|
Directions: You are expected to study this section in class. Don’t preview.
- Word Pretest
For each italicized word or phrase , choose the best meaning below.
- Today we will discuss the responsibilities appertaining to the chairmanship.
- interesting
- belonging
- appealing
- She has run the whole gamut of human experience.
- practice
- control
- range
- We lost the election because of the apathy of our supporters.
- sympathy
- indifference
- emotion
- The houses in this colony were all identical.
- old-fashioned
- different
- similar
- The question of overtime pay proved to be an insurmountable stumbling block to agreement.
- stimulus
- obstacle
- difficulty
- Henry was said to be a meticulous worker.
- extremely careless
- extremely careful
- extremely hard-working
- We can hardly read any impartial news report in the local newspaper.
- good
- informative
- unbiased
8. The effects of pollution are impinging on every aspect of our lives.
A.influencing
B.reflecting
C.improving
9. These bats live in deep caves in perpetual darkness
A .complete
B. everlasting
C .blingdign
10 .Sometimes the jargon of the advertising business appears difficult and strange.
A .wording
B .beginning
C .production
2 Text
2.1Cultural Background
Athenian：雅典人。
Spartan：斯巴达人。
Peloponnesian wart： 伯罗奔尼撒战争，西元前431一前404斯巴 达人及其同盟者在希腊全境陆地和海上进行的战争，战争的根本原因是雅典的帝国主义以及帝国主义在一些主要的内地城邦如科林斯和斯巴达所引起的恐惧。战争持续时间虽长，但重大的战斗不多。由于作战双方实力相当。战争相持不下，直到波斯干预并支持斯巴达方面，战争才告结束。结果是雅典人失败，他们的帝国因之瓦解。
Caesar：凯撒(约西元前100--前44)。罗马政治家，曾号称“终身独裁者”。
Pompey：庞培(西元前106--前48)。罗马共和国后期政治家和将军。西元前50年代，他与凯撒发生矛盾，连连受挫，最后终于在法萨卢斯平原战役(西元前48)中失败，不久在埃及被害。
Nelson：纳尔逊(1758--1805)，英国海军名将。生于诺福克郡伯纳姆索普。1770年参加海军。1784年被派往西印度群岛执行 “航海条例”以对抗新独立的美国。1794年率海军部队攻占巴斯蒂亚和卡尔维，战斗中右眼失明，在圣克鲁斯之战中又失去右臂。1798年追击法国舰队至埃及，终于在阿布吉尔湾全歼法舰。1801年升为海军中将，指挥进攻哥本哈根之战。由男爵进爵为子爵，并任舰队总司令。1805年在特拉法尔加角对法国和西班牙联合舰队的海战中获得辉煌胜利。纳尔逊在旗舰“胜利号”上受致命伤。遗体运回家乡，葬于圣保罗大教堂。
Wellington：惠灵顿(1769--1852)，英国将军、政治家、首相(1828—1830)。生于爱尔兰都柏林，1781年随军入伍，随团队前往印度。击败蒂普苏丹，升任迈索尔总督，1804年被授予爵士。1806年当选为下议院议员，1807年任爱尔兰事务大臣。他在1807年哥本哈根远征中击败丹麦人，在半岛战争中把法军赶出葡萄牙，并获得塔拉韦拉(1809)、萨拉曼卡(1812)和土伦(1814)战役的胜利。1818年任军需总监。1827年任陆军总司令。在皮尔内阁时期
(1834--1835)他任外交大臣。1846年退休。卒于肯特郡沃尔默堡。
Napoleonic wars：拿破仑战争，18．00--1815年拿破仑战争为法国革命战争的延续，目的在于维持法国在欧洲的霸权地位。这些战争最初维护了1789年法国大革命带来的政治、经济、社会等方面的变革，但逐渐显露出拿破仑的个人野心。战争以拿破仑破坏第二次反法同盟(1800)开始，经过一个和平间歇期(1802--1803)后英国继续采取敌对行动，促使拿破仑决心入侵英国，并促成第三次反法同盟(1805—1807)的成立，英国保持海上优势(1805)，而拿破仑则建立陆地上的支配地位，并以经济战为配合侵犯西班牙(1808)和俄国(1812)，但法国逐渐被第四次反法同盟(1813—1874)所压倒。百日政权以滑铁卢战役告终(1815)。
Cavaliers：骑士党。在英国内战中为查理一世作战的人。这个称呼是1642年议会支持者们用来贬损那些头披长发、手持利剑、耀武扬威的宫延侍卫们的，据说这些人欢迎战争的降临。同样地，议会党人也被骑士们骂为“圆颅党”，事情是在1641年斯特拉福德(Stratford)受审期间在威斯敏斯特举行的煽动性集会上发生的，当时短发的学徒们在上议院外面袭击了查理一世的支持者。
Roundheads：圆颅党。
Ashanti：阿散蒂人。
Fulani：富拉尼人，亦称富尔贝人或颇尔人。
Yoruba：约鲁巴人。
The word politics is derived from the ancient Greek word “polis”, meaning a city, since in ancient Greece the basic unit of human organization was the city . From” polos” came the word “polites”, meaning “citizen”, and “politicos”, an adjective meaning “appertaining to the city, the citizen, and citizenship” .From”Politikos” is derived the English word politics.
