英语四级读美文12.docx

1、英语四级读美文12Unit 12 Natural World自然世界Text 1 Western Wild GrassesLegend(传奇故事) has it that sometime toward the end of the Civil War (1861?1865) a government train carrying oxen traveling through the northern plains of eastern Wyoming(怀俄明州) was caught in a snowstorm and had to be abandoned. The driver ret

2、urned the next spring to see what had become of his cargo. Instead of the skeletons he had expected to find, he saw his oxen, living, fat and healthy. How had they survived?The answer lay in a resource that ignorant Americans had trampled(践踏) underfoot(在脚下面) in their haste to cross the “Great Americ

3、an Desert” to reach lands that sometimes proved barren. In the eastern parts of the United States, the preferred grass for feed was a cultivated plant. It grew well with enough rain, and then when cut and stored it would cure and become nourishing hay for winter feed. But in the dry grazing(放牧的) lan

4、ds of the west, that familiar bluejoint(加拿大拂子茅) grass was often killed by drought. To raise cattle out there seemed risky or even hopeless.Who could imagine a fairy-tale grass that required no rain and somehow made it possible for cattle to feed themselves all winter? But the surprising western wild

5、 grasses did just that. They had wonderfully convenient features that made them superior to the cultivated eastern grasses. Variously known as buffalo grass, grama(美国西部产的一种牧草) grass, or mesquite(牧豆树) grass, not only were they immune to drought；but they were actually preserved by the lack of summer a

6、nd autumn rains.They were not juicy like the cultivated eastern grasses, but had short, hard stems. And they did not need to be cured in a barn, but dried right where they grew on the ground. When they dried in this way, they remained naturally sweet and nourishing through the winter. Cattle were le

7、ft outdoors to fend for themselves thrived on this hay. And the cattle themselves helped plant the fresh grass year after year, for they trampled the natural seeds firmly into the soil to be watered by the melting snows of winter and the occasional rains of spring. The dry summer air cured them, muc

8、h as storing in a barn cured the cultivated grasses.A cargo B Civil C convenient D cultivated E ignorant F haste G immune H familiar I barren J nourishing K skeletons L stems M survived N thrived O snowstorm 西部野草有一个传奇故事发生在美国内战(1861-1865)快结束时的某一天，一辆运输牛的政府列车横穿东怀俄明州的北部平原时遇到了暴风雪，不得不被遗弃在那里。第二年春天，司机返回去看他的

9、货物变成了什么样子。他原先想着会看到一些牛骨架，结果不是这样，他看到自己的牛还活着，而且膘肥体壮。它们是怎么生存下来的呢?问题的答案是一种资源，是一种无知的美国人在他们匆忙穿过“伟大的美国荒漠”抵达那些有时被证明是贫瘠的土地时践踏在脚下的资源。在美国的东部地区，用来放牧的首选的草是一种人工种植的植物。有充足的雨水时，它们长得很好，然后割下并储存，晾干后他们变成冬天里用作饲料的营养丰富的干草。但在西部干旱的牧区，那种常见的加拿大佛子茅草常常会旱死。在那里养牛似乎很冒险甚至是毫无希望的。谁能想象一种小草，它不需要雨水，而且莫名其妙地使牛群在整个冬天能够以之为食?恐怕童话中才有。但令人称奇的西部野草

10、确实做到了。它们极其合宜的特性使得它们比东部种植的草生命力更强。这些草有不同的叫法，比如野牛草，格兰马草或者是牧豆树草，它们不仅不受干旱的影响，实际上反而由于夏秋雨水的缺乏而得到保护。不像东部种植的草那样多汁，它们的茎短而且硬。它们不需要在畜棚里晾干，而是就在它们生长的地面上干缩。当它们这样变干的时候，整个冬天里都保留着自然的芳香和营养。那些被留在野外自寻生路的牛就靠这些干草茁壮成长。而这些牛自身也年复一年地帮助种植新草，因为它们将野生的种子坚实地踏入土里，使其得以被冬天融化的雪或偶尔会有的春雨浇灌。与储藏在畜棚里晾干的种植的草几乎一样，夏天干燥的空气也会使它们变干。难 句 解 析1. Leg

11、end(传奇故事) has it that sometime toward the end of the Civil War (1861?1865) a government train carrying oxen traveling through the northern plains of eastern Wyoming(怀俄明州) was caught in a snowstorm and had to be abandoned.【分析】复合句。Legend has it that. 为固定句型，that 后 的成分为 legend 的同位语。从句基本结构为 a government

12、train was caught. and had to be.。sometime . War 作从句的状语，carrying oxen 为现在分词短语作伴随状语。2. The answer lay in a resource that ignorant Americans had trampled underfoot in their haste to cross the “Great American Desert” to reach lands that sometimes proved barren.【分析】多重复合句。第一个 that 引导定语从句，修饰a resource, 第二个

