外研版英语选修八module5课文原文
外研版英语选修八module5课文原文word版本
【MODULE 5】The Conquest of the Universe【READING AND VOCABULARY】Space: the Final Frontier[Part 1]Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel. Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong`s now famous words:“That`s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, a dream was achieved. All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years but the single spaceships were very expensive as they could not take off more than once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a peace travel programme that was costing the United States $10 million a day. That was until the arrival of the space shuttle——a spacecraft that could be used for several journeys. The first shuttle fight into space was the Columbia——launched from the Kennedy Space Centre on 12th April, 1981,. The aim of this flight was to test the new shuttle system, to go safely up into orbit and to return to the Earth for a safe landing. It was a success and a little more than a decade after Apollo 11`s historic voyage, the Columbia made a safe, controlled, aeroplane-style landing in California. This was the start of a new age of space travel.By the time the Challenger took off in 1986, the world seemed to have lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going to be a special flight and so millions of people turned in to witness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37, who was married with two children, was to be the first civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute lessons from space. The first was to show the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked. The second was to describe theaim of the Challenger space programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and create new interest in the space programme. Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida and all seven astronauts were killed.The world was in shock——maybe they assumed this space flight would be no more dangerous than getting on an aeroplane. But how wrong they were——in one moment excitement and success turned into fear and disaster. It was the worst space accident ever. As one Russian said at the time,“When something like this happens we are neither Russians nor Americans. We are just human being who have the same feelings.”[Part 2]I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. We didn`t have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in mid-air and we all started screaming.It happened so quickly and everyone was schoolboy I had thought that going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. When I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of the astronaut and even the teacher`s lesson plans had been found at the bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all. In spite of all our advanced technology, the world is still only at the very beginning of its voyage into space.【READINH AND VOCABULARY】Secrets of the Gas GiantThe Cassini-Huygens space probe, which reached Saturn last week, has sent bank amazing photographs of the planet`s famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures show them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colours shoe exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny pieces of rock and the blue and green is likely to be a mixture of water and frozen gases. Saturn itself is made of gases. It is so light and it could float on water——if a big enough ocean could be found!The probe is an international project to explore the planet and its rings and moons. It was launched in 1997 and its mission was to explore the “gas giant” planet which is the furthest planet to be seen from the Earth without a telescope.Scientist says the spacecraft`s four-year tour of Saturn may tell them how the rings are formed. It will also study the planet`s atmosphere and magnetic field.The porbe has sent back pictures of some of Saturn`s moon, including tiny Phoebe, which has a strange shape——unlike other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round——and Saturn`s biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system other than the Earth with liquid on the surface.The images of Titan and Phoebe look strangely like photos of Earth and our own Moon, taken decades ago by the earliest space missions. They are so clear that it is easy to forget they ear coming from a distance fone-and-a-half-billion kilometers.【READING PRACTICE】May the Force Be with YouStar Wars is a series of science fantasy films. The six-film series began in 1977, and has a world-wide audience, with films, books, video games, television series and toys. It is now acknowledged by the movie industry as the most successful film series ever.The films were made in random order, and move backwards and forwards through two hundred years. They describe the deeds of Anakin Skywalker, a noble Jedi knight, while Darth Vader, under orders from Lord Sith, creates tension then conflict between various autonomous republics and movements. This results in the defeat of the Jedi.Then Anakin`s son, Luke Skywalker, joins the Rebel Alliance to attack the authority of the new evil Empire. He accuses Darth Vader of killing his father, so he trains to become a Jedi knight and swears to avenge his loss. But to his sorrow, he learns that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke escapes the latter`s grasp, as well as the Emperor`s attempt to turn him to the Dark Side. Instead, to his great relief, he achieves glory by turning his father back to the light side, while the divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet flights the battle for the airspace over the motherland, and wins the war. Star Wars reflects many abstract concepts in Greek, Roman and Chinesefolk stories, such as an ability to foresee the future and the impossibility of controlling one`s destiny. For example, Anakin Skywalker cause the deathof his wife coming to her aid. Luke is like the hero lf a wuxia film, with his intention of avenging the death of his father, to become the most powerful Master of his art.The broad theme of Star Wars` philosophy is the Force, and in every movie someone says “May the Force be with you.” Star Wars stresses the dangers of fear, anger, and hate, as well as putting aside one`s sympathy for certain people. For example, Luke Skywalker is ever told that his training rather than rescue his friends.This is consistent with many religious faiths, which stress rational thought, personal dignity and a devotion to praying for holy understanding, as opposed to the “Dark Side”, of violent passion and acute emotion.However, the strongest influence is Taoist philosophy. The Force is similar to Qi, a stable balance of the Yin and Yang forces to human beings and the environment. Many true Taoist masters eventually become supreme beings, similar to Obi-Wan and Yoda who Luke, as their scholar, consults for their teaching and advice.Even the language and clothing convey the philosophy of the Force——the Dark Force soldiers speak with British accents and wear black uniforms whilst most of the Rebels speaker American English and wear light colours.【CULTURAL CORNER】The War of the WorldsIn 1898, the English writer H.G. Wells wrote what is arguably the most important novel in the history of science fiction The War of the Worlds. It is a dramatic story about an invasion of the Earth by aliens from Mars, a subject that has fascinated science fiction writers and film-makers ever since. But when, in 1938, the American actor and director, Orson Welles set a radio drama of The War of the Worlds in real life New Jersey town of Grover`s Mill, little did he know what people turned on their radios and heard the Mercury Theatre Company broadcast, it was so realistic that they believed every word:Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as it may seen, both the observations of science and the evidence of our eyes lead to the inescapable assumption that those strange beings who landed in the New Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars.Orson Welles had managed to set in motion a panic across America. When people heard that an invasion by aliens from Mars was underway, there was a wave of mass hysteria. Hundreds of people left their homes in panic, there were traffic jams all over the state and the police received thousands of telephone calls from terrified listeners who believed that Martians were attacking.The sleepy town of Grover`s Mill for an hour became the centre of the universe.One 13-year-old boy was doing his homework when he hears the first newsflash of the invasion. Taking the radio into the cafédownstairs where his mother worked, he and a dozen or so customers listened with mounting fear to the broadcast, until the men jumped up and announced they were going to get their guns and join in the defence at Grover`s Mill.Did Orson Welles deliberately set out to terrify the nation? Or was it simply a masterpiece of realistic theatre? Either way, The War of the Worlds will be remembered as a piece of broadcasting history.。
外研版英语选修八-MODULE-5-课文原文复习过程
外研版英语选修八-M O D U L E-5-课文原文【MODULE 5】The Conquest of the Universe【READING AND VOCABULARY】Space: the Final Frontier[Part 1]Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel. Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong`s now famous words:“That`s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, a dream was achieved. All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years but the single spaceships were very expensive as they could not take off more than once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a peace travel programme that was costing the United States $10 million a day. That was until the arrival of the space shuttle——a spacecraft that could be used for several journeys. The first shuttle fight into space was the Columbia——launched from the Kennedy Space Centre on 12th April, 1981,. The aim of this flight was to test the new shuttle system, to go safely up into orbit and to return to the Earth for a safe landing. It was a success and a little more than a decade after Apollo 11`s historic voyage, the Columbia made a safe, controlled, aeroplane-style landing in California. This was the start of a new age of space travel.By the time the Challenger took off in 1986, the world seemed to have lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going to be a special flight and so millions of people turned in to witness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37, who was married with two children, was to be the first civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute lessons from space. The first was to show the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked. The second was to describe theaim of the Challenger space programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and create new interest in the space programme. Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida and all seven astronauts were killed.The world was in shock—— maybe they assumed this space flight would be no more dangerous than getting on an aeroplane. But how wrong they were ——in one moment excitement and success turned into fear and disaster. It was the worst space accident ever. As one Russian said at the time,“When something like this happens we are neither Russians nor Americans. We are just human being who have the same feelings.”