Lesson 45 Of men and galaxies人生星系虚拟语气 状语从句

In man's early days, competition with other creatures must have been critical.

man's early days ^人类早期

• In the pioneering days, however, this was not the case at all.
• In the early days of the settlement of Australia, enterprising settlers unwisely introduced the European rabbit.
• Man's early days were marked by constant struggle for survival against the elements.^{人类的早期以与自然元素的持续生存斗争为特征。}
• The artifacts offer a glimpse into man's early days and simple tools.^{这些文物提供了对人类早期和简单工具的一瞥。}

critical ^{adj. very important  重大的，关键的}

• Practice is a critical factor in learning English. ^做定语
• Financial support is critical to the region’s development.  ^做表语
• The unexpected weather event must have been critical to the failure of the harvest.^{意外的天气事件对收成失败来说必然是严峻的。}

But this phase of our development is now finished.

phase ^{n.阶段，期}

• Arthur C. Clark once suggested a revolutionary idea passes through three phases: …
• The wedding marked the beginning of a new phase in Emma's life. ^{婚礼标志着埃玛生活新阶段的开始。}
• The phase of writing that is actually most important is revision. ^{写作中真正最重要的阶段是修改。}
• We are entering a new era as this phase of our development comes to a close.^{随着我们发展的这个阶段接近尾声，我们正在进入一个新时代。}

Indeed, we lack practice and experience nowadays in dealing with primitive conditions. 

indeed ^{adv. used to introduce an additional statement that emphasizes or supports what you have just said 事实上；确实/实际上}

• I didn't mind at all. Indeed, I was pleased.
• It would be difficult. Indeed it would be almost impossible.
• The report confirms the initial findings; indeed, the results are even stronger than anticipated.^{报告证实了最初的发现；实际上，结果甚至比预期的还要强劲。}

I am sure that, without modern weapons, I would make a very poor show of disputing the ownership of a cave with a bear, and in this I do not think that I stand alone.

Without ^{代替if条件状语从句}

• Without something of this kind, searching for intelligences on other planets would be like trying to meet a friend in London without a pre-arranged rendezvous and absurdly wandering the streets in the hope of a chance encounter.

make a very poor show ^{出洋相 / 表现拙劣}

• The candidate made a very poor show during the interview. ^{那位应聘者在面试中表现得非常差劲。}
• It's a poor show if he forgets your birthday. ^{要是他忘了你的生日，那可太差劲了。}
• The juggler put up such a poor show on the music hall stage that he got the bird from the audience. ^{这个表演杂耍在音乐厅舞台上演得太差劲，因此被观众喝了倒彩。}
• Despite months of rehearsal, the lead actor made a very poor show of his final performance.^{尽管排练了数月，这位主角的最后一场演出表现得非常糟糕。}

stand alone ^{to be in a position or place where there are no other people 孤立}

• On this issue, Britain stands alone against the US. 
• So long as we stand together, we’ll win.
• Don’t stand there —give me a hand!
• He’ll be standing down as CEO at the end of the year.
• She is going to stand trial for tax evasion.
• No one is taller than those who are willing to stand corrected.

The Tibetans call it Chomulungma, “Goddess Mother of the Snows”. Goddess Mother of the world, actually. In the traditional Tibetan translation. I stand corrected. ^{我接受您的指正。}

• There is no need to stand on ceremony —come in and relax.
• If you want to go abroad, we won’t stand in your way.
• Facing the difficulty of learning a new language, I do not think that I stand alone.^{面对学习一门新语言的困难，我不认为我是一个人（有同感）。}

The last creature to compete with man was the mosquito.

the last creature ^{最后的生物(类指)}

• At last I found this amphibious creature. ^{最后我找到了这个两栖动物。}
• The extinction of the giant panda is a reminder that it may not be the last creature we lose.^{大熊猫的灭绝提醒我们，它可能不是我们失去的最后一个生物。}

But even the mosquito has been subdued by attention to drainage and by chemical sprays.

drainage ^{1. [U] process by which water or liquid waste is drained from an area 排水}

• a drainage system
• drainage facilities

drainage ^{2. [U] a system of drains 排水系统}

• The drainage of the city is not good: some of the pipes are broken.

spray ^{n. liquid which is forced out of a special container in a stream of very small drops 喷雾}

• a new hair styling spray
• Most farmers use pesticide sprays.