Politics has been defined as the study of the general principles on which government can be carried on successfully, in other words, the study of the exercises of power. Not all the activities of the community fall within the scope of ,but in different places and at different times the whole gamut of human activities has been regarded as falling within the sphere of political control. In a dictatorship, for example , we usually find a much greater regulation of the activities of the individual than we find in a democracy. Since , therefore, politics is the concern of everybody with any sense of responsibility, no one should ever pride on being “not interested in politics”. It is in fact this indifference which so many people express towards politics, and which allows groups of extremists or irresponsible people to seize power in a country. There are various reasons for this indifference. One is the ignorance or apathy of a large proportion of the population ,which fails to see that political issues are the vital concern of everyone .Another is the feeling of impotence engendered in the ordinary citizen of mass democracy ,in which he feels that the consequences of his own individual political exertions are so trivial in their effect upon national policymaking that he might just as well save his energies for something more entertaining, like supporting the local football team. Finally, many people feel that there is an atmosphere of unreality in outward manifestations of political activity, such as election campaigns ,debates in parliament , etc .;that they are in fact mere puppet shows ,with faceless potentates behind the scenes pulling the string to manipulate the public actors, thus subjecting all decision-making to their hidden control.
Very often the study of politics is referred to as political science. Is this a correct description ? The answer to this naturally depends on what we mean by the words” science” and “scientific”. Obviously, all serious study must be “scientific” in the sense that all conclusions that are drawn must be based on ascertainable facts, and that all our studies must be carried out with the minimum of prejudice and emotion and with the maximum of rational enquiry and deduction. But if we imply ,when we use the word “science”, that we are obtaining from our studies precisely predictable results , such as can be obtained in a chemistry or physics laboratory, politics cannot be a “science”, because we are dealing with people and not things ,it is the study of how men live together and co-operate in matters of common interest.
In this sphere of human relationships, then , we cannot expect a mathematically accurate answer .We cannot tell what an individual will do in any given circumstances, not are there ever two identical sets of circumstances, creating identical human situations.
All that we can from the scientific study of politics is a number of strictly limited conclusions. Beyond that we cannot go. As Spender said:” Belief in the existence of a science from which rules and principles may be deduced for the government of mankind seems to be one of the most disastrous of the many political myths of recent years.”
The use of the term” Political Science” may therefore be misleading and it seems preferable to be on the safe by using either “Politics” or “Government” to describe this field of studies .Indeed, the absence of exact results in political studies suggests that politics should be regarded more as an art than as a science. One of the serious stumbling-blocks for the student of politics is the inadequacy of the terminology which he will have to use. Word like Democracy, Totalitarianism, and Imperialism tend to mean only what the person using them wishes them to mean. We must therefore be careful in our own studies to be meticulous in our use of such words.
Another difficulty in the study of politics is the problem of being impartial. Since politics impinges on the everyday life of every single inhabitant of the world in one way or another , no one can be neutral in his attitude towards political issues. We are all involved ;we all have our own personal attitudes and idiosyncrasies; and our judgment is bound to be affected by this .Even when we when we study the politics of remote countries or remote periods of human history, we find our attitudes being emotionally colored by our present pattern of political prejudices. We find ourselves taking sides with the Athenians against the Spartans in the Peloponnesian war ,with Caesar against Pompey in the Roman civil war , with Nelson or Wellington rather than with Napoleon in the Napoleonic was ,with the Cavaliers against the Roundheads or the Roundheads against the Cavaliers; with the Ashanti against the Fante , or the Fulani against the Yoruba, or vice versa ,all of this being a mere projection of our present attitudes and commitments, and having no validity as the basis of judgment in political history.
Another difficulty in the study of politics is the problem of change .Since politics is the study of relationships between living being , the situations which are being studied are inevitably in perpetual state of change—to use the jargon, the situations are dynamic. We must therefore never be dogmatic in our political views, as the circumstances which gave rise to our views may have changed before we express them.