[Part 2]I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. We didn`t have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in mid-air and we all started screaming.It happened so quickly and everyone was schoolboy I had thought that going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. When I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of the astronaut and even the teacher`s lesson plans had been found at the bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all. In spite of all our advanced technology, the world is still only at the very beginning of its voyage into space.【READINH AND VOCABULARY】Secrets of the Gas GiantThe Cassini-Huygens space probe, which reached Saturn last week, has sent bank amazing photographs of the planet`s famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures show them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colours shoe exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny pieces of rock and the blue and green is likely to be a mixture of water and frozen gases. Saturn itself is made of gases. It is so light and it could float on water——if a big enough ocean could be found!The probe is an international project to explore the planet and its rings and moons. It was launched in 1997 and its mission was to explore the “gas giant” planet which is the furthest planet to be seen from the Earth without a telescope.Scientist says the spacecraft`s four-year tour of Saturn may tell them how the rings are formed. It will also study the planet`s atmosphere and magnetic field.The porbe has sent back pictures of some of Saturn`s moon, including tiny Phoebe, which has a strange shape——unlike other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round——and Saturn`s biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system other than the Earth with liquid on the surface.The images of Titan and Phoebe look strangely like photos of Earth and our own Moon, taken decades ago by the earliest space missions. They are so clear that it is easy to forget they ear coming from a distance f one-and-a-half-billion kilometers.【READING PRACTICE】May the Force Be with YouStar Wars is a series of science fantasy films. The six-film series began in 1977, and has a world-wide audience, with films, books, video games, television series and toys. It is now acknowledged by the movie industry as the most successful film series ever.The films were made in random order, and move backwards and forwards through two hundred years. They describe the deeds of Anakin Skywalker, a noble Jedi knight, while Darth Vader, under orders from Lord Sith, creates tension then conflict between various autonomous republics and movements. This results in the defeat of the Jedi.Then Anakin`s son, Luke Skywalker, joins the Rebel Alliance to attack the authority of the new evil Empire. He accuses Darth Vader of killing his father, so he trains to become a Jedi knight and swears to avenge his loss. But to his sorrow, he learns that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke escapes the latter`s grasp, as well as the Emperor`s attempt to turn him to the Dark Side. Instead, to his great relief, he achieves glory by turning his father back to the light side, while the divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet flights the battle for the airspace over the motherland, and wins the war. Star Wars reflects many abstract concepts in Greek, Roman and Chinesefolk stories, such as an ability to foresee the future and the impossibility of controlling one`s destiny. For example, Anakin Skywalker cause the deathof his wife coming to her aid. Luke is like the hero lf a wuxia film, with his intention of avenging the death of his father, to become the most powerful Master of his art.The broad theme of Star Wars` philosophy is the Force, and in every movie someone says “May the Force be with you.” Star Wars stresses the dangers of fear, anger, and hate, as well as putting aside one`s sympathy for certain people. For example, Luke Skywalker is ever told that his training rather than rescue his friends.This is consistent with many religious faiths, which stress rational thought, personal dignity and a devotion to praying for holy understanding, as opposed to the “Dark Side”, of violent passion and acute emotion.However, the strongest influence is Taoist philosophy. The Force is similar to Qi, a stable balance of the Yin and Yang forces to human beings and the environment. Many true Taoist masters eventually become supreme beings, similar to Obi-Wan and Yoda who Luke, as their scholar, consults for their teaching and advice.Even the language and clothing convey the philosophy of the Force——the Dark Force soldiers speak with British accents and wear black uniforms whilst most of the Rebels speaker American English and wear light colours.【CULTURAL CORNER】The War of the WorldsIn 1898, the English writer H.G. Wells wrote what is arguably the most important novel in the history of science fiction The War of the Worlds. It is a dramatic story about an invasion of the Earth by aliens from Mars, a subject that has fascinated science fiction writers and film-makers ever since. But when, in 1938, the American actor and director, Orson Welles set a radio drama of The War of the Worlds in real life New Jersey town of Grover`s Mill, little did he know what people turned on their radios and heard the Mercury Theatre Company broadcast, it was so realistic that they believed every word:Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as it may seen, both the observations of science and the evidence of our eyes lead to the inescapable assumption that those strange beings who landed in the New Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars.Orson Welles had managed to set in motion a panic across America. When people heard that an invasion by aliens from Mars was underway, there was a wave of mass hysteria. Hundreds of people left their homes in panic, there were traffic jams all over the state and the police received thousands of telephone calls from terrified listeners who believed that Martians were attacking.The sleepy town of Grover`s Mill for an hour became the centre of the universe.One 13-year-old boy was doing his homework when he hears the first newsflash of the invasion. Taking the radio into the café downstairs where his mother worked, he and a dozen or so customers listened with mounting fear to the broadcast, until the men jumped up and announced they were going to get their guns and join in the defence at Grover`s Mill.Did Orson Welles deliberately set out to terrify the nation? Or was it simply a masterpiece of realistic theatre? Either way, The War of the Worlds will be remembered as a piece of broadcasting history.。
外研选修8 M5 课文 英汉对译校对版
READING AND VOCABULARY（1）Space：the final FrontierPart 11Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel. 2Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television , their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong's now famous words : " That's one small step for man , one giant leap for mankind" , a dream was achieved. All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years but the single spaceships were very expensive as they could not take off more than once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a space travel programme that was costing the United States $10 million a day. That was until the arrival of the space shuttle -a spacecraft that could be used for several journeys. The first shuttle flight into space was the Columbia-launched from the Kennedy Space Centre on 12th April,1981. 3The aim of this flight was to test the new shuttle system,to go safely up into orbit and to return to the Earth for a safe landing. It was a success and a little more than a decade after Apollo’s historic voyage, the Colu mbia made a safe, controlled, aeroplane-style landing in California. This was the start of a new age of space travel.By the time the Challenger took off in 1986, the world seemed to have lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going up into space. But this was going to be a special flight and so millions of people tuned in to witness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37 , who was married with two children, was to be the first civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute lessons from space. The first was to show the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked. The second was to describe the aims of the Challenger space programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and create new interest in the space programme.Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida and all seven astronauts were killed.The world was in shock-maybe they assumed this space flight would be no more dangerous thangetting on an aeroplane. But how wrong they were-in one moment excitement and success tumed into fear and disaster. It was the worst space accident ever. As one Russian said at the time , "When something like this happens we are neither Russians nor Americans. We are just human beings who have the same feelings.Part 2I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. 5We didn't have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in midair and we all started screaming.It happened so quickly and everyone was in a state of shock. Like every schoolboy I had thought that going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. When I heard,a few weeks later,that the bodies of the astronauts and even the teacher's lesson plans had been found at the bottom of the ocean,I was not so sure it was worth it at all. 6In spite of all our advanced technology, the world is still only at the very beginning of its voyage into space.太空——最后的（未开发）领域第一部分自从尼尔•阿姆斯特朗在1969年7月21日首次踏上月球以来，人们对太空旅行这一概念已经非常熟悉。
英语选修八小课文及翻译第五单元
Unit 5 THE FEAST: 18,000 BC公元前一万八千年的一次盛宴Worried about the preparations for her feast, Lala quickly turned for home with her collection of nuts, melons and other fruit.拉拉担忧她此次盛宴的准备工作，因此连忙把坚果、甜瓜和其他水果收集起来就快步回家了。
It was the custom of family groups to separate and then gatheragain at different sites for reunions as they followed the animal herds across the grasslands.由于在草原上放牧，家族成员先分别开，今后在不一样样的地方相聚，这是他们的一个民俗。
A wrinkle appeared on her forehead. 她的额头出现了一道皱纹。
If only it could be just like last year! 若是能像昨年那样就好了！At that time she had been so happy when Dahu chose her as the future mother of his children.当大胡选拉拉作未来孩子的母亲时，她感觉很快乐。
He was the best toolmaker in the group and it was a great honour for her to be chosen.他是这个家族中最好的工匠，被他选中对拉拉来说是莫大的有幸。
She remembered the blood pulsing through her veins.她记得那时热血汹涌。
She had felt so proud as the group shouted loudly to applaud his choice.当族人为他的选择喝采鼓掌的时候，拉拉感觉特别骄傲。
外研版选修八__module5
P58—60
1.set foot on 1. 踏入 2.be /get /become accustomed to … 2. 习惯于 3. 意识到,了解 3. be aware of 4. take a risk /take the risk of doing.. 4. 冒险 5. achieve /realise one’s dream 5. 实现梦想 6. 起飞,脱下,成功 6. take off 7. be enthusiastic about sth. 7. 对…热情 8. be used for …/ to do sth. 8. 被用作… 9. in space 9. 在太空中 10.两节15分钟的课 10. give two 15-minute lessons 11.震惊/处于震惊状态 11. in shock / in a state of shock 12. 在…底部 12. at the bottom of … 13. 尽管 13. in spite of /despite 14. 在最开始时 14. at the very beginning of.. 15.它是成功的。 15. It is a success.
Module 5
The Conquest of the Universe
The first man in space
Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in 1961. It took him 108 minutes to go round the world.
We’ve never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we’ve forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle. But they, the challenger seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly, the future belongs to the brave. The challenger crew were pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them .
