扩展英语词汇Unit 7-1

Unit 7 Roots about “Energy”, “Being Alive” and “Life”

Lecture 1

Roots about “Life”

1. Warming-up 课程准备

Belief systems around the world give varied account of the beginning of life in forms of legends, folklores, apocalyptic preaching or sagacious teachings. Confucianism, as one of the longest-sustained belief systems in the world and in one of their classics the Book of Changes, attributes the inception and consummation of life to the ceaseless striving of the Gentleman(君子自强不息). Confucianists or most Chinese root our life firmly on the earth and seek hope and revelation from kaleidoscopic worldly affairs and, most importantly, from our striving for a better tomorrow with bountiful harvests, harmonious social relations and millions of realized Chinese Dreams.

To learn a new language is to gain access to the treasure (and sometimes the trash) of another civilization. The aim is never to appreciate or worship the language itself, but rather to utilize it as a hoe to break the curst of the seemingly inapproachable alien culture, to mine the treasure there, and to bring it back in the hope of invigorating and enriching our own civilization.

2. Words to Watch 词汇锦囊

Root “vit” an d the words: vitamin, vital, vitality.

Root “viv” an d the words: survive, vivid, vivacious, revive.

Root “vig” an d the words: vigorous, invigorate.

1) vitamin

维生素

e.g. Oranges contain vitamin C.

2) vital

维持生活所必需的、至关重要的

e.g. We must try to ensure that vital food supplies are maintained.

Derivative: vitality

3) survive

幸存、生存

e.g. Ancient farming methods still survive in the Middle East.

Derivative: survival

4) revive

复活、更新

e.g. The latest forecasts suggest that the economy will revive over the next two years.

5) vivid

栩栩如生的、生动的

e.g. By the end of his life, the memories of happy moments with his friends were vivid.

6) vivacious

生气勃勃的、活泼的

e.g. A vivacious and attractive blonde, Mary had no shortage of admirers.

7) vigorous

充满活力的、精力旺盛的

e.g. Teachers are having a vigorous debate about whether or not to introduce the new curriculum.

8) invigorate

鼓舞、使生气勃勃

e.g. There are steps the international community can take to invigorate the African economy.

3. Cultural Interaction 文化采撷

The Book of Changes

The Books of Changes is the oldest of the Chinese classics. Possessing a history of more than two and a half millennia of commentary and interpretation, it is an influential text read throughout the world, providing inspiration to the worlds of religion, business, literature, and art. Over the course of the Western Zhou period, the Warring States period and early imperial period, it was transformed into a cosmological text with a series of philosophical commentaries known as the "Ten Wings." After becoming part of the Five Classics in the 2nd century BC, it was the subject of scholarly commentary for centuries across the Far East, and eventually took on an influential role in Western understanding of Eastern thought.

4. Critical-Thinking Questions 思辨问题

Why do we learn foreign languages?