be subdued by ^{被…制服/征服}

• The sudden uprising has been subdued by the swift deployment of peacekeeping forces.^{突如其来的起义已被维和部队的快速部署所制服。}
• The spread of the invasive plant species has been subdued by the introduction of a natural predator.^{入侵植物物种的蔓延已被引入一种天然捕食者所制服。}

Competition between ourselves, person against person, community against community, still persists, however; and it is as fierce as it ever was.

persist ^{v. 1. if something bad persists, it continues to exist or happen（坏事）持续}

• If the pain persists, consult a doctor.
• The belief that the earth was flat persisted for many centuries.
• The habit of procrastination still persists, however, despite her best efforts to change.^{尽管她尽了最大努力去改变，然而拖延的习惯仍然持续存在。}

persist ^{v. 2. continue doing sth. in a determined but often unreasonable way 执意做某事}

• If he persists in asking awkward questions, then send him to the boss.
• She was sentimentally attached to this house, for even though it was far too big for her needs, she persisted in living there long after her husband's death.

fierce ^{adj. involving a lot of force or energy（竞争等）激烈的}

• We face fierce competition from overseas competitors.
• There was a fierce opposition of the proposal.

But the competition of man against man is not the simple process envisioned in biology.

envision ^v.设想

• The phenomenon is far more complex than the model envisioned in biology.^{这种现象比生物学中设想的模型要复杂得多。}
• Don't compromise on the ideal you envision in order to get an ally.Stick to your cause and press forward.^{不要为了找寻同盟者而让你的理想妥协，坚持你的信念，奋力向前。}
• They envision an equal society, free of poverty and disease. ^{他们向往一个没有贫穷和疾病的平等社会。}

It is not a simple competition for a fixed amount of food determined by the physical environment, because the environment that determines our evolution is no longer essentially physical.

competition for sth. ^{对某事物的竞争 / 争夺}

• There is fierce competition for the limited number of jobs available. ^{对有限工作岗位的竞争非常激烈。}
• Competition for the job was intense.
• We're in competition with several other companies for the contract.

fixed ^{adj. fixed times, amounts, meanings etc. cannot be changed 固定不变的}

• The contract is for a fixed period of three years.
• The interest rate on the loan is fixed.

physical ^{adj. connected with things that actually exist or are present and can be seen, felt, etc. rather than things that only exist in a person‘s mind 物质的，实实在在的，真实而具体的，看得见摸得着的}

• the physical world
• environment physical weapons
• Is there any physical evidence to suggest that a crime has been committed? 
• The early migration patterns were largely determined by the physical environment and climate.^{早期的迁徙模式主要由物理环境和气候决定。}
• Modern warfare is no longer essentially physical, relying heavily on cyber capabilities.^{现代战争本质上不再是物理性的，严重依赖网络能力。}

Our environment is chiefly conditioned by the things we believe.

condition ^{v. have an important effect on sb. / sth., determine 对…有重要影响，决定}

• We are all conditioned by the society and age we live in.
• What I buy is conditioned by the amount I earn.
• The success of the project was chiefly conditioned by the amount of funding received.^{项目的成功主要受收到的资金数额所制约。}
  A country's political stability is chiefly conditioned by the strength of its democratic institutions.^{一个国家的政治稳定主要受其民主机构的强度所制约。}

Morocco and California are bits of the Earth in very similar latitudes, both on the west coasts of continents with similar climates, and probably with rather similar natural resources.

latitudes ^{n. [pl] an area at a particular latitude 纬度地区}

• The birds breed in northern latitudes.
• The plant grows best in cooler latitudes.

on the west coasts of continents ^{在大陆的西海岸}

• a town on the south coast of England 
  a thriving holiday resort on the east coast of Italy.
• Many major cities are situated on the west coasts of continents due to favorable ocean currents.^{由于有利的洋流，许多主要城市都位于大陆的西海岸。}

Yet their present development is wholly different, not so much because of different people even, but because of the different thoughts that exist in the minds of their inhabitants.

not so much because of... but because of... ^{与其说是由于…不如说是由于…}

• He left the job not so much because of the low salary, but because of the toxic work environment.^{他辞职与其说是由于薪水低，不如说是由于有毒的工作环境。}
• The market shift occurred not so much because of competition, but because of a change in consumer habits.^{市场的转变与其说是由于竞争，不如说是由于消费者习惯的改变。}

even ^{语气副词（根据中文习惯翻译）}

• The holidays ended all too soon.^{假期结束得实在是太快了。}
• I’m only too ready to help you. ^{我实在是非常乐意帮助您。}
•  I did so see him.^{我确实看到他了。}
• No, I won’t help you, so there?^{不，我不想帮助你，你拿我怎么样？}

