LESSON NINELESSON NINE

Against All Odds

Michael White and John Gribbin

Background

Warm-up Exercises

Language Understanding

Discussion

Stephen Hawking - a Life in Science (1992)

A nonfiction book byJohn Gribbin

This biography pays particular attention to Hawking's scientific

achievement, as well as to the tragic progress of his

illnesses and his extraordinary will to survive

and to continue working despite major progressive

handicap.

I am quite often asked how do you feel about having ALS?

The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things. I have had motor neuron disease for practically all my adult life. I could select words from a series of menus on the screen, by pressing a switch in hands, head or eye movement. A speech synthesizer fitted to my wheel chair allowed me to write, talk. Yet it has not prevented me from having a very attractive family, and success in my work. It gave me something to live for. I realised that there were a lot of worthwhile things I could do I was enjoying life in the present more than before. Thanks to the help I have received from Jane, my children, and a large number of other people I have been lucky, that my condition has progressed more slowly than is often the case. But it shows that one need not lose hope.

----Stephen Hawking

Stephen William HawkingStephen William Hawking Hawking, Stephen William

(1942- ), British theoretical physicist and mathematician whose main field of research has been the beginning of the universe, and a unified theory of physics, the nature of space and time, including irregularities in space and time known as singularities( 奇点） .

Life experience:Life experience: born on 8 January 1942 (300 years

after the death of Galileo) in Oxford, England...

in 1958 he entered Oxford University. in 1961 he attended a summer course at the Royal Observatory. in 1962 he completed his undergraduate courses and received a bachelor’ s

degree in physics. then Hawking enrolled as a research student in general relativity at the department of applied mathematics and theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge.

in 1966 Hawking earned his Ph.D. degree from Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. in 1974 he became one of the youngest fellows of the Royal Society. in 1977 he became a professor of physics after finishing doing post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge. In 1979 he was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

In the earliest stages, Hawking has been concerned with the concept of singularities breakdowns in space and time （奇性定理） The most familiar example of a singularity is a black hole, (the final form of a collapsed star 宇宙大爆炸的奇点 ).

During the late 1960s Hawking proved that a singularity must occur at the big bang( the explosion that marked the beginning of the universe and the birth of space-time itself).

Research proceedings:

In 1970 Hawking turned to the examination of the properties of black holes: the surface area of the event horizon (The boundary of a black hole) around a black hole could only increase or remain constant with time this area could never decrease. 黑洞的面積不會隨時間減少。

From 1970 to 1974, Hawking provided mathematical proof for the hypothesis as the "No Hair Theorem”: matter entering a black hole loses its shape, its chemical composition, and its distinction as matter or antimatter.

Since 1974 Hawking has studied the behavior of matter in a black hole in quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics （量子宇宙论） is a theory that describes black holes from which nothing was supposed to be able to escape could emit thermal radiation, or heat.

Throughout the 1990s Hawking sought to explain the universe by incorporating all four basic types of interactions between matter and energy: strong nuclear interactions, weak nuclear interactions, electromagnetic interactions, and gravitational interactions.

Current news:Current news:

Professor Hawking is currently interested in selling his hot air balloon basket, especially designed by experts for wheelchair access. This very special item is in excellent condition and ready to use

Professor Hawking has given many lectures to the general public.

Here are the more recent public lectures at Zhejiang University.

What is ALS?What is ALS?

ALS Amyotrophic   Lateral Sclerosis 肌萎缩侧索硬化 A = absence of 缺乏 myo = muscle 肌肉 trophic = nourishment 营养 Lateral = side(of spine) （脊髓的）边沿 Sclerosis = hardening 硬化 　

The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS through research, patient and community services, public education, and advocacy.

”卢伽雷氏症 ，即运动神经细胞萎缩症ALS, a rare progressive disease that handicaps movement and speech.

Major works:Major works: Universe in a Nutshell（

/ 果壳里的空间之王）The Illustrated Brief History of Time(1988)

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays (1993), （黑洞、婴儿宇宙及其他）

The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe《时空本性》

The Future of Spacetime 《未来的魅力》 A Brief History of Time: From the Big

Bang to Black Holes ———《时间简史 从大爆炸到黑洞》

In 1992 American filmmaker Errol Morris helped make all-time best seller A Brief History of Time into a film about Hawking’s life and work.

one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest in the United Kingdom

The University of Cambridge consists of over 100 departments, faculties and schools plus a central administration

discussion exercisesdiscussion exercises

Read the passage carefully. Take out the most touching part according to you and have some discussions about it. (why, how, examples)

Structures in the textStructures in the text He must have known… … just happen to… … rather than There seemed very little point in… because… It was not long, however, before he… Whenever he felt like … There is little doubt that … It was … that … As predicted,… There were many times when … … as it may seem, … Without the help of…, …would not have been …

Language understandingLanguage understanding odd: 1)peculiar or eccentric, fantastic 奇怪的古怪 2) number not divisible by two (opposed to even) 单数的 , 奇数的 3) not fixed, not regular, occasional 零星临时E.g. odd-looking man make a living by doing odd jobs odds: 1)the chance in favor of/against sth. Happening 可能的机会 2) things that are not even, inequalities 不平等E.g. The odds are against/ in favor of us.odds and ends: small articles and pieces usu. of small value; 零碎杂物 oddment

modal auxiliaries + perfect tensemodal auxiliaries + perfect tensecan/could have done may/might have done must have doneshould /ought to have doneneedn’t have done Exer. Her eyes are red. She _____. (cry)You ____more careful in this experiment.I dressed very warmly for the trip, but I __ ; the

weather was hot.

prep. + doingprep. + doing

Sb. has difficulty /trouble/a hard time (in) doing sth.Sb. has a big/ good time (in) doing sth.There is no point /use (in) doing sth.What is the use/ point/good (of) doing sth.?Be through (with) doing sth.

