大学英语新世纪4-unit3课文详解及习题答案

知识彩虹
克雷格·拉塞尔
我这辈子四分之三以上的时间（50年中有39年）是在纽约的中小学或大学里度过的，不是在上学，就是在教学。

于是，你或许会认为，经过这么长一段时间，我应该了解一些情况，确实知道一些东西，对知识和对生活该会积极地予以把握和肯定了。

可是，我却没有做到这一点。

事实上，我知道的东西越多，反倒越觉得自己无知。

当然，说自己知道的东西越多，反倒越觉得自己无知，这种说法是矛盾的。

然而，现代物理学告诉我们，现实世界本身就是矛盾的。

科学家们对物质现实世界研究得越多，就越无法对它进行把握。

在某种意义上，他们了解的越多，知道的就越少。

知识本身就是矛盾的。

打个比方，假设你的知识是一个点，就像这个句子末尾的句号一样。

请注意这个句号微小的圆周，假设它代表我们已知和未知的分界——换句话说，就是你对自己不知道的东西的认知。

但现在想象一下那个小小的句号在渐渐扩大，它的黑色部分占据页面越来越多的地方。

随着它的扩大，它的周缘也跟着扩大。

如果那个正在增大的黑色部分代表你的知识的话，在知识增长的同时，你会意识到自己有许多不知道的东西。

也就是说，你知道的越多，就越觉得自己无知。

你在求知过程中肯定有过类似的经历。

起初，你甚至并不知道还有某个学科的存在。

当然，这个学科是早就存在的，只是你以前没有注意到而已。

1988年有了第一台电脑以后，我去杂志店，想找一些关于电脑操作方面的书，结果发现这类书琳琅满目，让我吃惊。

同样，当我有幸获得讲授电影分析这门课的机会时，我发现有关这个领域的专著也多得令我眼花缭乱。

假设你决定研究这一课题。

你买了一本有关这一课题的书，一本你能找到的最好也是最全面的（或是你认为是这样的）书，或许你是从图书馆借来了这本书。

但你很快就会发现，阅读这本书只会给你带来更多的问题，而不是要解答你的疑问。

譬如，今年早些时候，我非但不知道自己对技术和自由之间的关系有兴趣，甚至没有意识到这两者之间有可能存在着某种联系。

于是，我开始阅读这方面的书籍，越读越意识到技术与自由之间的关系。

一方面，比起短短的几个月之前，现在我对这个课题的了解是多了。

但另一方面，所有这些阅读让我看到了自己真正懂得的东西是多么的少，而需要阅读、思考和写作的东西又是多么的多。

每读完一本书，我总是觉得需要再读三本书，才能更好地把握这个课题。

我的思考和写作也在同时进行。

事实上，正是写作让我接触了这一课题。

我们通常认为只有那些知识渊博、充满自信的人才会从事写作。

然而，在我看来却恰恰相反。

写作并不是总结，而是拓展。

身为作家，很长一段时间我都被这个矛盾所困惑——知道的越多，越感到自己无知。

我深深领悟了道家的教诲：“知者不言，言者不知。

”我对自己该不该写作毫无把握，即使写了，也觉得自己没有资格写。

我总觉得自己应该先获得更多的知识。

我花了很长一段时间，才解除了这种矛盾对我的禁锢，最终才确信正是写作让我增长了知识，而不是知识让我有资格从事写作。

我觉得自己的作品不是文章或者专栏，而是essays，即“随笔”，essays是一个法语词，意思是“尝试”。

我不懂得真理，只是努力要找到它。

当然，我不是说我们不应该学习，或者不应该阅读、写作、思考和交谈。

我也不是说我们不应该去尝试。

永无止境的探索并非毫无希望。

我只是认为，对知识中矛盾的理解，必然会把我们从教条主义的压迫和僵化中引导出来，迈向个人的灵活和自由。

这正如道家所说：“坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。

”
我们必须将因知识而生出的自豪感和因无知而生出的谦卑感加以揉和。

他们说得好，真理就在那里，但或许就像彩虹一样，我们却永远不能真正地抓住它，也不能把它握在手里并真正地掌握它。

正如威廉·詹姆斯所说的那样，我们只能“按照今天得到的真理而生活，并准备明天把它叫做谬论。

”
Word
look into
examine the meaning or causes of; investigate 调查，研究
R
1. The police are looking into the disappearance of the child.
2. The authorities are looking into the cost of modifying the car design.
in a way
to some extent 在某种程度上
R
1. In a way you're right, I suppose.
2. Perhaps he should have said nothing, but in a way it was his duty.
consume
[kǝn'sju:m] vt.fml use up (time, money, goods, etc.) 〖正式〗消耗（时间）；消费（金钱、物品等）；耗尽
R
1. The electricity industry consumes large amounts of fossil fuels.
2. Before he died he had consumed a large quantity of alcohol.
remain
[ri'mein] vi. [not usu. in progressive forms] continue to be (in an unchanged state) ［一般不用进行式］继续，依然（不变）