This is the point I wish to emphasize.

wish to do sth. (fml.) = want to do sth. = like to do sth.^{希望做某事}

• She wishes to be alone.
• I wish to make a complaint.
• If you wish to attend the seminar, please register by Friday. ^{如果你希望参加研讨会，请在周五前注册。}
• Let me reiterate the point I wish to emphasize: deadlines are non-negotiable.^{让我重申我希望强调的观点：截止日期不容商议。}

The most important factor in our environment is the state of our own minds.

the state of our own minds ^{我们自己的心智状态}

• Maintaining a positive state of our own minds is essential for creativity and productivity.^{保持积极的心智状态对于创造力和生产力至关重要。}
• The state of employment in this city is improving. ^{这个城市就业状况正在改善。}
• Measure the state of women's progress. ^{衡量一下妇女的进步状况。}

It is well known that where the white man has invaded a primitive culture, the most destructive effects have come not from physical weapons but from ideas.

man ^{n. a person, either male or female ―used esp. in formal situations or in the past 人}

• All men are equal in the eyes of the law.
• Growing old is something a man has to accept.

come from / of (doing) sth.: be the result of sth. ^{因为，是…的结果，来自于}

• His air of confidence came from his firm belief that he was the best candidate for the job.
• It's the kind of accident that comes from being careless.
• I did ask a few questions, but nothing came of it.
• That comes of eating too much!
• That's what comes of not practicing ― you've forgotten everything!

Ideas are dangerous. The Holy Office knew this full well when it caused heretics to be burned in days gone by. 

the Inquisition / Holy Office ^宗教法庭

a Roman Catholic organization in the past whose aim was to find and punish people who had unacceptable beliefs.

• In his own lifetime Galileo was the centre of violent controversy; but the scientific dust has long since settled, and today we can see even his famous clash with the Inquisition in something like its proper perspective.

know sth. full well / very well / perfectly well ^{非常清楚…心知肚明 / 完全清楚}

• Preachers pray for rain, knowing full well that no such prayer was ever answered.
• You know very well what I'm talking about!
• I knew perfectly well it was a trap.
• I knew full well / very well / perfectly well that it was a risky investment, but I decided to take the chance. ^{我心知肚明那是项高风险投资，但我还是决定冒险一试。}
• She knew this full well that delaying the repair would lead to greater problems later.^{她非常清楚，推迟修理会在以后导致更大的问题。}

cause ^{v. to compel by command, authority, or force 逼迫，迫使}

• The king caused him to resign.
• The moderator invoked a rule causing the debate to be ended.

in days / times / years gone by = in the past ^{在过去 / 在往昔}

• In times gone by, all crops were harvested by hand.
• These herbs would have been grown for medicinal purposes in days gone by.
• Life was simpler in days gone by, before the invention of the internet.^{在过去的日子里，在互联网发明之前，生活更简单。}
• In days gone by, it was common for families to live under one roof for several generations. ^{在往昔岁月里，几代人同住一个屋檐下是很平常的事。}

let bygones be bygones ^{to forget sth. bad that someone has done to you and forgive them 不计前嫌，既往不咎}

• Forget it, let bygones be bygones. ^{算了，过去的事就让它过去吧。}
• Don't be sad. Let bygones be bygones. ^{别难过了，过去的就让它过去吧！}
• How about we let bygones be bygones and start over? ^{不如我们既往不咎，重新开始？}

Indeed, the concept of free speech only exists in our modern society because when you are inside a community, you are conditioned by the conventions of the community to such a degree that it is very difficult to conceive of anything really destructive.

free speech = freedom of speech ^{n. the right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government 言论自由}

• The university provides a safe space for students to exercise their right to free speech. ^{大学为学生行使言论自由权提供了一个安全的空间。}
• The ruling was a welcome affirmation of the constitutional right to free speech. ^{此裁决是对言论自由这一宪法权利的受人欢迎的肯定。}
• Many experts in constitutional law have warned that the rule violates the right to free speech. ^{很多宪法专家已警告说，该条例违反了言论自由权。}

to such a degree / extent that … ^{到如此程度以至于…}

• Her condition deteriorated to such a degree that a blood transfusion was considered necessary.
• It is a harmless habit, but it litters up her desk to such an extent that every time she opens it, loose bits of paper fall out in every direction.
• Sometimes the secrecy goes to such an extent that the whole nature of the research cannot be mentioned.
• The pollution has increased to such an extent that the river is no longer safe for swimming. ^{污染已增加到如此程度，以至于这条河不再适合游泳了。}
• The market changed to such a degree that the original business model was no longer viable.^{市场变化到了如此程度，以至于最初的商业模式不再可行。}

conceive ^{v. (fml.) to imagine a particular situation or to think about something in a particular way 想象，设想}

