Question: How does the writer describe sport at the international level?
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclinations to meet on the battlefield.
Even if one didn’t know from concrete examples (the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win.
On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise: but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused.
Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly mimic warfare.
But the significant thing is not the behavior of the players but the attitude of the spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe — at any rate for short periods — that running, jumping, and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
=== vocabulary ===
inclination:
- a bend or tilt;
- the act of inclining or the state of being inclined.
- a feeling that makes you want to do sth.
- The inclination of the child’s head suggested sleep.
- my inclination is to agree.
- have an inclination for sports
- follow one’s own inclinations.
- I haven’t slightest inclination to become a journalist.
- tend, tendency, be inclined/apt/prone to do sth.
Be careful not to annoy the boss, because he
- is inclined to lose his temper.
- tends to …
- has the tendency to …
- is apt/prone to …
-cli, -cline – tilt
incline n.
recline v.
acclivity n.
declivity n.
proclivity n.
cliff n.
goodwill: n.
- exude goodwill
- promote goodwill
- create and strengthen goodwill
- goodwill games
- goodwill visit / tour (on an official goodwill visit, informal visit, private visit, state visit)
contest, match, race, open, tournament, championship
orgy: a revel involving unrestrained indulgence; an orgy of sth. used emphasize that people suddenly do a lot of a particular activity
- an all-night orgy of reading
- an orgy of looting and burning
- binge/spree
- He went on a drinking binge over the weekend.
- The girl went on a shopping spree on Saturday.
Adonis n.
Aphrodite n. = Venus
aegis n. Zuos’ shield
amazon: n. strong woman, iron will woman
Auroral: Aurora
draconian, Draco
Elysian, Elysium
deduce vt. to infer from a general principle; reason deductively
- deduce A from B
- deduce effect from cause
- conclude A from B
- infer A from B
-duce
deduce
introduce
reproduce
produce
induce
seduce
reduce
if only ….
If only it would stop raining.
If only it stops raining, you can go out to play.
do one’s utmost (tried as hard as one could)
- The coach did his utmost to make us into a winning team.
- spare no effort, stint no efforts, do sth. to the best of one’s ability, give one’s all to do, go all out to do
- go to great lengths to do
- endeavor to do
- skimp on, scrimp on, economize on
His behavior
- disgraced
- shamed
- humiliated
- brought shame on
- brought disgrace on
his family.
patriotic
The American dream is most plausible during the periods of productivity and wealth generated by American capitalism.
A terrible traffic accident happened; people were saddened when they watched the pathetic sight on TV.
warfare: chemical/nuclear/germ/guerrilla warfare
is not … but
国强不在面积大。什么是什么，不是因为。。。； 不是。。。 而是。。。
A country is not powerful simply because it is large.
The strength of a country lies not in its landmass.
It is not the landmass that makes a country strong.
As long as this gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind.
But we must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty.
Argue against a perspective.
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclinations to meet on the battlefield.
- a long complex sentence starting with a main sentence and “I”
- be amazed — writer’s opinion – straight forward and clear
- if only … writer’s attitude
Even if one didn’t know from concrete examples (the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.
- 2nd long complex sentence starting with a concession clause “Even if …” — the writer further criticizes some people’s opinion; (make argument stronger)
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win.
- short simple sentences to stress the writer’s opinion
On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise: but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused.
- Arguing for his own opinion with specific examples
- A long sentence using contrast / antithesis, starting with a preposition phrase
- First use a concession to confess a rare situation where other’s opinion is correct. In this way, the author shows his being unbiased by considering all the cases, and the opponents won’t be able to argue back.
- Then But … a conjunction word to show the writer lead his reader to the opposite direction, which is more important than the sentence before “but”
- “as soon as” emphasis the fact that the writer wants his reader to turn quickly
Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly mimic warfare.
