back to me so clearly, as if the eventshad happened only yesterday. A bunch of us kids would frequently drop by the store after school. We'd look at the new books, or just chat with Old Casey. He knew every book in the store and would always pick the perfect one for us from a dusty shelf. We spent hours reading, seated on the stores old but comfortable furniture. Casey encouraged us to share our ideas and comments on the books, by writing them on a large board in one corner of the store.
When I left the bookstore， it was becoming cold and darkoutside. I turned to wave goodbye to Casey, but both he and his bookstore were already hidden in a thick mist. It made me realise that the bookstore and all that Old Casey had given to the community could soon disappear for good
A few months later, I was back in the neighbourhood during myspring break vacation and was surprised to see that the Rainbow Bookstore was still there and open for business. Its old brick exterior hadn't changed but inside it was like a different world In one area, a book reading was being delivered. Nearby, customers were poring over shelves selling stationery, posters and other best-seller-themed gifts. The large board in the corner had been replaced by a big screen, where customers' comments on the month's best-seller were being displayed. Clearly, the Rainbow Bookstore was in good, creative hands.
I was told that the community had decided to work together on acampaign to save the Rainbow Bookstore. The campaign had been led by Jennifer Oakley, a saleswoman who had grown up the neighbourhood and who had now taken over the bookstore from Case
Under Jennifer’s leadership, the bookstore was being turned intoa place for literature-loving members of the community to get together. It had a cafe selling organic food, and there were now more community events such as book readings, poetry recitals and even jazz concerts and movie nights, where people could gather to share an experience that couldn't be downloaded
I Joined Casey, who was looking up at the screen on whichreaders comments kept popping up. "Well, as you can see,corporate knowledge combined with creativity has brought my humble bookstore into the 2lst century! I'm so pleased to see that everything I wanted it to offer to the community is still here.”
Emojis: a new language
While waiting outside the cafeteria, I received the following message from my friend
It took me a minute before I realised what it meant. The signs he used were to say that he’d be running late and would be there soon. Instead of replying with a simple"OK, don’t rush searched for emojis on my phone that would express the same Message:
This was my attempt to follow the trend of communicating with emojis. Emojis are used everywhere, from text messages to emails, blogs and other social media networks. With the rapid development of social media, emojis are becoming an integral component of the language we use to express ourselves.
The word"emoji"comes from Japanese, literally meaning picture character". Emojis are small symbols representing ideas emotions or feelings. They come in different categories, such as faces and people, plants and animals, and food and drink“ Emoji”
When first introduced in Japan in 1999, emojis were limited to 176 simple designs. Now there are more than 3, 000 emojis that expand upon the way in which we communicate. Due to their popularity, the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2015 was for the first time ever, a pictograph( crying emoji)instead of a traditional word.
In today's world, emojis have become more and more popular. It seems that emojis have clear advantages over written language People like them because they add emotional meaning, and are quick and easy to use. In fact, this is similar to the gestures we use when we speak. With a smiling or sad face added to a message or post, your reader can"see "your facial expression while reading your words. Emojis can also help people express their feelings when they cannot find the appropriate words. For instance. if your friend is moving across the country. you ma just send them a string of crying faces to express your sadness over your separation
The use of emojis has even spread to classical literature. A Shakespeare series for young readers has taken William Shakespeare's popular plays and replaced some words with text speak and emojis. The intention of these adaptations is to make the classics more accessible to young readers. Some people, however, believe that these new versions have taken away the heart and soul of Shakespeare's plays
As we can see, emojis have a tendency to pop up all over theplace. Users of emojis say that they facilitate the way in which we communicate and express ourselves. But this makes others especially educators, worry that we are losing the ability to communicate properly using the written word, or even the spoken word. After all, how many of us today would rather send a message packed with emojis than make a telephone call Perhaps people will one day choose to communicate in pictures and forget how to write properly. On that day, emojis will have become a real pictorial"language". But, for now, maybe it's best that we just enjoy using them.
选择性必修二Unit 4 Breaking boundaries it作形式主语It is +adj.+to do
MY 100 DAYS WITH MSF
22 March 2015
Today we celebrate. It's exactly one month since the last reported case. But it is vital not to take any chances. So. 20 health care workers from almost as many countries, comrades in arms, raise virtual glasses to each other.
I arrived in Liberia with MSF almost three months ago. When I saw the tragic scenes on the news, I felt it was my duty as a doctor to go there and offer my help. I knew I was putting mylife at risk. but I thought. If I don’t do it. who will It is important to remember that Ebola doesn't respect national boundaries. There are no borders for doctors, for patients or for anyone else involved in combating this terrible disease.
My mission was to relieve Emma, a Canadian specialist in infectious diseases at the end of her posting. Emma spent an hour with me in the staff room talking me through the daily
routine. As she talked. I could hear at least three different languages being spoken at the tables around us. Later, Emma introduced me to some of the others working for or alongside
MSF: Wilton, a young local man, who helped carry the very sick into the treatment clinic and who disinfected clothing and surfaces; Maisy, a retired public health official from Darwin, Australia, whose local team of volunteers educated people on preventing infection; Alfonso, a soft-spoken Argentinian doctor in his 50s, who had previously worked on Ebola outbreaks in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The list went on. I found that I was the only Chinese doctor among people of all ages, colours and beliefs, from every continent except Antarctica. With each person I met, I felt a growing sense of pride as part of this extraordinary team. whose devotion to the cause shone from their eyes
In the few weeks since then, I have come to know these people very well. We have worked together, surrounded by blood vomit and death. But, although the death rate is very high, we will never give up on a patient, and our efforts do sometimes end in miracles
Just after my arrival, a family of six were brought here in the back of a van. All of them were infected. The twin girls and their parents soon died. We knew there was little hope for the brothers but we did everything we could to save them. When we visited the ward the next morning, we were amazed to see that against all odds, both boys were still alive. Pascal and Daniel have since made a full recovery. This small but unexpected success compensated for many other less fortunate cases.
To be caught up in such a crisis creates powerful bonds between people, not only between carers and patients, but also between all those who have come from different parts of the world and joined together in a common cause. It is so inspiring to have colleagues like Wilton, Maisy, and Alfonso, not to mention all the others I have worked with.
Now my time is almost up. In a few days, someone else will arrive to step into my shoes, and the tireless work that the MSF members do in more than 70 countries and regions around the world will go on. In a world still facing so many problems, it is absolutely essential for us all to collaborate to create a global community with a shared future of peace and prosperity.
The Words That Changed A Nation
On a grey afternoon on 19 November 1863, a tall, thin man mounted a platform in a field in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and began to speak. The place was the site of a recent battle where thousands of soldiers had died. The man was Abraham Lincoln President of the United States of America and he was there in memory of the soldiers who had died. The speech he gave was just 268 words long and lasted two minutes. But this address to the crowd changed the minds of his people and helped shape a nation.
At that time, America was bitterly divided. For two years, its people had been deep in a civil war between the slave-owning Confederate Southern States and the “free” Northern States of the Union. The worst battle lasted three days and took place at Gettysburg in 1863. The Union side won but at a great cost Over 50, 000 soldiers were killed or wounded, and people lost hope and purpose. What was all this suffering for
Lincoln understood the feelings of the civilian people. His speech gave them hope, belief and a reason to look to the future He gave them a new vision of what the United States of America should be, based on the ideals set down by its Founding Fathers 87 years before. It was what the soldiers had died for. Now it was up to the living to remove not only the divisions between North and South. but the boundaries between black and white and work step by step towards the equality of humankind.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate-we can not hallow this ground. The brave men,living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us. the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion -that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain: that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
("The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln)
选择性必修二Unit 5 A delicate world it作形式宾语think/find it....
MACQUARIE ISLAND: from Chaos to Conservation
I am standing on Macquarie Island, in the South-west Pacific Ocean, halfway between Australia and Antarctica. Strong winds and stormy seas have helped sculpt its long, thin shape. The green grass and bare rock of its landscape contrast dramatically, giving it a wild and natural beauty. No visitor would think it surprising that the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Nor would they fail to imagine how its native inhabitants including royal penguins, king penguins, and elephant seals existed in perfect harmony with their natural habitat for thousands of years.
But the islands more recent history tells a different story. It atragic story that began in 1810 when humans arrived on the island. In their ships they unknowingly brought rats and mice.These small animals quickly took over the island, eating the birds’ eggs and attacking baby birds. Cats were brought to the island to control the rats and mice. Unfortunately, the cats subsequently developed an appetite for the birds, too.
Meanwhile rabbits were introduced to the island as a source of food for humans. Loose on the island, they did what rabbits do best -they multiplied rapidly and began eating the native vegetation and digging holes, which caused soil erosion. The exploding rabbit population provided plentiful food for the cats,meaning that the number of cats also increased. This in turn led to more cats hunting the birds. The end result was that parakeets once large in number and native to the island. died out in 1891.
Even after Macquarie Island became an official nature reserve in the 1970s, the rabbits remained out of control. Experts felt it necessary to come up with a plan to remove all the rabbits from the island. With this goal in mind, a virus was released onto the island. But although the virus caused the rabbit population to decrease from 130.000 to around 10.000. it also meant less food for the cats. The cats in consequence turned their attention-and their stomachs -back to the native birds, killing up to 60,000 each year. In the 1980s traps and dogs were used to catch the cats. The last Macquarie Island cat was caught in 2000.
But as the saying goes, "While the cat's away, the mice will play. " With the departure of the cats from the island, the mouse and rat population started to increase. And remember those 10,000 or so rabbits It turned out that they developed an immunity to the virus, and their numbers exploded once again.Then, in 2006, the rabbits digging caused some land to collapse and killed a substantial number of penguins. This incident made it clear that the rat, mouse and rabbit problem needed solving once and for all.
So, I am here on Macquarie Island to participate in the programme to tackle this very problem. The first step involved poison being dropped from helicopters. The next step is to remove the last remaining invading species. and that’s where I come in=with my dogs. They have been trained to find every last one. without harming the native animals. This intervention is a long, much-delayed ending to a sad story, but we humans owe it to the island to give it a happy ending.