R
1. In spite of their quarrel, they remain best friends.
2. He will remain manager of the club until the end of his contract.
quest
[kwest] n. [(of, for)] esp. lit a long search; an attempt to find sth. [常与of或for连用]〖尤文〗（长期的）探寻，探索
R
1. He left home in quest of adventure.
2. World leaders are now united in their quest for peace.
likewise
['laikˌwaiz] ad. in the same way; similarly 同样地，照样地
R
1. He voted for the change and he expected his colleagues to do likewise.
2. Her second marriage was likewise unhappy.
sheer
[ʃiǝ(r)] a. pure; unmixed with anything else; nothing but 全然的，纯粹的，地道的
R
1. We were impressed by the sheer size of the building.
2. He won the game by sheer luck.
close (sth.) off
separate (sth. or some place) from the area around it so that people cannot go there or use it 断绝；封锁；使隔离
R
1. The roads into the town were closed off by iron gates.
2. The entrance to the train station was closed off following the explosion.
open (sth.) up
make possible the development of (sth.) 开拓，开发，开辟
R
1. The new agreement opens up the possibility of cooperation between the two sides.
2. The railway opened up the west of the country.
paralyze
★['pærǝlaiz] vt. (cause to) lose the ability to move, operate, think, etc. 使丧失活动能力；使丧失作用；使呆若木鸡，使惊愕
R
1. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.
2. She stood there, paralyzed with fear.
qualify
['kwɔlifai] v. [(as, for)] (cause to) reach a necessary standard, e.g. of knowledge, ability, or performance, or get a qualification [常与as或for连用]（使）具有（取得）资格
R
1. He passed all the examinations and qualified as a doctor last year.
2. This training course will qualify you for a better job.
hopeless
['hǝuplis] a. giving no cause for hope 不给人希望的，令人绝望的，无望的
R
1. He felt that his life was a hopeless mess.
2. She's hopeless at managing people.
3. Our position is hopeless; we'll never get out alive.
inevitably
[in'evitǝbli] ad. in a way that cannot be avoided or prevented from happening 不可避免地，必然发生地
R
1. Inevitably, the press exaggerated her story.
2. The measure inevitably means higher taxes in the long run.
stiff
[stif] a. not bending or moving easily; rigid 僵直的，不灵活的，不易变弯曲的；刚强的
R
1. After a twelve hour plane ride, my back was stiff and sore.
2. As you get older, your muscles become stiffer.
知识传递的障碍
维多利亚·格里菲斯今天人人都在谈论“知识时代”，然而，知识是什么？这是一个模糊的概念。

