现代大学英语VI-5课后练习答案

现代大学英语VI-5课后练习答案

I. Vocabulary

A. Look up the following words and expressions. Select the meaning that best suits the sentence in which each appears.

1. to come near or nearer to sb./sth, in space or time

2. trust; strong belief

3. commitment of philosophy

4. to give a spoken or written account of sth. heard; to describe

5. power of learning, understanding, and reasoning

6. to have an important effect on sb./sth. ; to determine

7. to express in another language or in simpler words

8. state of the mind as regards anger or calmness

9. (of a person) not a slave or prisoner; allowed to move where one wants; having physical freedom

10. to hand over or show sb. / sth, disloyally (to an enemy)

III. Questions on the content:

IV. Questions on Appreciation

A. Organization

1. The author begins his essay by raising the issue of American experience in achieving rapid national development, because the example of the USA can prove his statements about the pragmatism and ideology.

2. This essay can be divided into seven sections:

Part I (Para 1) is the opening paragraph.

Part II (Paras 2--6) deals with the factors that facilitated the rapid social and economic development of the United States.

Part Ill (Paras 7--10) uses the American Revolution as an example to illustrate the differences between pragmatism and ideology.

Part IV (Paras 11--12) uses Thomas Jefferson as an example to illustrate the distinction between ideas and ideology.

Part V (Paras 13--14) answers the question "What is wrong with ideology".

Part VI (Paras 15--19) elaborates on the differences between the ideologist and the pragmatist in their views of history and in their approaches to issues of public policy.

Part VII (Paras 20--22) is the concluding part. The author sums up the conflict of our times. 3. They are transitional paragraphs, relating the above paragraphs and the following paragraphs.

4. The author contrasts the worst case of ideology with the openness, sensibility of free men. In presenting ideology, the author writes in a highly critical way. The effect is devastating. In

this way, he achieves his purpose, that is, making the readers see that pragmatism is the better choice. So it is a good ending.

B. Comment on the following statements in this essay. What method is used here? Why?

1. This sentence indicates that Americans also can be influenced by the ideology. The dual-negative method is used here to emphasize the voice of the author.

2. Pay attention to the way the author argues. The author always offers explanations to objections raised by critics. After defining ideology in terms of relations with reality, he immediately writes that "There is nothing wrong with abstractions or models per se".

C. In order to bring out the differences between different terms, the author uses "contrast" a number of times. Please locate where "contrast" is used and comment on it.

Take just two examples here:

"It arose originally from a philosophical rather than an economic commitment... "(Para 3) "The dividing line comes when abstractions and experience collide and one must give way to the other. "(Para 10)

The "contrast" is used in order to build up force and make the statement more powerful.

V. Explain the following in your own words, bringing out any implied meanings.

1. There are such prejudices in an arrogant manner about the characteristic of the social order and economic order and they take it for granted. The country just rejected such prejudice.

2. No one can say that Americans have never been tempted by the approach of understanding, reserving or transforming the world according to rigid dogmas.

3. A mind influenced by Calvinist theology would surely find it somewhat difficult to resist other ideological temptations to ideological thinking.

4. Pragmatism is not completely free from abstract ideas just as ideology is not completely free from experience, that is to say, abstract ideas have a place in pragmatism just as experience has

a role in ideology.

5. As a man following a fixed set of beliefs, Jefferson is only an interesting historical figure. His beliefs are out of date and are irrelevant to present-day reality.

6. Their central beliefs are imprisoned by the whole body of priests who are always effective.

7. In this universe a person whose mind is unconstrained may be able to discover relation truths but no man on earth can claim that he has already grasped the one and only Truth.

8. Ideology has the characteristic of a narcotic. In spite of the fact that it has been proved wrong many times by experience, people still long to commit themselves to ideology.

9. The only thing that is sure of a despotic system is the unrestricted exercise of power.

10. The most outstanding achievement of humanity is they know that no matter how hard they try, they cannot achieve Absolute Truth, yet they continue to make great efforts and refuse to give up.

Key to Explanation

1. As a nation, America has refused to cling to certain rigid principles concerning social and economic development. America has been adaptable and flexible.