Lesson Seven The Greatest Invention

Lord Dunsany

Warming-up: Discussion What is the purpose of science in your

mind? Science is knowledge and knowledge is

power. But power for what? to make more profits to enable them to destroy, kill and conquer to bring happiness to mankind …

Background Information About the author

Lord Dunsany, (1878-1957), is one of the most acclaimed names in the field of fantastic fiction, held in high esteem by many of today's major writers.

A man of broad ability, in the field of writing alone the Writer Lord's work ranged from popular plays through fantasy and science fiction

Germ warfare

Germ is an informal term for a disease-causing organism, particularly bacteria.

Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of any organism (bacteria, virus or other disease-causing organism) or toxin found in nature, as a weapon of war. It is meant to incapacitate or kill an adversary.

Biological warfare is a cause for concern because a successful attack could conceivably result in thousands, possibly even millions, of deaths and could cause severe disruptions to societies and economies. However the consensus among military analysts is that except in the context of bioterrorism, biological warfare is militarily of little use.

Words and phrases:1. decent: acceptable, good enough

a decent meal/job/house/ hotel

decent clothes/ wages

2. liquid: (literacy) clear, shining like water

晶莹的蓝眼睛 liquid blue eyes

3. figure

You have to watch our diet if you want to keep your figure.

the exact figure

both a political and a religious figure person

to play the figure of a judge

Shape

Number

Person

character

4. cavalry charges: rushes to attack the enemy on horseback

1. The hotel charged me $50 for a room for the night. (ask in payment)

2. Suddenly the wild animal charged at us. (rush to attack)

3. He was charged with murder and betrayal. (to accuse formally of a crime)

4. The soldiers charged their guns and prepared to fire. (to load)

5. He is always charged with strength and power. (to take in the correct amount of electricity/power) 

5. justice a just ruler a just cause just deserts a just

appraisal honorable and fair 公正的 consistent with what is morally right; righteous

正义的 properly due or merited 应得的 based on fact or sound reason; well-founded 有

根有据的

6. what if: what would happen if let loose: to let sb. or sth. go free plague: any disease causing death and spreading quickly to a large

number of people

What if we move the picture over here? 我们把画移到这儿怎么样 ? You should not let loose your indignation in this way. 你不该用这种方式发泄愤慨 . A great many people have been swept away by the plague. That child is a plague of her life. The little boy plagued his father by begging over and over to go to

the zoo. You’ve been plaguing me with silly questions all day!

7.have sth. within one’s grasp: to be able to achieve or attain sth.

keep sb. at sth.: to force sb. to continue to do sth. Success is within our grasp now. 现在我们已有成功的把握了 . She has an excellent position within her grasp. 她唾手可得一个很好的职位 . To do exercise once in awhile is not enough. You’ve got

to keep at it. He keeps at his studies, although he is ill. Keep at him for payment. 

8. spur: to urge sb. to try harder He was spurred on by poverty to commit a

crime.( 刺激） To him difficulties were simply spurs to

endeavor.( 刺激（物） ) Ambition is an excellent spur for the young. 雄心是青年人的一种极好的推动力 .

9. bribe (n.): money or sth. valuable given to sb. to persuade him to do sth. dishonest

bribe (v.): to pay sb. to persuade him to do sth. dishonestly

bribe sb. (with sth.)/bribe sb. (into doing sth.): They bribed the superintendent with cigarettes. 他们用香烟贿赂管理员 . She was offered a $50000 bribe to drop the

charges.  有人用 5 万元贿赂她 , 要她撤回控告 .

10. but for: if not for 要不是…

I would have fallen but for his sudden arm.

要不是他一把抓住 , 我就摔倒了 .

But for your help, I would not have finished the work.

要不是你的帮助 , 我无法完成这工作 .

11. alive, living, live alive: used only as a predicative living: used as a predicative or attributive live: 1) that is alive or living, as opposed to dead;

chiefly used as an attributive; 2) (of performance) heard or watched at the time of its occurrence, seen or heard as it happens, as opposed to recorded on film or tape etc.; or given in front of a public audience, as opposed to in a recording studio etc.

12. Able, capable, competent/ qualified able: suggests ability above the average as revealed in

actual performance: proved that she is an able Shakespeare actress

capable: stresses the having of qualities fitting one for work but does not imply outstanding ability: capable of doing simple tasks under supervision

competent and qualified imply having the experience or training for adequate performance: a leap that any competent ballet dancer can execute; seek help from a qualified medical professional

13. examine, check, inspect examine suggests looking at sth carefully to see if it is healthy

or in good order

The water samples were ~d for traces of pollution.

The doctor ~d the patient with scrupulous care.

~ the quality of the furniture critically

Before entering, Holmes made an examination of the door.

check suggests examining sth in order to learn whether it is correct, or to determine the condition, validity etc of sth

Did you lock the door? – I’ll go and ~.

Will you please ~ these figures?

I’ve ~ed your answers and none of them are correct.

Next, ~ the gear and hand brake.

Inspect a more formal word, suggests examining the details of sth thoroughly with a view towards noting discrepancies or deficiencies by critically comparing it to a standard of excellence, quality or the like

The firemen ~ed an abandoned warehouse for potential fire hazards.

The sergeant ~ed his own rifle. ~ the front position ~ all farms where milk is sold