Postscript: In 2014, Macquarie Island was declared pest-free and the island's ecology is finally on the road to recovery.
WHY SHIENNONGJIA
Good morning, everyone. It is my great pleasure to give alecture here on behalf of the Be at One with Nature Association
As we know, in 2016, Shennongjia made it onto the UNESCOWorld Heritage List. But there are so many important places not yet on this list. So you might ask: why Shennongjia Is it its forests that stretch on and on like great green seas Is it the legendary father of Chinese herbal medicine, Shennong, after whom the park is named Or is it the mysterious creature called Yeren(wild man )that has captured the imagination of the world.
UNESCO awarded Shennongjia this status because it meets twocriteria required by the list. It contains a naturally-balanced environment that allows the many and various species to live and prosper. It is also one of the rare locations in the world where scientists can observe in real time the ecological and biological processes that occur as the plants and animals develop and evolve.
For the first criterion, Shennongjia is apparently one of the mostcomplete " natural areas in the world. The region rises from about 400 metres to over 3,000 metres above sea level, giving it the name the"Roof of Central China. The vast range in altitude results in a great variation in climatic conditions. This allows a wide variety of species to thrive. Some of the plants and animals have survived millions of years, and are regarded as living fossils.For the second criterion, we can see that Shennongjia hasincredible biodiversity. Look at this slide. According to official statistics, over 3,000 plant species have been recorded there.This represents more than ten per cent of China’s total floral richness. Shennongjia supports more than 600 vertebrate species including the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey and the Clouded Leopard. Additionally, around 4, 300 insect species have been recorded.
It is a challenge to look after so many species. In winter, scientists brave heavy snow and freezing temperatures to supply food to the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. Thanks to their efforts the monkey's population has doubled since the 1980s. Their number reached over 1,300 in 2015 and continues to grow.
But the most impressive aspect of Shennongjia is the local people, who take things from nature without causing damage. I visited a local village which is known for its home-made honey.What is special about the honey is that it is produced by the earliest species of Chinese bee. Every spring, the villagers place beehives around their houses to attract these wild bees from the forest. Although endangered elsewhere in China due to the invasion of foreign species, the bees of Shennongjia have coexisted with the local people for centuries. By providing the bees with a secure home, the villagers collect their honey in return. This is just one of the ways in which people of Shennongjia live and work in harmony with nature.
All of this explains why Shennongjia earned-and deserves-itsplace on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as highlighting how understanding, awareness and hard work have contributed towards protecting a unique and wonderful part of our natural world.
Thank you for listening. Now, does anyone have any questions
选择性必修二Unit 6 Survival 特殊疑问词-ever和no matter引导的状语从句
The Wild Within
The crime took place in a seaside suburb of Cape Town Spotting the car with its window left open, the greedy thief didn't hesitate. Within seconds. he had reached inside and run away with a bag of shopping. No matter how many crimes he committed, the police were powerless to arrest him. You see this was no ordinary criminal, it was a chacma baboon.Once almost unheard of, scenes like this one in Cape Town are now common all over the world. With foxes in London mountain lions in San Francisco and wild pigs in Hong Kong: it is almost as if our cities are being taken over by wild animals
People often wonder about the reasons behind this mass urban migration. Most of us would assume that urban development and climate change are responsible for pushing the animals out of their natural habitats. However true this is. we also need to consider that some of these so-called“urban animals”have never moved at all-it's we humans who have moved into their territory. Wherever they go, animals find towns and cities in their way. With nowhere else to make their homes, they have no choice but to move in with us.
Yet, for its newest and wildest inhabitants, a city can offer man benefits. As our cities become greener, they offer increasingly appealing spaces to animals looking for new habitats. Out of reach from many of their natural predators, these newcomers often flourish in their new city lives. Today, foxes can be seen all over London-one even being found living on the 72nd floor of the Shard building when it was under construction! What's more, hungry animals are finding plenty to eat in our gardens and in the leftovers we throw away.
One thing crucial to the increasing number of"urban animals"is their ability to adapt. There is evidence that urban racoons are more intelligent than their wild cousins, as they frequently have
to figure out difficult problems such as how to open rubbish bins and other containers which they would not find in the wild.Some animals have even changed their living habits to fit in with their new homes. Although naturally active at night, urban foxes come out in daylight if the reward is good enough. Their city location also means that they are getting a taste for the multicultural cuisine on offer from the garbage, such as hamburgers, lamb kebabs and even garlic bread!
For those animals that don't adapt. the city can be a dangerous or even deadly place. Unable to distinguish between blue sky and glass, birds crash into windows at speeds of about 30 miles per hour. Recent studies estimate that between 400 million and 1 billion birds die from window impacts each year in the US alone Shockingly, these deaths amount to around ten per cent of the
total US bird population. Some species are more affected than others. One theory behind this is that these birds have yet to change their migratory routes that take them through cities with high-rise buildings.
However they adapt to our ways of urban living, it's important that we get a better understanding of and even learn to appreciate our wild neighbors. Only then can we look towards harmoniously sharing our urban habitats. Whatever the reasons behind these species entering our cities, one thing is for sure-as it's often a means of their survival, they could be with us to stay.
Plan B: Life on Mars
In the 1960s and 1970s. the greatest fear was that the human race, and possibly all advanced life forms on the planet, could be wiped out by nuclear missiles, just at the push of a button Today, however, environmental problems have taken over as the greatest risk to life on Earth. Scientists are thinking of ways to lower this risk, such as replacing coal and oil with forms of renewable energy. But they are also preparing for the worst what can we do if the terrifying scenes in films such as The Day After Tomorrow happen in real life What is our Plan B for Earth
One option is to explore other planets to see if we could live on them. The most likely choice is Mars, which is relatively close to Earth and has an environment less hostile than that of other planets. Mars has fascinated people since ancient times, and today our interest in Martian exploration is greater than ever before. Films such as The Martian enjoy worldwide popularity. More governments and organisations are making efforts to educate the public on the Red Planet, for example, the Mars Desert Research Station in the Utah desert of the US and the Mars Village in North-west China’s Qinghai Province.
Since the 1960s, nave been sending unmanned spacecraft to Mars. Our probes have orbited the planet, sending back valuable data and stunning images. Our robots have explored the Martian surface, testing the soil and searching for resources, water and signs of life. Encouraged by discoveries over the years, space agencies of various countries are planning manned missions to Mars that could take place within the next 25 years.
There is no doubt that humankind is drawn towards Mars. With dreams of making it our second home. However, sending people there will require all the skill, courage and intelligence of the human race. While the moon can be reached within days, it would take months to reach Mars, travelling through dangerous solar radiation. And even if the first settlers do reach Mars safely they may not be able to return to Earth-ever. Staying alive will be a daily challenge, but as proved by the Biosphere 2 experiment, not impossible. As early as the 1980s, scientists were building Biosphere 2 in the Arizona desert. It consisted of a closed space in which people, animals and plants could live together. The closed" concept meant that the space was designed to function with its own oxygen, food and water needing nothing from the outside world. Although the two-year experiment was not a success, it did provide us with a better understanding of how humans might be able to live on another planet. More recently, scientists have succeeded in growing a variety of plants in an environment similar to that on Mars. That definitely is a big step forward.
For now, human settlement of Mars is still decades away. In the meantime, scientific research shows that the planet Earth is getting warmer. This change is being caused by human activity and is having a terrible effect on the biosphere. Until we are finally able to live on another planet, we need to take much better care of our own. Right now, it's the only one we have!外研版高中英语选择性必修四课文（标注语法典句版）
选择性必修四 Unit 1 Looking forwards 时态复习
Facing the Future
For many of us, it's something we already have experienced. One moment, we are lying comfortably in bed, about to fall into a deep sleep. The next, our eyes are open and we find ourselves wondering or even worrying about possibly the most important issue of our lives-the future. Will we get into the school of our choice What will we be doing in ten years' time Can we become the person we really want to be In the face of such questions, how should we approach the future Can we take action to shape it, or should we just accept whatever comes our way
As many of us already know, having plans in place for the future is no guarantee that they will become reality. In this respect, some people are more fortunate than others, as can be illustrated by comparing the lives of two famous authors, born 40 years apart. Although they shared the same ambitious and energetic approach to life, their careers unfolded in contrasting ways.
The American author, Ernest Hemingway, born in 1899, was from early boyhood single-minded in his ambition to write. On leaving high school, he joined a local Kansas newspaper as a trainee reporter. He went on to become foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and used his extraordinary experiences in Europe and later Cuba to inform his writing In his words,"I decided that I would write one story about each thing that I knew about." Having set himself this goal, he wrote novels and short stories based on his personal experiences of the First World War, the Spanish Civil War, bullfighting and deep-sea fishing, amongst others. His short novel The Old Man and the Sea, about the three-day epic struggle between an elderly fisherman and the biggest fish he had ever caught, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953. He would later go on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
By contrast, the young Authur Conan Doyle, born in Scotland in1859, had originally worked as doctor. But Doyle's' main ambition was to become a writer of historical novels. Although some of his historical novels were published, their success was nothing compared to the stories of his fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, which he is still best known for to this day.
Interestingly, Doyle wrote some of his early Holmes stories while he was waiting for patients in his medical practice in London. After Sherlock Holmes made him a household name, Doyle gave up medicine and devoted himself entirely to writing. He still longed to become known for his historical novels amongst other academic works. The public, however, couldn't get enough of Sherlock Holmes. In desperation, Doyle killed off the famous detective in a novel published in 1893 so that he could focus on his "serious" writing. However, fans of Holmes were so angry that Doyle, under immense pressure, was forced to bring Holmes back from the dead. Doyle's many historical novels, plays, poems and academic papers have remained largely forgotten, but Sherlock Holmes has been entertaining readers for well over a century.
Though both of these men were ultimately successful, their paths to success were very different, their futures not necessarily turning out exactly as they planned. So, whatever twists and turns you might encounter, take a leaf out of the books of these two authors and be prepared for the unexpected. As renowned tech innovator Steve Jobs once said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a vellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Lines from the poem The Road Not Taken are often quoted in speeches of all kinds. The poem has been set to music by a number of artists and used in numerous television commercials. It has in fact become one of the most famous American poems of all time, not only because of its natural style, but also because of its thoughtful insights into human nature.