外研社选修八 module5 原文
Space:the Final FrontierEver since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st july, 196 9, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel. Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong’s now famous words: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”，a dream was achieved. All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years but the single spaceships were very expensive as they could not take off more than once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a space travel programme that was costing the United Slates $10 million a day. That was until the arrival of the space shuttle－a spacecraft that could be used for several journeys. The first shuttle flight into space was the Columbia－launched from the Kennedy Space Centre on 12th April, 1981. The aim of this flight was to test the new shuttle system, to go safely up into orbit and to return to the Earth for a safe landing. It was a success and a little more than a decade after Apollo 11’s historic voyage, the Columbia made a safe, controlled, aeroplane-style landing in California. This was the start of a new age of space travel. By the time the Challenger took off in 1986, the world seemed to have lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going up into space. But this was going to be a special flight and so millions of people tuned in to witness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37,who was married with two children, was to be the first civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute lessons from space. The first was to show the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked. The second was to describe the aims of the Challenger space programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and create new interest in the space programme. Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida and all seven astronauts were killed.－maybe they assumed this space flight would be no more dangerous than getting on an airplane. But how wrong they were－in one moment excitement and success turned into fear and disaster. It was the worst space accident ever. As oneRussian said at the time, “When something like this happens we areneither Russians nor Americans. We are just human beings who have the same feelings.”Part 2I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. We didn’t have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off. we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in midair and we all started screaming. It happened so quickly and everyone was in a state of shock. Like every schoolboy I had thought that going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. When I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of the astronauts and even the teacher’s lesson plans had been found at the bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all. In spite of all our advanced technology, the world is still only at the very beginning of its voyage into space.Secrets of the Gas GiantThe cassini-Huygens space probe, which reached Saturn last week, has sent back amazing photo-graphs of the planet’s famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures show them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colours show exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny pieces of rock and the blue and green is likely to be a mixture of water and frozen gases. Saturn itself is made of gases. It is so light and it could float on water－if a big enough ocean could be found! The probe is an international project to explore the planet and its rings and moons. It was launched in 1997 and its mission was to explore the “gas giant” planet which is the furthest planet to be seen from the Earth without a telescope. Scientists say the spacecraft's four-year tour of Saturn may tell them how the rings are formed, lt will also study the planet's atmosphere and magnetic field. The probe has sent back pictures of some of Saturn's moons, including tiny Phoebe, which hasa strange shape－unlike other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round－ and Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system other than the Earth with liquid on the surface. The images of Titan and Phoebe look strangely like photos of the Earth and our own Moon, taken decades ago by the earliest space missions. They are so clear that it is easy so forget they are coming from a distance of one- and-a-half-billion kilometres.May The Force Be With YouStar Wars is a series of science fantasy films. The six-film series began in 1977, and has a worldwide audience, with films, books, video games, television series and toys. It is now acknowledged by the movie industry as the most successful film series ever. The films were made in random order, and move backwards and forwards through two hundred years. They describe the deeds of Anakin Skywalker, a noble Jedi knight while Darth Vader, under orders from Lord Sith, creates tension then conflict between various autonomous republics and movements. This results in the defeat of the Jedi. Then Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker, joins the Rebel Alliance to attack the authority of the new evil Empire. He accuses Darth Vader of killing his father, so he trains to become a Jedi knight and swears to avenge his loss. But to his sorrow, he learns that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke escapes the latter’s grasp, as well as the Emperor's attempt to turn him to the Dark Side. Instead, to his great relief, he achieves glory by turning his father back to the Light Side, while the divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet fights the battle for the airspace over the motherland, and wins the war. Star Wars reflects many abstract concepts in Greek, Roman and Chinese folk stories, such as an ability to foresee the future and the impossibility of controlling one’s destiny. For example, Anakin Skywalker causes the death of his wife while coming to her aid. Luke is like the hero of a wuxia film, with his intention of avenging the death of his father, to become the most powerful Master of his art. The broad theme of Star Wars’ philosophy is the Force, and in every movie someone says “May the Force be with you.” Star Wars stresses the dangers of fear, anger,and hate, as well as putting aside one s sympathy for certain people. For example, Luke Skywalker is ever told that his commitment ought to be to finish his training rather than rescue his friends. This is consistent with many religious faiths, which stress rational thought, personal dignity and a devotion to praying for holy understanding, as opposed to the "Dark Side", of violent passion and acute emotion.However, the strongest influence is Taoist philosophy. The Force is similarto Qi. a stable balance of the Yin and Yang forces to human beings and theenvironment. Many true Taoist masters eventually become supreme beings, si milar to Obi-Wan and Yoda who Luke, as their scholar, consults for their t eaching and advice.Even the language and clothing convey the philosophy of the Force－the Dark Force soldiers speak with British accents and wear black uniforms.whilst most of the Rebels speak American English and wear light colour s.The War of the WorldsIn 1898, the English writer H.G. Wells wrote what is arguably the most impo rtant novel in the history of science fiction The War of the Worlds. It isa dramatic story about an invasion of the Earth by aliens from Mars, a subj ect that has fascinated science fiction writers and film-makers ever since.But when, in 1938, the American actor and director, Orson Welles set a radio drama of The War of the Worlds in the real life New Jersey town of Grover's Mill, little did he know what impact he was going to make. When people turned on their radios and heard the MercuryTheatre Company broadcast, it was so realistic that they believed every wor d:Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as itmay seem, both the observations of science and the evidence of our eyes le ad to the inescapable assumption that those strange beings who landed in the New Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars. Orson Welles had managed to set in motion a panic across America. When people heard that an invasion by aliens from Mars was under way, there was a wave of mass hysteria. Hundreds of people left their homesin panic, there were traffic jams all over the state and the police receiv ed thousands of telephone calls from terrified listeners who believed that Martians were attacking.The sleepy town of Grover’s Mill for an hour became the centre of the univ erse. One 13-year-old boy was doing his homework when he heard the first ne wsflash of the invasion. Taking the radio into the cafe downstairs where hi s mother worked, he and a dozen or so customers listened with mounting fear to the broadcast, until the men jumped up and announced they were going to get their guns and join in the defence at Grover’s Mill.Did Orson Welles deliberately set out to terrify the nation? Or was it simp ly a masterpiece of realistic theatre? Either way,The War of the Worlds wil l be remembered as a piece of broadcasting history.Road to the Red PlanetIf you had asked the question “How much would it cost to send a mission to Mars”two decades ago, the answer would have been: “About $450 billion.” The huge cost was one reason why no one was very enthusiastic about the pl an, apart from the need for very advanced technology. However, the cost is now thought to be down to $50 billion. The technology is arguably good enou gh at least for probes to land on Mars to bring back pieces of rock, though not yet for people to go there. So rocket scientists assume that they will eventually succeed in sending astronauts to Mars－that is, after another three or four decades of research and development.Rocket scientists have a lot of patience and are accustomed to waiting a lo ng time for results. As long ago as 1960, the Russians launched a space pro be; then another and another. After the fifth probe had travelled nearly 10 0 million kilometers, the signal disappeared .An American probe, Mariner 4 , took 21 pictures in 1965, and since then, Russian, European and American spacecraft have allowed us to view more and more of the Red Planet.It does not seem a very friendly place. It has the largest mountains of any in the whole Solar System, the surface is dry and covered in rocks, and hu mans could not breathe the air. The gravity is much less than that of Earth , and the temperatures are either freezing cold or very hot with constant s torms, high winds and clouds of gas. Why would anyone want to go to Mars and how long would the journey take?Life depends on water, energy, and air. In spite of the cold and the lack o f oxygen, scientists have made the assumption that there might be, or might once have been, some form of life on Mars. Dramatic photos taken by the Ma rs Express probe in 2004 suggest that the tallest volcano on Mars has ice o n its peak. But for humans to reach Mars it could take three years, and it could also be very dangerous. It may be several decades before we know the answer to the old question: “Are we alone?”。
外研版高中英语选修8课件：Module5 The Conquest of the Universe
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(2)It is a historic meeting between two great leaders.
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(3)You must place these events in their historical context.
3．The world was in shock—maybe they assumed this space
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上月球以来，人们对太空旅行这一概念已经非常熟悉。
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[归纳拓展]
accustomed adj.习惯的
be/become/get accustomed to 习惯于……
accustom vt.使习惯，使适应
accustom oneself/sb.to...使自己/某人习惯于；养成……习惯
注意：be/become/get accustomed to 中的 to 是介词，后跟
本 课 栏 目 开 关
A single rocket is not powerful enough to send a spacecraft
into space.This is because all the fuel a single rocket can carry is
not enough to supply the necessary amount of power.To get
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ห้องสมุดไป่ตู้
speak→speaking
(3)He is a foreigner and he is not C like that while he is in
China.
