1、Contents,Active Reading 2,Work in groups and discuss the questions: How many branches of science can you think of? anatomy: studying the body astronomy: studying space biochemistry: studying chemical processes botany: studying plants chemical engineering: studying chemical substances cosmology: stud
2、ying the universe,Warming Up, ecology: studying organisms and their environment genetics: studying genes and variation meteorology: studying weather microbiology: studying viruses etc nutrition: studying food oceanography: studying the seas pharmacology: studying medical drugs radiology: studying ra
3、diant energy such as X-rays,Warming Up,Warming Up,2. Where did you learn most about science? 3. How much do you remember about your science lessons at school? 4. Who was your best science teacher? Why do you remember him / her? 5. Can you remember any lesson in particular? 6. What would you do to im
4、prove science teaching at school?,Text,Science: fact or fiction?,Science: fact or fiction? 1 Students arent what they used to be. These days, it seems, some of them never even open a book. Such is the depressing picture painted by popular science writer Steve Jones in his book The Single Helix, layi
5、ng the finger of blame on modern communication systems. The message is the medium; once upon a time there were books, but now, Jones says, “the medium is, or so it seems, anything but lines of print on a page.” Many students are just not used to reading books anymore theyre such an outdated form of
6、communication.,Text,2 So how do you get them to learn about science? Well, if you go into a campus bookstore you can find out. There are songbooks for biochemists, with chemical formulae set to music to make them easier to remember. Relativity is explained in a video game which is a simulation of a
7、rocket journey through space: You can play tennis on board as the rocket speeds up or slows down. And there are cartoons to make even the most obscure scientific subjects accessible, and fun as well.,Text,3 But even these methods of generating interest have become conventional. Rather more radical i
8、s the proposal which a physics professor has come up with to learn science from the mistakes in science fiction films. Some of the films may be dreadful, but they hide a lot of helpful messages. Students just have to sit back, relax, enjoy the film, and soak up a bit of science at the same time.,Tex
9、t,4 A few examples will show what the professor has in mind. In The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), the earth is pushed towards the sun as a result of two simultaneous atomic explosions. But this contravenes Newtons Third Law of Motion namely, that action and reaction are equal and opposite. Since
10、 the Earth weighs six thousand billion billion tons, a huge blast would be needed to push it into the right direction. Supposing it hurled a hundred million tons of rock and debris into space. This explosion would require a bomb far greater than any that has ever exploded. But a few basic sums would
11、 show that such a blast, as well as killing every single inhabitant of the earth, would only shift the Earth about a quarter of an inch out of its orbit.,Text,5 So the film is fiction without the science. The same could be said of the 1986 film Aliens. In this film the crew saunter around the spaces
12、hip as if they were at home on earth whereas they should be floating, in a gravity-free environment. The producers of Aliens would fail a first year physics exam, but Stanley Kubrick and Arthur Clarke, the brains behind 2001: A Space Odyssey, would pass the same exam with flying colours. On board th
13、e spaceship a giant wheel rotates, generating centripetal force and giving the astronauts on board a sense of “up” and “down”.,Text,6 The treatment of relativity in science fiction films is even more confusing. Take Star Trek: The Voyage Home (1987). As the spaceship revolves round the sun, it gathe
14、rs so much speed that it moves backwards into history. But this is nonsense, not relativity. As Jones puts it, “Einstein said that nothing travels at more than the speed of light, not that the clocks will run the other way if you go fast enough.” Even Superman (1978) is baffled by the concept. It ta
15、kes him a split second to fly round the earth anticlockwise to save Lois Lane, who has fallen victim to an earthquake. Jones: “Time is not like a car. It has no reverse gear.”,Text,7 Finally, what about those giant insects like the ones in Empire of the Ants, the 1977 film based on a story by H. G.