- simple sentences to summarize
But the significant thing is not the behavior of the players but the attitude of the spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe — at any rate for short periods — that running, jumping, and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
- Explain the cause
- But … Because logically, readers might think players are the one who cause the war.
- not … but …
- a long compound/complex sentence
- inserted phrase
Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, and we have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echolocation in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role.
To get a full appreciation of what this means, we must turn first to some recent human inventions. Everyone knows that if he shouts in the vicinity of walls or a mountain side, an echo will come back. The further off this solid obstruction, the longer time will elapse for the return of the echo. The sound made by tapping on the hull of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and (by measuring the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes), the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated.
So was born the echo-sounding apparatus, now in general use in ships. Every solid object will reflect a sound, varying according to the size and nature of the object. A shoal of fish will do this. So it is a comparatively simple step from locating the sea bottom to locating a shoal of fish. With experience and with improved apparatus, it is now possible not only to locate a shoal but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo.
It has been found that certain bats emit squeaks and by receiving the echoes, they can locate and steer clear of obstacles — or locate flying insects on which they feed. This echolocation in bats is often compared with radar, the principle of which is similar.
==vocabulary==
utilitarian: utilize v. utility n. utilization n.
- applicable, feasible, pragmatic
appreciation: comprehension, understanding
- -preci-: appreciate, precious, price
obstruction: obstruct v. ob-struct
oppress, construct,
obstacle
elapse
collapse
interval: at intervals, at short intervals, at long/regular intervals.
receipt: in receipt of sth. receive v.
reception:
shoal. a shoal of fish
===text===
- Not all sounds (made by animals) serve as language:
partial negative
All of us are not born genius.
Not everyone can have such good luck.
Everyone can not have such good luck.
Both of us are not right.
complete negative
neither of, none of
in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role
1) look at the word in front of the preposition, they are a phrase.
- The age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21.
2) look at the verb or adj. in the clause, they are a phrase
- It is a theory to which many economists subscribe.
To get a full appreciation of what this means:
in the vicinity of sth.: near sth.
The further off this solid obstruction (is), the longer time …
The sound (made by …) will be reflected from the sea bottom, and (by measuring the time interval…), the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated.
So was born the …, (which is) now in general use in ships.
倒装不是因为So, 而是因为主语太长； 这里So 是连词，“于是”， “由此”；
而不是程度副词放在句首，
So successful was the man that he aroused considerable jealousy of his colleagues.
in general use = in wide use = in common use
It has been found that … and (by receiving the echoes), they can locate or steer clearly off obstruction or locate flying insects on which they feed.
be compared with… 和。。。相比
be compared to 比作
the principle of which is similar: whose principle is similar
Describe an issue and analyze its causes
1st para.
Chickens slaughtered in the United States, claim officials in Brussels, are not fit to grace European tables.
No, say the Americans, our fowl are fine, we simply clean them in a different way.
- simple sentence, inserted phrase:
- depict a very vivid conversation scene between two opponents at the opposite sides of a table
These days, it is differences in national regulations, far more than tariffs, that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries.
- start with a time phrase
- it is … that …. to summarize and describe the issue
It is not just farmers who are complaining.
- it is not … who … to introduce other examples
An electric razor that meets the European Union’s safety standards must be approved by American testers before it can be sold in the United States, and an American-made dialysis machine needs the EU’s okay before it hits the market in Europe.
- contrast sentences connected with and: give another example.
As it happens, a razor that is safe in Europe is unlikely to electrocute Americans.
- simple sentence, judgement or view of the writer (opinion – specific)
2nd para.
So, ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, why have two lots of tests where one would do?
- generalize the above specific issue by a question sentence
Politicians agree, in principle, so America and the EU have been trying to reach a deal which would eliminate the need to double-test many products.
- compound sentence “so” linking a simple sentence and a complex sentence
They hope to finish in time for a trade summit between America and the EU on May 28th.
- simple sentence
Although negotiations are optimistic, the details are complex enough that they may be hard-pressed to get a deal at all.