• It is difficult to conceive how the situation could get any worse. ^{很难想象情况还会变得多么糟糕。}
• It is hard for people living in peace to conceive of anything really destructive like a large-scale conflict.^{对于生活在和平中的人来说，很难构想出任何真正具有破坏性的事物，比如大规模冲突。}

It is only someone looking on from outside that can inject the dangerous thoughts.

looking on = stand by ^旁观

• Only one man tried to help us, the rest just looked on / stood by in silence. 
• The report provided a critical perspective by looking on from outside the company's internal politics.^{这份报告通过从公司内部政治的外部观察，提供了批判性的视角。}

inject ^{v. to add something new to a situation 注入…}

• Young staff are injecting new life into the company.
• Try to inject confidence into your voice.
• Propaganda aims to inject the dangerous thoughts of division and hatred into the public discourse.^{宣传旨在向公共话语中注入分裂和仇恨的危险思想。}

I do not doubt that it would be possible to inject ideas into the modern world that would utterly destroy us.

utterly ^{adv.完全地，彻底地}

• This was utterly beyond her comprehension. ^{这完全超出了她的理解力。}
• Their life seemed utterly distant from his own. ^{他们的生活与他自己的生活似乎完全不同。}
• Tom was utterly indiscreet, and could never keep a secret. ^{汤姆言行完全不慎重，从来守不住秘密。}
• The unexpected natural disaster had the potential to utterly destroy us if not for the early warning systems.^{如果不是早期预警系统，这场意料之外的自然灾害有可能彻底摧毁我们。}

I would like to give you an example, but fortunately I cannot do so. Perhaps it will suffice to mention the nuclear bomb.

suffice to mention ^{提及…就足够了}

• This single item will suffice to typify all the rest. ^{即此一端， 可概其余。}
• Word will suffice to convey his grief. ^{他的悲伤足以用言辞表达。}
• The money will suffice to keep her alive. ^{这些钱足以维持她的生活。}
• When explaining the concept, it will suffice to mention the core principle without delving into the complex mathematics.^{在解释这个概念时，提及核心原理就足够了，而无需深入复杂的数学。}

Imagine the effect on a reasonably advanced technological society, one that still does not possess the bomb, of making it aware of the possibility, of supplying sufficient details to enable the thing to be constructed.

reasonably ^{adv. 1. in a reasonable way 合理地，合乎逻辑地}

• discuss the matter calmly and reasonably

reasonably ^{2. to a fairly high degree, level, or standard = fairly 相当地，颇为}

• We are reasonably sure this is the best solution.

the effect / influence / impact of … on / upon …^{…对…的影响 / 作用}

• the influence of parents on their children
• the effect of fertilizers on the crops
• the impact of the oil spill on marine life
• The study explores the impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers. ^{这项研究探讨了社交媒体对青少年心理健康的影响。}
• In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.
• This result merely confirms earlier American and British studies: if there is any effect of noise upon mental health, it must be so small that present methods of psychiatric diagnosis cannot find it.
• Snakes did not acquire their poison for use against man but for use against prey such as rats and mice, and the effects on these of viperine poison is almost immediate.

Twenty or thirty pages of information handed to any of the major world powers around the year 1925 would have been sufficient to change the course of world history.

power ^{n. a country that is strong and important and can influence events, or that has a lot of military strength 大国， 强国}

• Egypt is still a major power in the Middle East.
• Zheng He’s seven expeditions established China as the world’s top naval power.
• The summit brought together leaders from all the major world powers to discuss climate change.^{这次峰会汇集了所有世界主要大国的领导人，讨论气候变化问题。}

superpower ^{n. any of the most powerful nations in the world, esp. the USA or former USSR 超级大国}

• Since the disintegration of the USSR, there has been only one superpower ― the USA.

