1、,21st Century College English, Book 4Unit 1 Text A Who Is GreatI. Pre-reading Activity Great people - whos who? Directions: Choose from the list of names one proper name to match the particular description by filling in the name in the proper space before the descriptionWinston Churchill Napoleon Bo
2、naparte Franklin D. Roosevelt John F. Kennedy George Washington Johannes Kepler Emily Dickinson James Joyce Thomas Jefferson,1. ( ) 32nd president of the U.S., elected four times. He instituted reforms (the New Deal) to counter the economic crisis of the 1930s and was a forceful leader during World
3、War II. 2. ( ) He stands, along with Abraham Lincoln, above all other presidents and is beloved as the “father” of his country. He was commander in chief of the American forces in the American Revolution and chairman of the convention that wrote the United States Constitution. He led the men who tur
4、ned America from an English colony into a self-governing nation. His ideals of liberty and democracy set a standard for future presidents and for the whole country. 3. ( ) An Irish novelist and poet. His masterpiece is Ulysses (1922), employing a variety of techniques, esp. stream of consciousness.
5、Its nearly 800 pages record the mental activities of two Dubliners in a single day. Another important work is Finnegans Wake (1939), which is by far the most illegible novel, including many idioms, allusions, new words and many different languages. His works revolutionized the form and structure of
6、the novel, imposing great influence on quite a number of contemporary novelists.,4. ( ) Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814. He was educated in military schools in France and served in the French Revolutionary army. By the age of 26 he was a general. In 1799 he joined a conspiracy, which overthr
7、ew the First Republic of France. In 1803 he crowned himself Emperor of the French. His power declined after the setbacks of several wars. The defeat at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 ended his rule. 5. ( ) One of Americas finest poets, a New England spinster, she was not recognized for her poetry un
8、til after her death. Her poems were published in a three-volume Poems of . The poems are brief and condensed, characterized by unusual rhyming and swift flashes of insight. 6. ( ) German astronomer and astrologer. He is best known for his discovery of the three laws of Planetary Motion. He was also
9、the first to explain correctly how human beings see and to demonstrate what happens to light when it enters a telescope.,7. ( ) The third President of the USA (1801-1809). He drafted the Declaration of Independence, was active in Virginia during the War of Independence, and was governor of the state
10、(1779-1781). He has been a uniquely influential figure in the evolution of the American political tradition. In the Declaration of Independence, he wrote: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; t
11、hat among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 8. ( ) British Conservative statesman, orator, and writer, noted for his leadership during World War II. He held various posts under both Conservative and Liberal governments, including 1st Lord of the Admiralty before becoming prime m
12、inister. 9. ( ) The 35th President of the USA (1961-1963). Soon after his inaugural address (“ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country”), he brought a new spirit of hope and enthusiasm to the office. He became increasingly involved in Vietnam by dispatching mor
13、e and more “military advisers” and then US troops into there. In November 1963 he was assassinated while visiting Dallas, Texas.,II. Text Who Is Great? Michael RyanAs a young boy, Albert Einstein did so poorly in school that teachers thought he was slow. The young Napoleon Bonaparte was just one of
14、hundreds of artillery lieutenants in the French Army. And the teenage George Washington, with little formal education, was being trained not as a soldier but as a land surveyor. Despite their unspectacular beginnings, each would go on to carve a place for himself in history. What was it that enabled
15、 them to become great? Were they born with something special? Or did their greatness have more to do with timing, devotion and, perhaps, an uncompromising personality?For decades, scientists have been asking such questions. And, in the past few years, they have found evidence to help explain why som
16、e people rise above, while others - similarly talented, perhaps - are left behind. Their findings could have implications for us all.Who is great? Defining who is great depends on how one measures success. But there are some criteria. “Someone who has made a lasting,contribution to human civilizatio
17、n is great,” said Dean Keith Simonton, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and author of the 1994 book Greatness: Who Makes History and Why. But he added a word of caution: “Sometimes great people dont make it into the history books. A lot of women achieved great thing