When reading The Road Not Taken, one cannot help but see in one's mind images of a peaceful wood deep within the countryside. Paths in the woods are often used to symbolize how our lives progress and change. The lines "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, /And sorry I could not travel both" give us a visual representation of the choices that we face and the decisions that we need to make. Life throws many alternatives at us on a daily basis. These range from the basic" What should I wear today " to the key issues of what subject to study at university or what job to do after graduation. Of course, the greatest dilemmas arise from moral problems, when we are uncertain which choice results in doing the right thing.
Whether big or small, what all our choices have in common is that they leads to specific consequences Once we make a decision, in most circumstances, there is no going back. Although the writer of the poem considers taking the other path another day, he knows it's unlikely that he will ever have the opportunity to do so. Like the writer, all we can do is look backwards "with a sigh" and imagine what could have been.
This sigh, this wondering whether we made the right choice, is understandable. Although we may be free to choose which path to take, this choice isn't easy when those two paths look similar. Presented with two job offers, for instance we may wonder exactly what it is we're choosing between What if, in choosing one, we are unknowingly turning down other future opportunities Will we ever even find out whether we made the right choice
Ultimately, the road ahead the road through our lives-is a mixture of choice and chance. And when we are approaching the end of that road, how will we remember the journey How will we look back on our lives In the poem, the writer doubts his choice, thinking that in the future "ages and ages hence", he may claim that he took the "less traveled" road. Some of us do take a more unusual path through life and while it may be a harder one to follow, it can also lead to new adventures and experiences. Nonetheless, part of the art of decision-making is learning to make the most of our decisions Instead of looking back with regret, we should be facing our future with energy and optimism, for the choices are ours, and ours only.
选择性必修四 Unit 2 Lessons in life 被动语态复习
Tuesdays with Morrie
Despite being a sports journalist with a successful career ahead of him, Mitch Albom feels that there is something missing from his life. This all changes when he is reunited with his favourite college professor, Morrie Schwartz. On discovering that Morrie is being weakened by severe illness, Mitch starts visiting him at his house on Tuesdays. The weekly conversations between Mitch and Morrie result in series of lessons on the meaning of life and how best to live it.
Arthur K
This book is about dying, but it is not pessimistic. Indeed, it was a pleasant surprise to find that this book is filled with joy and hope. Morrie's bravery towards the end of his life is inspirational and has made me value my own life more. In fact, far from being book about death,it' s book about life.as Morrie says, "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." As Morrie anticipates his own death, he observes everything as though through new eyes-the things around him seem more beautiful than ever before and hold new meanings. From his window, he watches each season change, knowing it could be his last. This encourages us to appreciate what we have, and to make the most of each day.
Amy Wang
I think this book should be on all school reading lists. After finishing it, I feel I have been given deeper insight into the world and can see things from a different point of view. On the 11th Tuesday, Morrie explains that ".. the big things-how we think, what we value -those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone -or any society-determine those for you" While we are living, we tend to get distracted by unimportant things, such as gathering material possessions. I think it's important for young people to know that making a lot of money won't always make them happy, or that looking different doesn't make person abnormal! It's up to us to find out what is important in our lives and establish our own values.
Morrie says that most people"seem half-asleep", even when they're doing things they think are important. Reading this book made me feel as if I'd been woken up from a long sleep and finally opened my eyes to the world!
Marty
Despite its widespread recognition, my first impression was that Tuesdays with Morrie is just made up of collection of over-emotional thoughts and messages, many of which are repeated. But thinking back, it did teach me a lesson or two.The book made me stop and think about how much I am influenced by popular culture and the importance of creating my own values based on love and open communication. Although it isn't my favourite book, I'd still recommend that people read it- after all, it is something that's a bit different!
Vivian
Warning! A box of tissues will be needed to get through this book! Morrie's reflections on love and friendship made me think about my life and all the good friends that I've lost touch with along the way. It made me realise just how much I miss them.
I guess that's one of the lessons of the book-always keep in touch with the good people you meet as you go through life. Like Mitch, Morrie makes you aware that you want to die feeling that you have lived life to the full knowing that you are loved and have loved others as much as you could. As Morrie's favourite poet Auden said, "Love each other or perish.
THE BLUE BIRD
ACT IV
Tyltyl and Mytyl have been searching for the Blue Bird in the Land of Memory, the Palace of Night and the Forest. Now, they have arrived at the Palace of Happiness.
SCENE II. -The Palace of Happiness.
(A troop of HAPPINESSES rush into the hall, singing, "There they are! They see us!" They dance merrily around the CHILDREN, then the one who appears to be the chief goes up to TYLTYL with hand outstretched.)
THE HAPPINESS How do you do, Tyltyl
TYLTYL Who are you
THE HAPPINESS Don't you recognise me
TYLTYL (a little embarrassed) Why, no... I don't remember seeing any of you.
(All the other HAPPINESSES burst out laughing.)Why, we are the only things you do know! We are always around you! We eat, drink, wake up, breathe and live with you!
TYLTYL Oh... But I should like to know what your names are...
THE HAPPINESS I am the chief of the Happinesses of your home; and all these are the other Happinesses that live there.
TYLTYL Then there are Happinesses in my home
(All the HAPPINESSES burst out laughing.)
THE HAPPINESS You heard him! Are there Happinesses in his home! Why, it is crammed with Happinesses! Let me introduce myself first: the Happiness of Being Well. I am not the prettiest, but I am the most important. This is the Happiness of Pure Air, who is almost transparent. Here is the Happiness of Loving One's Parents. Here are the Happiness of the Blue Sky, who, of course, is dressed in blue, and the Happiness of the Forest: you will see him every time you go to the window...
TTWTL Excuse me, but do you know where the Blue Bird is
THE HAPPINESS He doesn't know where the Blue Bird is! (All the HAPPINESSES OF THE HOME burst out laughing.)
TTLITL (vexed) No, I do not know. There's nothing to laugh at.(Fresh bursts of laughter)
THE HAPPNESS He doesn't know: well what do you expect He is no more absurd than the majority of men...
ACT VI
Unable to find the Blue Bird anywhere the children say goodbye to their magical friends and return home. While they are trying to tell their parents about their adventures, their neighbour comes in. Her sick daughter has wanted Tyltyl's pet bird for a long time, but until now he has been reluctant to give it to her.
SCENE II. The Awakening.
(Enter NEIGHBOUR BERLINGOT, a little old woman leaning on a stick.)
MUMMYTYL How is your little girl
THENEIGHBOUR Only so-so. She can't get up. But I know what would cure her.
MUMMYTYL Yes, I know; it's Tyltyl's bird. Well, Tyltyl, aren't you going to give it at last to that poor little thing
TYLTYL My bird! Why, he's blue! But it's my turtle-dove! But he's much bluer than when I went away! Why, that's the Blue Bird we were looking for! We went so far and he was here all the time! There, Madame Berlingot, take him to your little girl.
THE NEIGHBOUR Really Straight away and for nothing How happy she will be! (Kissing TYLTYL.)
(Later, the NEIGHBOUR enters with a little girl who carries TYLTYL'S' dove in her arms.)
THE NEIGHBOUR Do you see the miracle She can run, she can dance, she can fly! (Pushing the LITTLE GIRL into TYITYL'S e along and thank Tyltyl.）
(After TYITYL kisses the LITTLE GIRL rather awkwardly, the two children look at each other without speaking; then TYLTYL strokes the dove's head.）
TYLTYL Is he blue enough？
THE LITTLL GIRL Yes, I am so pleased with him.
TYLTYLL I have seen bluer ones. But those which are quite blue, you know, do what you
will, you can't catch them.
THE LITTLL GIRL That doesn't matter; he's lovely.
小姑娘:没关系的，这只就很美了。
TYLTYL Has he had anything to eat I will show you...
(He moves to take the bird from the LITTLE GIRL'S hands. She resists instinctively; and, in their hesitation, the DOVE escapes and flies away.)
THE LITTLL GIRL (with a cry of despair) He is gone!
TYLTYL Never mind. Don't cry. I will catch him again. (Stepping to the front of the stage and addressing the audience.) If any of you should find him, would you be so very kind as to give him back to us We need him for our happiness, later on.
CURTAIN
(Adaptation from The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck)
选择性必修四 Unit 3 The world meets China 状语从句复习
WELCOME TO DUNHUANG!
Welcome to Dunhuang! On the old Silk Road, this city was the gateway to and from Ancient China, a place where East met West, and a green island in the middle of the desert. You can only imagine how travellers felt when they saw the oasis of Dunhuang ahead of them.
Dunhuang's long and glorious history represents its significance as a centre of cultural and commercial exchange. Today, Dunhuang is a world-class tourist destination boasting sites with UNESCO-protected heritage status. Now, we are going to enter some of the city's famous caves, of which there are more than 700. Known as the Mogao Grottoes these ancient caves were carved out of the rock over a period of 1,000 years. If you look up, you can see the paintings and other artworks that are testimony to how the Silk Road brought East and West together. Look at these statues! You can see elements from Ancient Greece, India and Iran. Now look around the walls of the e little bit closer so that you can get a better view. Look at them! The murals cover an astonishing area of 45,000 square metres.
The subjects of the Dunhuang murals vary from religious stories to scenes of everyday life. But one type of mural that is unique to Dunhuang shows the Apsaras, or "Flying Immortals". Representations of these heavenly musicians, singers and dancers decorate the walls of many caves. Take a look at this mural. The Apsaras are depicted sailing in the bright blue sky, with their scarves flying, as if they are about to fly down to meet us. And here is another one. Move over here where you can see it in more detail. The Apsaras are holding lotuses, playing musical instruments, dancing and throwing flowers. The painting of Apsaras reached a peak during the Tang Dynasty; these images are full of life, reflecting the confidence and optimism of people from that time.