if 从句（虚拟语气）

• If twenty or thirty pages of information had been handed to any of the major world powers around the year 1925, it would have been sufficient to change the course of world history.^{与过去事实相反}
• If twenty or thirty pages of information had been handed to any of the major world powers around the year 1925, the course of world history would have been changed. ^{替换成被动}
• Had twenty or thirty pages of information been handed to any of the major world powers around the year 1925, it would have been sufficient to change the course of world history. ^倒装
• Had twenty or thirty pages of information been handed to any of the major world powers around the year 1925, the course of world history would have been changed. ^{倒装+被动}

be sufficient to do sth.^{足以做某事}

• The evidence collected by the police was sufficient to convict the suspect. ^{警方收集的证据足以定罪该嫌疑人。}
• The money is not sufficient to cover everything that needs doing.
• A simple apology would have been sufficient to resolve the misunderstanding.^{一个简单的道歉本来就足够解决这个误会。}

It is a strange thought, but I believe a correct one, that twenty or thirty pages of ideas and information would be capable of turning the present-day world upside down, or even destroying it.

present-day ^{adj. existing now  当今的}

• The amount of money is small by present-day standards.
• The novel is set in present-day Russia.

upside down ^{adv. with the top at the bottom and the bottom at the top 颠倒，翻转}

• To get the plant out of the pot, turn it upside down and give it a gentle knock.
• The sudden technological breakthrough risks turning the present-day world upside down.^{突如其来的技术突破有颠覆当今世界的风险。}
• She looked at it critically for a moment. "It's all right," she said, "but isn't it upside down?"

upside-down ^{adj. with the upper part underneath instead of on top 上下翻转过来（的）}

• That picture is upside-down.
• As I looked at the upside-down pizza, I heard Mrs. Martin's voice. ^{当我看着打翻的披萨时，我听到了马丁太太的声音。}
• Transfer the cake upside-down to the cake board. ^{把蛋糕倒过来放到蛋糕板上。}

I have often tried to conceive of what those pages might contain, but of course I cannot do so because I am a prisoner of the present-day world, just as all of you are.

prisoner of  ^{...的囚徒/ 受制于…的人}

• It is easy to become a prisoner of your own past mistakes if you don't learn to forgive yourself. ^{如果你不学会原谅自己，很容易就会成为过去错误的囚徒。}
• The lack of imagination meant the artist felt like a prisoner of the present-day world, unable to escape current trends.^{缺乏想象力意味着这位艺术家感觉自己是当今世界的囚徒，无法摆脱当前的潮流。}

We cannot think outside the particular patterns that our brains are conditioned to, or, to be more accurate, we can think only a very little way outside, and then only if we are very original.

condition ^{v. 1. have an important effect on sb. / sth., determine 对…有重要影响，决定}

• We are all conditioned by early impressions and experiences. ^{我们都受早年印象和经历的长期影响。}
• I just feel women are conditioned into doing housework. ^{我只是觉得女人习惯于做家务。}

condition ^{v. 2. to train or influence a person or animal mentally so that they do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it 训练或影响…使习惯或适应…}

• Pavlov conditioned dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell.
• Many women are conditioned from birth to be accepting rather than questioning.
• It didn't take them long to become conditioned to the new environment.
• Patients can become conditioned to particular forms of treatment. 
• Most people are conditioned to use their phones immediately upon waking up.^{大多数人习惯于在醒来后立即使用手机。}

conditioning ^{n. 潜移默化的影响}

• Conditioning starts as soon as boys are given guns to play with and girls are given dolls.
• Social conditioning makes crying more difficult for men.
• After years of conditioning, most of us have developed an unshakable faith in railway time-tables.

then ^{adv. used to add sth. to what you have just mentioned 此外，而且}

• It costs $20, and then there's the sales tax to pay.
• We have to invite your parents and my parents, and then there's your brother.

only if … ^只有…

• The missiles can be fired only if the operator types in a six-digit code.
• If you are younger, and in a solid financial position, you may decide to take an aggressive approach, but only if you're blessed with a sanguine disposition and won't suffer sleepless nights over share prices.
• she will go only if he goes. ⇒ Only if he goes will she go. ^{引起部分倒装}
• The funding will be released only if we are very original in our approach to the problem.^{只有在我们解决问题的方法非常具有独创性时，资金才会被发放。}

original ^{adj. able to produce new ideas, creative 有创见的，有创造力的}

• the product of a highly original mind
• It is one of the most original works of imagination in the language.  ^{这是用这种语言创作的最具想像力的原创作品之一。}