18、s or were influential but went unrecognized.”In writing his book, Simonton combined historical knowledge about great figures with recent findings in genetics, psychiatry and the social sciences. The great figures he focused on include men and women who have won Nobel Prizes, led great nations or won
19、 wars, composed symphonies that have endured for centuries, or revolutionized science, philosophy, politics or the arts. Though he doesnt have a formula to define how or why certain people rise above (too many factors are involved), he has come up with a few common characteristics. A “never surrende
20、r” attitude. If great achievers share anything, said Simonton, it is an unrelenting drive to succeed. “Theres a tendency to think that they are endowed with something super-normal,” he explained. “But what comes out of the research is that there are great people who have no amazing intellectual proc
21、esses. Its a difference in degree. Greatness is built,upon tremendous amounts of study, practice and devotion.”He cited Winston Churchill, Britains prime minister during World War II, as an example of a risk-taker who would never give up. Thrust into office when his countrys morale was at its lowest
22、, Churchill rose brilliantly to lead the British people. In a speech following the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940, he inspired the nation when he said, “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end We shall never surrender.”Can you be born great? In looking at Churchills role in histor
23、y - as well as the roles of other political and military leaders Simonton discovered a striking pattern: “Firstborns and only children tend to make good leaders in time of crisis: Theyre used to taking charge. But middle-borns are better as peacetime leaders: They listen to different interest groups
24、 better and make the necessary compromises. Churchill, an only child, was typical. He was great in a crisis, but in peacetime he was not effective - not even popular.”Timing is another factor. “If you took George Washington and put him in the 20th century he would go nowhere as a politician,” Simont
25、on declared. “He was not an effective public speaker, and he didnt like shaking hands with the public. On the other hand, Im not sure Franklin Roosevelt would have done well in Washingtons time. He wouldnt have had the radio to do his fireside chats.,Can you be too smart? One surprise among Simonton
26、s findings is that many political and military leaders have been bright but not overly so. Beyond a certain point, he explained, other factors, like the ability to communicate effectively, become more important than innate intelligence as measured by an IQ test. The most intelligent U.S. Presidents,
27、 for example - Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy - had a hard time getting elected, Simonton said, while others with IQs closer to the average (such as Warren G. Harding) won by landslides. While political and economic factors also are involved, having a genius IQ is not necessary
28、 to be a great leader.In the sciences, those with “genius level” IQs do have a better chance at achieving recognition, added Simonton. Yet evidence also indicates that overcoming traditional ways of thinking may be just as important.He pointed to one recent study where college students were given a
29、set of data and were asked to see if they could come up with a mathematical relation. Almost a third did. What they did not know was that they had just solved one of the most famous scientific equations in history: the Third Law of Planetary Motion, an equation that Johannes Kepler came up with in 1
30、618.,Keplers genius, Simonton said, was not so much in solving a mathematical challenge. It was in thinking about the numbers in a unique way - applying his mathematical knowledge to his observations of planetary motion. It was his boldness that set him apart. Love your work. As a child, Einstein be
31、came fascinated with the way magnets are drawn to metal. “He couldnt stop thinking about this stuff,” Simonton pointed out. “He became obsessed with problems in physics by the time he was 16, and he never stopped working on them. Its not surprising that he made major contributions by the time he was
32、 26.” “For most of us, its not that we dont have the ability,” Simonton added, “its that we dont devote the time. You have to put in the effort and put up with all the frustrations and obstacles.” Like other creative geniuses, Einstein was not motivated by a desire for fame, said Simonton. Instead,
33、his obsession with his work was what set him apart. Where such drive comes from remains a mystery. But it is found in nearly all creative geniuses - whether or not their genius is acknowledged by contemporaries.,“Emily Dickinson was not recognized for her poetry until after her death,” said Simonton