16、Wells? The problem is their lungs, or rather, the lack of them. Ants dont have lungs, so they get oxygen by absorbing it through the tissues of their bodies. The bigger the ant, the longer it would take to absorb the oxygen and their body parts would not be able to function well. So an ant the size
17、of a human would be more likely to be gasping for breath than biting off the head of a reckless teenager.,Text,Text,科学：事实还是虚构? 1 学生已今非昔比。如今，似乎有些学生从来就没有翻开过书本。这是科普作家斯蒂夫琼斯在其单螺旋线一书中描绘的令人沮丧的情景，他把批评的矛头指向现代通信系统。信息即媒介；从前有书本，可是现在，琼斯说：“媒介是，或者说似乎是，一切，但绝不是纸上印的一行行字。”许多学生就是不再习惯读书了书是老掉牙的沟通方式。,Text,2 那么怎样使他们学习科学呢？好
18、吧，你要是走进校园书店，就会找到办法。那里有生物化学家的歌本，其中化学分子式被配上乐曲以便记忆。相对论是用电子游戏来解释的，那是个虚拟乘火箭在空间旅行的游戏：你可以在火箭加速或减速飞行时在上面打网球。还有卡通，它们使哪怕最艰涩的科学话题都变得有趣易懂。,Text,3 可是就连这些激发兴趣的方法也已变得老套了。更激进的方法是一个物理学教授提出来的：从科幻电影的错误中学习科学。有些电影也许糟透了，但其中隐藏有大量有益的信息。学生只需舒舒服服地坐着、放松、欣赏电影，同时吸收一点科学知识。,Text,4 有几个例子可以说明教授的想法。在地球着火之日（1961）中，两颗同时爆炸的原子弹把地球推向太阳。可
19、是这违反了牛顿的第三运动定律即，作用力和反作用力相等且方向相反。既然地球重达六千艾吨，那就需要特大的爆炸才能把它推入正确的方向。假设爆炸将一亿吨岩石和碎渣 抛入宇宙，那么这个炸弹的威力要比任何以往的炸弹都要大。但是，稍做运算就能说明，这样一场爆炸除了会把地球上的生物全部杀死之外，充其量也只能让地球偏离轨道大约四分之一英寸。 注：地球的重量应该是610的24次方千克（10的18次方叫艾）。,Text,5 所以，这部电影是没有科学含量的虚构作品。1986年出品的电影异形也是同样。在这部影片中，宇航员们在宇宙飞船中走来走去，就好像在地球上的家里一样而实际上他们应当在无重力环境中漂浮才对。异形的制片人
20、可能会在大学一年级的物理学考试中不及格，但是2001：太空漫游背后的智囊斯坦利库布里克和亚瑟克拉克却会在同样的考试中以高分通过。宇宙飞船上有一巨大的轮子转动着，产生向心力，并给船上的宇航员一种“起伏”感。,Text,6 科幻电影中对相对论的处理更是令人摸不着头脑。以星舰迷航：回家之旅（1987）为例：宇宙飞船围绕太阳飞行，速度越来越快，最后竟然飞回到了历史之中。但这是瞎编乱造，而不是相对论。正如琼斯所说：“爱因斯坦说没有什么比光速更快；但没有说如果你跑得够快，钟表就会倒转。” 就连超人（1978）也被此概念所困惑。他在瞬间往逆时针方向绕地球一周去救地震受难者洛伊斯莱恩。琼斯说：“时间不像汽车，
21、它没有倒挡。”,Text,7 最后，1977年根据H.G.威尔斯的小说拍摄的蚂蚁帝国里的那些巨型昆虫又如何呢？问题在于它们的肺，或者说，它们根本没有肺。蚂蚁没有肺，它们是通过身体组织吸收氧气的。蚂蚁越大，吸收氧气的时间就越长这样它们身体的各部件就不能良好地运作。所以像人那么大的蚂蚁更可能老是在大口喘气，而不是把冒失少年的脑袋咬掉。,depressing,anymore,outdated,songbook,biochemist,dreadful,soak,atomic,explosion,contravene,shift,alien,saunter,producer,giant,formula,
22、relativity,simulation,generate,proposal,namely,blast,hurl,debris,inhabitant,rotate,centripetal force,astronaut,trek,revolve,Words & Phrases,superman,baffle,anticlockwise,gear,empire,reckless,Words & Phrases,on board,speed up,sit back,soak up,be / feel at home,with flying colours,Steve Jones 斯蒂夫琼斯（人名
23、）,Stanley Kubrick 斯坦利库布里克（人名）,Arthur Clarke 阿瑟克拉克（人名）,Lois Lane 洛伊丝莱恩（人名）,depressing a. sth. that is depressing makes you feel very unhappy and disappointed 令人沮丧的；令人丧气的 e.g. 1. The whole experience was very depressing.整个经历令人非常沮丧。 2. He always woke with a sense of deep sorrow and depressing loss.他醒来时
24、总是满怀哀愁，抑郁惆怅。 Word family: depress v. depression n. depressed a.,Words & Phrases,Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the box: 1. It _ me that nobody seems to care. 2. People who struggle with excessive Internet use maybe _ or have other mood disorders, Orzack said. (CET4-2010-6) 3. Stud
25、ies over a range of illnesses, from _ to heart disease, reveal that the presence of social support helps people fend off illness (CET4-2000-6) 4. That thought is too _ for words.,Words & Phrases,depress depressed depression depressing,depresses,depressed,depression,depressing,anymore ad. used when t
26、alking or asking about a situation that has ended, or about sth. that sb. has stopped doing（谈论或询问已经结束的情况或某人已经停止做的事）再也 e.g. 1. She doesnt live here anymore.她不再住在这儿了。 2. People are not interested in movies anymore.人们不再对电影感兴趣了。,Words & Phrases,Words & Phrases,outdated a. old and no longer suitable for
27、modern purposes, methods, or situations 过时的；陈旧的 e.g. 1. Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。 2. That list of addresses is outdated, many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经变了。,songbook n. C a book that contains the words and music of a lot of songs 歌本；歌