A．accustomed to treating
B．used to treating
高中外研版英语教材选修8课文
Module 1Antarctica:the last continent1______________________________Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. It’s also the driest. With annual rainfall close to zero, Antarctica is technically a desert. Covering about 14 million square kilometres around the South Pole, it is the fifth largest continent in the world. A high mountain range, the Trans-Antarctic range, runs from east to west, cutting the continent in two. There are volcanoes too, but they are not very active. Antarctica holds 90% of the world’s ice, and most of its fresh water (70%) is in a frozen state, of course. 98% of the surface is covered permanently in the ice cap. On average it is two kilometres thick, but in some places it reaches a depth of five kilometres.Strong winds driven by gravity blow from the pole to the coastline, while other winds blow round the coast. It is difficult to imagine a more inhospitable place.2______________________________Yet Antarctica is full of wildlife, which has adapted to its extreme conditions.There are different types of penguins, flying birds, seals, and whales. But the long Antarctic winter night, which lasts for 182 days (the longest period of continuous darkness on earth), as well as the extreme cold and lack of rainfall, means that few types of plants can survive there. Only two types of flowering plants are found, while there are no trees on the large continent. The rest of the plants are made up of mosses, algae and lichen. Some forms of algae have adapted to grow on ice.3______________________________Most of the ice has been there for thousands of years. As a result, it has become a window on the past, and can give researchers lots of useful information. Gases and minerals, in the form of volcanic dust trapped in the ice, can tell us a lot about what the worlds climate was like in past ages. Antarctic rocks are also very important for research. Most of them are meteorites from outer space. One rock, known us the “Alien” rock, may contain evidence of extra-terrestrial life. Since most Antarctic rocks arc dark in colour, they stand out against the while background and are easy to identify and collect.4______________________________Antarctica was the last continent to be discovered. But more than two thousand years ago Greek geographers believed that there was a large land mass in the south which balanced the land in the north. They called it Anti-Arktikos, or Antarctica:the opposite of Arctic. When Europeans discovered the continent of America in the 15th century, the great age of exploration began. However, progress to the South Pole was slow. Not until the late 18th century did the British explorer James Cook cross the Antarctic Circle, but he never saw land. Then in 1895, a Norwegian called Carstens Borchgrevink became the first man to set foot on the Antarctic mainland. The race to the pole had begun. It was finally reached on 11th December, 1911 by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen.5______________________________Today scientists from many countries travel to Antarctica to study its resources. A spirit of international friendship has replaced the rivalry that existed between many of the earlier explorers. In 1961, a treaty signed by 12 countries, including Britain, France, and the USA, made Antarctica the world's biggest nature reserve. The aim of the treaty is to prevent the commercial and military use of the continent. In particular, it aims to keep Antarctica free from nuclear tests and radioactive waste; to promote international scientific projects; and to end arguments about who owns the land. Today countries representing 80% of the world’s population have signed the treaty. Antarctica has become perhaps the most successful symbol of man’s efforts to work together for progress and peace.H ow Failure Became SuccessOn 8th August, 1914,27 men who had replied to an advertisement in The Times boarded a ship leaving for the Antarctic. The name of the ship was the Endurance and the captain was an Irishman called Ernest Shackleton.The aim of the journey was to cross the frozen continent via the South Pole－a journey of 1,800 miles. Shackleton thought the journey would last six months. But when land came into sight, the Endurance became trapped in the ice and began to break up. Shackleton and his men watched the Endurance sink into the icy sea. They then headed north, pulling three lifeboats behind them.After six days, bad weather forced them to give up and the men set up camp on a sheet of ice which began slowly moving across the Antarctic Circle.They survived on the ice for five months. Then, on 16th April, 1915,Shackleton saw land. It was Elephant Island－a large rock with nothing growing on it, but much better than a floating piece of ice. When they reached the island, Shackleton came up with an idea－it was a risk but he would have to take it. He and five men would take one of the lifeboats, and sail 800 miles to South Georgia, where there was a permanent camp. They could then return to rescue the rest of the men.It took Shackleton 17 days to reach South Georgia. Unfortunately he landed on the wrong side of the island, and had to walk 36 hours over mountains to reach the camp. The whale hunters at the camp couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the six men walking down from the mountains.Shackleton kept his promise. More than three months later, he returned to ElephantIsland to rescue the crew he had been forced to abandon. He had failed to reach the pole－but he had saved the lives of all his men.Welcome to the South Poles!South Poles? How many are there?In fact, there are three South Poles: a ceremonial Pole ,which is on the moving glacier, a geographical or true Pole, and a magnetic Pole.which changes its position according to the movement of the Earth.Is it safe?Because the South Pole is a high altitude site, the glare of the sunlight here is very intense. It’s also reflected by the sn ow, so if you go outside, remember to wear sunglasses and use suncream. If you don’t, there’s a severe risk that you’ll damage your eyesight or get badly sunburnt.Is it cold?Yes! Be very careful out in the open air! The temperature is between minus 21℃ in the summer and minus 78℃in the winter, and you can become numb with cold without realising. There’s heavy frost even on the warmest summer days, and if it’s quiet you can hear your breath freeze. So if you leave the station, dress warmly and carry dry clothing and a portable radio.Is there anything good about the weather?The air is very pure, and it doesn’t snow very much－only about four millimetres a year. There’s very little wind and the sky is usually clear. It’s possibly the calmest place on Earth.What’s it like to live here?Life is quite abnormal. Sunrise and sunset come once every six months, and in the winter the total absence of daylight can be tiresome, and for some, depressing. We’re totally isolated except for radio and electronic communications, as no aircraft can fly here for about eight months.Where do we live?The South Pole scientific station is situated on a platform of ice, 3,000－4,000 metres high, but under only a few millimetres of snow. We have a minimum of 28 peopleliving here in the winter and a maximum of 125 in the summer. The living quarters are modest with few luxuries,but cosy.There’s a comfortable dormitory for sleeping ,the canteen serves great food, and there's a well-stocked library of DVDs and videos. But showers and laundry are limited, because water is very valuable. We discourage you from smoking except in specific areas. Medical assistance is available in case of an emergency.Any other advice?Remember that conventional equipment doesn’t always work as it should do. If you use an electric drill, the power cord will snap. Photography is tricky too, as film is fragile and the camera battery doesn’t work in the cold.Don’t leave any rubbish, and don’t forget that the ecology of Antarctica is very delicate, so don’t take any souvenirs home with you, and be careful to leave nothing but footprints.Finally, remember that we’re all visitors to the South Pole. It’s a privilege, not a right to come to this extraordinary place.The Travels of Marco PoloThe year is 1271 AD. Imagine a 17- year-old boy from Venice, Italy, well- educated and trained for life as a rich trader. He sets off with his father and uncle on a 25-year journey to mysterious, distant lands that most people in Europe have never heard of. While on their journey buying and selling spices, silks and jewels, they befriend one of the most powerful men on Earth, Kubla Khan.The boy’s name was Marco Polo and many years later a book about his travels was published which made him famous. Marco Polo told his fantastic stories to a writer named Rustichello who wrote them down for him. This man was well- known for his stories and romantic tales of the legendary English King Arthur, but so many people doubted the reliability of his book The Travels of Marco Polo.However, Chinese historians have found obscure names and facts in the book that could only have been known to someone intimate with the country.Many of Marco’s stories were about China and its people. He told stories about the towns, cities and populations in great detail. He described the amazing things he saw in China such as paper money and black stone that burned (coal). With very littlecontact between China and the West, it is not surprising that people in a rich powerful place like Venice could not believe his stories, nor in the idea of huge, rich city states inhabited by millions of people. There could surely be no comparison with Venice?A general myth has grown up around Marco Polo that he introduced such things as spaghetti and ice cream from China to the West. There is no truth to any of these claims and actually they are not mentioned in Marco Polo’s book.However, Marc o Polo’s book is still a unique insight for its age. Most importantly it was a great influence for many future travellers.Christopher Columbus left behind a well- worn copy that he read as inspiration on his own voyages to America.Last Part of Journey for First Women to Cross Antarctica1___________________The first two women to cross the Antarctic continent on foot have begun the last part of their long journey. Liv Arnesen, who is 47 and comes from Norway, and Ann Bancroft, who is a 45-year-old from the USA, have been skiing across the ice since 13th November. They have been using sails to help them pull their equipment, which weighs 110 kilos, behind them.2__________________On Sunday they reached the Ross Ice Shelf, 90 days after they first left home. The Ross Ice Shelf is a flat piece of floating ice which is bigger than France. There are 750 kilometres of dangerous ice left to cross before they reach McMurdo Station. They must arrive there by 22nd February in order to board the ship which will be waiting for them. If they