13、 that 引导的定语从句修饰 lands。3. And the cattle themselves helped plant the fresh grass year after year, for they trampled the natural seeds firmly into the soil to be watered by the melting snows of winter and the occasional rains of spring.【分析】复合句。for they trampled.the soil 是原因状语从句，to be watered by.rains

14、of spring 是动词不定式作后置定语，修饰 the soil。下面我们学习文中标红的高频词#09#09高频词汇civil* / 9sIvl，9sIvIl/ a. 公民(间)的；国内的；民用的；文明的，有教养的【联想】讲文明(civil)就不能像恶魔(devil)似的那么邪恶(evil)【搭配】civil riot 民众的骚乱；a civil court 民事法庭；civil war 内战【活用例句】Despite the good news, civil engineers arent resting on their successes.尽管如此，土木工程师们并没有满足于所取得的成功。

15、snowstorm /9sn5UstO:m/ n. 暴雪，暴风雪【引申】同根snowball n. 雪球 v. 像雪球般迅速增大；snowman n. 雪人【活用例句】All flights having been cancelled because of the snowstorm, many passengers could do nothing but take the train.因为暴风雪取消了所有航班，许多旅客不得不改乘火车。cargo / 9kA:g5U/ n. (船、飞机等装载的)货物【联想】car(汽车) go(走)载在汽车上被运走的东西货物【搭配】a cargo ship货

16、船；transport the cargo运输货物；unload the cargo卸货【活用例句】The tanker began to spill its cargo of oil.油轮开始漏油。skeleton /9skelItn/ n. 骨骼；框架；梗概，提要【谐音】“skin 里头”皮肤里头是骨骼【搭配】a dinosaur skeleton 恐龙骨架；the skeleton of the argument 论点【活用例句】She told me about the skeleton of her new novel.她把自己一部新小说的梗概对我讲了一遍。survive* /s59

17、vaIv/ vi. 活下来，幸存，继续存在#09 vt. 比活得长；从(困境等)中挺过来【词根】sur(在下面) viv(生命) e 在废墟下面活下来幸存【搭配】survive the war / accident在战争(事故)中幸存；survive in the intense competition 在激烈的竞争中生存；survive from. 从中逃生【引申】同根survival n. 幸存，幸存者survivor n. 幸存者【活用例句】Although she was 5 years older than her husband, she survived him 10 years

18、. 虽然她比丈夫大5岁，但她比他多活了 10 年。ignorant* /9IgnFr5nt/ a. 不知道的；无知的，愚昧的【词根】来自 ignor(e)(不理，忽视) ant(的)不知道的【搭配】an ignorant person 无知的人；be ignorant about modern technology 对现代技术一无所知【活用例句】Being ignorant of the law is not accepted as an excuse for breaking the law. 对法律的无知不可以作为违反法律的借口。反义learned /9l(ae):nId/ a. 有学问的

19、，博学的；通过学习(或经验等)获得的【搭配】the learned profession 需要学问的职业；the learned professor 知识渊博的教授【引申】同根learn v. 学习；(of)了解learning n. 知识，学问，学习：a man of learning 学问高深的人反义ignorant a. 无知的，愚昧的innocent a. 无辜的，天真的，无知的【活用例句】The more learned a man is, the more modest he usually is.人愈有学问，往往愈是谦虚。haste /heIst/ n. 急速，急忙【联想】急速(

20、haste)把布告贴(paste)出去【提示】注意与hurry的搭配区别：in haste=in a hurry急忙地；Make haste!= Hurry up!赶快!【写作例句】Haste makes waste. Youve got to do it step by step.欲速则不达。你得一步一步地干。barren /9br5n/ a. (土地等)贫瘠的；不结果实的，不(生)育的；无益的，没有结果的【谐音】“巴人”巴山蜀水贫瘠的【活用例句】Within ten years they have tamed the barren hill into green woods.十年时间，他们

21、把荒山变成了绿林。反义fertile /9f(ae):taIl/ a. 肥沃的；多产的，丰产的；(想象力或创造力) 丰富的【词根】fer(运载) tile(的)能运载很多的多产的【搭配】the product of a fertile imagination 想象力丰富的产物；a fertile valley 肥沃的流域【活用例句】The region at that time was a fertile ground for revolutionary movement. 当时该地区是革命运动的沃土。cultivated /9k(f6)ltIveItId/ a. 有修养的，文雅的；耕种的【引

22、申】同根cultivation n. 培养，教养；耕作【活用例句】Being gentle and cultivated is often a scholars attitude.温文尔雅正是学者的态度。nourish /9n(f6)rIS/ vt. 滋养；抚养，养育；供给，助长【联想】n our(我们的) ish(使)我们养育自己的子女养育，喂养【搭配】nourish the talents of the children 培养孩子的才能；nourishing food 滋补食品【活用例句】Most plants are nourished by water drawn up through