28、曲集 e.g. 1. While rummaging around my bookcase I came across my old copy of the songbook. 在一次偶然的情况下我乱翻我的书柜，竟然翻到了当年我的那本音乐集。 2. Initially I thought I could simply copy my old songbook and send it back. 起初我以为我只要把我的旧歌集复印一下就可以把它送回去了。,Words & Phrases,biochemist n. C a person who studies chemical processes
29、that occur in living things 生物化学家 e.g. 1. She is a biochemist who works on the frontiers of biology. 她是从事生物学前沿研究的生化学家。 2. Sir Chain was a German-born British biochemist. 钱恩先生是一位出生在德国的英国生物化学家。 Word family: biochemistry n.,Words & Phrases,formula n. C (pl formulas or formulae) 1. a group of letters or
30、 numbers that represents a rule in science or mathematics（科学或数学中的）方程式，公式e.g. Use the formula to calculate the volume of the container. 用公式计算容器的容积。 2. a plan or method for dealing with a problem or achieving a result方案 ；方法 e.g. The foreign ministers have thrashed out a suitable compromise formula.外交部
31、长们经过反复讨论，已经制订出合适的折中方案。,Words & Phrases,relativity n. U (science) the relationship between time, space, and movement as described in Einsteins Theory of Relativity（爱因斯坦的）相对论 e.g. 1. Einstein formulated the Theory of Relativity in 1905.爱因斯坦于1905年创立了相对论。 2. Einsteins Theory of Relativity won for him un
32、iversal esteem.爱因斯坦的相对论赢得了全世界对他的崇敬。 Word family: relative a.,Words & Phrases,simulation n. C, U ( of) sth. that produces the features of a situation in a way that seems real but is not 模拟物 e.g. 1. The simulation allows him to test various features of a system.这种模拟使他能够试验一个系统的各种特征。 2. The pilots skill
33、s are tested through simulation.飞行员的技术是通过模拟飞行来检测的。 Word family: simulate v.,Words & Phrases,generate vt. to make a lot of people express feelings or opinions about sth. 引起；引发 e.g. 1. The advertising campaign generated a lot of interest in our work. 广告活动使很多人对我们的工作产生了兴趣。 2. This book will continue to
34、generate excitement for a long time.这本书将在很长一段时间里继续使人们为之激动。 Word family: generation n.,Words & Phrases,Choose the best answer for the following sentence: Extensive reporting on television has helped to _ interest in a wide variety of sports and activities. (CET4-2001-06-53) A. gather B. generate C. a
35、ssemble D. yield,Words & Phrases,proposal n. C 1. a plan or suggestion, esp. a formal one that a group has to consider （尤指某团体必须考虑的正式）计划，建议，议案 e.g. A good many proposals were raised by the delegates, as was to be expected. (CET4-2003-12)正如预计的，代表们提出了很多建议。 2. a request to sb. to get married to you 求婚 e
36、.g. She had had many proposals but preferred to remain single.许多人向她求过婚，但她愿过独身生活。,Words & Phrases,Choose the best answer for the following sentence: Many a delegate was in favour of his proposal that a special committee _ to investigate the incident. (CET4-2002-1)were set up was set up C. be set up D
37、. set upNote that subjunctive mood is used here.,Words & Phrases,Words & Phrases,Word family: propose 1. vt. (fml) to suggest sth. as a plan or course of action (正式)提议，建议 e.g. 1. I propose that he should leave now.我建议他现在就离开。 2. One proposed solution to this problem is the automated highway system. (
38、CET4-2002-1)对这个问题的一个提议是建设自动高速公路体系。 2. vi. to ask sb. to marry you, esp. in a formal way(尤指正式地向某人)求婚 e.g. He proposed to her on bended knee.他单膝跪下向她求婚。,dreadful a. very unpleasant 糟透了的；非常讨厌的 e.g. 1. The result should be dreadful for you.结果对你将是极不愉快的。 2. The victim suffered a dreadful injury and lost a
