大学英语精读第三版第四册第3单元课后习题答案TXT文本电子书

Unit 3你能证明地球是圆的吗?来试试看吧！你将依靠你自己的智力还是不得不引用专家的观点呢?我们为什么相信地球是圆的?乔治·奥韦尔记得在什么地方——我想是在《圣女贞德》序言中——肖伯纳评论说，今天我们比在中世纪时更加轻信，更加迷信。

而作为现代轻信的例证，他举出地圆说这一广为传播的信念。

肖伯纳说，普通人举不出一条理由来说明为什么相信地球是圆的。

他全盘接受这一理论，只是因为这一理论中有一种迎合20世纪心态的东西。

当然，肖伯纳是夸大其词了，但他说的也确实有些道理，这一问题值得进一步探讨，因为它会帮助人们看清现代知识的真实情况。

我们究竟为什么会相信地球是圆的呢?我说的不是数千位天文学家、地理学家之类的人，他们可以用观察到的事实或用理论上的根据来证实这一点，我指的是如同你我之辈的报纸的普通读者。

至于“地平说”，我相信我能够加以驳斥。

如果你在天气晴朗的日子站立海边，你可以看到船桅和烟囱沿着地平线移动而不见船体本身。

只有假设地球表面呈曲线状，这一现象才能得到解释。

但不能由此推断地球是球形的。

设想另一个称做“地球卵形说”的理论吧，这一学说声称地球形如蛋状。

对此，我能说什么加以反驳呢?面对“地球卵形说”者，我能打的第一张牌是，可以根据太阳和月亮来类推。

“地球卵形说”者立即回敬道，我无法根据自己的观察得知那些天体是球形的。

我只能得知他们是圆的，而它们完全可能呈扁平的圆盘状。

我对此无言以答。

此外，他还会说，我凭什么理由认为地球一定与太阳和月亮的形状相同?对此，我同样无法解答。

我的第二张牌是地球的影子: 月食期间，地球投在月亮上的影子看上去呈圆形物体状。

但“地球卵形说”者马上要问，我怎么知道月食是由地球的影子造成的呢?回答是，我并不知道，我只是照搬报刊文章和科普小册子上的说法而已。

小小交锋受挫，于是我打出一张王牌“Q”: 专家的看法。

英国格林威治皇家天文台台长总该是权威了，他告诉我说地球是圆的。

“地球卵形说”者用他的“K”牌压倒我的“Q”牌。

天文台台长的话我检验过没有?再说，我知道怎么个检验法吗?这时候，我打出我的“爱司”。

是的，我确实知道一个检验方法。

天文学家能预报月食，这一点表明他们关于太阳系的看法是非常可信的。

因此，令我高兴的是，我接受他们关于地球形状的论断是有道理的。

如果“地球卵形说”者反驳道——我以为他反驳得有理——认为太阳绕地球转的古代埃及人也能预言月食，那我的“爱司”牌便立刻化为乌有。

我只剩下一张牌: 航海。

人们可以扬帆绕地球航行而到达他们的目的地，其航程的计算，就是以地球是球形的假定为依据的。

我相信这一下可以彻底击败“地球卵形说”者了。

不过即便如此，他还可能有某种回击的办法。

由此可见，我认为地球是圆的，其根据是相当不牢靠的。

然而这却是一点极其基本的知识。

在别的大多数问题上，我只得更早地依赖专家的理论，且更少有办法检验他的结论了。

我们的知识，其绝大部分都停留在这一水平上。

它不是依靠推理或实验，而是依赖权威。

可是，不这样，又有什么别的法子呢?知识的范围如此广博，一旦越出其专业范围，专家也会变成一无所知。

对大多数人来说，如果要他们证明地球是圆的话，就连我上面概述的这些相当无力的论据，他们也不愿提供出来。

他们一开始就会说: 谁都知道地球是圆的。

要是再加追问，就会生气了。

在某种程度上讲，肖伯纳是说对了，如今是一个轻信的时代。

究其缘由，部分在于，我们现今必须掌握的知识实在太多了。

Unit31) cited 2) as for 3) exaggerate 4) Statements 5) preface 6) justified 7) horizon8) authority 9) follow up 10) advanced 11) and so forth 12) threw light on/shed light on 13) pressing 14) burden1) refuted 2) swallowed 3) predict 4) outlined 5) proof 6) For the sake of 7) advanced 8) cited 9) In a way 10) cast 11) promptly 12) appealed to1) rested on 2) fall back on 3) appeal to 4) followed 5) up 6) was straying from7) aimed at 8) bring out1) If the door was not opened by force, it follows that the burglar had a key2) Children tend to be credulous because they have not had much experience in the real world.3) The information the police had just obtained threw light on the mystery of the stolen antiques.4) The three-month military training may well work a change in his living habits.5) If this is the case, he is fully justified in blaming her.1) a band worn around the ankle 2) a little brook 3) a little star 4) a little stream1) forecasts 2) forefathers 3) foresight 4) foregoing 5) forerunner 6) forecast/foretell1) sun solar 2) dental 3)mental 4) paternal maternal 5) moon lunar6)annual 7)night nocturnal 8)aural 9)fraternal 10)eye ocular1) John won't like it but Jack will.2) She was poor but honest.3) I've explained more than once and I'm not going to again.4) Is it a color or black and white film?5) Having washed and changed, Linda went out on to the verandah.6) His aunt and uncle had to work long hours to keep body and soul together.7) Do you want to buy seats in the orchestra or the balcony?8) I should have lent her the money and helped her out of the difficulty.9) Joe hid his face behind his newspaper lest he should have to speak to acquaintances and expose his uneasiness.10) When Sarah was finally reunited with her children at the airport they kissed and hugged each other.1) Because he is good, it doesn't follow that he is bright.2) Just because she failed the exam, it doesn't follow that she has no brains.3) Joan has been to France many a time, but it doesn't follow that she has obtained a good command of French.4) It's true that Ben's got a better job, but it doesn't follow that he'll be paid more.1) I'm sure Jim will come if asked.2) No artistic creation can achieve greatness if divorced from life.3) This hotel, if not well managed, will yield little profit.4) Joe was shocked to learn that his illness could result in total blindness if left untreated.1) To her horror, Mrs. Pride saw her neighbour killed in broad daylight.2) To our amazement, we heard the 70-year-old man had beaten the young athlete in the match.3) To his surprise, Ted found that his learned cousin knew very little about the subject.4) To her great relief, Mrs. Dane found her husband unhurt in the traffic accident.5) To my deep regret, I won't be able to attend the ceremony.6) To their dismay, the travellers found that the bridge had been washed away.1) starts off 2) superstitious 3) promptly 4) exaggerates 5) fall back on 6) authorities 7) aim at 8) outlines 9) throwing light on 10) rests on 11) credulous 12) burden1) where 2) by 3) you 4) don't 5) come 6) That's 7) change 8) over 9) even10) reason 11) understate 12) someone 13) task/thing 14) way 15) no 16) much17) no 18) position 19) those 20) can 21) an 22) little 23) on 24) hope翻译1) 萧伯纳在他一个剧本的前言中提出这样的看法：今天人们比在中世纪时更加迷信。