23、 their roots.大多数植物是靠根部吸收水分得以生长的。familiar* /f59mIlj5(r)/ a. 熟悉的，通晓的；冒昧的，放肆的；随便的，不拘礼节的【联想】famili(i的y变体，family家庭)ar(的)家庭成员之间当然是熟悉的【提示】注意所接介词：be familiar to sb是某人所熟悉的；be / get familiar with sth对某事了解。【听力例句】Gone are the nine-to-five jobs, lifetime security, predictable promotions, and even the conventiona

24、l workplace, as you are familiar with.将要失去的是你所熟悉的朝九晚五的工作、终生的安全感、可预知的升迁和常规的工作环境。08.6 convenient* /k5n9vi:nj5nt/ a. 省力的，方便的；近处的，近便的【搭配】a convenient time to receive guests 接待客人的适宜时机；be convenient for the shops 离商店很近；be convenient for sb 对某人来说很方便【引申】同根convenience n. 方便，合宜同义handy a. 方便的；近便的nearby a. 附近的【

25、活用例句】Is it convenient that I meet you in your office at noon today?今天中午和你在你办公室见面方便吗?immune* /I9mju:n/ a. 免疫的，有免疫力的；不受影响的；豁免的【词根】im(没有) mune(公共)不受公共环境影响的免疫的【搭配】become immune to criticism不在乎批评；be immune from prosecution 免予起诉【活用例句】Stress that you can manage may also boost immune function. 你能应对的压力也可能增强你

26、的免疫功能。stem* /stem/ n. 茎，干；词干 vi. (from)起源于 vt. 堵住，抑止【联想】起源于(stem)合同的一条款(item)【搭配】stem the flow of drugs 遏制毒品流通【活用例句】The cut was bandaged to stem the bleeding.伤口进行了包扎以止血。/Most peoples insecurities stem from something that happened in their childhood. 人缺乏安全感多是童年时的经历造成的。thrive* /TraIv/ vi. 兴旺，繁荣【联想】th

27、rive(看作 river 河)古代人类文化的繁荣都起源于几大流域繁荣【搭配】thrive on sth 以某事为乐，因某事而有成【写作例句】As the pace of the modern world is getting faster, many people dont have the time to go home to make a lunch. They enjoy eating out. Consequently, fast food restaurants are thriving.随着当今世界生活节奏的加快，许多人没有时间回家做午饭，他们喜欢在外面吃，因而快餐业随之兴起。下

28、面我们学习文中标黑的常用词#09#09常用词汇catch* / ktS/ vt. 抓住，(使)夹住；偶然(或突然)撞见；染上(疾病)；引起，吸引；领会【短语】catch at (a straw) 试图抓住(一根稻草)；catch on (what sb said) 理解(某人所说的话)；流行起来；catch out 指出，识破；catch sb out 显示出某人无知或犯错误；catch up (with sb)赶上(某人)，吸引 【活用例句】I caught her smoking in the bathroom. 我撞见她在盥洗室里抽烟。/I didnt quite catch what

29、you said. 我没听清楚你的话。desert* /9dez5t/ n. 沙漠，不毛之地 ；di9z :t； vt. 离弃，抛弃；遗弃 vi. 擅离职守【联想】“沙漠”是不是像被人“抛弃”的一大块土地呢?【搭配】the Sahara Desert撒哈拉沙漠；a cultural desert文化沙漠；desert his wife 抛弃他的妻子；desert teaching for politics 弃教从政【活用例句】The guard was punished for deserting his post.卫兵因擅离职守而受到处罚。cure* /kjU5(r)/ vt. 治愈；消除，

30、矫正 n. 治愈，疗程；药(剂)【联想】cure(消除) lure(诱惑) pure(完全的) sure(有把握的)消除(cure)诱惑(lure)并不是完全(pure)有把握的(sure)【搭配】cure sb of sth 矫正某人的不良行为；cure a serious illness 治愈一种严重的疾病【阅读例句】Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged(延长) his life.早期的诊断和治疗或许并不能使他痊愈，但是至少可以延长他的生命。08.12hopel

31、ess /9h5UplIs/ a. 无希望的，毫无办法的，绝望的【词根】来自hope( v. 认为) less(表否定)【听力例句】But if you fail, if the person jumps into the Bosten Larfog, there is no describing how hopeless you feel.但是如果你失败了，如果你想要挽救的人跳进了博斯腾.拉夫格河里，根本就无法形容你有多无助。03.9 同义desperate /9despFrIt/ a. 不顾一切的，孤注一掷的；极想望的，极需要的；绝望的【词根】de(not) sper(hope) ate(的)没有希望的绝望的【活用例句】I would never have resorted to a court of law if I hadnt been so desperate.我要不是因为走投无路，绝不会告到法院去的。feed* /fi:d/ vt. 提供；喂(养)，饲(养) vi. 以为食物 n. 饲料【搭配】feed with. 向提供；feed on. 吃，以为食；be fed up with饱受，厌烦【活用例句】In my fridge