39、lot of blood.受害者受了重伤，大量失血。 Word family: dread n. & v.,Words & Phrases,soak v. to put sth. into a liquid and leave it there for a period of time 浸；泡 e.g. 1. She soaked the shirt in soapy water.她把衬衫泡在肥皂水里。 2. Before cooking them you should soak the beans overnight in water.煮之前，你得把豆子浸泡在水里一整夜。 See also:
40、 soak up,Words & Phrases,atomic a. 1. relating to or using the energy that is produced by splitting atoms 原子能的；利用原子能的 e.g. They were monitoring the upper air to collect evidence of atomic explosions.他们正在检测高空空气以收集原子爆炸的证据。 2. relating to the atoms in a substance 原子的 e.g. Atomic fission furnishes enorm
41、ous energy. 原子分裂可提供大量的能量。 Word family: atom n.,Words & Phrases,explosion n. C an occasion when sth. bursts with a lot of force and a loud noise, often causing damage 爆炸 e.g. 1. The missile warhead hit the target, effecting a nuclear explosion.导弹头击中目标，完成了一次核爆炸。 2. There was a muffled explosion somewh
42、ere on their right. 在他们右边什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 Word family: explode v. explosive a. & n.,Words & Phrases,contravene vt. (fml) to do sth. that is not allowed by a rule, law, or agreement 与相抵触； 违反（规章、法律或协议） e.g. 1. You are contravening the currency regulations.你这是在违反货币制度的规定 2. He intentionally contravened th
43、e rule of golf.他在高尔夫球赛中有意犯规。 3. He contravened the Official Secrets Act.他违反了官员保密法。,Words & Phrases,namely ad. used for introducing more detailed information about a subject that you are discussing 即；那就是 e.g. 1. We need to concentrate on our target audience, namely women aged between 20 and 30.我们须针对我
44、们的听众对象，即年龄在20到30岁之间的妇女。 2. The railroad connects two cities, namely, New York and Chicago.这条铁路连接两个城市, 即纽约和芝加哥。,Words & Phrases,blast n. C an explosion, esp. one caused by a bomb （尤指炸弹引起的）爆炸 e.g. 1. Police said that the blast occurred at 9 a.m.警方说这次爆炸发生在上午九点。 2. A huge bomb blast rocked central Londo
45、n last night. 昨晚一次剧烈的炸弹爆炸震动了伦敦市中心。 3. In a sudden _ of anger, the man tore up everything within reach. (CET4-2000-01-60)A. attack B. burst C. split D. blast,Words & Phrases,B,hurl vt. to throw sth. using a lot of force 猛投；用力掷 e.g. 1. Children were hurling snowballs at one another.孩子们在互掷雪球。 2. Rioter
46、s hurled chairs through the windows.暴乱者向窗里掷椅子。 3. The young track and field athlete could already hurl the discus 60 yards.这个年轻的田径运动员已能把铁饼掷60码远。,Words & Phrases,debris n. U the broken pieces that are left when sth. large has been destroyed, esp. by an explosion, fire, or accident（尤指爆炸、火灾或事 故后留下的）废墟，
47、瓦砾堆，残骸 e.g. 1. She was hit by flying debris from the blast.她被爆炸飞散的碎片击中。 2. After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸过后到处是一片残骸。 3. Police have spent the day sifting through the debris for clues. 警方花了一整天在废墟中查找线索。,Words & Phrases,inhabitant n. C a person or animal that lives in a partic
48、ular place 居民；栖息的动物 e.g. 1. The islands earliest inhabitants came from India. 岛上最早的居民来自印度。 2. The tapeworm is an inhabitant of the intestine.绦虫是栖居肠内的寄生虫。 Word family: inhabit v.,Words & Phrases,shift vt. to move an object from one place to another 移动；搬动 e.g. Help me shift the desk to the window plea
49、se. 请帮我把桌子搬到窗户那儿。 Choose the best answer for the following sentence: Mass advertising helped to _ the emphasis from the production of goods to their consumption. (CET4-2005-6) A. vary B. shift C. lay D. moderate,Words & Phrases,B,alien n. C 1. a person or creature from a planet other than Earth 外星人；外星生物 e.g. Jim is an alien in this film.吉姆在这部电影里是个外星人。 2. (AmE) sb. who is not a citizen of the country they are living in 外国人；侨民 e.g. 1. An Englishman is an alien in America.英国人在美国便是外国侨民。 2. Illegal aliens are usually deported to their country of origin. 非法外侨通常被逐回原籍国。,