Now, something really extraordinary happened in 1900, when a Taoist priest made one of the most important finds of the 20th century. In a sealed cave, now known as the famous Library Cave, were hidden thousands of manuscripts paintings and scrolls, as well as silk embroideries We'll have a chance to see some of them shortly the Library Cave is only a stone's throw from here. Dating from 405 AD to 1002 AD, these hidden treasures give us a picture of Dunhuang when it was at the very centre of the Silk Road trade. Thanks to this ancient library, we now know that goods arrived in Dunhuang from as far away as North-east Europe, and that goods were also exported from Dunhuang across Asia and Europe. The scrolls are so detailed that they describe the vast range of goods that were imported and exported from Dunhuang, such as ceramics, medicine, perfumes and fruit, to name just a few. The scrolls also reveal how many different communities lived side-by-side within this great city. However, the reason why the Library Cave was sealed up all those years ago remains a mystery.
In the Ming Dynasty, trade routes changed and Dunhuang was not as prosperous as it used to be. Gradually, it faded from memory, even though it was once such a great city.
This century is bringing the Silk Road to life once more through the Belt and Road Initiative. Dunhuang has once again become a global crossroads since it hosted hundreds of representatives from over 51 countries for the Silk Road International Cultural Expo in 2017. Given that the theme of the Expo was to promote cultural exchange and strengthen mutual cooperation between the countries along the Silk Road, Dunhuang was the ideal place.
Now let's move on to the next cave...
READING CHINA
The world of Chinese literature is one that is familiar to us all.But have you ever stopped to wonder what works are read outside of China and how they are received Today,four Sinologists and translators share their experience of Chinese literature with us. They are:
Petko, aged 43 from Bulgaria
Annelous, aged 34 from the Netherlands
Joachim, aged 25 from France
Mai, aged 28 from Egypt
Q1: How did you get interested in Chinese literature
Petko: It all started with a movie I watched when I was a boy The Shaolin Temple. That movie gave me so many reasons to fall in love with China. I was amazed by Chinese kung fu, of course-everyone loves kung fu, don't they I also thought the Chinese language sounded so beautiful, and found that I liked Chinese music, too-I just loved the movie's theme tune, Song of the Shepherd.
Annelous: I became interested in languages at a young age.When I started high school, I began reading books about Chinese history and culture, and this inspired me to choose Chinese Studies as my academic major at university.
Joachim: When was 15 years old, my mother bought me a copy of the classic Shi Ji, or Records of the Grand Historian. Prior to that, the only great historical works I had been exposed to were Homer's epic poems. Records of the Grand Historian was my first encounter with Chinese classical literature.After reading it, realised the true genius of China's "Grand Historian", Sima Qian. His writing had a profound effect on me, and I have this to thank for my passion for Chinese literature.
Mai: I gradually fell in love with Chinese literature when I started working as a translator. Most of
the translated works of literature in Egypt are from the English-speaking world, so reading Chinese literature was a stimulating and inspiring experience.
Q2: How do you select works to translate
Petko: I particularly like classical Chinese literature, especially works from the Ming and Qing dynasties I fell in love with Dream of the Red Chamber the first time I read it, and was determined to translate it into Bulgarian Now that this dream has come true, my next goal is to translate The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Annelous: In the Netherlands, the decision as to which works of Chinese literature get translated is largely influenced by the opinions of respected Sinologists. In addition publishing houses tend to look to other countries to see which Chinese works have sold well there, I've so far translated the writings of Han Han, and I am now working on those of Xu Zechen.
Joachim: I just go with what I like and what I am interested in. I've translated several short stories by Mo Yan. Right now, I'm doing research into popular literature in Shanghai at the start of the 20th century.
Mai: I don't care if writer is popular or not. What interests me most is the work itself. I've translated some works by authors such as Xi Murong and Bi Shumin. I also keep a close eye on what's being self-published online by new, young authors-they have some good ideas.
Q3: Which works by Chinese writers are popular in your country
Petko: Thirty-six Stratagems has sold more than 1,000 copies in Bulgaria. When you consider that here the best a writer can usually hope for is to sell a few hundred copies of their work, Thirty-six Stratagems is a best-seller in Bulgaria!
Annelous: Each year sees more works by Chinese writers published in the Netherlands, and they are well-received. The people that buy and read these books do so because they want to learn more about Chinese culture and everyday life in China. On the whole, I do have to admit that here, people's knowledge of Chinese literature is rather limited.
Joachim: The novels of Mo Yan and Yu Hua sell quite well in France. Mo Yan was already hugely popular, but became even more so after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature. Literature has a lot of significance to the French and Chinese literary works tend to be highly thought of.
Mai: Egyptians like literature that reflects human nature and experience. A couple of good examples of this are "Fond Memories of Autumn"by Shi Tiesheng and "Street Scene"by Zhou Guoping. I think Egypt and China are closely connected and both have a lot in common. Because of this, Chinese literary works really strike a chord in the hearts of Egyptian readers.
选择性必修四 Unit 4 Everyday economics 定语从句复习
Business Blossoms
As she spoke, Zhang Yue put her hands behind her back to hide that they were shaking. She couldn't, however, hide the line of sweat running down her forehead, which was caused partly by the heat of the television studio, but more by fear of the four people seated in front of her. They stared back, their blank faces giving no clue as to what they would say next. Feeling dizzy, Zhang Yue took a deep breath as she struggled to finish her presentation, "And that is why need your help in turning my new and exciting business into a successful one."'
Now chairwoman of her own company Zhang Yue is fond of saying, "The early bird catches the worm."The place where this happens is a valley, a world away from any television studio. Moving carefully through the darkness, she passes row upon row of rose plants. In an hour, these fields will be full of people, working quickly to pick the flowers before sunrise. "It has to be done then," says Zhang. "These flowers are delicate."
Zhang never thought that this was something she would end up doing. Surrounded by roses as she was growing up, she paid them little attention. It was only after graduating from university overseas and returning to visit her parents that Zhang realised the potential. "Conditions are ideal here," she says. "This is a place where roses grow wild."
Zhang therefore decided to return to her home town and grow roses, which surprised many people. "I wanted to experience the freedom of being my own boss," she said. "But I also wanted to give something back to my home town. As people say, 'It takes a village to raise a child.'"
She is not the only young person to have been bitten by the start-up bug. All over the world, an increasing number of enterprising young people are thinking of starting their own businesses, as the growing economy creates more opportunities. Like Zhang, they present their ideas in the hope of getting investment and advice, and they have the same passion and devotion. The majority meet with rejection. A few, like Zhang Yue, find themselves lucky enough to get investment and the all-important input and support from more experienced business people. The road to their success is however still a long and difficult one, with many challenges along the way.
As someone who grew up in the country, Zhang already knew about growing plants. However, like any entrepreneur who was just starting out, she still had lot to learn. She has overcome a number of obstacles in nursing her business to the success it is today. "The biggest challenge at the initial phase was to persuade people to work for me, which was totally outside my experience. Few in the village believed I could create a multi-million yuan business from flowers," says Zhang. "After I went on TV, a major Asian manufacturer of cosmetics was willing to purchase my product and help with its distribution. It was only then that the locals began to believe me. Now my product is one of the best in Asia. This year, can pay all my fellow workers a decent bonus.
Seeing her peers who also dream of success and independence, Zhang has mixed feelings. Though she welcomes the new entrepreneurial spirit, she advises that people be realistic and seek guidance from expert consultants before rushing into things.
"I love running my own business, but it's not for everyone says Zhang. "To succeed in business, you need more than a good idea, hard work and determination. What really matters is a sound business plan, access to capital, and good management and negotiating skills. Most of all, don' t be too ambitious. You should know your own limits and those of the people you work with. For young people who have little life experience, that can be a challenge.
What's mine is yours.
We've been told since we were toddlers that"It's good to share" Parents and teachers keep reminding us to share toys, snacks, books, happy memories, and sometimes even sorrows with others. When we grow up, we share photos, life stories and opinions with people around us and with those we don't know via social media. Taking it as an object of study, psychologists have published various papers stating that the behaviour of sharing is beneficial to setting up positive emotional bonding.
Today, the action of sharing takes on extra meaning. It's not just about sharing sweets or frustration; it has expanded to almost every aspect of our lives -the whole world seems to be into sharing. We are using technology to reduce the money that we spend on goods and services, or to make money out of those that we don't use ourselves all of the time. These vary from car shares to home shares, and even to pet shares. The sharing economy is taking off in all sorts of areas. It is creating new ways of thinking and is providing services to people when and where they want them.
This wealth of ways of sharing is a response to our increasing demand for quality goods and services at competitive prices, all delivered at the click of a button. Whether it's an online shop where we can hire designer clothes at rock-bottom prices, or a platform from which we can rent out our flats for a couple of days, it's out there. Whether we're a lender or borrower, it's a win-win situation; everyone makes or saves money. We also make connections and sometimes even make new friends. What's more, sharing encourages us to reuse items, thereby cutting down on waste. And set-ups such as bike and car sharing do a further favour for the environment by reducing the number of polluting vehicles on the road.
But the sharing economy is not without its problems. As is often the case all over the world with new areas of economic activity, the sharing economy is developing faster than existing regulations or ongoing supervision. Some companies are taking unfair advantage of this situation to expand their share of the market, often at the expense of more traditional and established companies. In addition, the sharing economy is subject to abuse of trust. Some people have experienced damage to their properties whilst renting out their homes and others have found themselves victims of theft or attack while sharing rides. Finally, personal data, the heart of the sharing economy, is not yet secure. Sharing platforms collect personal information about almost every part of our lives, including our names, locations, bank information, and individual preferences for goods and services. Yet, the technology to prevent such information from leaking or being stolen still needs improvement and the awareness of potential risks is low among both service providers and users.