我们大多数人都感到知识肯定不仅仅是信息。

我2岁的女儿就能告诉你美国的第一任总统是乔治·华盛顿；列奥纳多·达·芬奇创作了《蒙娜丽莎》这幅油画。

但是，她真的“知道”这些人物、艺术和政治的一般情况吗？当然不是。

电脑尽管很擅长执行某些任务，譬如在网上预订机票，或清理银行账户，可对于那些人类天生俱有的东西，譬如对情感的理解，则特别笨拙。

但是，如果说知识不是纯信息，那它就是经验了？经验当然很重要。

譬如，只听一个人不停地谈论关于（骑自行车）过程的信息，是不可能学会骑自行车的。

然而，只有经验也不算有知识。

譬如，古代人经历了每天的日出和日落，却不知道地球在绕着太阳转。

他们看着人们死于各种疾病，却不知道该如何防止这样的死亡。

所以，知识既是经验，又是信息。

在美国，教育家们就什么是塑造年轻人心灵的最佳方法争论不休。

有些人认为，儿童应该了解事实，譬如，摩洛哥这个国家位于什么地方。

其他一些人则认为，儿童应该学会如何发现事物，譬如能运用地图寻找摩洛哥所处的位置。

实际上，这两方面的事情儿童都需要做。

聪明人是能够把事实和技能结合在一起的人。

知识完全是人类的特性，因为它包括经验。

遗憾的是，作为知识的唯一持有者，人类把知识从一个大脑传递到另一个大脑的效率却非常低。

电脑在几秒钟内就能把大量的信息从一个终端传送到另一个终端。

可知识的传递要难得多。

传递知识有两大障碍：缺乏信任和对抵制改变。

人类似乎很固执，仅乐意从自己熟悉并信得过的人那里获取知识。

17世纪初，伽利略坚持认为地球和其他行星都是绕着太阳运转的。

这个知识不仅不为普通群众所接受，而且伽利略还不得不为自己的见解付出遭受终身软禁的代价。

3个世纪以前，意大利人对罗马天主教的信任远远超过对伽利略的信任，于是知识的传递当时就立刻被封杀了。

有时候，文化和语言方面的障碍可以使不信任达到很高的程度，使知识交流成为几乎不可能的事情。

1992年，美国国家气象局预报了巴西沿海地区破坏性极大的暴雨，然而却没有想办法把这个信息传递给巴西。

他们或许认为这不是他们的责任，或许相信，巴西科学家已经完全掌握了当时的情况。

尽管一些巴西的天气预报人员看到了美国的报告，他们却没有把这一信息传递给公众。

他们或许对这些报告的准确性表示怀疑，或许并没有认识到即将到来的危险。

总而言之，知识没有得到传递，几十个人做出了不必要的牺牲。

人类抵制改变——这是知识传递的另一大障碍。

管理理论学家彼得·德鲁克曾认为，这种抵制最终会损害大多数公司的利益。

新知识一直在不断出现，所以，要想成功，人们必须不断在混乱、多变的世界里体验生活，不断对过去的所作所为提出置疑。

如果做不到这一点，该组织就倒闭了。

譬如，曾一度是电脑公司中“大哥大”的数码设备公司，由于没有弄懂个人电脑会取代中央处理机这一知识并根据这一知识采取行动，结果这个公司衰败了，并最终被该行业一个后起之秀——康柏——收购。