are late, the ship risks being trapped in the ice.3_________________The temperature is,on average, minus 34℃, but this is not extreme in polar exploration. When the wind blows it can be much colder. But it is summer in the Antarctic at the moment, so the sun never goes down － it slays light 24 hours a day. There is no sound apart from the wind and sometimes a loud noise like a thunderstorm when a giant piece of ice breaks away from the shelf and falls into the sea. The main risk to polar explorers is not the cold; it is sunburn. There are no clouds or pollution to hide the sun, so the air is very dear; you can see for 70 kilometres.4_________________Both the explorers used to be teachers. They have a satellite phone, so that they can talk around the world. As they cross the ice, heading towards the South Pole, schoolchildren from all over the world are following them on the Internet. Miss Bancroft said that they did not feel alone knowing that so many people had made friends with them using the Internet.5_________________The two women have had to eat dried food, which they mix with snow and then cook. The food is enough for the body’s needs, but do es not taste very good. “We are feeling very tired because of spending 91 days fighting the ice and wind. We are both a little thinner than when we started”，said Miss Bancroft, “it’s a dream come true for us － but it will be good to get home, see our families and have a hot bath!”Module 2The RenaissanceFor many people, the Renaissance means 14th to 16th century Italy, and the developments in art and architecture, music and literature which took place there at that time. But there is one work which, perhaps more than any other, expresses the spirit of the Renaissance: the Mona Lisa. It is believed to be the best example of a new lifelike style of painting that amazed people when it was first used. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the years 1503－1506, the Mona Lisa is a mysterious masterpiece. People want to know who Mona Lisa is, and why she is smiling. Even if people do not know much about the Renaissance, they have heard of this painting. But the Renaissance is, of course, more than just Mona Lisa. Renaissance is a French word which means “rebirth” and it firs t appeared in English in the 19th century. The word was used to describe a period in European history which began with the arrival of the first Europeans in America, an age of exploration, and the beginning of the modern world. It was as if Europe was waking up after the long sleep of the Middle Ages. From Italy, the ideas of the Renaissance rapidly spread northwards to France, Germany, England, and the rest of Europe.Trade with other parts of the world meant that Europe was getting richer, too. Thismeant that people had money to spend on the arts; and it became easier for artists to find people who could afford to buy their works or employ them. Leonardo worked for important people such the Duke of Milan, and, towards the end of his life, the King of France.Renaissance artists found new ideas for their work in classical Greece and Rome. But they looked forward, too, by opening new frontiers in the arts. Painters discovered how to perspective and the effects of light; composers put different voices together and create polyphony (“many voic es"); architects preferred designing buildings with more light which contrasted with the heaviness of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages.The sense of exploration which motivated the artists went hand in hand with a new type of philosophy. After centuries of accepting a medieval world view in which human life was considered of little value compared with the greatness of God, philosophers began asking questions like “What is a person?” or “Why am I here?”For the first time, they put people, not religion, at the centre of the universe.The Renaissance was a time of scientific invention, too. Leonardo, as well as being one of the greatest painters the world has ever known, was also a skilled inventor. Wherever he went, he carried a notebook around with him, in which he wrote down his ideas. They included detailed drawings of the human body, plans for engineers to build canals and bridges, and astonishing drawings of machines which were not to be built until hundreds of years later, such as aeroplanes, parachutes, submarines and tanks. Towards the end of his life he was employed by the King of 65 France to do scientific research, and he did not have a lot of time for painting.In short, Leonardo was an extraordinary genius, an example of what has been described as “Renaissance man”: someone interested in everything and with many different talents. But even if his only contribution to history had been the Mona Lisa, it would have been genius enough for all time.READING AND WRITING (2)ThursdayWe arrived on the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland and took a train toAmst erdam Central Station. It was only a short ride. It’s not easy to find your way aro und the town. A lot of the roads follow the canals, which aren’t straight but are shaped like horseshoes. So you can walk along a street for half an hour or so and end up five minutes from where you started. However, most people don’t walk－ there are three million bikes in town and a good bus and tram system. There are boats, too. About half of them are for tourists, the others are houseboats with people living on them. We spent the whole day walking. Tomorrow we’re going to rent bikes.FridayWe spent today looking at houses. The architecture is astonishing, quite different from other European countries we’ve been to. The houses are tall and thin, and many of them have a fantastically ornate Renaissance appearance. In the Middle Ages the houses were made of wood. Then, at the end of the 15th century there was a huge fire and about three quarters of the town was destroyed. After that, houses were made of brick. Unlike other places in Europe, where house owners were taxed on the size of －their windows, here the taxes depended on the width of the house －so they kept them narrow, but built them tall. Well, that's what Claire says, and she read it in the guidebook.SaturdayWe visited the Van Gogh Museum, instead of the more famous Rijksmuseum. It was astonishing. 1 hadn’t really looked at any of Van Gogh’s paintings before. He seems to have re-invented the art. It doesn’t matter whether he is doing a portrait or a landscape — he’s a genius. In the last 70 days of his life before he shot himself he produced 70 paintings, and I reckon they’re almost all masterpieces. Yet in all his life Van Gogh only ever sold one painting! We must have spent three hours in that museum. When we came out I told Claire I thought Van Gogh was the greatest painter in history. She reminded me that we were leaving for Paris tomorrow, where we were going to see the most famous painting in the world ...The Puzzle of the Mona LisaThe Mona Lisa is the subject of many stories, but there is one anecdote which remains a puzzle. Is the painting in the Louvre the authentic work by Leonardo da Vinci... or just a copy?The story began one day in 1911 when someone noticed the Mona Lisa was missing.A spokesman said, “The burglar left the antique frame and the glass behind. He m ust have gone through the basement to the main courtyard. A passerby saw a man with a moustache, carrying a parcel under his arm, dash over the street crossing, along to the crossroads. He then fled down a sideroad. We’re appealing to anyone who saw the suspect to contact us.”So who stole the Mona Lisa? And why? News about the loss of the Mona Lisa was circulated in all the French newspapers, and there was a widespread search for the burglar all over the country. The police said, “We don’t think the burg lar was working alone. We’re seeking a gang of criminals.”Two years later, a man with a moustache went to an dealer in Florence in Italy and made a tentative attempt to sell the Mona Lisa. The art dealer checked it, agreed it was authentic ... and then called the police.Why did the burglar, Vincenzo Perugia, wait so long? Perugia had stolen the Mona Lisa on behalf of the chief organiser of the crime, Eduardo de Valfierno. But Perugia made a fundamental mistake. He trusted de Valfierno to pay him for the painting. The drawback for Perugia was that de Valfierno didn’t in fact need the painting, only the news of the theft. De Valfierno made six superb copies and sold them, claiming that each one was the authentic stolen painting. Of course, the fact that there were six substitutes was confidential. The six buyers didn't know about the other paintings. What's more, de Valfierno didn’t need to pay his debt to Perugia.After two years, Perugia got tired of waiting to be paid, and tried to sell the painting. When the real Mona Lisa turned up in Florence, De Valfierno simply told his buyers that it was merely a copy.The outcome of the story is that Perugia got the blame for the crime and went to prison. De Valfierno remained at liberty for the rest of his life.But there is still a puzzle. There were a number of precise copies of the Mona Lisa painted by gifted students of Leonardo da Vinci. Part of the painting’s fascination is whether the one in the Louvre was authentic... even before it was stolen. And if Perugia stole a copy ... who has the authentic Mona Lisa?PrintingPrinting is the process of making many copies of a single document using movable characters or letters. In China, printing was known as early as in the 7th century, during the Tang Dynasty; in Europe, it was an important part of the Renaissance. Printing answered a need because people were thirsty for Knowledge.Before printing was invented, copies of a manuscript had to be made by hand, usually on animal skins. This was a difficult task that could take many years, and which made books very expensive. Printing made it possible to produce more copies in a few weeks than could have been produced in a lifetime written out by hand.It is believed that a German, Johann Gutenberg, made the first printing press in Europe. He adapted it from the machines farmers used to squeeze oil from olives. It used paper, which was more suitable for printing (and cheaper) than animal skins. Paper, like printing,had been invented much earlier in China and it had found its way to Europe, via southeast Asia and then India. By the 10th century AD, paper was being produced in Baghdad. The first paper mill in Europe was built at the end of the 12th century.The first book that Gutenberg produced was a Bible. But as the ideas of the Renaissance developed, so did the demand for the Greek and Latin classics, which had been largely ignored for up to 2,000 years. People also wanted books in their own languages. The invention of printing meant that this desire could be satisfied.Soon there were printing presses all over northern Europe. In 1476 William Caxton set up his own press in London, and England became one of the most important centres of the printing industry. This spread of printed books led to a renewed passion for artistic expression. Without the development of the printing press, the Renaissance may never have happened. Without inexpensive printing to make books available to a large section of society, the son of John Shakespeare, a government official in rural England in the mid-1500s, may never have been inspired to take up writing as a profession.What western civilization gained from Gutenberg’s contribution is impossible to calculate.Venice , Endangered CityThere can be few more beautiful cities in the world than Venice; but as the world’s sea levels rise due to the warming of the atmosphere, there is also a danger that itsastonishing architecture and precious works of art may one day end up at the bottom of the Mediterranean.One of the most famous parts of Venice, visited by millions of tourists, is St Mark’s Square. 