Nonetheless, what is in no doubt is that the sharing economy is increasingly relevant to our daily lives as well as to the global economy. It is expanding at such a rate that we can only imagine what it will comprise in the future. What will we be sharing next Who will be sharing and how And the most interesting question of all-what type of society will all this sharing take us to
选择性必修四 Unit 5 Into the unknown 名词从句复习
The Mysteries of THE MAYA
Intrigued by Maya civilisation from a very young age, 15-year-old Canadian William Gadoury thought he had made an incredible discovery from his study of ancient star charts. Through comparison, he found that the locations of the 117 known Maya cities correspond to the positions of the stars. Based on this, he believed he had spotted an unknown Maya city buried deep in the jungle. Although his theory has been dismissed by scholars, it shows how powerful the secrets of Ancient Maya civilisation are among people.
It isn't difficult to see why. Extending south from parts of what we now know as Mexico into Central America, Maya civilisation has been surrounded by mystery since its rediscovery in the 19th century. The Maya built impressive palaces and temples, including their representative step pyramids. What is most extraordinary about these complex structures is how they were built without the use of wheels, metal tools or even animal power. The Maya's understanding of mathematics and astronomy was also quite amazing. They applied this understanding to the Maya calendar, which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year. On top of all this was an achievement unique in the Americas at that time: a true writing system. It contained more than 800 characters with some signs representing animals, people and objects and others representing syllables. It was a writing system so complicated that, so far, no one has been able to interpret it completely.
The fact that Maya society was technologically primitive makes its achievements all the more incredible and mysterious. But the greatest mystery of all is what caused the Maya to abandon most of their great cities. By 700 AD, Maya civilisation was at its peak. Yet, within just a couple of generations, it began to mysteriously decline. The cities were left to be taken back by the jungle. When Europeans arrived in Central America in the early 16th century to claim its riches, the remaining Maya people were living in small settlements.
Why Maya civilisation collapsed remains a mystery. Was it a natural disaster A deadly disease Conflicts between cities Or was it a combination of several different factors Some research seems to indicate that Maya people themselves may have played a part in their downfall. They had turned wetlands into fields for growing grains, and had dug huge canal systems. As their population expanded, yet more land was needed for agriculture and more trees for construction. By changing the landscape in this way, it is possible that the Maya people unknowingly reduced their ability to deal with natural disasters.
Research also suggests that those natural disasters may have led to the decline of the Maya. Some recent studies have found that there were far fewer tropical cyclones than usual between 700 AD and 1000 AD. This is likely to have led to a series of droughts, each lasting for a couple of years, including a "megadrought" around 900 AD. Many scientists believe that these droughts were the main reason why Maya civilisation began to collapse at different rates in different places. These droughts would have led to food shortages, conflicts and, ultimately, the downfall of the cities.
Whatever the reasons, Maya civilisation largely disappeared within the deep jungle. Its once-great cities fell into ruin, leaving various mysteries for later people to solve. Meanwhile, the rise and fall of this civilisation must also leave us thinking about our own past, present and future.
DIVING DEEP
Lying under waters across the globe are an estimated three million shipwrecks. All of them represent attempts over the centuries to explore Earth's furthest corners. Among these is the Esmeralda, the earliest wreck from the age of the European exploration of Asia. Today, some 500 years after the Esmeralda set sail, there is little -if any -land on our planet left unexplored. We have more detailed maps of the Moon, and even of Venus and Mars, than we do of Earth's own sea bed.
Given our limited knowledge, it is perhaps no surprise that exploration of the oceans continues to lead to discoveries in various scientific fields. As with the discovery of the Esmeralda, many archaeological finds are made in shallow waters near the coast. These may sometimes include whole cities buried beneath the waves. One such find is the ancient Roman city of Neapolis, discovered off the coast of Tunisia. Believed to have been buried underwater by tsunami in the fourth century AD, the ruins of Neapolis are almost 2,000 years old. The remaining streets and buildings offer a window into a fascinating period in our history. However, we are only beginning to overcome the challenges of pressure, darkness and extreme cold at vast depths. Fragments of the past lying deep beneath the oceans are still waiting to be discovered.
Amazing biological discoveries are also being made. The dark zones of the oceans may contain up to 90 per cent of the planet's fish. In these waters, more than 200 metres deep, where light cannot reach, are extraordinary creatures that appear as if they are straight out of science fiction. Imagine bone-white- coral 6,000 metres below the ocean's surface growing at the rate of only one or two millimetres per year Some of these could be 4,000 years old. Swimming through these black depths is the barreleye, a strange fish with eyes that can look upwards through its transparent forehead. In the very deepest ocean trenches that are more than 8,000 metres below the surface, the pressure is equivalent to 50 aeroplanes stacked one on top of another. Yet there is still life to be found, even around the deep-sea volcanic openings. These discoveries all help us understand the capacity for life on our planet, even in the most extreme circumstances.
Furthermore, the oceans are a valuable source of natural resources, some of which are completely new to us. Most notable of these is China's discovery of an ice-like substance, known as "fire ice", under the South China Sea. In addition, China's underwater vessels, such as the Jiaolong and Shenhai Yongshi, have been exploring waters at depths of thousands of metres. The Jiaolong even holds the record for the deepest dive by a manned submarine, at 7,062 metres, giving China its place alongside the world's top ocean explorers The research conducted by these vessels is giving scientists a greater understanding of how the sea bed was formed, as well as helping identify areas for deep-sea drilling, taking deep-sea exploration into a whole new era.
Being a tough environment of complete darkness, enormous pressure and intense cold, the ocean depths have long been beyond the reach of human exploration. However, through closer international scientific economic and cultural cooperation, we are all becoming part of a global mission to open up our planet's final frontier. Humankind is entering a new age of oceanic discovery, and the world beneath the waves may one day be almost as familiar to us as the land we walk upon today.
选择性必修四 Unit 6 Space and beyond 情态动词复习
The Call of the challenger
Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 20 July 1969, people have become accustomed to the notion of space travel. Millions watched that first lunar landing on black and white television sets, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how arduous and hazardous an undertaken it was, and of the many things that could go wrong. With Armstrong's now famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", what had once been considered impossible had now been achieved. Guided by a computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by today's average school students, all three astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission made it safely back to Earth.
Following the Moon landings, space travel rapidly became unexceptional to the public, as innovations succeeded each other. By the early 1980s, the great rockets previously used in the American space programme had been replaced by the space shuttle. When the Challenger space shuttle took off on 28 January 1986, the world seemed to have lost its wonder at the amazing achievements of the astronauts involved. But this was going to be no ordinary excursion, and millions of people tuned in to witness the take-off on TV. It was special because Christa McAuliffe aged 37, an ordinary teacher and mother, was about to become the first civilian in space. She planned to give two 15-minute lessons from orbit: the first to demonstrate the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked, and the second to describe the objectives of the challenger programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and rekindle interest in the space programme. With the eyes of students across the nation upon her, she might have inspired an entirely new generation of astronauts and space scientists.
Tragically, she never returned to her classroom as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida, and all seven astronauts on board were killed. The world went into shock, most people having assumed that this space flight would be no more dangerous than travelling in an aeroplane. How wrong they had been! Instantaneously, excitement and optimism turned into terror and failure. It was the most disastrous space accident ever, and it cast a shadow on people's hearts.
"I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school, said one student. "There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. We didn't have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in mid-air and we all started screaming.
Following the shock of the Challenger disaster, space shuttle flights were suspended for nearly three years while the cause of the disaster was investigated, and some of the shuttle's components were redesigned. But there was never any doubt that manned flights would continue, and on 29 September 1988, the space shuttle programme resumed with the successful launch of Discovery.
It has now been over 30 years since the loss of Challenger and although the lives of its crew were cut tragically short, they take their place alongside the other heroes of space exploration, such as Gagarin, Tereshkova, Armstrong and Yang Liwei. The memory of those seven will live forever, written in the stars, inspiring us to join them in humanity's greatest journey of exploration and discovery. The sacrifice of the Challenger calls to us, reminding us that we must continue to reach for the stars, no matter how distant they might seem.
EYES UPON THE NIGHT
The night sky has been an endless source of fascination since the start of human history. For example, the mysterious large-eyed, bronze statues of the ancient Shu Kingdom, discovered at the Chinese archeological site at Sanxingdui, were believed to have been able to look across great distances into the stars. In reality, humans can see very little of the night sky with the naked eye. And, for a long while, people were unable to understand what they could see. Not knowing what the stars were, people in ancient times used their imaginations to create a world in the sky.
Our power to investigate and thus understand space changed dramatically when the first telescope was angled at the night sky, increasing as it did the power of the human eye and enabling us to understand that the universe is far larger than was previously imaginable. The planets were seen to be worlds similar to our own, many of them even having their own moons. Soon, it was understood that the Sun was just one star among billions in the galaxy we call the Milky Way. Some 300 years later, we learnt that the Milky Way itself was just one galaxy among billions of others, spread across the blackness of space like great islands of light and matter floating in a vast cosmic ocean.
Almost 400 years after the first Earth-based telescope was invented, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit, giving astronomers-indeed all of us-the first breathtakingly beautiful images of our universe taken from beyond Earth. Nothing in history has allowed us to see so much over such great distances, from enormous clouds of gas where stars are being born, to huge black holes, and even to new planets where we might conceivably find life. Not only that-it has also helped us to work out the age and nature of the universe, and discover the incredible fact that the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing speed.
To see even further into the universe, many countries are now engaged in building ever more advanced telescopes. Currently, China operates the world's largest and most powerful radio telescope, the FAST telescope, completed in 2016. The 500-metre dish of the "Eye of Heaven" as it is known, is being used in the search for dark matter, thought to be composed of subatomic particles invisible to ordinary telescopes. This vast dish also has the ability to explore regions of space billions of light years away, right at the edge of the visible universe.
The Hubble and the space telescopes constructed after it will allow us to see further and further into space. We will view stars and galaxies billions of light years away and look back at a past that was billions of years ago. Using ever-larger radio telescopes as our eyes, we will one day be able to look back to a time in the very early universe, before the existence of light. But the human quest for knowledge reaches even beyond that. So much of the universe remains unexplored that we are still close to the start of this incredible journey of discovery.外研版高中英语选择性必修三课文（标注语法典句版）
选择性必修三 Unit 1 Face Values 主语从句（一个句子做主语，what...）
It's all about ME!
