Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world?

loom large ^{令人忧虑，令人惊恐（并似乎难以避免）}

• Human right issues will continue to loom large in China-U.S. relations.^{人权问题将继续在中美关系中构成重大忧虑。}
• The adverse effects of the Great Leap Forward and of the Cultural Revolution still loom large in the minds of Chinese policy makers.^{大跃进和文化大革命的负面影响仍然在中国政策制定者的心中构成重大忧虑。}

Question-Answer Pattern ^{问题回答模式（写作题材）}

1. question (why …) 
2. answer (because …) 
3. supportive sentences

Why, you may wonder, should spiders be our friends? Because they destroy so many insects, and insects include some of the greatest enemies of the human race.
Why do some people enjoy collecting stamps? Mainly because it offers a kind of relaxation that they cannot find in their daily lives.^{为什么有些人喜欢集邮？主要是因为它提供了一种他们在日常生活中找不到的放松。}

Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest.

kind / sort / type of + 可数名词 ^{某种类型的…}

• progress of a particular kind ^{(不可数名词/可数名词复数+of a kind)}⇒ a particular kind of progress ^{（书面标准）}
• a new kind of machine ^{一种新型机器（可数当成不可数使用）}
• machines of a new kind ^{新型的机器（可数名词用复数）}
• The more expensive kind of antique shop where rare objects are beautifully displayed is usually a forbidding place.
• Students specialize in a particular type of practical joke: the hoax.

be becoming more and more / increasingly + adj. ^{变得越来越…}

• So great is our passion for doing things for ourselves, that we are becoming increasingly less dependent on specialized labour.
• The importance of digital literacy is becoming more and more manifest in the job market.^{数字素养的重要性在就业市场上变得越来越明显。}

As a result of all these factors, governments are becoming increasingly dependent on biologists and social scientists for planning the appropriate programs. ^{考研英语阅读
由于所有这些因素，各国政府越来越依赖生物学家和社会科学家来规划和实施适当的方案。}

Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge.

undergo ^{v. (underwent, undergone) 经历（强调主语本身在变化）}

• The patient had to undergo surgery.^{这位病人不得不接受手术（强调主语本身变化）。}
• The patient had to undergo surgery to repair the broken bone. ^{这位病人不得不接受手术来修复断骨。}
• Mankind has undergone no general improvement.^{人类没有经历任何普遍的改善。}
• Mankind has undergone no general improvement in terms of moral standing. ^{人类在道德层面没有经历任何普遍的改善。}
• The bridge has undergone a series of modifications.^{这座桥经历了一系列修改。}
• The bridge has undergone a series of modifications to improve its safety. ^{这座桥经历了一系列修改以提高其安全性。}
• Many families experienced difficulties during the recession.^{许多家庭在经济衰退期间经历了困难。}

make (an) improvement / improvements in... ^{在…方面取得改进(great, enormous, considerable, extraordinary, substantial … )}

• We need to make improvements in our customer service.^{我们需要在我们的客户服务方面做出改进。}
• The team has made considerable improvement in its defensive strategy.^{该团队在其防守策略上取得了显著的进步。}
• The scientist made an enormous advance in the field of genetics.^{这位科学家在遗传学领域取得了巨大的进展。}
• The project has made substantial progress since last quarter.^{该项目自上个季度以来取得了实质性进展。}

代词指代 ^{人称代词指代}

Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech.

increase  ^{v. grow / accumulate 增加/积累}

• The company's profits increased by 15% last year.^{公司去年的利润增加了15%。}
• A library allows knowledge to accumulate over generations.^{图书馆允许知识跨代积累。}
• The population continues to grow steadily.^{人口继续稳步增长。}

communicate sth. to sb. ^{与某人交流/传达某事物给某人}

• The new policy was communicated to all employees.^{新政策已传达给所有员工。}
• We can communicate with the other side by radio.^{我们可以通过无线电与对方交流。}
• The thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech.^{一个人的想法可以通过言语传达给另一个人。}

课文思想总结

Oral language precedes written language. Without written language, the only way to preserve knowledge is to hand it down from one generation to another, and in the process some information would inevitably be missing or distorted.

With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. ^{不但被(be communicated)交流而且被存储(be stored)}

前面2句都是主动，本句以无灵主语+被动是为了让句式产生变化，使其不那么单调。

with the + 名词 of + 名词 ^{(注意语序)随着…的…}

• With the approach of Christmas, the city was filled with festive decorations.^{随着圣诞节的临近，城市里充满了节日装饰。}
• With the advance of science, many diseases can now be cured.^{随着科学的进步，许多疾病现在可以治愈了。}
• With the outbreak of war, many families had to flee their homes.^{随着战争的爆发，许多家庭不得不逃离家园。}
• With the evidence began to accumulate, … X ^{错误表达，with 不能当连词 (As the evidence began to accumulate, … )}

进步的多种表达 ^{表达“进步”的词组替换(undergo general improvement \ make extraordinary progress \ make a great advance)}

The invention of writing enabled mankind to make a great advance in the preservation of knowledge.
The invention of writing brought about a great advance in the preservation of knowledge. ^{书写技术的发明带来了知识保存方面的巨大进步。}

• Mankind has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge.^{人类在知识的积累方面取得了非凡的进步。}
• Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence, it has made a great advance with the invention of writing.^{尽管人类在智力上没有经历普遍的提高，但随着书写技术发明，它取得了巨大的进步。}

Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing.

in (its) turn ^{反过来；转而又…}

• Poverty led to social unrest, which in (its) turn aggravated poverty.^{贫困导致社会动荡，而社会动荡反过来又加剧了贫困。}
• Theory is based on practice and in (its) turn serves practice.^{理论以实践为基础，反过来又服务于实践。}
• Saving money allows you to invest, and investment in turn generates more savings.^{存钱可以让你投资，而投资反过来又会产生更多的储蓄。}

add to sth. ^{使某个事物增加/增添 = increase sth.}

• The music added to our enjoyment.^{音乐增加了我们的乐趣。}
• Her colleague’s laughter added to her embarrassment.^{她同事的笑声增加了她的尴尬。}
• The balloons added to the festive atmosphere.^{气球增添了节日气氛。}

课文写作技巧分析：长短句结合，几个长句中间穿插一些短句，使文章粗略有质，赋予弹性，更加灵活。