21世纪大学英语读写教程第四册.docx

21世纪大学英语读写教程第四册.docx

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21世纪大学英语读写教程第四册

21世纪大学英语读写教程第四册Unit9

Unit9

TextA

Pre-readingActivities

FirstListening

Beforelisteningtothetape,haveaquicklookatthefollowingwords.

decimal

十进位的

movabletype

活字

transport

运输

SecondListening

Listentothetapeagain.Then,choosethebestanswertoeachofthefollowingquestions.

1.Whichofthefollowingbestexpressesthemainideaofthepassage?

A）MostpeoplethinkthattheWest,ratherthanChina,isthesourceoftechnologicalinnovation.

B）Chinadeservesmuchmorecreditthanisusuallygivenforthedevelopmentof

themodernworld.

C）Chinahadagloriouspast,buthasnotbeenimportantinrecentworldhistory.

D）Theimportationofpaper,printing,andmoveabletypefromChinahavebeen

crucialtothedevelopmentoftheWest.

2.WhichofthefollowingisNOTgivenasanexampleofaChineseinnovation?

A）Thegameofchess.

B）Theprintingpress.

C）Moderneducationalmethods.

D）Modernagriculturalmethods.

3.ThepassageemphasizestheimportancetotheWestofChineseadvancesinwhichofthefollowingareas?

A）Agricultureandwriting.

B）Mathematicsandclocks.

C）Financialorganizationandtaxation.

D）Papermoneyandthesteamengine.

4.WhydoestheauthorofthisarticleemphasizethemanycontributionsmadebyChina?

A）ToassertChinesesuperiorityovertheWest.

B）TopointoutthatChinaactuallyproducesmoregrainthantheUnitedStates.

C）Tounderscore（强调）thatChinaandtheWestaretrueandequalpartners.

D）Togivethetruehistoryofagriculture.

TheWest'sDebttoChina

RobertTemple

Oneofthegreatestuntoldsecretsofhistoryisthatthe'"modernworld"inwhichweliveisauniquesynthesisofChineseandWesterningredients.Possiblymorethanhalfofthebasicinventionsanddiscoveriesuponwhichthe"modernworld"restscomefromChina.Andyetfewpeopleknowthis.Why?

TheChinesethemselvesareasignorantofthisfactasWesterners.Fromtheseventeenthcenturyonwards,theChinesebecameincreasinglydazzledbyEuropeantechnologicalexpertise,havingexperiencedaperiodofamnesiaregardingtheirownachievements.WhentheChinesewereshownamechanicalclockbyJesuitmissionaries,theywereawestruck.Theyhadforgottenthatitwastheywhohadinventedmechanicalclocksinthefirstplace!

ItisjustasmuchasurprisefortheChineseasforWesternerstorealizethatmodernagriculture,modernshipping,themodernoilindustry,modernastronomicalobservatories,modernmusic,decimalmathematics,papermoney,umbrellas,fishingreels,wheelbarrows,multi-stagerockets,guns,underwatermines,poisongas,parachutes,hot-airballoons,mannedflight,brandy,whisky,thegameofchess,printing,andeventheessentialdesignofthesteamengine,allcamefromChina.

WithouttheimportationfromChinaofnauticalandnavigationalimprovementssuchasships'rudders,thecompassandmultiplemasts,thegreatEuropeanVoyagesofDiscoverycouldneverhavebeenundertaken.ColumbuswouldnothavesailedtoAmerica,andEuropeanswouldneverhaveestablishedcolonialempires.

WithouttheimportationfromChinaofthestirrup,toenablethemtostayonhorseback,knightsofoldwouldneverhaveriddenintheirshiningarmortoaiddamselsindistress;therewouldhavebeennoAgeofChivalry.AndwithouttheimportationfromChinaofgunsandgunpowder,theknightswouldnothavebeenknockedfromtheirhorsesbybulletswhichpiercedthearmor,bringingtheAgeofChivalrytoanend.

WithouttheimportationfromChinaofpaperandprinting,Europewouldhavecontinuedformuchlongertocopybooksbyhand.Literacywouldnothavebecomesowidespread.

JohannGutenbergdidnotinventmovabletype.ItwasinventedinChina.WilliamHarveydidnotdiscoverthecirculationofthebloodinthebody.Itwasdiscovered—orrather,alwaysassumed—inChina.IsaacNewtonwasnotthefirsttodiscoverhisFirstLawofMotion.ItwasdiscoveredinChina.

ThesemythsandmanyothersareshatteredbyourdiscoveryofthetrueChineseoriginsofmanyofthethings,allaroundus,whichwetakeforgranted.Someofourgreatestachievementsturnouttohavebeennotachievementsatall,butsimpleborrowings.Yetthereisnoreasonforustofeelinferiorordowncastattherealizationthatmuchofthegeniusofmankind'sadvancewasChineseratherthanEuropean.ForitisexcitingtorealizethattheEastandtheWestarenotasfarapartinspiritorinfactasmostofushavebeenled,byappearances,tobelieve,andthattheEastandtheWestarealreadycombinedinasynthesissopowerfulandsoprofoundthatitisall-pervading.Withinthissynthesisweliveourdailylives,andfromitthereisnoescape.ThemodernworldisacombinationofEasternandWesterningredientswhichareinextricablyfused.Thefactthatwearelargelyunawareofitisperhapsoneofthegreatestcases