"Me". It's a small word with big meaning, and that meaning is as individual to each of us as the way we look. Through interviews, was able to discover what"me" means to other people, and how they have learnt to appreciate the beauty in themselves.
Psychologist, Dr Hart Jade, 24, accounting manager
As a song in Ugly Betty puts it, "It's a pretty person's world". I understand this more than most, as I have always been plain-looking. I'm girl who'd love to look good. Well, who wouldn't So, ever since I discovered selfie apps that could remove my freckles, enlarge my eyes and even slim my jawline, I have become addicted. I spend hours every day editing my selfies, posting them and eagerly checking my phone a hundred times for comments. Each "like" boosts my confidence. Dad thinks I am a narcissist, but what I say is that my pictures aren't hurting anyone, so who cares
Dr Hart says:Obsessive online photo editing indicates lack of self-confidence and a desire for attention. However, the image Jade presents to obtain the praise of others is false. People who pretend to be someone they are not tend to misjudge themselves.
Anthony, 21, college student
I never really cared about my appearance. That's why I could never understand my sister, who has 17 lipsticks and can't decide which one to use every morning. I only used to have five identical pairs of trousers and five identical shirts. When I first moved into my dormitory at college, this made my roommates quite confused as they saw me in the same clothes day after day. Last month they registered me for TV, New You. It felt bizarre at first. I didn't like being reviewed from head to toe. But I was surprised at how good I looked after the makeover! For the first time in my life I saw myself as a handsome and well-presented young man. At that moment, I perceived that external beauty isn't totally worthless. It can be an expression of our personalities, helping us make a good and positive impression on others.
Dr Hart says:It's true that inner beauty is very important, but external beauty shouldn't be completely overlooked. It plays a part in the image we present to the world, and making an effort with your appearance can leave a positive first impression on others and boost your confidence.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Published in 1831, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame tells a tragic story of events in Paris. Esmeralda's beauty means that many men fall in love with her. One such man sends the hunchback Quasimodo to kidnap Esmeralda. But Quasimodo fails and is captured and tortured in public. Esmeralda hears his call for water, and steps forwards out of mercy. She offers Quasimodo a drink of water, which saves him and also captures his heart. When Esmeralda is later sentenced to death for a crime she did not commit, Quasimodo rescues her from an angry crowd outside the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Esmeralda is safe from execution as long as she stays inside the cathedral...
Esmeralda and Quasimodo were still for several moments, as they considered their predicament in silence she so graceful, he so repulsive. Every moment Esmeralda discovered some fresh defect in Quasimodo, as her glance travelled from his knock knees to his hunched back, from his hunched back to his single eye. How anyone could be formed in such a way was beyond her comprehension. Yet there was so much melancholy and so much gentleness spread over all this that she gradually adjusted to it.
He was the first to break the silence. "So you were telling me to return ”
She moved her head, and said, "Yes."
He understood the motion of the head "But!"he said, as though hesitating whether to finish, "I am-I am deaf."
"Poor wretch!" exclaimed Esmeralda, with an expression of heartfelt compassion.
He began to smile sadly.
"You suppose that was all that I was missing, do you not Yes, I am deaf, that is the way I am made. It is horrible, is it not, next to your exquisite beauty!"
There lay in the accents of the unfortunate man so significant an awareness of his sadness that she had not the strength to utter a syllable. In any case, he would not have heard her. He continued:
"Never have I viewed my ugliness as at the present moment. When I compare myself to you, I feel an immense pity for myself, poor unfortunate monster that I am! Be honest, to you I must resemble some savage creature. You, you are a ray of sunshine, drop of dew, a birdsong, whilst I am something terrible, neither human nor beast. I don't know what am, as I am coarser, more downtrodden, and plainer than pebble!"
Then he began to laugh, and that laugh was the most heartbreaking sound in the world. He continued:
"Yes, I am deaf, but you shall talk to me with your hands as my master talks to me, and then I shall quickly know your wishes from the movement of your lips, from your expression.
"Well!" she smiled, "Explain to me why you rescued me.
He watched her intently while she was speaking.
"I understand," he replied. "You ask me why rescued you. You have forgotten an unfortunate person who attempted to kidnap you one night, this same person to whom you showed kindness when he was being punished. A drop of water and a little pity that is more than I can repay with my life. You have forgotten that unfortunate soul, but he remembers it.
She listened to him with profound tenderness. A tear swam in the eye of Quasimodo, but did not fall He seemed to make it a point of honour to keep it at bay.
(Adaptation from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo)
选择性必修三 Unit 2 A life’s work 表语从句（一个句子做表语，what...）
Life Behind the Lens
A white-haired old man riding an ordinary bicycle around the streets of New York, always wearing the same blue worker's jacket and simple black running shoes. If you saw him, you'd never think there was anything remarkable about him. And yet every member of New York's wealthy high society wanted nothing more than to pose for this man.
This ordinary-looking man was Bill Cunningham, one of the most important American photographers of the last 50 years.
What made Cunningham so great It certainly wasn't the use of expensive technologically-advanced equipment. Cunningham always used simple, relatively cheap cameras and took all his pictures on the streets of New York, not in a studio. Nor was it a wide range of contacts and connections. Although he always knew where fashionable parties and events were happening, Cunningham liked to photograph ordinary people in the poor Bronx as much as VIPs in rich Manhattan. He found inspiration where others could not, in simple, everyday scenes, such as a man buying oranges at the local grocery store, or a woman riding home on the graffiti-covered subway. These things were real, and it was within their reality that Cunningham saw both beauty and potential. Through his fascination with what people were wearing, and not who they were, he opened the doors of fashion to everyone -fashion as he saw it belonged to the people, not just to high society and big brands.
Moreover, what made Cunningham great was his devotion to photography, and the hours and hours of sheer hard work he put into his work. Cunningham would go out onto the streets of New York each and every day, regardless of the weather. He would even stay outside in a storm, not coming back until he knew he had the right photos. He hardly ever took a day off and not once stayed home sick. This devotion and hard work is what we see reflected within his photos. This is what makes them so special.
Although he was a world-famous fashion photographer, Cunningham's approach to life was uncomplicated. He lived in a small apartment with a shared washroom. A simple restaurant was where he usually had the same meal of sausages, eggs and coffee.
Cunningham never accepted the benefits offered to him for being a fashion photographer. He valued his integrity and would not be bought by anyone, no matter how many free clothes or flights to faraway destinations he was offered. And if he went to a celebrity party, he was there to work rather than have fun. "Money's the cheapest thing," he once said, then added: ".. freedom is the most expensive. This lack of self-interest- and promotion kept Cunningham focused on his craft, enabling him to capture New York's unique street style.
Cunningham's passion for photography lasted throughout his life. He was87 when he passed away, and had been working right up until his last illness. Nothing ever stopped him from getting the photo he wanted. His hard work made him more than a fashion photographer - he was "cultural anthropologist", who we can thank for recording the life of a whole city and its people over half a century. Bill Cunningham was an observer, and not one of the observed, worker not a star and this was how he wanted it.
MASTERS OF TIME
In the quiet courtyards of Xi San Suo behind the high walls of the Forbidden City, time ticks at its own pace. If it hadn't been for a three-episode documentary, outsiders would never have known that the plainly-dressed people working here are masters of their craft, who have spent their lives restoring precious antiques. Among these is the clock restoration master, Wang Jin.
Walking through the seven crimson gates towards his workplace, Wang Jin still regards himself as an ordinary worker in the Palace Museum, although now he is often stopped by admirers wanting their photo taken with him. Day in, day out, Mr Wang and his students spend their time restoring clocks dating back Hundreds of years. But for quite some time, he and his student Qi Haonan used to be the only two people repairing timepieces in the Palace Museum.
Qing emperors were very fond of clocks. Therefore, in order to please them, foreign envoys presented these emperors with the most intricate and splendid timepieces. Today, the Palace Museum has one of the most significant collections of timepieces in the world, mainly originating from Europe and China. With objects ranging from small pocket watches to clocks over one metre in height, each of these requires its own unique method of restoration. Given the complexity of the work and the lack of necessary materials, this means that each expert can work on a maximum of two large pieces a year. But, through their painstaking efforts, Mr Wang and his students do more than repair the clocks they bring them back to life.
The only sound to break the silence in Wang Jin's workshop is the chiming melody of the repaired and polished clocks. To Wang Jin it is the most beautiful music in the world. Now, after eight months of endless adjustments, the time has finally come for Mr Wang to wind up the gigantic clocks that date back to the time of Emperor Qianlong. The intricately fashioned objects that have stood still for centuries instantly come back to life: water flows, boats sail, dogs bark, chickens flap their wings and a woman starts to spin. It is a truly awe-inspiring moment. It is suddenly clear that when the clock masters say that "these antiques have lives", it is neither an exaggeration nor a metaphor.
But, despite the combined work of several generations of masters. it seems unlikely that the restoration of the clocks will ever be complete. Even if every clock in the Palace Museum were restored, there would still be work to do. because restoration would probably need to begin again on the clocks that were repaired long ago. This is a race against time that can never be won! Nonetheless, Mr Wang remains optimistic about the future of these timepieces. Following in the footsteps of his own teacher all those years ago, Mr Wang has now passed on his skills to the new members, who will take on many of the future repairs. What's more, inspired to follow in his father's footsteps, Mr Wang's son now has also taken up repairing antique clocks. This new generation of artisans will not only help preserve traditional skills; the innovation they bring to the craft will also ensure that the art of clock repairing stands the test of time.
In today's fast-paced world, the saying that "time waits for no man' has never seemed more apt. Yet inside the hidden courtyards of Xi San Suo, there is something timeless about the way Mr Wang and his colleagues sedately piece together the past with skillful hands and modest hearts. It is as if they have become one with their craft and with the history of the country.