几年前，美孚石油公司一家炼油厂的工人提出了一种更好的炼油方法，这一新方法节约了几百万美元，所以，这些工人期望其他炼油厂也能随时采用这一方法。

于是，他们向其他炼油厂的经理们寄发了报告，解释了操作程序，然而什么动静也没有。

美孚的高级行政人员对这一问题采取了进一步的行动，亲自给这些经理们发信。

这些炼油厂中只有10％—20％采用了新方法。

于是，美孚制作了录像带，就这个方法对人们进行采访，还对节省多少钱进行解释。

两年后，该公司只有38％的炼油厂进行了革新。

美孚公司问这是为什么，大多数普遍的回答都是：“在那里也许行得通，可在这里行不通。

”缺乏信任和抵制改变阻碍了知识的传递。

从上述例子中可以看出，人类似乎习惯于在与别人的接触中学习知识。

有人甚至预言说，因特网会减少人们的出行；然而网络空间看来在这方面却起到了促进人们出行的作用。

这是因为知识传递中的许多基本元素主要是通过人与人的接触才成为可能的。

尽管电脑和数字通讯本身并不能完成知识传递的任务，它们却能舒缓知识传递的负担。

例如，它们能帮我们与某一领域中有共同兴趣的专家或同行建立联系。

数字网络也许还能为我们提供可以从中得出结论的可靠信息。

但是，真正的知识传递是人类的现象，受人类生活条件中各种问题的制约，譬如说缺乏信任，不肯变革等因素。

因为知识传递非常困难，就算我们进入了“知识时代”，知识传递仍将是一个难题。

Word
vague
[veig] a. not clearly described, expressed, known, or established 不明确的，不清楚的，含糊的politics
['pɔlitiks] n. [U] the art or science of government 政治学
book
[buk] v. arrange in advance to have (sth.); reserve 预订，预约，订票
R
1. I'd like to book a table for two for 8 o'clock tonight.
2. I'm afraid these seats are already booked.
sort out
put (things) in an order; separate (things) into groups 把···分类，整理；拣出，分拣
R
1. I've sorted out the papers that can be thrown away.
2. I need you to sort the white things out from the other clothes.
naturally
['nætʃǝrǝli] ad. of course; as one could have expected 当然；自然地
pure
[pjuǝ(r)] a. not mixed with anything else 纯（粹）的，纯净的
R
1. These shirts are made of 100％pure cotton.
2. The air in the mountains was sweet and pure.
unceasingly
[ʌn'si:siŋli] ad.继续地，不断地
ancients
['einʃǝnts] n. (often cap.) the European nations of ancient times, esp. as represented by the writers of ancient Greece and Rome （常用大写）（尤指古希腊、古罗马作家笔下欧洲的）文明古国（民族）；古人
know-how
['nǝuhau] n. [U] infml practical ability or skill; experience in a particular area of activity 〖非正式〗技能；知识；窍门
unfortunately
[ˌʌn'fɔ:tʃǝnǝtli] ad. it is \ was a bad thing that ...; I am afraid that ... 令人遗憾地；不巧，可惜vessel
['vesl] n.fml or old use a usu. round container, such as a pot, cup, or barrel, used esp. for holding liquids〖正式或旧〗容器（如壶、杯、桶等）
R
1. People in the Netherlands tend to use a lot of wooden vessels in their daily life.
2. Thousands of drinking vessels used by the ancients were on exhibit these days.
sole
[sǝul] a. being the only one; only 惟一的，仅有的
R
1. My sole reason for coming here was to see you.
2. This is the sole means of access to the building.
inefficient
[ˌini'fiʃǝnt] a. not working or performing in a satisfactory way, esp. because of wastefulness or lack of ability and organization; not efficient 无效率的，效率低的；无能的，不称职的terminal
['tә:minǝl] n. an apparatus, usu. consisting of a keyboard and a screen, by which a user can give instructions to and get information from a computer, esp. a large computer to which many users are connected （电脑的）终端机
transfer
['trænsfә:(r)] n. [C; U] an act or process of moving from one place, job, position, etc., to another 转移，调动
R
1. He has asked for a transfer to the company's Paris branch.
2. After the election there was a swift transfer of power.
absorb
[ǝb'sɔ:b] vt. take or suck (esp. liquids) in, esp. gradually; understand (facts, knowledge, ideas, information, etc.) completely and store (them) in one's memory 吸收（尤指液体）；完全理解（事实、知识、思想、信息等）
R
1. This facial cream is easily absorbed into the skin.
2. His mind was like a sponge (海绵), ready to absorb anything.
house arrest
〖律〗（本宅）软禁
stop in one's tracks
infml stop where one is at that moment; stop suddenly 〖非正式〗就地停住，当场停住；突然（间）停住
R
1. I stopped dead in my tracks, unsure of what to do next.
2. As she was about to enter the building, a terrible thought struck Jean, and she stopped in her tracks.
to such an extent that
so much that 到这样的程度以致···
R
1. He had changed to such an extent that I no longer recognized him.
2. Sales have fallen to such an extent that we will have to close several shops.
exchange
[iks'tʃeindʒ] n. [C; U] (a case of) the act of giving and receiving sth. in return 交换，互换
R
1. There was an exchange of political prisoners between the two countries.
