Lesson 1 Finding fossil man发现化石人 定语从句 状语从句
First listen and then answer the following question: Why are legends handed down by storytellers useful?
We can read of things that happened 5,000 years ago in the Near East, where people first learned to write.
But there are some parts of the world where even now people cannot write.
The only way that they can preserve their history is to recount it as sagas -- legends handed down from one generation of story tellers to another.
These legends are useful because they can tell us something about migrations of people who lived long ago, but none could write down what they did.
Anthropologists wondered where the remote ancestors of the Polynesian peoples now living in the Pacific Islands came from. The sagas of these people explain that some of them came from Indonesia about 2,000 years ago.
But the first people who were like ourselves lived so long ago that even their sagas, if they had any, are forgotten.
So archaeologists have neither history nor legends to help them to find out where the first 'modern men' came from.
Fortunately, however, ancient men made tools of stone, especially flint, because this is easier to shape than other kinds.
They may also have used wood and skins, but these have rotted away.
Stone does not decay, and so the tools of long ago have remained when even the bones of the men who made them have disappeared without trace.
ROBIN PLACEFinding fossil man

与课文关联的单词
fossil man
/ˈfɔsl mæn/n. 化石人recount
/rɪˈkaʊnt/v. 叙述saga
/ˈsɑːɡə/n. 英雄故事legend
/ˈledʒənd/n. 传说,传奇migration
/maɪˈɡreɪʃn/n. 迁移,移居anthropologist
/ˌænθrəˈpɒlədʒɪst/n. 人类学家archaeologist
/ˌɑːkiˈɒlədʒɪst/n. 考古学家ancestor
/ˈænsestə(r)/n. 祖先Polynesian
/ˌpɒlɪˈniːʒən/adj. 波利尼西亚(中太平洋之一群岛)的Indonesia
/ˌɪndəˈniːʒə; ˌɪndəˈniːziə/n. 印度尼西亚flint
/flɪnt/n. 燧石rot *
/rɒt/n. 烂掉引述资料 更新于:2025-05-20 03:57:28
Finding fossil man 发现远古人类
英语的标题通常不会用完整的句子,尽量追去简洁,一般使用音节比较少的词,避免使用大词,使用简洁且能鲜明的表达中心思想为宜。
find = discover
- discover fossil man、ancient man、 prehistoric man
标题词常用简洁的单词(拼写与发音更容易的)
- encourage → spur
- prohibit / forbid → ban
- compete → vie
- nominate → name
alliteration 头韵(叮当、咔嚓、哗啦、呱唧...)
- Spare that spider
- Matterhorn man
- The sporting spirit
- Pride and Prejudice (傲慢与偏见)
- Prince and Pauper (王子与乞丐)
- World Wide Watch (世界观察)
- A Delicious Dish A Day (甜甜饮食)
- Beauty and Beast (美女与野兽)
- WWW = The World Wide Web
We can read of things that happened 5,000 years ago in the Near East, where people first learned to write.
read of 读到
- I had read of such hideous incarnate demons. 我读过关于这类可怕的化身鬼怪的书。
- I read of the traffic accident in yesterday's paper.我在昨天的报纸上知道了这起交通事故。
- Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. 你们就是我们的荐信,写在我们心里,被众人所知道所念诵的。
speak of / talk of 谈到 | When she spoke of her childhood, her eyes lit up. 她一谈到童年,眼睛就发亮。 |
hear of 听说 | Have you ever heard of this author? 你听说过这个作家吗? |
learn of 得知 | I just learned of his promotion yesterday. 我昨天才得知他升职了。 |
know of 听说过 / 知道 | I know of a good restaurant nearby. 我知道附近有一家不错的餐厅。 |
think of 想到 | I can't think of a better idea. 我想不到更好的主意了。 |
dream of 梦到 / 渴望 | She dreams of becoming a famous singer. 她梦想成为一名著名歌手。 |
of … 关于(相当于about)
- This book is of great importance to scholars. 这本书对学者来说具有重要意义。
- It is a subject of study by many forgers. 这是许多伪造者研究的课题。
- The pursuit of sport is for national pride. 对体育的追求关系到国家荣誉。
Of Truth 关于真理 | Francis Bacon wrote an essay titled Of Truth. 弗朗西斯·培根写过一篇题为《论真理》的文章。 |
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Of Death 关于死亡 | In his essay Of Death, Bacon explores human fear of dying. 在他的《论死亡》一文中,培根探讨了人类对死亡的恐惧。 |
Of Love 关于爱情 | The essay Of Love reveals the conflicts love can bring. 《论爱情》这篇文章揭示了爱情可能带来的冲突。 |
Of Envy 关于嫉妒 | He analyzed human behavior in Of Envy. 他在《论嫉妒》中分析了人类的行为。 |
Of Human Bondage 关于人性的枷锁 | Of Human Bondage is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham. 《人性的枷锁》是W·萨默塞特·毛姆的一部小说。 |
英语语序
- I saw him at the party yesterday. 事件+地点+时间
We can read of things that happened | 5,000 years ago | in the Near East, where people first learn to write. |
事件 | 时间(礼让弱小) | 地点(为了句式平衡,避免头重脚轻,改变了正常语序) |
- Several cases have been reported in Russia recently of people who can read and detect colors with their fingers, and even see through solid doors and walls.(Several cases of people)
- He maybe conceited, ill-mannered, presumptuous or fatuous, but I do not turn for protection to dreary clichés about respect of elders — as if mere age were a reason for respect.
