Bats

Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, and we have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echo-location in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role.

To get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions. Everyone knows that if he shouts in the vicinity of a wall or a mountainside, an echo will come back. The further off this solid obstruction, the longer time will elapse for the return of the echo. A sound made by tapping on the hull of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and by measuring the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes, the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated. So was born the echo-sounding apparatus, now in general use in ships. Every solid object will reflect a sound, varying according to the size and nature of the object. A shoal of fish will do this. So it is a comparatively simple step from locating the sea bottom to locating a shoal of fish. With experience, and with improved apparatus, it is now possible not only to locate a shoal but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo.

It has been found that certain bats emit squeaks and by receiving the echoes, they can locate and steer clear of obstacles – or locate flying insects on which they feed. This echo-location in bats is often compared with radar, the principle of which is similar.

单词

utilitarian a. 实用主义的 n. 实用主义者
a. designed to be useful rather than attractive （略带贬义）

ugly utilitarian buildings
utilitarian furniture

utility + “tarian” （主义的；主义者）
vegetarian 素食主义的；素食主义者 totalitarian 极权主义的；极权主义者
humanitarian 人道主义的；人道主义者 egalitarian 平等主义的；平等主义者

Germany was once a totalitarian state.
an egalitarian attitude to voting

elapse v. 时间流逝

Three years elapsed.

go by / pass

Three years went by / passed.

“lapse” = slide
collapse 崩溃
relapse 再度堕落

relapse into bad habits

interval n. （两件事之间的）间隔时间
interval between A and B
at … intervals

at weekly / 20 minute intervals
The trains run at hourly intervals.
(46课) Indeed, it may well be that those work is their pleasure are those who most need the means of banishing it at intervals from their minds.

shoal n. 鱼群
（复习 2课）
a school / shoal of fish 鱼群

a flock of sheep / pigeons
a herd of cattle / deer / elephants
a drove of horses / cattle / sheep
a pack of wolves / tigers / lions
a pride of lions
a swarm of flies / bees
a colony of ants / termites
a school / shoal of fish

课文

科技英语的特点

倾向于将动词名词化。
倾向于更多地使用被动语态，看上去更加客观。

第一句：Not all sounds made by animals serve as language, and we have only to turn to that extraordinary discovery of echo-location in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian role.
部分否定：
not 与全部肯定词 all, every, everything, everyone, both 连用，多表示部分否定。

All that glitters is not gold. 闪光的不都是金子。（部分否定，《威尼斯商人》）
All of the arrows didn’t hit the target. （歧义）
All civilized people can’t be cannibals. 所有的文明族类都不吃人。（全部否定）
Not all the water in rough rude sea（澎湃的大海） can wash the balm（香气） off from an anointed king. 沧海的水洗不掉国王的芬芳。（全部否定）
None of the arrows hit the target.

serve as …

(3-25课) One of the most famous sailing shops of the nineteenth century, the Cutty Sark, can still be seen at Greenwich. She stands on dry land and is visited by thousands of people each year. She serves as an impressive reminder of the great ships of past.

have only to … to … 只需要 … 就可以
turn to 寻求帮助

You have only to press the button to call the nurse.
造句：我们只需借助于1936年奥运会的具体例子就可以知道国际体育比赛会导致疯狂的仇恨。
We have only to turn to concrete example of the 1936 Olympic Games to know that international sporting contest lead to orgies of hatred.

strictly ad. exactly and completely 完全地

She is strictly a beauty.
It’s strictly a neutral organization.

play a role / part in sth.

(3-56课) The river which forms the eastern boundary of our farm has always played an important part in our lives.
The government should play a more prominent part in promoting human rights.
(15课) This applies particularly to chemical industries, where chance discoveries play a much larger part than they do in physical and mechanical industries.
(44课) The fact of first-rate importance is the predominant role that custom plays in experience and in belief, and the very great varieties it may manifest.
(44课) John Dewey has said in all seriousness that the part played by custom in shaping the behavior of the individual, as against any way in which he can affect traditional custom, is as the proportion of the total vocabulary of his mother tongue against those words of his own baby talk that are taken up into the vernacular of his family.

第二句：To get a full appreciation of what this means we must turn first to some recent human inventions.
appreciation 这里意为“理解”

There is a growing appreciation of the need for environmental reforms.

turn to …
resort to … 求助于，往往是借助不愉快的、最后的手段

We can solve this problem without resorting to legal action.