2. Would you like to take my old TV in exchange for your camera?
predict
[pri'dikt] vt. see or describe (a future happening) in advance as a result of knowledge, experience, thought, etc. 预言，预告，预见
R
1. It is impossible to predict what will happen in the immediate future.
2. She predicted that the election result would be close.
3. We can predict from this information what is likely to happen next.
accuracy
['ækjurǝsi] n. [U] exactness or correctness 精确，准确（度）
resistant
[ri'zistǝnt] a. [(to)] (often in comb.) having or showing the ability to resist [常与to连用]（常构成复合词）有抵抗力的，抵抗的
management
['mænidʒmǝnt] n. [U] the art or practice of managing, esp. of managing a business or money 管理；处理；经营
corporation
[ˌkɔ:pǝ'reiʃǝn] n. [C] a group of people who are permitted by law to act as a single unit, esp. for purposes of business, with rights and duties separate from those of its members 法人；社团；公司
chaotic
[kei'ɔtik] a. in a state of complete disorder and confusion 混乱的
collapse
[kǝ'læp s] vi. fail suddenly and completely; break down 崩溃，垮掉，瓦解
R
1. The roof collapsed under the weight of snow.
2. Talks between management and unions have collapsed.
once-great
['wʌns'greit] a.曾经伟大的
act on
do sth. according to 按···行动
R
1. She is acting on the advice of her lawyer.
2. Police say they acted on the information received.
mainframe
☆['meinfreim] n. the largest and most powerful type of computer （大型电脑的）主机，中央处理机
refine
[ri'fain] vt. make pure 净化，使纯净；精炼
R
1. Cocaine is refined from coca leaves.
2. Oil has to be refined before it can be used.
refinery
[ri'fainǝri] n. a building and apparatus for refining metals, oil, sugar, etc. （金属、石油、糖等的）提炼厂，精炼厂
take up
start doing (sth.), esp. either with other people or after sb. or sth. else has stopped 开始从事；（把···）继续下去
R
1. Peter will take up the management of the finance department.
2. The manager promised to take the matter up with the staff members involved.
install
[in'stɔ:l] vt. [(in)] set (an apparatus) up so that it is ready for use [常与in连用] 安装（设备）video
['vidiǝu] n. [C; U] (a) videotape recording 磁带录像，录像，录影
comply with
act in accordance with 服从；依从；遵从
R
1. The companies involved must comply with European employment laws.
2. Failure to comply with these rules could result in punishment.
digital
['didʒitl] a. of or based on a system in which information is represented in the form of changing electrical signals 数字式的，使用数字的，数字信息系统的，数码的
colleague
['kɔli:g] n. sb. who works in the same place, office, etc. as oneself, esp. in a profession 同事；同僚
1. We were friends and colleagues for more than 20 years.
2. She was recommended for the post by a colleague of hers.
1.1) quest
2) remained
3) consume
4) likewise
5) vessel
6) qualify
7) stiff
8) collapsed
9) predict
10) inevitably
11) absorbed
12) sheer
13) refining
14) paralyzed
15) exchange
2. 1. In a way
2. act on
3. to such an extent that
4. opens up
5. close off
6. look into
4.1) positive
2) certain
3) less
4) unknown
5) complete
6) infinite
7) hopeless
8) modern
9) individual
10) contradictory
5. 1. If they hadn't broken away from the out-of-date regulation, they wouldn't have made great
advances in their work.
2. If they hadn't taken proper care of her, she wouldn't have recovered so rapidly.
3. The conference wouldn't have been so successful if we hadn't made adequate preparations.
4. We would have had a hard time if we hadn't followed the right instructions.
5. The flood would have caused great damage to our property if we hadn't built so many reservoirs.
6. They would have succeeded in the experiment if they had followed the right procedure.
6. 1. If English hadn't become a language of international business after World War II, most
developing countries wouldn't have required students to study it at school.
2. If William hadn't invaded England in 1066, the English language wouldn't have had many words