- Among them will be Debbie's mother, who swam the Channel herself when she was a girl.
- If we glimpse the unutterable, it is unwise to try to utter it, nor should we seek to invest with significance that which we cannot grasp. (invest A with B)
考研英语(英译汉)
What is an intellectual? I shall define him as an individual who has elected as his primary duty and pleasure in life the activity of thinking in Socratic way about moral problems.
As a logical consequence of this development, separate journals have now appeared aimed mainly towards either professional or amateur readership.
the Near East 近东
the Middle East 中东 | Oil is a major export product of the Middle East. 石油是中东的主要出口产品。 |
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the Far East 远东 | Many Western companies have expanded into the Far East. 许多西方公司已扩展到远东市场。 |
定语从句充当原因状语(下面都是不够简洁改变了原句语法的句子)
- We can read of things that happened 5,000 years ago in the Near East, because people first learned to write there.
- We endeavour to avoid the old, romantic idea of a gusher, because it wastes oil and gas.
- The small ship, Elkor, after she had been searching the Barents Sea for weeks, was on its way home.
- Much to the aristocrat's amusement, the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter and he proceeded to read it to the prisoner.
引出主题 更新于:2025-05-19 11:18:21
状语从句 ⇒ 定语从句练习
状语从句 | 定语从句 |
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I have to be very careful not to offend the boss, because he could fire me at any time. | I have to be very careful not to offend the boss, who could fire me at any time. |
The action, although it has aroused universal disapproval, is nevertheless the only solution. | The action, which has aroused universal disapproval, is nevertheless the only solution. |
The past few years witnessed the great influx of migrant workers from the countryside to big cities, where they could secure decent jobs and support their families.原因状态从句转定语从句(where 翻译为“因为 sb. 在那里”)
But there are some parts of the world where even now people cannot write.
there be 存在某物、某人
There seem / appear 似乎有... |
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There used to be 以前有... |
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There happen to be 碰巧有... |
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There is going to be 即将有... |
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There is growing interest in English. 人们对英语越来越感兴趣。
... there was a great deal of excitement just before it began. 无灵主语 / 物称主语(本站《三册》第一课重点讲解)
People generally agree...(不地道表达)→ There is general agreement that women should enjoy full equality with men. 人们普遍同意妇女应该享有和男人完全的平等。
But there are some parts of China where even now people cannot satisfy their hunger.但是现在在中国依然有部分地区人们还吃不饱肚子。
The only way that they can preserve their history is to recount it as sagas -- legends handed down from one generation of storytellers to another.
preserve 保存、保护(状态)
- The only way that they can preserve their history is to recount it as sagas. 他们保存历史的唯一方法是将历史像传说一样讲述。
- he museum works diligently to preserve historical records from the Civil War era, ensuring future generations can learn from primary sources. 博物馆努力保存南北战争时期的历史记录,确保后代能够从原始资料中学习。
- In rural communities, many families still preserve food through traditional methods like pickling and canning to enjoy seasonal produce year-round. 在农村社区,许多家庭仍然通过腌制和罐装等传统方法保存食物,以便全年享用季节性农产品。
- Doctors recommend regular breaks from screen time to preserve one's eyesight, especially for those who work with computers all day. 医生建议定期从屏幕前休息以保护视力,尤其是对那些整天使用电脑工作的人。
conserve 保存、保护(强调数量) | We should conserve natural resources. 我们应该保护自然资源。 |
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reserve 保存、保护(强调为了将来使用) | I reserve the right to disagree. 我保留不同意的权利。 |
To do 做表语时, 若前面出现了实义动词 “do”,则常去掉 “to”
- All I have to do is
(to)dream. - The best thing you can do now is
(to)write her an apology. - All I wanted was to help him.