• end up: end up: 结束告终结束告终end in: 以—为结束 / 结果E.g. people who earn less money but enjoy

life may end up happier than those who work too much.

only to: 结果却，不料，反而E.g. The enemy troops rushed there only

to be ambushed. 敌人扑到那里却遭到伏击。

WorthWorthsth. is worth +n. ( money, time,

energy)sth. is worth doing

E.g.The event is worth looking forward to.He is worth a million dollars. The research is not worth the time and effort/ the price

worthy: 值得

be worthy of n.be worthy of being done be worthy to be done

worthwhileworthwhile doing sth./to do sth. + be worthwhileIt is worthwhile + doing sth./to do sth. It is worth one’s while + to do sth.

Exercises 1 ） The Yellow Stone Park is well -----a worth visiting b worthy visiting c worth to visit d worth visiting it2 ） The book is worthy of -------a reading b read c having read d being read3) Handle that flower vase carefully; it ---

a lot of money.a worths b is worth c worthed d is worthy of

cover: to include; travel; deal with 包含 包括，处理，走过 E.g. The class covered only half of what the teacher intended. 这堂课只完成了老师想干的工作的一半。 Our trip covered only half of what the tour guide

intended. 我们这趟旅游只去了一半导游想去的地方。

turnturn Turn up: 1) to fold turn up the shirt sleeves 2)to bring to the surface 3)to happen/ occur He’s still waiting for something to turn up. 4)to appear/ arrive He promised to come, but hasn’t turned up yet.Turn up one’s nose at sth. 轻视瞧不起Turn on/off Turn down 翻下 / 转小拧小 / 拒绝Turn to 开始工作从事

disability: n. 残疾Compare: able: adj.unable: adj. enable: v. 使能够 disable: v. 使无能为力， 尤指使残疾disabled: adj. crippled 残废的(disabled ex-service man 退役军人 )

term: 1) fixed period of time 期间 a long term of imprisonment2) (of school) period into which academic year is divided 学期3) word to express an idea, esp a specialized concept 术语 technical term/ legal term4) (pl.) mode of expression 措辞 , 说法 conditions offered or agreed to 条件 relations 关系 , 交情E.g. come to/make – with sb./sth. 与某人达成协议 / 接受某物 be on good /bad/ friendly – with sb. 与某人关系良好… . He referred to your work in terms of high praise. I didn’t know you and he were on such good terms

synonyms:synonyms:adviser counselor instructor supervisor faculty staff (pl.) crew

The newcomers found it impossible to __ themselves to the climate sufficently to make permanent homes in the new country.A. suit B. adaptC. regulate D. coordinate

In spite of the wide range of reading material specially written or __ for language learning purposes there is yet no comprehensive systematic program for the reading skill.A. adapted B. acknowledgedC. assembled D. appointed

When business is __, there is usually an obvious increase in unemployment.A. degraded B. depressedC. reduced D. lessened

They stood gazing at the happy __ of children playing in the park.A. perspective B. viewC. landscape D. scene

I was __ the point of telephoning him when his letter arrived.A. to B. on C. at D. in

The most important __ of his speech was that we should all work whole-heartedly for the people.A. element B. spotC. sense D. point

B

writingwriting

How to face difficulties in life?

Thank Thank You!You!

affect: act on effect: result; outcomeinfluence: v./n. exercise power to affect one’s

character, beliefs or actions through example, fear, admiration

1.Don’t be ___________ by bad examples.2.The __________ of Chinese medicine in treating

the kind of disease is clear.3.The person who ___________ me most deeply in

my childhood was my aunt.4.The amount of fertilizer you use often_______ the

size of a crop.

influenced

effect

influenced

affect

5.Climate has a great____________ on people’s lives. It can_____________ the food they eat, the houses they build and the way in which they dress. And weather________________ the way people feel, too. A gloomy day often makes people feel low. On the other hand, a bright sunny day_______________ people quite differently.

6.Einstein’s theory of relativity has great _________ on the science.influence

effectaffect

affects

affects

Above and over can often be used in the same way:Let’s hang the painting over/above the fireplace.

If there is an idea of movement over is used:The bird flew over the lake.The sheep jumped over the wall.

Over is also used if there is an idea of covering:He pulled the blanket over his head and fell asleep.They built a roof over the courtyard.

Under is the most common work when one thing is directly under another thing, or covered by it:under the bed/under the blanket

Beneath can also be used in this way, but may suggest that the two objects are not close to each other.The submarine waited, far beneath the ship.

Beneath is also used in poetic or literary writingThey strolled together beneath the summer moon.

Under(opposite over) is used when there is movement from one side to another:The boy crawled under the fence.

Underneath is used instead of under, a. to give more force to the idea of covering, touching, or hiding:The letter had been pushed underneath the carpet by accident.The old mine goes right underneath the city.

b. at the end of a sentence:She wore a red coat with a blue dress underneath.

Below(opposite above) suggests only that one thing is in a lower position than another:There is a lake below the village, further down the valley.