of French origin.
3. If modern English hadn't developed from several different languages, the grammar and spelling
rules wouldn't have been so irregular.
4. If England hadn't been conquered by the Normans in 1066, French wouldn't have become the
main language of the ruling class at that time.
7.(1) topic
(2) creates
(3) really
(4) grasp
(5) sure
(6) opposite
(7) contradictory
(8) reality
(9) physical
(10) rigidity
(11) individual
(12) humility
(13) rainbow
(14) falsehood
8. 1. Most people strongly believe that the court will no doubt punish the bank robbers severely.
2. The medical workers overcame one difficulty after another in their long-term quest for a cure for
the disease.
3. Acting on the information they received, the police closed off the streets and caught the bank
robbers.
4. We were amazed at learning that the newly-built TV factory can produce 500,000 TV sets in the
first year.
5. The government is looking into the causes of so many layoffs and is trying to help the laid-off
workers to be re-employed.
6. To expand the sales of its product, the company has taken up various measures to open up new
markets and to improve its services.
7. He has neglected his studies to such an extent that I am afraid it is impossible for him to catch up
with the other students in a month.
8. The fireworks factory was closed last month for failing to comply with the government safety
regulations.
9. It remains to be seen whether our football team can beat its opponent.
10. Mr. Smith predicted that the recent oil discoveries, together with the use / employment of new
technologies, would lead to a decline in the price of crude oil.
9. We all know that knowledge is power but we are seldom aware of how difficult knowledge
transfer is. According to Victoria Griffith, there are many barriers to knowledge transfer and lack of trust is one of the major ones.
It seems to her that people are only willing to absorb knowledge readily from those they know and trust. For example, in the early 17th century, Galileo argued that the earth and other planets move around the sun, but this knowledge was rejected by the general population at that time
because the Italians over three hundred years ago trusted the Roman Catholic Church more than they trusted science. What was worse, Galileo had to spend the rest of his life under house arrest for his ideas.
Victoria Griffith reminds us that knowledge transfer is still a tough problem although we are living in the "knowledge era".
10. Barriers to Knowledge Transfer
Knowledge transfer is a human phenomenon and plays a very important role in the process of human evolution. With the knowledge accumulated over generations, human beings can now build and transform societies with unprecedented knowledge resources.
However, there are many barriers to knowledge transfer. For example, lack of trust and
resistance to change undermine the transfer of knowledge. People are less likely to acquire
knowledge from those whom they don't trust or to adopt new theories and practices they are not familiar with. Cultural and language barriers also hamper the transfer of knowledge between
nations or ethnic groups. It would be almost impossible for people who speak different languages or dialects with different cultural backgrounds to communicate effectively, not to mention
exchanging knowledge.
An underdeveloped economy is another barrier to knowledge transfer. The lack of
socio-economic and techno-environmental cooperation, as well as poor communications
infrastructure, can greatly hinder the flow of knowledge within and between nations.
To remove these barriers, people should change their attitude towards knowledge transfer and the learning of foreign languages and cultures. At the same time, efforts should be made to develop a better world economy.。