- The only thing to do was ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.
动词不定式做“except / but”的宾语时 § 表示“除了…之外”,若前面出现了实义动词 “do”, 则常去掉“to”
如果前面实义动词do,后面的to省略 |
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如果前面没有实义动词 do,后面必须是to do | We have no choice but / except to wait here. |
hand sth. down pass sth. from older people to younger ones 传下来
- The recipe was handed down from an ancestor of the family.
- This ring was handed down from my aunt.这只戒指是我姑母传下来的。
- The verdict was handed down at the end of June.法庭裁决于六月底下来了。
- This blood feud was handed down from generation to generation.这血海深仇传了一代又一代。
xxx-teller 讲…的人
- story-teller = tell stories 讲故事的人
- fortune-teller = tell one’s fortune 算命
These legends are useful because they can tell us something about migrations of people who lived long ago, but none could write down what they did.
These legends are useful | because they can tell us something about migrations of people | who lived long ago, | but none could write down | what they did. |
主句 | 原因状语从句 | 定语从句 | 并列句 | 宾语从句 |
Anthropologists wondered where the remote ancestors of the Polynesian peoples now living in the Pacific Islands came from.
remote ancestors 远祖
- Anthropologists studied the origins of their remote ancestors. 人类学家研究了他们远祖的起源。
- The traditions were passed down from their remote ancestors. 这些传统是从他们的远祖那里传下来的。
- Understanding our remote ancestors helps us understand ourselves. 了解我们的远祖有助于我们了解自己。
a distant relative 远亲 |
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a close / near relative 近亲 |
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The sagas of these people explain that some of them came from Indonesia about 2,000 years ago.
现代人从哪儿来? 更新于:2025-05-19 08:58:29
But the first people who were like ourselves lived so long ago that even their sagas, if they had any, are forgotten.
the first people who were like ourselves 远古人类 = fossil man(替换)
- Scientists discovered a skull of a fossil man. 科学家发现了一块化石人类的头骨
- We know little about the people who lived long ago. 我们对远古人类了解甚少
- The first 'modern men' appeared in Africa. 最早的现代人出现在非洲
- Some tools used by ancient men were found in the cave. 在洞穴中发现了一些古代人类使用的工具
first people who were like ourselves 定语从句 = first people like ourselves 后置定语
- ... asked to see a dress that was in the window. = ... asked to see a dress in the window.
be similar to … 和…很类似 | … the first people who were similar to ourselves … | … the first people similar to ourselves |
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They discovered skulls similar to ourselves. 他们发现了与我们类似的头骨 | ||
resemble 类似 | ... the first people who resembled ourselves … | ... the first people resembling ourselves … |
Those ancient bones clearly resemble ourselves. 那些古老的骨骼明显与我们相似 | ||
bear a resemblance to 与...有相似之处 | ... the first people who bore a resemblance to ourselves ... | ... the first people bearing a resemblance to ourselves ... |
These early humans bore a resemblance to ourselves. 这些早期人类与我们有相似之处 |
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.
if + 从句(让步用法) 即使
- God’s reasons, if He has any, are opaque to us. 上帝的理由,即使他有,也是难以理解的
- There is every likelihood that the costs will outweigh revenue, if there is any. 成本极可能超过收入,即使收入存在
- His descendants, if any, never left the island. 他的后代,即使有,也从未离开这座岛屿
- He is seldom, if ever, absent from work.
There is every likelihood that the costs of the monitoring system, such as the purchase, maintenance and updates of software, employment of extra personnel in charge of it, will offset or even outweigh additional revenue, if there is any.
So archaeologists have neither history nor legends to help them to find out where the first "modern men" came from.
neither...nor... 既不…也不…
- Neither the teacher nor the students were in the classroom. 老师和学生都不在教室
- Neither the evidence nor the witnesses support his claim. 既没有证据也没有证人支持他的说法
- Neither John nor Mary likes sushi. 约翰和玛丽都不喜欢寿司
find out 查明;弄清楚
- Scientists are working hard to find out the cause of the disease. 科学家正努力查明这种疾病的原因
- She called the company to find out more information. 她打电话给公司了解更多信息
- We need to find out what happened last night. 我们需要弄清楚昨晚发生了什么
解决方案(Problem-Solution Pattern 不断提出问题,不断给出解决方式) 更新于:2025-05-19 10:27:27
Fortunately, however, ancient men made tools of stone, especially flint, because this is easier to shape than other kinds.
shape 使成形
- He shaped the clay into a vase.