150 years ago it used to flood once or twice a year. Now it floods every week. The effect on people’s lives, and on the wonderful Renaissance buildings, is terrible. One Venetian s aid: “I don’t know anyone who sleeps on the ground floor of their house any more. It’s always t oo wet and sometimes the water comes in.”The city’s battle with water dates back over 1,500 years. Its wealth has always depended on its position in the middle of the sea, which meant that it was easy for ships to stop there and trade. By the time of the Renaissance in the 15th century, it was one of the world’s richest cities, trading with both the East and the West. But the city’s leaders always depended on skilled engineers to keep Venice from sinking under the waves. The wonderful architecture is supported by huge sections of trees pushed deep into the earth under the water. Wood is destroyed by a combination of air and water; but under the earth there is no air, so the wood has survived one and a half thousand years. For centuries the Venetians made careful calculations about how to keep the water level from getting too high. But in the 20th century the knowledge was basically forgotten. People did not realise the effect that taking water out of the ground would have on the city. During the 1950s factories took water out of the earth, making it drier; then the weight of the buildings squeezed the earth and the entire city started to sink. By the time the government found out what was happening, Venice had sunk 20 centimetres.That problem has now gone away－but the news about Venice is still very disturbing. Across the world, the height of the sea is going up all the time; and the whole of the northeast of Italy is moving downwards, and taking Venice with it. Unless the government comes up with an answer soon, this Renaissance jewel could be lost for ever.Module 3Passage 1Chinese people think a lot about food. In fact, I think that they are sometimes obsessed with it. My first experience of this aspect of Chinese culture came at abanquet during a trip to Beijing in 1998. I had eaten Chinese food often, but I could not have imagined how fabulous a real Chinese banquet could be. The first six or seven dishes seemed to fill the table, with plates dangerously balanced one on top of another. I thought this vast wave of food was the total number of dishes to be served, and I started eating greedily. Everyone else just tasted a bit of each dish and then put their cho psticks down, continuing to chat. “They can’t have very big appetites,”I thought.To my surprise, more dishes arrived, plus soups, side dishes, and desserts. There was enough to feed a whole army. No wonder my fellow guests had had only a few bites of each dish; they knew what was still to come. But I was already so full that I could only watch as the banquet continued.Another aspect of “food culture” is that the Chinese seem to eat almost every part of every animal－much to the horror of many westerners. Stomach, intestines, ears, tongue, tail, hoof, and lungs are all likely to end up on the dinner table in front of you. The first time I saw a three-year-old kid cheerfully chewing a chicken’s head I had bad dreams for weeks.These days I enjoy that sort of food myself, a recent trip to the United States I suddenly felt like some Chinese delicacies, and asked the guy at the meat counter of a supermarket, “Do yo u have pigs’ ears?” “No,” he said, pulling at the own ear, “just these ordinary ones.” He must have thought I was joking.However, there are other kinds of foods that have taken longer for me to accept. The infamous choudoufu is an example. (The name says it all “stinky tofu”.)Just when I got used to it, I found another variety on a trip to Hunan: deep-fried choudoufu,a horrible black substance that looked and smelled about as appetising as a burnt tennis shoe. Maybe I’ll get used to that, too-someday.Passage 2The first time I ate British food I was in the canteen of a London publisher. Some people just sat down on the sofa to eat. I was amazed at their easy and graceful manner while I stood there feeling somewhat confused by the food. At the counter there were colourful mixtures in eight or nine big boxes. It was quite hard to make out what they contained. The waiter put these foods inside bread or potatoes according to people’s requirements. I still remember what I ate: a tuna fish and cheese sandwich. Itdidn’t actually taste bad, but to me the cold fish, cold cheese, and even the bread from the fridge, was a meal that would make you feel cold inside. Later, I found out that British people like cold food. Their salad, for example, is made from vegetables which are only washed before serving, while Chinese food is prepared more carefully. The Chinese have a fixed phrase “cold leftovers”. Cold food means poverty－you don’t give it to a guest! No wonder westerners like Chinese food.I also learned that the English like to mix food before serving it at the table. I once ordered mushroom soup in a restaurant and was astonished when it was brought to the table. It seemed to be just a bowl of grey liquid and it was only after I had lasted it that I knew it was actually cooked with mushrooms. The things sandwiches and baked potatoes are also various kinds of mashed food, like the fillings of jiaozi in Beijing. The food here goes against the Chinese sense of beauty and style at the dinner table. Chinese dishes can be photographed and have a nice appearance. We would never mash food into an unrecognizable shape.What’s more, the names of many kinds of English food are hard to remember. In fact, they often use French or Italian words. But one thing I do admire is the polite manner in which British people eat, even if it is just a potato.An Embarrassing MomentThe perfect host is the one who saves his guest from embarrassment whatever the cost. When Edward VII became King of England in 1901, he was already nearly 60 years old. He liked travelling, meeting people, and eating well. In short he liked having a good time.Once evening he was entertaining the ruler of a small island in the Pacific. The menu included asparagus, which his guest had never eaten before, Asparagus is by nature tender and tasty at one end, but gets tougher and difficult to eat at the other end. Usually people leave the part which is difficult to eat on their plates.As soon as the Polynesian guest tasted the asparagus he remarked how delicious it was. However, when he realised that he could not eat the tough part, he simply threw it over his shoulder onto the floor behind him. The guests were astonished, but went on eating .The King said nothing. However, when he had finished his asparagus, he too threw the piece that was left over his shoulder.。
外研版选修八模块五Space the Final Frontier
and Neil Armstrong A.nervous nervous find out B.calm Their hearts the following in their mouths basic giant leap
be beaccustomed used to doing to a spaceship computer
their hearts in their mouths
独立主格结构 Task-linking： 眼里含着泪，他向全世界人挥手 Tears in eyes , he waved to the _______________
whole world.
பைடு நூலகம்
• Task-linking • Translation:
Read para.2 and answer the questions:
the first shuttle flight into space
The 1. Why single were spaceship people no islonger very enthusiastic expensive asabout they could the space not take travel off programme? more than once. 2. How They The spacecraft/ use to a solve new the kind problem? space of spaceship---shuttle 3. What’s the advantage of the shuttle? It could be used for several journeys.
the Chinese Space Agency
外研版选修八：Module 5 The Conquest of the Universe Section Ⅱ
Section ⅡIntroduction & Reading and Vocabulary—Language Pointsaccustomed adj.习惯的；通常的，惯常的(作定语)(教材P58) Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel.自从尼尔·阿姆斯特朗在1969年7月21日首次踏上月球以来，人们对太空旅行这一概念已经非常熟悉。
(1)be accustomed to (doing) sth.＝be used to (doing) sth.习惯于(做)某事(强调状态)get/become accustomed to (doing) sth.＝get/become used to (doing) sth.习惯于(做)某事(强调动作)(2)accustom v t. 使……习惯于accustom oneself to (doing) sth. 使自己习惯于(做)某事①He took his accustomed seat by the fire.他在炉火边惯常坐的座位上坐了下来。
②Somehow，I couldn’t get accustomed to the cold weather here.不知怎么回事，我就是不能适应这里的寒冷天气。
[即学即练]——单句语法填空①(牛津词典)She was a person accustomed (accustom) to eight hours’ sleep at night.②(江苏卷)—They are quiet, aren’t they?—Yes. They are accustomed to not talking (talk) at meals.[链接写作]——完成句子/句式升级我习惯于生活在乡村，总是觉得生活在城里很困难。
【外研版】英语选修八：Module 5《The Conquest of the Universe》ppt课件
Module 5
背景e站链接
• It is interesting how NASA chose their astronauts for landing on the moon.They chose men between the age of twenty and thirty-five.There were about fifty of them.Many were experienced air pilots.Others were scientists with two or three degrees.NASA telephoned each man they were going to choose and told him the dangers he might get in.They then asked him if he was willing to be trained as an astronaut.“How could any man refuse such an exciting job？”
Module+5+The+Secret+of+the+Gas+Giant+课件-外研版高中英语选修八
Secrets of the Gas Giant The cassini-Huygens space probe, which reached Saturn last week, has sent back amazing photographs of the planet’s famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures showed them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colour show exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny pieces of rock and the blue and green are likely to be a mixture of water and frozen gases. Saturn itself is made of gases. It is so light that it can float on water－after a big enough ocean could be found! The probe is a international project to explore the planet and their rings and moons. It was launched in 1997 and its mission was to explore the “gas giant” planet where is the furthest planet to be seen from the Earth without a telescope. The probe has sent back pictures of some of Saturn's moons, including tiny Phoebe, which has a strange shape－like other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round－ and Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system rather than the Earth with liquid on the surface.