选择性必修三 Unit 3 War and peace 主谓一致（1）
The D-DAY LANDINGS
By spring 1944, the Second World War had been raging across the globe for about five years. But along the south coast of England, something unusual was happening: Allied troops made up mainly of British, Canadian and American soldiers were gathering in large numbers. This marked one of the final stages of a top-secret operation that had been months, perhaps years, in the planning. Code-named "Operation Overlord", it was the largest combined sea, air and land operation in history, the aim being to free north-west Europe from German occupation. After waiting for the perfect combination of weather, moon and tides, the date for the start of Operation Overlord was set for 6 June.
An order issued by Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower to the troops read: "Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened... But this is the year 1944... The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
With these words ringing in their ears, Allied soldiers prepared for what would become known as D-Day At dawn on 6 June, thousands landed by parachute behind enemy lines in northern France. Meanwhile, thousands more were journeying across the English Channel to Normandy, protected by fighter planes in the skies above them. Their objective was clear: to reach the Normandy beaches along about 80 kilometres of French coastline. But even in the depths of war, few could have been prepared for the violence and horror they would experience there.
The fiercest fighting was at Omaha Beach. The enemy were hiding, ready to attack the Allied soldiers even before they reached land. Boats were hit and men drowned, while those who did make it to the beach faced heavy machine gunfire. By mid-morning, hundreds lay dead in the water and amongst the tanks on the beach. One soldier recalled how he barely made it with bombs falling all around him: "I was the first one out. The seventh man was the next one to get across the beach without being hit. All the ones in between were hit. Two were killed; three were injured. That's how lucky you had to be.
But, despite the high cost in human life, the D-Day landings were a success and were seen widely as the beginning of the end of the Second World War. By the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the River Seine, Paris was liberated, and the Germans had been removed from north-west France. The Allied forces then prepared to enter Germany, where they would meet up with the Soviet military moving in from the east.
Seventy years later, men who had fought on D-Day gathered on both sides of the English Channel, where people were coming together for memorial ceremonies. As part of this solemn and moving occasion, a former soldier read out to the crowd these lines from the poem For the Fallen, by Laurence Binyon:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Survivors of the D-Day landings continue to meet to remember the fellow soldiers and friends they lost that day. Although each year they are fewer in number, their outstanding acts of courage mean that we will always remember them-as well as those who lost their lives on the beaches of northern France.
LIANDA: A PLACE OF PASSION,BELIEF AND COMMITMENT
Throughout history, the great thinkers of the world have often rather romantically referred to their academic struggles as being like "war". However, for most of them, the "war" has been purely symbolic. Real war is never romantic as it brings suffering and immense challenges.
In 1937, the aggression of the Japanese army brought disaster to China's three great universities: Peking University and Tsinghua University were occupied by Japanese troops, while Nankai University was completely destroyed by bombing. To save their educational and intellectual heritage, the three universities joined together in Kunming as National Southwest Associated University, otherwise known as Lianda.
Professors and students alike in the three universities made an epic journey over a distance of more than 2,000 kilometres, most of them on foot. Their bed was the dusty road and their roof was the open sky, often lit up by exploding Japanese bombs. Conditions were little better once they reached the remote and mountainous south-west part of China. They had to live in rough buildings, packed 40 to a room, like sardines. There were dire shortages of food, books, and equipment. Furthermore, classes were frequently disrupted due to fierce air attacks and often had to be held before 10 am and after 4 pm.
However, despite the immense hardships and the daunting challenges, it was right in this place, over period of eight long years, that the nation's intellectual heritage was not only guarded but fortified by the passion and belief of the worthy academics of Lianda. It is no wonder that many, if not most, of China's leading scholars and scientists emerged at Lianda, including the two Nobel Prize-winning physicists, Yang Zhenning and Li Zhengdao. "Lianda laid the foundation for every achievement I have made, Yang recalled. He still remembers learning in a temporary classroom that had no glass in the windows. "On windy days, we had to hold down the paper on the desk, which would otherwise be blown away,"he said.
With the country at war, students at Lianda were not going to shirk their duty. Driven by a sense of commitment, a great many joined the army to resist the Japanese invaders and defend the honour of the nation. In fact, Lianda provided the largest number of student-soldiers from any campus in China. Of the thousands of college students from all over China who served as interpreters, one tenth were from Lianda, including the well-known translators Zha Liangzheng and Xu Yuanchong. Zha later depicted the contributions of his peers in a poem:
Softly, on the hillside forgotten by all,
misty rain falls in a gentle breeze;
There is no trace of the footprints of history,
Where brave souls once stood, breathing new life into the trees.
A product of the war, Lianda is now physically gone. But it has become the crowning glory of China's modern universities, not only because of its prominent professors and talented students, but also because of the school's strong spirit of perseverance and dedication. In 2017, representatives from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Nankai University and Yunnan Normal University gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its founding.
More than eighty years on, the priceless contribution of Lianda still needs to be reaffirmed. It has become part of the collective memory of the Chinese nation, with its spirit as the blueprint for all universities in China in the modern era.
选择性必修三 Unit 4 A glimpse of the future 主谓一致(2)
Artificial Intelligence: A REAL THREAT
In the words of Professor Stephen Hawking, Artificial Intelligence will be "either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity". Technology of Tomorrow Forum wants to hear your thoughts on Al. Is it our greatest human achievement so far Or is it the biggest threat to our existence
Millennium butterfly
Thanks to, I've got my own super-smart personal assistant built into my phone. She always has an immediate answer for any question I put to her, and even uses my answers to learn more about my preferences. It used to feel like 50 per cent of my time was spent researching new restaurants. In contrast, my PA only needs a few seconds to find the right place. Every recommendation she gives me is great since she can predict if I will like a particular restaurant.
And speaking of hanging out, I'm hoping that self-driving cars are available soon. I've been taking driving lessons for over a year, and still haven't got my licence. Self-driving cars can learn to drive in the same way that we do, and can make judgements based on information. And as they won't be susceptible to human error, they'll certainly be a lot safer. The only thing is that there might be a few machine-learning problems when the first cars hit the market, so perhaps I'd better learn to drive first. Still, do think that developments in Al will on the whole make doing day-to-day things lot easier.
Popkid
The technology you're using and enjoying today is a basic form of AI which can't think independently without programming. Of course, it could be very useful to have a more advanced form of AI-a truly independent form of artificial intelligence, capable of exercising its own judgement, could help us solve many of the world's problems. But have you ever thought about the risks After all, why would an independent form of Al need to consider the opinions and desires of humans We could be seen as "small" inconvenience that's in the way of a solution to a bigger problem. If we're lucky, AI might think we're valuable enough to keep around. If not, it might wipe us all out!
Even if that doesn't happen, there are other risks. Millenniumbutterfly, you say how great it would be to have self-driving cars, but what about all the taxi drivers who would lose their jobs They would just be among the first victims of AI. Nearly every job is potentially at risk in the long run. Even journalists are now being replaced with technology that can write basic news reports. As it is, almost 50 per cent of US jobs are at risk from automation in the next 20 years.
The truth is that none of us is prepared for the challenges of AI.
Pink haze
Machine learning is something we have come to accept as a part of our modern world. I believe most of the value of Al lies in its capacity to analyse and interpret vast amounts of data, which means it can even solve problems that are too challenging for human experts.
But while super-intelligent AI could be the biggest leap forward in human history, if it goes wrong or falls into the wrong hands, it could also be the most dangerous. However, AI is not going to go away. We have no choice but to embrace it and regulate it. One thing I think we all agree on, though, is that saying "My AI did it" won't be any excuse for illegal or immoral behaviour!
A Boy's Best Friend
Mr Anderson said, "Where's Jimmy, dear" "Out on the crater, said Mrs Anderson. "Robutt is with him. Did he arrive " "Yes. He's at the rocket station, going through the tests. I haven't really seen one since I left Earth 15 years ago."
"Jimmy has never seen one, said Mrs Anderson.
"Because he's Moon-born and can't visit Earth. That's why I'm bringing one here. I think it's the first one ever on the Moon."
Jimmy was out on the crater, as his mother had said. His arms and legs were long and agile. He looked thicker and stubbier with his spacesuit on, but he could handle the lunar gravity as no Earth-born human being could. The outer side of the crater sloped southward and the Earth, which was low in the southern sky was nearly full, so that the entire crater-slope was brightly lit. The slope was a gentle one and even the weight of the spacesuit couldn't keep Jimmy from racing up it in a floating hop that made the gravity seem nonexistent.
"Come on, Robutt," he shouted. Robutt, who could hear him by radio, squeaked and bounded after.
Jimmy, expert though he was, couldn't outrace Robutt, who didn't need spacesuit, and had four legs and tendons of steel. Jimmy couldn't go wrong while Robutt was around, tripping him when he was too near a rock, or jumping on him to show how much he loved him, or circling around and squeaking low and scared when Jimmy hid behind a rock, when all the time Robutt knew well enough where he was.
He heard his father's voice on his private wavelength. Jimmy, come back. I have something to tell you."
Mr Anderson was smiling. "We have something for you, Jimmy. It's at the rocket station now, but we'll have it tomorrow after all the tests are over."
"From Earth, Dad "
"A dog from Earth, son. The first dog on the Moon. You won't need Robutt any more. We can't keep them both, and some other boy or girl will have Robutt. He seemed to be waiting for Jimmy to say something, then he said, "You know what a dog is, Jimmy. It's the real thing. Robutt's only a mechanical imitation, a robot-mutt. That's how he got his name.
Jimmy frowned. "Robutt isn't an imitation, Dad."
"Robutt's just steel and wiring and a simple positronic brain."
"He does everything want him to do, Dad. He understands me.”
No, son. Robutt is just a machine. It's just programmed to act the way it does. A dog is alive. You'll see the difference once he gets here.
Jimmy looked at Robutt, who was squeaking again, a very low, slow squeak that seemed frightened. Jimmy held out his arms and Robutt was in them in one bound.
Jimmy said, "What will the difference be between Robutt and the dog ”
"It's hard to explain, "said Mr Anderson, "but it will be easy to see. The dog will really love you. Robutt is just adjusted to act as though it loves you.
"But, Dad, we don't know what's inside the dog, or what his feelings are. Maybe it's just acting, too.
Mr Anderson frowned. "Jimmy, you'll know the difference when you experience the love of a living thing."
