科技还是传统？

2023-04-14四川蒋建平

疯狂英语·新悦读 2023年3期

四川蒋建平

众所周知，科技发展可以为人类和社会带来各种便利，但新技术的使用是否会对一些历史传统造成冲击？

主题语境：科技进步篇幅：368词建议用时：7分钟

1Everyone looks forward to progress, whether in one's personal life or in the general society.Progress indicates(象征)a person's ability to change the way he is living at the moment.Progress must lead to a better life and a better way of doing things.All these, however, remain true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward by finding new and more efficient ways of doing things.

2However,at the back of the minds of many people,especially those who miss the“good old days”,efficiency comes with a price.When communication becomes more efficient,people are able to contact one another no matter where they are and at whatever time they wish to.The click of a button allows people miles apart to talk or see each other without even leaving their homes.With the communication gadgets,such as mobile phones and tablets(平板电脑),people often do not take the effort to visit one another personally.

3With efficiency also comes mass production.Factories have improved efficiency.Unskillful tasks are left to machines and products are better made and produced with greater accuracy than any human hand could ever have done.However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products.For example, many handicrafts are now produced in a factory.Although this means that supply is better able to increase demand, now that the supply is quick and efficient, the demand might fall because mass production lowers the quality of the handicraft and it is difficult to find unique designs on each item.

4Nevertheless, progress has allowed tradition to keep up.It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state.New technology is required for old products to stay old.

5It is people's attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society.Technology is flexible.There is no fixed way of making use of it.Everything depends on people's attitude.When we accept progress and adapt it to suit our needs,a new“past”is created.

Reading Check

1.How does the author explain“efficiency comes with a price”in paragraph 2?

A.By describing a process.

B.By using examples.

C.By following time order.

D.By making classification.

2.What does the underlined word“gadgets”in paragraph 2 mean?

A.Tools.B.Messages.

C.Barriers.D.Skills.

3.What can be learned about technology from paragraph 4?

A.It can destroy old traditions.

B.It can sometimes slow social progress.

C.It can be used to correct mistakes.

D.It can be used to protect old products.

4.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A.Progress can suit the needs of daily life.

B.People review the past with great regret.

C.People's attitude decides the use of technology.

D.Technology should be introduced in a fixed way.

Language Study

I.Useful expressions

look forward to 期待；盼望

lead to 导致；通往

move forward 前行

take the effort to do 费力去做……

now that 既然

have an influence on 对……有影响

make use of 利用

depend on 取决于

suit one's needs 满足某人的需求

Ⅱ.熟词生义

However, at the back of the minds of many people, especially those who miss the“good old days”,efficiency comes with aprice.然而，在许多人的心中，尤其是那些怀念“过去的美好日子”的人，效率是有代价的。

pricen.代价

e.g.Giving up his job was a small price to pay for his children's happiness.放弃工作是他为子女幸福所付出的小小代价。

主题应用·语库构建

I.主题词汇

Confucius 孔子

mansion 公馆

philosophy 哲学

descendant 后代

individualadj.单独的

n.个人

kingdom 王国

chief 主要的

puzzlevt.使困惑

n.谜；令人困惑的事物

nearby 附近的

belong 应在(某处)；属于

currency 通货；货币

military 军事的

defence 防御

legal 合法的

evidence 证据

achievement 成就

location 位置

conquer 占领

battle 战役

port 港口

fascinating 迷人的

charge 收费；指控；主管；充电

announce 通知

amount 数量

gallery 展览馆

approach 方法；接近

ensure 确保

landscape 风景

generous 慷慨的

butter 黄油

honey 蜂蜜

ancestor 祖先

position 姿态；位置

courtyard 庭院

snack 点心

eager 渴望的

poet 诗人

county 县；郡

feast 盛宴

roll 滚动

dotvt.遍布

n.点；小圆点

cattle 牛

roar 咆哮

ocean 海洋

scent 香味

greet 问候

pub 酒馆

wine 葡萄酒

beer 啤酒

stew 炖菜

custom 习俗

sensory 感官的

striking 引人注目的

transition 过渡

surround 围绕；包围

surrounding 周围的

surroundings 环境

Ⅱ.主题短语

join...to 把……和……连接起来

break away from 脱离；背叛

belong to 属于

as well as 也

keep an eye open(for)注意；留心

in defence of 为了保卫……

defend...from/against 保护……免受……

be surrounded by/with 被……围绕

achieve success 取得成功

achieve one's goal/dream 实现某人的目标/梦想

in charge of 掌管；负责

free of charge 免费

an approach to……的方法

out of position 在不适当的位置

be eager for 渴望得到……

be eager to do sth 渴望做某事

Ⅲ.主题美句

1.The first Chinese characters date from the late Shang Dynasty, some 3,000 years ago, originally made for the purpose of divination.最早的汉字可以追溯到商朝晚期，大约3,000 年前，最初是为了占卜而创造的。

2.These oracle bones offer us a precious glimpse of life in China some three thousand years ago.这些甲骨(文)为我们提供了大约三千年前在中国生活的宝贵一瞥。

3.So, it was these diviners seeking to unlock the future that accidentally provided us with a key to the past.所以，正是这些致力于解锁未来的占卜者，意外地为我们提供了一把通往过去的钥匙。

4.Thanks to the Chinese characters on the oracle bones, Chinese civilization could at last be recorded and passed down to the generations.多亏了这些甲骨上的文字，中华文明最终可以被记录下来，代代相传。

5.Lions and tigers belong to the cat family.狮子和老虎属于猫科动物。

6.Their duty is to defend the country from its enemies.他们的职责就是保家卫国，抵御敌人。

7.We stood at the edge of the lake,which is surrounded by trees.我们站在湖边，湖的四周被树木环绕。

8.In the past few years, China has made great achievements in environmental protection.在过去的几年里，中国在环境保护方面取得了很大的成就。

9.His laziness makes it impossible for him to achieve success.他的懒惰使他不可能获得成功。

10.I'll be in charge of the whole company when Mr Black is away.布莱克先生不在时，由我管理整个公司。

11.As you approach the town, you will see the castle on the left.快到小镇时，你就可以看到左边的城堡了。

12.She is eager to see her parents.她渴望见到她的父母。

Ⅳ.主题写作

你校英文报正在举办主题为“World Cultural Heritage in China”的征文活动，请你写一篇短文投稿，介绍一处中国的世界文化遗产（如长城、北京故宫、莫高窟、杭州西湖文化景观……）。内容包括：

1.基本情况；

2.文化特色。