- complex sentence starting with a contrast clause
Why?
One difficulty is to construct the agreements.
- Simple sentences
The Americans would happily reach one accord on standards for medical devices and then hammer out different pacts covering, say, electronic goods and drug manufacturing. The EU — following fine continental traditions — wants agreement on general principles, which could be applied to many types of products and perhaps extended to other countries.
- Two long complex sentences make a contrast / antithesis.
What makes trading between rich countries difficult?
Chickens slaughtered in the United States, claim officials in Brussels, are not fit to grace European tables. No, say the Americans, our fowl are fine, we simply clean them in a different way. These days, it is differences in national regulations, far more than tariffs, that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries. It is not just farmers who are complaining. An electric razor that meets the European Union’s safety standards must be approved by American testers before it can be sold in the United States, and an American-made dialysis machine needs the EU’s okay before it hits the market in Europe. As it happens, a razor that is safe in Europe is unlikely to electrocute Americans.
So, ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, why have two lots of tests where one would do? Politicians agree, in principle, so America and the EU have been trying to reach a deal which would eliminate the need to double-test many products. They hope to finish in time for a trade summit between America and the EU on May 28th. Although negotiations are optimistic, the details are complex enough that they may be hard-pressed to get a deal at all. Why? One difficulty is to construct the agreements. The Americans would happily reach one accord on standards for medical devices and then hammer out different pacts covering, say, electronic goods and drug manufacturing. The EU — following fine continental traditions — wants agreement on general principles, which could be applied to many types of products and perhaps extended to other countries.
===Vocabulary===
trading
standards, criteria, yardstick/benchmark
reference, ground reference, marker, anchoring points
ISO = the international standards organization
kill; -cid-, -cis-, -cut-; -rad-(root)
murder (deliberately, esp. after planning to do it),
execute & put to death (as a punishment for a crime), carry out
persecute, prosecute
He was executed by a firing squad.
electrocute: to kill by an electric current
kill yourself, commit suicide, patricide
slaughter, massacre, holocaust, carnage, bloodshed (to violently kill a large number of people who cannot defend themselves.)
genocide, race murder, racial extermination
exterminate, wipe out, take out, remove
assassinate: killing an VIP
destroy
proper:
- fit (of a good standard for sb. or sth): be fit for …, be fit to do …
- suitable (match a certain situation),
- appropriate,
- felicitous remarks (happy or lucky)
grace v.
grace sth./sb. with your presence
Ah so you’ve decided to grace us with your presence!
to make a place or an object look more attractive
His portrait graces the wall of the drawing room.
tariff on
dialysis: on dialysis
agreement, accord/treaty, pact/compact, contract, deal, (NATO = the North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
meet / reach / pass / live up to / satisfy / fulfill … standards
approve vt. reject
- approve of … : disapprove of / frown on
- agreement (cn. un), permission, approval
hit: arrive at, reach
eliminate
to do away with, to completely get rid of something that is unnecessary or unwanted
eliminate a need/possibility/risk/problem
The credit card eliminates the need for cash or checks.
eliminate something/sb. from something
Fatty foods should be eliminated from the diet.
remove, get rid of, root out, eradicate (radish) crime/poverty
abolish capital punishment / death penalty
hammer out / reach / come to an agreement
keep / honor an agreement
break / violate an agreement
=== Text ===
put sand in the wheels (machine) of : hinder, impede, hamper
- put obstacles in the way of
- stand in the way of
- These days, it is differences in habits and customs, far more than languages, that put sand in the wheels of transnational marriage.
give sb. the okey, get the okay
As it happens / it just so happens: sb. sth. that is surprising, interesting, or useful.
- As it happens, I have my notebook with me.
- As luck would have it,
hard-pressed: having a lot of problems and not enough money or time.
- The hard-pressed farmers suffering from drought.
