发布时间 : 星期六 文章大学英语Book2 Unit 2更新完毕开始阅读27c0363276eeaeaad0f3301a
that are widely open to us. (Para. 8)
Meaning: The most valid argument to support the humanities is perhaps they can provide us with a wide range of opportunities.
in favor of: supporting a person or an idea, proposal, etc. that you believe is right 支持，赞同
Congress has decided in favor of a ﹩200 million housing development. 美国国会已决定赞成一个两亿美元发展住房的计划。 the scope of: the range of 范围
The Student Association has promised to widen the scope of activities. 学生会已承诺要扩大活动范围。
25 Did you know that James Cameron, world-famous director of the movie, Titanic,
graduated with a degree in the humanities? So did Sally Ride, the first woman in space. So did actors Bruce Lee, Gwyneth Paltrow, Renee Zellweger and Matt Damon. Dr. Harold Varmus, who won a Nobel Prize for Medicine, studied the humanities. Even Michael Eisner, Chairman of the Disney Company, majored in the humanities. (Para. 8)
Meaning beyond words: All these famous people should attribute their success to their previous study of the humanities, which invested them with great insight and self-awareness.
Usage NOTE
so did I, so I did
1.“so+系动词（助动词或情态动词）+主语”结构为倒装语序，表示前句叙述的情况也同样适合后句的人或物，此结构中前后句的主语为不同的人或物。
The girl is smart and clever; so is her brother. 那个女孩聪明伶俐，她的兄弟同样也聪明睿智。
2.“so+主语+系动词（助动词或情态动词）”结构为正常语序，就前面提到的肯定事实予以确认，表示乙赞同甲的话。这种句型中，前后主语相同。此处so相当于indeed/certainly。
The girl says her brother works hard, and so he does. 那个女孩说她的兄弟很努力，他确实是很努力》
26Famous people who studied the humanities make a long list indeed. It’s easy to
see that the humanities can prepare us for many different careers and jobs we can undertake, whether medicine, business, science or entertainment. (Para. 8)
Meaning: It is true that famous people who studied the humanities can make up a long list. Obviously, the humanities enable us to engage in many different careers and jobs, no matter whether they are medicine, business, science or entertainment.
NOTE: “Whether medicine, business, science or entertainment” is an elliptical
clause. It can be understood as “whether they are medicine, business, science or entertainment”. In an elliptical clause some words are left out. Because it’s within a context, it is usually clear what is missing. As a rule, elliptical sentences consist of
two clauses, one containing the grammar elements the other has left out. For example:
1)Jessica had five dollars while Monica (had) one. 杰西卡有五美元，而莫妮卡只有一美元。
(The verb had is dropped from the second clause, but the meaning is still clear.) 2)Leave quickly when (you are) ready. 准备好就赶紧离开吧。 ( In the sentence, you are is understood though omitted.)
3) Although (she is) known for her beauty, Cornelia has a bad temper. 科妮莉亚虽然以美貌著称，不过她脾气很差。
(Even omitting she is, the sentence works fine—more concise and emphatic.) prepare…for…: make sb. ready and able to deal with a future event 使…做好准 备（应对未来）
We now need to prepare them for the digital economy. 我们现在需要让他们为 数码经济做好准备。
undertake: vt. (undertook, undertaken) agree to be responsible for a job or project and do it 承担；着手做
Dr. Johnson undertook the task of writing a comprehensive English dictionary. 约翰逊博士着手写一本详尽的英语词典。
27If we study only mathematics, it’s likely we will be a candidate only for jobs as a
mathematician. (Para. 8)
Meaning: If we study only mathematics, very possibly we will be a person who only competes for jobs as a mathematician.
Meaning beyond words: We can be more competitive if we study the humanities, together with mathematics.
candidate: n. [C] sb. who is being considered for a job or is competing in an election 候选人
One US corporation offered a large sum of money in support of a US presidential candidate at a time when the company was under investigation. 一个美国公司在接受调查期间为某个美国总统候选人提供了大量的金钱支持。
28If we include studying the humanities, we can make breakthroughs on many
barriers and are limited only by our effort and imagination. (Para. 8)
Meaning: If we also study the humanities, we can successfully remove many obstacles on our way and still develop our potential unless we don’t try enough and lack imagination.
breakthrough: n. [C] a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work 突破；重大发现；重大成就
Scientists have made more than one major breakthrough in the treatment of cancer. 科学家在治疗癌症方面取得了不止一个重大突破。
barrier: n. [C] anything that prevents progress or makes it difficult for sb. to achieve sth. 障碍
The new president advocated the removal of trade barriers for his country. 那位新总统主张为他的国家消除贸易壁垒。
29Of course, nowadays, if we study the humanities alone, we are liable to miss
many opportunities. (Para. 9)
Meaning: It is for sure that nowadays if we study the humanities alone, we are likely to miss many chances or opportunities.