外研版选修八英语5-1
seem important don't seem quite as much so.”
The men all commented how desolate the moon seemed，how beautiful the earth seemed and how very ，
very good it was to come home to it.
课前自主学习
课堂互动探究
“Since that time，” said Alan Bean，who flew the second moon landing on Apollo 12，“I have not complained about the weather one single time—I'm glad there's weather，I've not complained about traffic—I'm glad there are people around me.”
课前自主学习
课堂互动探究
2．翻译佳句，放眼高考 I feel blessed every single day.Not a day goes by that I don't think this is great. 我感觉每一天都被幸福包围。没有一天不是在幸福中度过 的。
课前自主学习
课堂互动探究
Period One Introduction,Reading and Vocabulary
②The documentary is called In the Shadow of the Moon，consisting of all interviews with the astronauts.
外研版英语选修八-MODULE-5-课文原文
【MODULE 5】The Conquest of the Universe【READING AND VOCABULARY】Space: the Final Frontier[Part 1]Ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon back on 21st July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of space travel. Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong`s now famous words:“That`s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, a dream was achieved. All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years but the single spaceships were very expensive as they could not take off more than once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a peace travel programme that was costing the United States $10 million a day. That was until the arrival of the space shuttle ——a spacecraft that could be used for several journeys. The first shuttle fight into space was the Columbia——launched fromthe Kennedy Space Centre on 12th April, 1981,. The aim of this flight was to test the new shuttle system, to go safely up into orbit and to return to the Earth for a safe landing. It was a success and a little more than a decade after Apollo 11`s historic voyage, the Columbia made a safe, controlled, aeroplane-style landing in California. This was the start of a new age of space travel.By the time the Challenger took off in 1986, the world seemed to have lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going to be a special flight and so millions of people turned in to witness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37, who was married with two children, was to be the first civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute lessons from space. The first was to show the controls of the spacecraft and explain how gravity worked. The second was to describe the aim of the Challenger space programme. Christa hoped to communicate a sense of excitement and create new interest in the space programme.Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taking off in Florida and all seven astronauts were killed.The world was in shock—— maybe they assumed this space flight would be no more dangerous than getting on an aeroplane. But how wrong they were——in one moment excitement and success turned into fear and disaster. It was the worst space accident ever. As one Russian said at the time,“When something like this happens we are neither Russians nor Americans. We are just human being who have the same feelings.”[Part 2]I can remember that day so clearly, watching the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challenger, and we were all very excited. We didn`t have much patience waiting for the launch. We had seen the smiling faces of the astronauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. The Challenger had exploded in mid-air and we all started screaming. It happened so quickly and everyone was schoolboy I had thought that going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. When I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of the astronaut and even the teacher`s lesson plans had been found atthe bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all. In spite of all our advanced technology, the world is still only at the very beginning of its voyage into space.【READINH AND VOCABULARY】Secrets of the Gas GiantThe Cassini-Huygens space probe, which reached Saturn last week, has sent bank amazing photographs of the planet`s famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures show them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colours shoe exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny pieces of rock and the blue and green is likely to be a mixture of water and frozen gases. Saturn itself is made of gases. It is so light and it could float on water——if a big enough ocean could be found!The probe is an international project to explore the planet and its rings and moons. It was launched in 1997 and its mission wasto explore the “gas giant”planet which is the furthest planet to be seen from the Earth without a telescope.Scientist says the spacecraft`s four-year tour of Saturn may tell them how the rings are formed. It will also study the planet`s atmosphere and magnetic field.The porbe has sent back pictures of some of Saturn`s moon, including tiny Phoebe, which has a strange shape——unlike other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round——and Saturn`s biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system other than the Earth with liquid on the surface. The images of Titan and Phoebe look strangely like photos of Earth and our own Moon, taken decades ago by the earliest space missions. They are so clear that it is easy to forget they ear coming from a distance f one-and-a-half-billion kilometers.【READING PRACTICE】May the Force Be with YouStar Wars is a series of science fantasy films. The six-film series began in 1977, and has a world-wide audience, with films, books, video games, television series and toys. It is now acknowledged by the movie industry as the most successful film series ever. The films were made in random order, and move backwards and forwards through two hundred years. They describe the deeds of Anakin Skywalker, a noble Jedi knight, while Darth Vader, under orders from Lord Sith, creates tension then conflict between various autonomous republics and movements. This results in the defeat of the Jedi.Then Anakin`s son, Luke Skywalker, joins the Rebel Alliance to attack the authority of the new evil Empire. He accuses Darth Vader of killing his father, so he trains to become a Jedi knight and swears to avenge his loss. But to his sorrow, he learns that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke escapes the latter`s grasp, as well as the Emperor`s attempt to turn him to the Dark Side. Instead, to his great relief, he achieves glory by turning his father back to the light side, while the divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet flights the battle for the airspace over the motherland, and wins the war.Star Wars reflects many abstract concepts in Greek, Roman and Chinese folk stories, such as an ability to foresee the future and the impossibility of controlling one`s destiny. For example, Anakin Skywalker cause the death of his wife coming to her aid. Luke is like the hero lf a wuxia film, with his intention of avenging the death of his father, to become the most powerful Master of his art.The broad theme of Star Wars` philosophy is the Force, and in every movie someone says “May the Force be with you.” Star Wars stresses the dangers of fear, anger, and hate, as well as putting aside one`s sympathy for certain people. For example, Luke Skywalker is ever told that his training rather than rescue his friends.This is consistent with many religious faiths, which stress rational thought, personal dignity and a devotion to praying for holy understanding, as opposed to the “Dark Side”, of violent passion and acute emotion.However, the strongest influence is Taoist philosophy. The Force is similar to Qi, a stable balance of the Yin and Yang forces to human beings and the environment. Many true Taoist masterseventually become supreme beings, similar to Obi-Wan and Yoda who Luke, as their scholar, consults for their teaching and advice. Even the language and clothing convey the philosophy of the Force ——the Dark Force soldiers speak with British accents and wear black uniforms whilst most of the Rebels speaker American English and wear light colours.【CULTURAL CORNER】The War of the WorldsIn 1898, the English writer H.G. Wells wrote what is arguably the most important novel in the history of science fiction The War of the Worlds. It is a dramatic story about an invasion of the Earth by aliens from Mars, a subject that has fascinated science fiction writers and film-makers ever since. But when, in 1938, the American actor and director, Orson Welles set a radio drama of The War of the Worlds in real life New Jersey town of Grover`s Mill, little did he know what people turned on their radios and heard the Mercury Theatre Company broadcast, it was so realistic that they believed every word:Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as it may seen, both the observations of science and the evidence of our eyes lead to the inescapable assumption that those strange beings who landed in the New Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars. Orson Welles had managed to set in motion a panic across America. When people heard that an invasion by aliens from Mars was underway, there was a wave of mass hysteria. Hundreds of people left their homes in panic, there were traffic jams all over the state and the police received thousands of telephone calls from terrified listeners who believed that Martians were attacking.The sleepy town of Grover`s Mill for an hour became the centre of the universe.One 13-year-old boy was doing his homework when he hears the first newsflash of the invasion. Taking the radio into the cafédownstairs where his mother worked, he and a dozen or so customers listened with mounting fear to the broadcast, until the men jumped up and announced they were going to get their guns and join in the defence at Grover`s Mill.Did Orson Welles deliberately set out to terrify the nation? Or was it simply a masterpiece of realistic theatre? Either way, The War of the Worlds will be remembered as a piece of broadcasting history.。
高中英语外研版选修八教师用书Module 5 The Conquest of the Universe
Module 5The Conquest of the Universe【美文阅读】中美高中生共同参加了探索火星活动。
该活动有助于培养两国学生对宇宙科学的兴趣，也将为跨文化学习开辟新的途径。
