unit 14
Science
Word Bank
astronomy: the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical univer as a whole天文学
bewildering: confusing, especially becau there are too many choices or things happening at the same time让人困惑的，令人费解的
comedown: n. a feeling of disappointment or depression失望，沮丧
complicated: consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements复杂的，混乱的
configuration: an arrangement of parts or elements in a particular form, figure, or combination构造，配置念叨念叨
confine: to keep or restrict someone or something within certain limits of限制，使局限
determinism: the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by caus regarded as external to the will校园文明公约【哲】宿命论，决定论
discount: to regard (a possibility, fact, or person) as being unworthy of consideration becau it lacks credibility对(可能性、事实、人)不全信，对……不予考虑
初中数学说课稿fertility: producing or capability of producing abundant vegetation or crops丰产，多产
infinite: limitless or endless in space, extent无限的，无边无际的
initial: existing or occurring at the beginning最初的，开始的
inquiry: an act of asking for information询问，打听
investigate: to carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts调查，研究
obrvational: being cloly and constantly watched or monitored观察的，观测的
placate: to make sb. less angry or hostile安抚，抚慰
postulate北极熊的英文: to suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of sth. as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief假定，假设
preci: marked by exactness and accuracy of expression or detail白酒酿造技术精确的，准确的
rotation: the action of rotating around an axis or center循环，交替
sacrifice: an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a posssion as an offering to god or to a divine or supernatural figure献祭，供奉
scope: the extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant范围，领域
lf-consistent: not having parts or aspects which are in conflict or contradiction with each other自相一致的，一贯的
string: a length of catgut or wire on a musical instrument, producing a note by vibration(乐器的)弦
triumph: a great victory or achievement胜利，成功
ultimate: being or happening at the end of a process最后的，最终的
那喀索斯unified: become united, uniform, or whole统一的，一元化的
Phras and Expressions
a t of: a group of similar things that belong together or are related in some way一套，一伙
in advance: ahead in time预先，事先
in effect: in fact, in practice实质上，实际上
make n of: to find meaning or coherence in理解，弄懂
Reading Comprehension°
I. Choo the best for each of the following.
1. According to the author, which theory has been well accepted by all? ( D )
A. The tortoi theory. B. The theory of superstrings.
C. Laplace's determinism. D. Not mentioned.
2. Bad on the earliest theoretical attempts, what is the nature of the univer? ( B )
A. There is a world picture.
B. The whole world was controlled by spirits with human emotions who acted in a very humanlike and unpredictable manner.
C. An infinite tower of tortois supported the flat earth.
D. Gods obeyed strict laws, apparently without any exceptions.
3. Who did people believe control the world in the early time? ( A )
关于节俭的名言警句
A. Spirits with human emotions. B. The sun god.
C. The river and mountain. D. Celestial bodies.
4. The author's aim by quoting Einstein's question is to show that ___C__.
A. God can create the world by different choices
B. the world is always controlled by spirits with human emotions who acted in a very humanlike and unpredictable manner
C. Even the God has no power to create the initial laws
D. Human can can investigate the laws of the univer and ask about the nature of God
5. "What a comedown from the great tradition of philosophy from Aristotle to Kant!" in Para. 8. Here the word "comedown" means __D___.
A. in effect, God was confined to the areas that nineteenth-century science did not understand
B. the sole remaining task for philosophy is the analysis of language
C. philosophers have not been able to keep up with the advance of scientific theories
D. most scientists have been too occupied with the development of new theories that describe what the univer is to ask the question why
II. Complete the following summary of the text by filling in the blanks with words. The initial letter of each word has been given to you.
"Space and Time" is just one part of the book, A Brief History of Time. In it, the author has (1) displayed some well-known theories of univer to stir our imagination to think about the answers to the (2) permanent questions about how the world comes into being. They are the (3) infinite tower of tortois, the (4) superstring theory and Laplace' s (5) determinism. Although the first one is obviously ridiculous, the latter two are also (6) incomplete. They all lack (7) obrvational evidences. Einstein even once asked the question: "How much (8) choice怎么辨认紫砂壶 did God have in constructing the univer?" becau even his theory of univer is just a hypothesis.