Jimmy held Robutt tightly. He was frowning too, and the desperate look on his face meant that he wouldn't change his mind. He said, "But what's the difference how they act How about how I feel I love Robutt and that's what counts."
And the little robot-mutt, which had never been held so tightly in all its existence, squeaked high and rapid squeaks-happy squeaks.
(Adaptation of excerpts from "A Boy's Best Friend"by Isaac Asimov)
选择性必修三 Unit 5 Learning from nature
非谓语动词作主语，宾语和表语复习
Nature in Architecture
Trees, plants and flowers are all around us and we enjoy their beauty every day. In fact, we are so used to them that we may even take them for granted without realising how much inspiration they have given us. When we look at a pine cone,we might think how much it looks like the tiles on a roof. An open flower might make us think how closely it resembles an umbrella. It is natural to think in this way, but of course it wasn't the umbrella that inspired the flower or the roof that inspired the pine cone.
Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, including those in architecture. From Barcelona's forest-like Sagrada Familia to the modern style of Beijing's Water Cube, nature is presented in various architectural designs. Today, architects continue to explore ways to capture the beauty of natural forms, to mimic the way nature works or even to make natural organisms part of a building.
ArtScience Museum, Singapore
People whose interest is exploring the relationship between art and science will enjoy Singapore's ArtScience Museum.The building was designed to show the connection between nature and the modern city environment in which it sits. Shaped to resemble a lotus flower, it appears to float above the waterfront promenade and the water that surrounds it. Its roof collects rainwater and channels it 35 metres down to a waterfall in the centre of the space. The water is then recycled through the building's plumbing system. Visitors are often amazed to find themselves in an urban building that so truly captures the beauty of natural forms.
The Eastgate Centre, Harare
Harare's Eastgate Centre is a superb example of biomimicry.To use biomimicry is to create structures based on natural forms and processes. Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce was inspired to create the Centre while watching a nature documentary in which termites were constructing their nests. The insects built mounds covered in little holes designed to allow air to move freely in and out of the mounds. In a similar way, the Eastgate Centre has a "skin" covered in holes During the day, warm air is drawn into the building through the holes, cooling as it reaches the middle of the building. At night, the heat absorbed by the wall during the day warms the cool air, creating a comfortable temperature inside. The design reduces the need for traditional air conditioning and heating systems, so the building uses less energy and costs less to run.
The Algae House, Hamburg
The world's first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The surface of the apartment building is covered in panels that contain algae. The algae are fed with liquid nutrients and carbon dioxide to encourage them to grow. In bright sunshine, they grow faster and provide shade. The panels also capture heat from the sun and convert it into energy that powers the building. And thats not all-the algae inside the panels can be harvested and used to produce fuel The building therefore not only responds to its environment and uses less energy, but also reduces damage to the environment by generating its own renewable energy.
Creating buildings such as these enables us to live in closer harmony with our environment. To meet the needs of today while protecting the world of tomorrow may be a challenge, but even the simplest organisms can help teach us how to achieve this.
Back to Nature
Tao Yuanming and Henry David Thoreau were both poets, but one lived in Ancient China and the other in 19th century America. Superficially, these two men, whose lives were separated in time by nearly 1,500 years, were polar opposites. And yet they shared an intense respect for nature, which made them each an influential figure of their time.
Both men made dramatic transformations to their lives in order to reconnect with nature. As an official in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Tao felt conflicted over life at court. In 405, he quit the service of the court for good, expressing his unhappiness in the now famous line that he would not "bow like a servant in return for five dou of grain". He spent the next 22 years until his death, working the land in a poor, rural area From his poetry, we can learn that although his life was arduous, he succeeded in finding contentment in its simplicity and in drawing pleasure from nature.
While Tao's return to nature was a reaction to a lifestyle he was opposed to, Thoreau's was a personal decision to transform the way he lived. He had a decent quality of life, but he wanted to live in a simpler way. For two years, two months and two days, he lived in a cottage in the forest on the edge of Walden Pond, focusing on himself and his writing. He explained his reason for doing so in Walden: " went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. Both men were happy to withdraw from contemporary life, seeking a harmonious relationship with nature in the quietness of their lives.
Although Tao and Thoreau do not treat nature in quite the same way, their works show its beauty and value. Tao's nature is a place of fields and villages, in other words, rural, and his animals are domestic ones, such as chickens and dogs. The calm and peaceful life he wrote about is in contrast to and critical of the depressive court life:
Beyond the dark and distance lies a village,
The smoke above reluctant to depart.
A dog is barking somewhere down the lane,
And chickens sit atop the mulberry tree.
Thoreau's descriptions of nature emphasised the beauty and purity of the wild areas around him Devoting himself to observations of the natural phenomena he recorded his detailed findings in his journals. Thoreau's writing aimed to convince people that animals and plants had a right to live and prosper, as we do. We should live with them in harmony and enjoy nature's gifts, as he describes in his journals:
Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. Let them be your only diet, drink and botanical medicines.
It takes considerable courage to reject the easy and familiar and instead try to live closer to nature, as both Tao and Thoreau did. Their choices led them to quiet and reflective lives with fewer material desires. In today's modern world, their ideas about living simply and being at ease with nature may take us a step closer to attaining personal well-being and fulfilment.
选择性必修三 Unit 6 Nature in words
非谓语动词作定语，状语和宾语补足语复习
First Snow
Mr Robert Lynd once said of Jane Austen's characters: "They are people in whose lives slight fall of is an event, even at the risk of appearing to this fair and witty reviewer as another Mr Woodhouse, I must insist that last night's fall of snow here was an event. I was nearly as excited about it this morning as the children, whom I found all looking through the window at the magic outside and talking away as excitedly as if Christmas had suddenly come round again. The fact is, however, that the snow was as strange and fascinating to me as it was to them. It is the first fall we have had here this winter, and last year was out of the country, sweating in a hot climate, during the snowy season, so that it really does seem an age since I saw the ground so fantastically carpeted.
The first fall of snow is not only an event but it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up to find yourself in another quite different, and if this is not magic, then where is it to be found The very secrecy and quietness of the thing makes it more magical.
When I got up this morning the world was a cold place of dead white and pale blues. The light that came through the windows was very strange, and it made the familiar business of splashing and shaving and brushing and dressing very strange too. Then the sun came out, and by the time I had sat down to breakfast it was shining bravely and flushing the snow with delicate pinks. The dining-room window had been transformed into love Japanese print. The little plum tree outside, with the faintly flushed snow lining its branches and artfully disposed along its trunk, stood in full sunlight.
An hour or two later everything was a cold sparkle of white and blue. The world had completely changed again. The little Japanese prints had all disappeared. looked out of my study window, over the garden, the field, to the low hills beyond, and the ground went on and on, the sky was thick grey, and all the trees so many black and threatening shapes There was indeed something curiously disturbing about the whole prospect. It was as if our kindly countryside, close to the very heart of England, had been turned into a cruel grassland. At any moment, it seemed, a body of horsemen might be seen breaking out from the black trees, so many weapons might be heard and some distant spot of snow be reddened. It was that kind of landscape.
Now it has changed again. The glare has gone and no touch of the disturbing remains. But the snow is falling heavily, in great soft flakes, so that you can hardly see across the shallow valley, and the roofs are thick and the trees all bending, and the weathercock of the village church, still to be seen through the grey loaded air, has become some creature out of Hans Andersen. From my study, which is apart from the house and faces it, I can see the children flattening their noses against the window, and there is running through my head rhyme I used to repeat when I was a child and flattened my nose against the cold window to watch the falling snow:
Snow, snow faster:
White alabaster!
Killing geese in Scotland,
Sending feathers here!
(Adaptation from First Snow by John Boynton Priestley)
Silent spring
There was a strange stillness. The birds, for example-where had they gone Many people spoke of them, puzzled and disturbed. The feeding stations in the backyards were deserted The few birds seen anywhere were moribund; they trembled violently and could not fly. It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh.
Rachel Carson was a scientist by profession but these lines from the opening chapter of her 1962 book Silent Spring,A Fable for Tomorrow", show her talent as a writer. By imagining a world without birds, she aimed to alert not only the scientific community but also the general public to the damaging effects of human activity on natural ecosystems-in particular, to the harmful use of pesticides, such as DDT. She believed that the chemical industry was knowingly causing harm to plants, animals and even humans, and wished to see pesticides used in a more responsible, limited and carefully monitored way.
Carson urged people to make themselves aware of the facts and do something about the situation. Silent Spring contains a lot of scientific research and case studies. The book details the gypsy moth eradication programme, which killed birds, in addition to gypsy moths. Another case study was the fire-ant programme that killed cows, but not fire ants. The book also gives examples of other eradication programmes that did nothing to reduce the problems they were originally designed to solve. The 50 or so pages at the end of the book list Carson's sources, showing how thorough and precise she was as scientist.
Carson's' message was very alarming, causing great increase in environmental awareness. Its impact was immediate and far-reaching: the use of DDT was banned and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in the US. Silent Spring was therefore regarded as a milestone in the launch of the green movement in the Western world. It also earned Carson a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom and put her face on the 17-cent US stamp.
Silent Spring was not, however, received positively by everyone. Though Carson's research was strong and was supported by most scientists who reviewed her work, the book quickly became a target for critics in the pesticide industry. They said that Carson did not understand the science behind her arguments because she was a marine biologist rather than a chemist. Some also said that her work was more emotional than scientific. These were attempts to damage Carson's reputation and stop her work from influencing public policy but she remained determined to stand by her research. Carson appeared in public and on television to defend her claims-and today, more than 50 years after it was published, the voice of Silent Spring is still ringing loud and clear.
Personally, enjoy Carson's book. She made a crucial but potentially difficult-to-understand subject interesting and accessible to millions of people. This is not so much because of the quality of her arguments, strong though they are, but because of the beauty and elegance of her writing. Her book not only changed the world; half a century later it remains a book that deserves to be reread today, so that we can once again feel ourselves warm to the fire of its passionate message. For unless we do listen to Rachel Carson's warning, one day we may wake up to the strange and quiet horror of another silent spring.

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