- hard-pressed economy
- be hard-pressed to form an effective government
why do, why not do
- Why worry about such trifles?
- Why not try to train your character?
do = be enough
be cautiously optimistic / pessimistic about …
optimism optimist
construct
cover: embrace / encompass
follow orders, follow the herd/crow, follow one’s example / lead
continental / maritime / channel
be applied to ..
extend to …
spread to ..
What important thing did King Alfred learn when he penetrated the Danish camp of Guthrum?
Alfred the Great acted as his own spy, visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel. In those days, wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere. They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport. Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth and could vary his program with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.
While Alfred’s little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders. These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham, thither he went. He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and the security precautions were casual. They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighboring regions. There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.
Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney. The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde. But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battles: and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular raids. So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battles but harried the enemy. He was constantly on the move, drawing the Danes after him. His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army. Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes and within a month the Danes had surrendered.
The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!
===
When he penetrated the Danish army, King Alfred immediately noticed that discipline was loose/lax: the Danes had the self-confidence of the conquerors, and their security precautions were inattentive. They lived well on the proceeds of raids on neighboring regions. There they collected women along with food and drink, an easy life had made them soft.
===Vacubulary
act as
- serve as, function as, be used as
- temporary job, no the/a in the front
My brother speaks French — he can act as interpreter.
disguised as = make up as, dressed (up) as
wandering: roaming, loafing, walk, stroll
in his youth
vary, diversify, add variety/color/spice to …
- To obtain the nutrients you needs, vary the foods you eat.
little: insignificant, trivial, trifling, unimportant
thither: there; hither: here
To describe people come together
- vi & vt. gather, assemble, mass
- vi. collect, congregate, converge
set out to do sth
- start/begin to do sth with a purpose
- mean / intend to do sth
- We did not set out to hurt you.
penetrate into/through, trespass on
settle down: station
slack: loose, lax, casual, careless, sluggish, indolent, inactive, slothful, listless, lethargic, languid, phlegmatic
precautions: prevention, vigilance
live on sth: live by depending on sth.
be compared with/to, in/by contrast/comparison with/to
prolonged/protracted | prolong / protract | curtail
- questioning,
- exposure to the sun
- warfare
- one’s holiday
be faced/confronted with …
harry: harass, pester
be unique/peculiar to … 独有，特有
- Each set of genes is unique to the individual.
- Pandas are peculiar to China.
US News and World Report 10/1989
What does the computer industry thrive on apart from anarchy?
Technology trends may push Silicon Valley back to the future. Carver Mead, a pioneer in integrated circuits and a professor of computer science at the California Institute of Technology, notes there are now work-stations that enable engineers to design, test and produce chips right on their desks, much (in) the way (that) an editor creates a newsletter on a Macintosh. As the time and cost of making a chip drop to a few days and a few hundred dollars, engineers may soon be free to let their imaginations soar without being penalized by expensive failures. Mead predicts that inventors will be able to perfect powerful customized chips over a weekend at the office — spawning a new generation of garage start-ups and giving the U.S. a jump on its foreign rivals in getting new products to market fast. ‘We’ve got more garages with smart people,’ Mead observes. ‘We really thrive on anarchy.’
And on Asians. Already, oriental and Asain Americans constitute the majority of the engineering staffs at many Valley firms. And Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Indian engineers are graduating in droves from California’s colleges. As the heads of next-generation start-ups, these Asian innovators can draw on customs and languages to forge tighter links with crucial Pacific Rim markets. For instance, Alex Au, a Stanford Ph. D. from Hong Kong, has set up a Taiwan factory to challenge Japan’s near lock on the memory-chip market. India-born N. Damodar Reddy’s tiny California company reopened an At&T chip plant in Kansas City last spring with financing from the state of Missouri. Before it becomes a retirement village, Silicon Valley may prove a classroom for building a global business.
===
integrate: combines many different groups, ideas, or parts in a way that works well.
integrate A with B
- integrate theory with practice
- an integrated system, institution etc.