- Like it or not, our experiences shape our personalities.
- He shaped the clay into a bowl. 他把黏土捏成一个碗。
- Experiences can shape a person's character. 经历可以塑造一个人的性格。
- The sculptor carefully shaped the marble. 雕塑家仔细地塑造着大理石。
名词动用 |
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… this is easier to shape… 形容词 + to do 形容词后加动词不定式作补语,用主动表被动的含义
- He is easy to fool.
- She is extremely difficult to please.
- The machine is awkward to handle.
- The man is hard to work with.
- This book is easy to read. 这本书很容易读。
- The problem is difficult to solve. 这个问题很难解决。
- That song is lovely to listen to. 那首歌听起来很动听。
They may also have used wood and skins, but these have rotted away.
情态动词 + have done 对过去肯定/否定的推测
- He must have left already. 他肯定已经离开了。
- She might have forgotten about the meeting. 她可能忘记了会议。
- They couldn't have known the answer. 他们不可能知道答案。
may / might have done 可能已经做了某事 | She may have forgotten our meeting. 她可能忘记了我们的会议。 |
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must have done 一定已经做了某事 | He must have left early to catch the train. 他一定是早早离开去赶火车了。 |
can not / could not have done 不可能已经做了某事 | She can’t have seen him there — he was abroad. 她不可能在那里见过他——他当时在国外。 |
should / ought to have done 本应该做某事(责备语气) | You should have told me the truth. 你本应该告诉我真相。 |
should not / ought not to have done 本不该做某事(责备语气) | He ought not to have said that in public. 他本不该在公众场合那样说。 |
skin/hide/fur/feather 表达“皮”
- fur and feather 飞禽走兽(借代)
- fin, fur and feather 各种各样的动物(借代)
skin 皮肤/兽皮 | The hunter wore animal skins. 猎人穿着兽皮。 |
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hide 兽皮(尤指大型动物的) | They used buffalo hides to make tents. 他们用野牛皮做帐篷。 |
fur 裘皮 | She wore a coat with a fur collar. 她穿了一件带裘皮领子的外套。 |
feather 羽毛 | Birds are covered in feathers. 鸟类身上覆盖着羽毛。 |
metonymy 借代
- A bald slipped out of the house.
- He has been messing around with several skirts(裙子,借代女性) of his class.
- The crown should not yield to the cross.
- The pen is mightier than the sword. 笔比剑更有力。(pen借代文字,sword借代武力)
- We need more hands on deck. 我们需要更多的人手。(hands借代工人)
- The White House announced a new policy. 白宫宣布了一项新政策。(White House借代美国政府)
Stone does not decay, and so the tools of long ago have remained when even the bones of the men who made them have disappeared without trace.
when 尽管,引导让步状语:一般放在主句之后
- He walks when he might take a taxi.
- Why do you walk when you have a car?
- He smiled when he was feeling sad. 他尽管感到悲伤,还是笑了。
- She helped others when she herself was in need. 她尽管自己也需要帮助,还是帮助了别人。
- They continued to work when it started to rain. 尽管开始下雨,他们仍然继续工作。
disappear / vanish without trace 消失得无影无踪
- The burglar slipped out of the house and then disappeared / vanished without trace.
- The magician made the rabbit disappear without trace. 魔术师使兔子消失得无影无踪。
- After the heavy fog lifted, the ship had vanished without trace. 大雾散去后,那艘船已经消失得无影无踪。
- The missing documents seemed to have disappeared without trace from the office. 失踪的文件似乎已经从办公室消失得无影无踪。
练习题
The old tower is in a good state of except for the wooden floors.(单选)
A、observationB、preservationC、conservationD、reservationShe looks very happy. She have passed the exam. -- I guess so. It’s not difficult at all.(单选)
A、shouldB、couldC、mustD、mightI can’t find my purse anywhere.--You have lost it while shopping.(单选)
A、mayB、canC、shouldD、wouldI’m sorry. I at you the other day. -- Forget it. I was a bit out of control myself.(单选)
A、shouldn’t shoutB、shouldn’t have shoutedC、mustn’t shoutD、mustn’t have shoutedThe policeman declared that the blow on the victim’s head from behind.(单选)
A、should have been madeB、must have been madeC、would have been madeD、ought to have been made skin