In the first－ever event of its kind，teams of U．S.and Chinese high school students took part in a program to explore Mars at Arizona State University (ASU)．Sixteen Chinese students and eight from Arizona Nogales High School took part in the nine－day China Youth Space Academy at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility.The university's School of Earth and Space Exploration is an international leader in space science，with instruments operating both in orbit and on the surface of Mars.Each student team，consisting of both U．S.and Chinese students，decided on a Mars geological problem to solve.Then the teams manded the Mars Odyssey spacecraft，which is in orbit around the red planet，to take images and collect data to solve the problems.In the final step，the student teams analysed their data and reported on their findings，just as scientists do.The Space Academy program was created to interest high school students from the U．S.and China in careers in space science and engineering.【诱思导学】1．Where did teams of U．S.and Chinese high school students take part in a program to explore Mars?_________________________________________________________________ _______2．What's the purpose of the space Academy program?_________________________________________________________________ _______【答案】 1.At Arizona state university. 2.To interest high school students from the U．S.and China in careers in space science and engineering.Period ⅠPreviewing●教学目标本课时主要是通过学生对学案所给出的内容的学习，了解本课文中所出现的词汇，初步了解课文以及相关的背景知识，对下一堂课课文的全面理解起到一个铺垫作用。
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[MODULE】The Conquest of the Universe【READING AND VOCABULAR YSpace: the Final Fron tier[Part 1]st Ever since Neil Armstro ng first set foot on the Moon back on 21July, 1969, people have become accustomed to the idea of spacetravel. Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, theirhearts in their mouths, aware of how difficultand dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken. With Armstrong's nowfamous words: “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind ” , a dream was achieved. All three astro nauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceshipcomputer that was much less powerful tha n the ones used by the averageschool stude nts today.There were several more journeys into space over the next few years butthe sin gle spaceships were very expe nsive as they could not take off morethan once. People were no longer so enthusiastic about a peace travelprogramme that was costing the United States $10 million a day. That wasuntil the arrival of the space shuttle a spacecraft that could be used forseveral journ eys. Thefirst shuttle fight into space was the Columbia the Kennedy Space Centre on 12 th April, 1981,. The aim of thisflight was to test the new shuttle system, to go safely up intoorbit and to retu rn to the Earth for a safe landin g. It was asuccess and a little more than a decade after Apollo 11's historic voyage, the Columbia made a safe, con trolled, aeropla ne-style landing inCalifornia. This was the start of a new age of space travel.By the time the Challe nger took off in 1986, the world seemed tohave lost its fear and wonder at the amazing achievement of people going to be a special flight and so milli ons of people turned in to wit ness the take-off on TV. An ordinary teacher, ChristaMcAuliffe, 37, who was married with two children, was to be thefirst civilian in space. She was going to give two fifteen-minute less ons from space. The first was to show the con trols of the spacecraft and explai n how gravity worked. The sec ond was to describe the aim of the Challengerspace programme. Christa hoped to com muni cate a sense of exciteme nt and create new in terest in the space programme.Sadly, she never came back to her classroom again, as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after taki ng off in Florida and all seve n astro nauts were killed.maybe they assumed this space flightwould be no more dan gerous tha n gett ing on an aeropla ne. But howlaunched from The world was in shockwrong they were ------- in one mome nt exciteme nt and success turnedinto fear and disaster. It was the worst space accide nt ever. As one Russia n said at the time, “ When somethi ng like this happe ns we are n either Russia ns nor America ns. We are just huma n being who have the same feeli ngs. ”[Part 2]I can remember that day so clearly, watch ing the take-off on TV at school. There was an ordinary teacher on the Challe nger, and we were all very excited. We did n't have much patie nee wait ing for the laun ch. We had see n the smili ng faces of the astro nauts waving to the world as they stepped into the shuttle. Then, little more than a minute after take-off, we saw a strange red and orange light in the sky, followed by a cloud of white smoke. TheChallenger had exploded in mid-air and we all started screaming.It happe ned so quickly and every one was schoolboy I had thoughtthat going into space as an astronaut must be the best job in the world. Whe n I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of theastro naut and eve n the teacher's less on pla ns had bee n found atthe bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all.In spite of all our adva need tech no logy, the world is still onlyat the very beg inning of its voyage into space.【READINH AND VOCABULAR YSecrets of the Gas Gia ntThe Cass in i-Huyge ns space probe, which reached Satu rn last week, has sent bank amaz ing photographs of the pla net's famous rings viewed in ultraviolet light. The pictures show them in shades of blue, green and red. The different colours shoe exactly what the rings are made of: the red means the ring contains tiny piecesof rock and the blue and green is likely to be a mixture of water and froze n gases. Satu rn itself is made of gases. It is so lightand it could float on water --------------if a big eno ugh ocea n could be found!The probe is an intern ati onal project to explore the pla net and its rings and moon s. It was laun ched in 1997 and its missi on was to explore the “gas giant ” planet which is the furthest planet to be see n from the Earth without a telescope.Scientist says the spacecraft's four-year tour of Saturn maytellthem how the rings are formed. It will also study the pla net's atmosphere and magn etic field.The porbe has sent back pictures of some of Satu rn's moon,including tiny Phoebe, which has a strange shape unlike other planets and their moons, it is not perfectly round and Saturn's biggest moon, Titan, which is believed to be the only body in the solar system other tha n the Earth with liquid on the surface.The images of Titan and Phoebe look strangely like photos of Earth and our own Moon, taken decades ago by the earliest space missions. They are so clear that it is easy to forget they ear coming from a dista nee f on e-a nd-a-half-billi on kilometers.[READING PRACTICEMay the Force Be with YouStar Wars is a series of scienee fantasy films. The six-film series bega n in 1977, and has a world-wide audie nee, with films, books, video games, televisi on series and toys. It is now ack no wledged by themovie in dustry as the most successful film series ever.The films were made in ran dom order, and move backwards and forwards through two hun dred years. They describe the deeds of Anakin Skywalker, a no ble Jedi kni ght, while Darth Vader, un der orders from Lord Sith, creates tension the n con flict betwee n various aut onom ous republics and moveme nts. This results in the defeat of the Jedi.Then Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker, joins the Rebel Alliance to attack the authority of the new evil Empire. Heaccuses Darth Vader of killi ng his father, so he trains to become a Jedi kni ght and swears to ave nge his loss. But to his sorrow, he lear ns that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke escapes the latter's grasp, as well as the Emperor's attempt to turn him to the Dark Side. In stead, to his great relief, he achieves glory by turning his father back to the light side, while the divisions of the Rebel Alliance fleet flights the battle for the airspace over the motherla nd, and wins the war. Star Wars reflects many abstract con cepts in Greek, Roma n andChin ese folk stories, such as an ability to foresee the futureand the impossibility of controlling one's destiny. For example, An ak in Skywalker cause the death of his wife coming to her aid.Luke is like the hero lf a wuxia film, with his intention ofave nging the death of his father, to become the most powerfulMaster of his art.The broad theme of Star Wars' philosophy is the Force, and in every movie some one says “ May the Force be with you. ” Star Wars stresses the dan gers of fear, an ger, and hate, as well as putt ing aside on e's sympathy for certa in people. For example, Luke Skywalker is ever told that his training rather than rescue his frien ds.This is con siste nt with many religious faiths, which stressrational thought, personal dignity and a devotion to praying for holy understanding, as opposed to the “ Dark Side ” , of violent passi on and acute emoti on.However, the stro ngest in flue nee is Taoist philosophy. The Force is similar to Qi, a stable balance of the Yin and Yang forces to huma n beings and the en viro nment. Many true Taoist masterseventually becomesupreme beings, similar to Obi-Wan and Yoda who Luke, as their scholar, con sults for their teachi ng and advice.Even the language and clothing convey the philosophy of the Force the Dark Force soldiers speak with British acce nts and wear black uni forms whilst most of the Rebels speaker America n En glish and wear light colours.【CULTURAL CORNERThe War of the WorldsIn 1898, the En glish writer . Wells wrote what is arguably the most important novel in the history of science fiction The War of the Worlds. It is a dramatic story about an in vasi on of the Earth by aliens from Mars, a subject that has fascinated science ficti on writers and film-makers ever sin ce. But whe n, in 1938, the American actor and director, Orson Welles set a radio drama of The War of the Worlds in real life NewJersey town of Grover's Mill, little did he know what people turned on their radios and heard the Mercury Theatre Companybroadcast, it was so realistic that they believed every word: Ladies and gen tleme n, I have a grave announ ceme nt to make.In credible as it may see n, both the observati ons of scie nee andthe evide nee of our eyes lead to the in escapable assumpti on that those stra nge beings who lan ded in the New Jersey farmla nds toni ght are the van guard of an in vadi ng army from the pla net Mars.Orson Welles had managedto set in motion a panic across America. Whenpeople heard that an invasion by aliens from Mars was underway, there was a wave of mass hysteria. Hun dreds of people left their homes in panic, there were traffic jams all over the state and the police received thousa nds of teleph one calls from terrified liste ners who believed that Martia ns were attack ing.The sleepy town of Grover's Mill for an hour became the centre of the universe.One13-year-old boy was doing his homeworkwhen he hears the firstn ewsflash of the in vasi on. Taking the radio into the caf e downstairs where his mother worked, he and a dozen or so customers listened with mounting fear to the broadcast, until the menjumped up and announ ced they were going to get their guns and join in the defence at Grover's Mill.Did Orson Welles deliberately set out to terrify the nation Or was it simply aThe masterpiece of realistic theatre Either way, War of the Worlds will be remembered as a piece of broadcasti ng history.。