- an integrated public transportation system
- a racially integrated community
note: observe (observation), discipline, coverage, latitude
- notice or pay attention to sth
- mention sth because it is important or interesting
- Note how she is holding her racket.
enable sb. to do sth. = allow / permit; make it possible for …
…, much the way an editor creates a newsletter on a Macintosh. (in the way, as)
- The steak is cooked the way I like it.
- Internet technology enables you make purchases at home, much the way you do in regular shops.
- You’re doing it (in) the wrong way.
- Do it (in) any way you like.
- I don’t like the way (that/in which / by which) you talk to me.
- Let’s go the way (that) we went yesterday.
drop/fall/decrease (to…)
plummet / plunge / nosedive / take a nosedive (to…)
rise / go up / increase / climb / escalate (to…)
soar / rocket (to…)
penalize: to punish sb. or treat them unfairly
penalize sb for (doing) sth.
- Two students were penalized very differently for the same offense.
penalize: subject to a penalty, subject to some comparative disadvantage.
- Such a system penalized the poor.
- It would be unfair to penalize those without a job.
to fine sb (money) for sth
- He was fined $300 for reckless driving.
to punish sb.
punish/fine/give sb 6 years sentence/teach sb. a lesson / make sb. pay/ penalize/discipline
discipline sb. for sth.
- The worker was disciplined for insubordination.
civilize, generalize, localize, pulverize
predict foretell
- Timely snow foretells a bumper harvest.
perfect, bring sth to perfection
spawn: to make a series of things happen or start to exist
- New technology has spawned new business opportunities.
- Bureaucracy spawns many rules that complicate our life.
breed
- Unemployment breeds social unrest.
get a jump on sb. / gain an advantage over sb. / give sb. a jump on sb.
thrive:
- to become very successful or very strong and healthy; prosper
- to enjoy or be successful in a particular situation, especially one that other people find difficult or unpleasant
thrive on sth.
- plants that thrive in tropical rainforests
- a thriving/prosperous industry
- A business cannot thrive/prosper without investment.
- a business which managed to thrive during a recession
- He thrives on criticism.
- I wouldn’t want that much pressure, but she seems to thrive on it.
anarchy
- The classroom was in a constant state of anarchy.
- slide/fall/descend into anarchy
- The nation is in danger of falling into anarchy.
African-American/Afro-American; Inuit, Eskimo; Oriental, Asian
constitute: pose; constitution
constitute / make up / compose / comprise
comprise / be made up of / be composed of / consist of
majority: a high/large proportion/percentage of …
minority:
droves: crowds of people
- On a hot, muggy day people head for the beaches in droves.
band: a band of thieves
company: a company of travelers
party: a party of schoolchildren
gang: a gang of murders
faction: a petty faction of people
innovate, novice
draw on sth: to use information, experiences, knowledge etc. for a particular purpose. ; use/make use of; wield; exploit
- It was a challenge, luckily we had the experience to draw on.
- be able to wield both the pen and the sword.
- exploit natural resources
The government had to draw on reserves and borrow abroad.
His remarks drew heavily on his experiences in that country.
forge
- forge a sword
- to develop sth. new, especially a strong relationship with other people groups, or countries.
- a forged passport
- forgery: The painting is a forgery.
= form / forge a relationship / alliance / link etc with sb.
- In 1776 the United States forged an alliance with France.
- Back in the 1980s, they were attempting to forge a new kind of rock music.
a lock on sth. = complete control of sth.
… to challenge Japan’s near monopoly of the memory-chip market
Financing, funding
- verbs: finance, back, fund, subsidize
- A charity financed / funded / backed by private donations
- a government-subsidized health service
sponsor
- The team is sponsored by Pepsi Cola.
Before it no longer takes the lead in computer industry, …
You’ll learn a lot from Silicon Valley if you want to build a global business.