34、. “But she was not writing for fame. The same can be said of James Joyce, who didnt spend a lot of time worrying about how many people would read Finnegans Wake.”Today, researchers have evidence that an intrinsic passion for ones work is a key to rising above. In a 1985 study at Brandeis University
35、conducted by Teresa Amabile, now a professor of business administration at Harvard University, a group of professional writers - none famous - were asked to write a short poem. Each writer was then randomly placed in one of three groups: One group was asked to keep in mind the idea of writing for mo
36、ney; another was told to think about writing just for pleasure; and a third group was given no instruction at all.The poems then were submitted anonymously to a panel of professional writers for evaluation. The poetry written by people who thought about writing for money ranked lowest. Those who tho
37、ught about writing just for pleasure did the best. “Motivation that comes from enjoying the work makes a significant difference,” Amabile said.,slow: (=slow-witted) not intelligent, not clever, not quick to learn. eg: a slow learnerThe child is slow at figures.return,Word-building: spec, spect, spic
38、 = to see, to look看 spectacular adj. 引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的 spectator n. 旁观者，观众 spectacle n. 景象，壮观 （pl）眼镜（用来看的东西） conspicuous adj. 显著的，引人注目的 （con-: thoroughly，能够完全看清楚） transpicuous adj. 透明的(tran-:through) circumspect adj. 慎重的，小心的(circum-: round 看清楚四周) inspect v. 检查，查阅（in-:into看内部） inspection n. 检查，检阅 inspe
39、ctor n. 检查员，巡视官 introspect v. 内省 (intro-:within 看到心灵内部) perspective n. 透视法，前景，前途（per-: through直视无碍） prospect n. 期望，景色，眺望(pro-: forward看前方) prospective adj. 预期的，未来的，有希望的 retrospect v.回顾 n.回顾，追忆(retro-: backward向后看) suspect v.猜想，怀疑(sus-=sub-: under 看外表下面的东西) suspicion n. 怀疑，嫌疑 suspicious adj. 可疑的 retu
40、rn,carve: 1) form sth. by cutting away material from wood or stone雕刻eg: Before Halloween, the children carved a pumpkin into a frightening mask. 2) cut (cooked meat) into slices for eating把（熟肉）切成片供食用eg: The head of the family carves the turkey.3) build ones (career, reputation, etc.) by hard work靠勤奋
41、创业，树名声eg: He carved out a name for herself as a reporter. 他靠苦干而成了有名的记者。 The new airline hopes to carve (out) a place for itself in the European market. 赢得一席之地return,have (something, nothing, a lot, etc) to do with: be connected with sb./sth. to the extent specified与某人/某事有（一些、毫无、很大）关系 eg: Her job has
42、 nothing to do with computers.Hard work has a lot to do with his success.return,timing:n. determining the right time as a way of achieving the desired result. eg: “Have we arrived too early?” “No, your timing is perfect (=you have arrived at exactly the right moment) - dinner is almost ready.”To be
43、a good tennis player, you have to have good timing (= to be able to hit the ball at the right moment).return,rise above: become outstanding eg: Though she was only a normal athlete in high school, in colleges her ability allowed her to rise above and become a star.return,compose:1) write (music, ope
44、ra, poetry, etc)创作（音乐、歌剧、诗等）eg: to compose a song, poem, a piece of music. 2) form, constitute 构成 be composed of由构成return,drive: n. energy,ability to get things done; motivation and persistence to achieve something干劲，动力 eg: Sales people need determination and drive.Without my mothers drive and energ
45、y, our family would have starved.return,be endowed with: be provided naturally with (a good quality, ability, characteristic, feature, etc.)天生具有，拥有 eg:Shes endowed with intelligence as well as beauty.return,come out of: result from, be produced from eg: What came out of your long talks with the dire
46、ctor?return,The Allied evacuation at DunkirkDunkirk is an important commercial seaport, which lies in the extreme north of France on the Strait of Dover. In the evacuation of Dunkirk, which was one of the great actions of World War II, the town was demolished, but much of it had been rebuilt by 1953
47、.With the German breakthrough in 1940, Britains only army was caught between the sea and the thrust of Hitlers tank units. On the Dunkirk beaches the British, with some French and Dutch units, stood almost helpless. The small Royal Air Force held off the German planes. From May 29 to June 4, small v
48、olunteer craft crossed the channel and evacuated 360,000 or three quarters, of the Allied forces in the face of a terrible artillery bombardment.,World War I: 1914-1918 Allies（协约国), which refers to France, Russia, Britain, Italy after 1915, and US after 1917, defeated the Central Powers（同盟国）, which
49、includes Germany, Australia-Hungary and Turkey.World War II: 1939-1945 Allies（同盟国）refers to Britain, France, former Soviet Union after 1941 and US after 1941. Axis（轴心国）includes Germany, Italy and Japanreturn,flag: v. begin to lose enthusiasm or energy, become tired or weak（热情、精力等）衰退，低落；疲乏；变弱“flag or fail” is an example of alliteration（头韵）, the use of two or more words close together which all begin with the same letter or sound to create a musical rhythm to the speech. eg: Time and tide wait for no man.Round the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.return,