第三句：Everyone knows that if he shouts in the vicinity of a wall or a mountainside, an echo will come back.
in the vicinity of … 临近地区，在附近
in the neighborhood of …
close to … adjacent to … near off

I rent an apartment off campus.
（听力）
M: Will you be living in the dormitory this year?
W: Not if I can help it. I’ve been thinking of renting an apartment off campus with some friends of mine.
Q: What does the woman imply?
A: (D) She doesn’t want to live in university housing.
dormitory 美式英语指宿舍楼，英式英语指房间。
Not if I can help it. help 这里意为 “避免”，翻译为 “能避免就不”、“能不住就不住。”

come back
bounce back
be reflected （下文）

第四句：The further off this solid obstruction, the longer time will elapse for the return of the echo.

He lives far away.
= He lives far off.

The time and the distance are in proportion. 时间和距离是成比例的。
in 改成 out：不成比例

第五句：A sound made by tapping on the hull of a ship will be reflected from the sea bottom, and by measuring the time interval between the taps and the receipt of the echoes, the depth of the sea at that point can be calculated.
see bottom = sea bed = sea floor
receipt 是 receive 的名词形式。

第七句：Every solid object will reflect a sound, varying according to the size and nature of the object.
vary according to … 根据 … 变化

造句：每一个退休工人都可以得到一笔退休金（pension），根据职务（post）和工作年限（working period）而有所不同。
Each retired worker can receive a pension, varying according to his post and working period.

第九句：So it is a comparatively simple step from locating the sea bottom to locating a shoal of fish.
comparatively ad. relatively 相对地
It is a comparatively simple step from A to B
It is a small step from A to B

That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. 这是我个人的一小步，却是全人类的一大步。
It is a small step from loving a man to hating him.
It is a small step from loving a man to the bone to hating him to the core.

第十句：With experience, and with improved apparatus, it is now possible not only to locate a shoal but to tell if it is herring, cod, or other well-known fish, by the pattern of its echo.
with experience 随着经验的积累
with time
with seasons

with accumulating experience X
with passing time X
with changing seasons X

Brevity is beauty. 简洁即是美：

Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. – William Strunk, Jr.
the cause of justice 正义事业
the cause of national reunification 统一大 k业 X （去掉划线部分）
the cause of socialist construction 社会主义建设事业 X （去掉划线部分）
accelerate the speed of economic reform 加快改革步伐 X （去掉划线部分）
The captain knew that his attempt would not be the only attempt.
=> The captain knew that his attempt would not be the only one.
=>The captain knew that his would not be the only attempt. （3-32课）
Our age is a tragic age.
=> Our age is a tragic one.
=> Ours is a tragic age. 我们的时代是个悲剧的时代。

by prep. according to …

(3-10课) Even by modern standards, the 46,000 ton Titanic was a colossal ship.

第十一句：It has been found that certain bats emit squeaks and by receiving the echoes, they can locate and steer clear of obstacles – or locate flying insects on which they feed.
emit: “e”(out) + “mit”(send) 发射一些抽象的东西
transmit: trans"(accross) + “mit”

The US open will be transmitted live via satellite.

omit: “o” = “ob” (away) + “mit” 删除
submit: “sub”(under) + “mit” 提交、屈服于，从下向上提交
vomit: “vo”(eat) + “mit” 呕吐
steer clear of … = avoid … = get around …

We tried to steer clear of political issues.
I steered clear of the main roads where I might be recognized.

feed on sth. Cows feed on way. （吃草）
prey on sth. Owls prey on mice. （捕食，肉食/素食均可）
live on sth. I live on rice. （指人）

第十二句：This echo-location in bats is often compared with radar, the principle of which is similar.
compare A with / to B 比较，既可以强调 A、B 不同之处，也可以说类似之处
contrast A with B 强调明显的不同

the principle of which is similar
“名词 + 介词 + 关系代词” 引导非限定性定语从句

(3-32课) The most valuable find of all was the ship’s log book, parts of which it was still possible to read.
造句：他有两个儿子，其中的一个死于战火。
He has two sons, one of whom died in the war.
造句：演讲者提了四个问题，它们的答案被证明非常有启发性。
The speaker posed / asked / raised four questions, the answers to which proved very illuminating.

版权

新东方《新概念英语（第四册）》（李延隆老师）课程来源于 YouTube.

Coding 的痕迹

新概念英语4-7 Bats

Bats

单词

课文

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