liable: (be ~ to do sth.) likely to do sth. in a particular way because of a fault or tendency 可能（易于）做某事的
Many parts of the country are liable to suffer from flooding. 该国的许多地方易遭水灾。
30Each one of us needs to become as technically and professionally skilled as
possible to help meet the needs of modern life. (Para. 9)
Meaning: To satisfy the needs of modern life, all of us need to try our best to become technically and professionally skillful.
31In fact, increasingly a pairing of technical knowledge and inner insight is seen as
the ideal in the establishment of a career. (Para. 9)
Meaning: In fact, a combination of technical knowledge and inner insight is increasingly looked upon as the ideal mode for starting a career.
establishment: n. [U] the process of starting or creating sth. such as an organization 建立；创立；设立
We support their struggle for the establishment of a new international economic order. 我们支持他们为建立国际经济新秩序而斗争。
32If I were the Dean of Admissions at a medical school and two people applied to
our school, both having the required basic scientific courses, one a philosophy major and the other solely a pre-med student, the philosophy applicant would be chosen. (Para. 9)
Meaning: Suppose I were the Dean of Admissions at a medical school and I were recruiting two applicants. Both of them took the required basic scientific courses, but one is a philosophy major and the other just pre-med. I would surely choose the one with the philosophy background.
NOTE: In American culture, the“dean”is usually the head of a“division” or
“college”within the larger unit of the university.
sole: a. (only before noun) the only one of a particular type 唯一的；仅有的
The sole purpose of his trip was to attend a concert at Carnegie Hall. 他此行的唯一目的是参加在卡内基音乐厅举行的一场音乐会。
solely: ad. involving nothing except the person or thing mentioned 唯一地；仅仅 Scholarships are given solely on the basis of financial need. 奖学金的颁发只根据财务需要。
pre-med：a.(AmE) relating to classes that prepare a student for medical school, or to the students who are taking these classes. 医学院预科的；针对医学院的预科生的 My sister wants to become a doctor, and she is now a pre-med student. 我妹妹想
成为一名医生，她现在是医学院的预科生。
33In summary, the humanities help to create well-rounded human beings with
insight and understanding of the passions, hopes and dreams common to all humanity. (Para. 10)
Meaning: To summarize, with the help of the humanities, we can create all-rounded people who are insightful and well understand the passions, hopes and dreams common to all humanity.
well-rounded human beings: human beings with a range of interests and skills and a variety of experience 全面发展的人
34The humanities, the ancient timeless reservoir of knowledge, teach us to see
things differently and broaden our horizons. They are as useful and relevant in our modern age as they have always been. (Para. 10)
Meaning: The humanities, the ancient timeless resource of knowledge, teach us to see things from different perspectives and to expand our horizons, which is useful and related to our modern life, just as it has always been.
Note: Humanities is considered as a plural noun when it refers to different subjects
such as history, philosophy, or English, but in modern tendency, it can be considered as grammatically singular when it refers to an academic discipline or field. reservoir: n. [C]
1) a large quantity of sth. that can be used 积蓄；储备
Colleges are a reservoir of talents for companies. 大学是企业的人才库。
2)an artificial or natural lake where water is stored so that it can be supplied to the houses in an area （人造的）水库；（天然）蓄水湖
If it rains heavily, the reservoir will overflow. 如果下大雨，水库里的水将会溢出来。
35Doesn’t it make sense to spend some time in the company of the humanities, our
outstanding and remarkable treasure of knowledge? (Para. 10)
Meaning: Isn’t it reasonable to spend some time with the humanities, our extremely good and marvelous treasure of knowledge?
Meaning beyond words: It’s beneficial to study the humanities.
Note: This is a rhetorical question(反问句), thereby requiring no answer at all. In
other words, a rhetorical question is one which is asked in order to make a statement rather than get an answer. For example:
Don’t you know you are mistaken again? 你难道不知道你又错了吗?
Why don’t you let your brother speak rather than interrupt each time he tries to talk? 为什么你不能让你哥哥说话，而是每次他试图说话时就打断他呢？ in the company of：in sb.’s company; with sb. 和某人在一起
She caught sight of her grandson, in the company of three other boys of similar age, going into the narrow alley which led to the railway. 她看见她的孙子与其他三个年龄相仿的男孩一起，进入了那条通向铁路的狭窄小巷。