In order, then, to study politics in as scientific a way as possible , we must realize our own limitations (that we stand at a particular point in space and time and are “blinkered” by that very fact )and we must try to adopt for adopt for ourselves of values which, as far as make them so , must be applicable at all times and in all places.
Finally, do not be misled by the apparent ease of the subject .Politics, unfortunately, suffers from being the one subject in which everybody considers himself an expert, whether he has made a systematic study of the subject or not. If, in discussion, people would always bear in mind the points which have been made in this article there would be no problem, but, alas, they do not.
Total Words: 1096
Total Reading Time
The text is based on Comparative Government by J .H. Price, Hutchinson, London, 1975.
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.
1. According to the text, the word Polites means
A. city
B. citizen
C. citizenship
D. state
2. The author believes that politics is the concern of
A. dictators
B. presidents
C. experts
D. everybody
3. According to the text , politics cannot be a “ science “for the following reasons except
A. it deals with people
B. its conclusions are based on ascertainable facts
C. it is not a serious study
D. exact results cannot be obtained
4. In Spender’s quotation, the word “myth” probably means
A. legend
B. tradition
C. untrue belief
D. story
5. In the study of politics, one should the words like Democracy, Totalitarianism and Imperialism.
A. reject the use of
B. give his personal interpretation of
C. be car in the use of
D. be satisfied with the adequacy of
6. The following are the difficulties mentioned by the author in the study of politics except the problem of
A. precise terminology
B. neutral attitude
C. constant change
D. adequate data
7. In order to study politics scientifically, we must
A. be dogmatic in our political views
B. adopt a system of universal values
C. ignore our limitations
D. stand at a fixed point in space and time
8. It can be inferred from the text that
A. since everybody knows something about politics, it is an easy subject to study.
B. “Political Science” is a correct description for the study of politics
C. politics studies all the activities of human society
D. in discussion, people forget that political judgment is emotionally colored by personal attitudes and prejudices.
key
Vocabulary Building
Definition
Define the following terms in your words:
Politics
government
bureaucracy
democracy
dictatorship
Idioms
Complete the following sentences with the appropriate idiomatic expressions which related to idea of FRIENDLNESS. Make sure it fits the blanks.
be cool toward someone icy stare
give someone the cold shoulder turn one’s back on someone
turn one’s nose up at someone welcome someone with open arms
1. Margaret’s could freeze a polar bear.
2. She when I asked her to the party.
3. Sally introduced her new boyfriend to me at a party. I shook hands with him, and try to make conversation, but he and didn’t seem interested in talking to me.
4. I’m sure they wanted us to stay for dinner. They .
5. You are at a party and see a classmate. You wave to him across the room, but he and didn’t seem interested in talking to me.
6. Sandy just about everyone.
General Vocabulary Exercise
Use the appropriate form of the word given in the brackets to fill in the co”
responding blank.
1. Lisa was little to end her trip and return to Boston (reluctance)
2. Not wanting its economy to become too overly dependent upon oil drilling, Alaska is trying its business interests. (diverse).
3．Many of the previously enthusiastic became discouraged and gave up after several months of back-breaking work with no reward(optimism).
4. Plan trees wave in cool ocean breezes. (Serenity).
5. Their were fulfilled when the ship rounded a bend and magnificent Glacier Bay came into view.(expect).
6. She would hate to feel that she was on anyone. (impose).
7. The valuable huskies and their drivers great amounts of energy racing the sleds over snow- covered paths (expendable).
8. Rain is a in the desert (rare)
9. She made a very comment.(perceive)
10. Dancers in grass skirts move to music play on native Hawaiian instruments (symbolize)
Analogies
Select the lettered pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that expressed in
the original pair.
- INTIMIDATE:FEAR:
A. maintain: satisfaction B. astonish: wonder
C. soothe: concern D. feed: hunger
2. STOE: KITCHEN:
A. window: bedroom B. sink: bathroom
C. television: lining room D. trunk: attic
3. CELEBRATE: MARRIAGE:
A. announce: birthday B. report: injury
C. lament: bereavement D. trunk: attic
4. MATGARINE: BUTTER:
A. cream: milk B. lace: cotton
C. nylon: silk D. egg: chicken
5. NEGLIGENT: REQUIREMENT:
A. careful: position B. remiss: duty
C. cautious: injury D. cogent: task
6. SATURNINE: MERCURIAL:
A. Saturn: Venus B. Apennines: Alps
C. redundant: wordy D. allegro: adagio
7. BANISH: APOSTATE:
A. reward: traitor B. request: assistance
C. welcome: ally D. avoid: truce
8. AFFIRM: HINT:
A. say: deny B. assert: convince
B. confirm: reject D. charge: insinuate
key
Cloze
Read through the following passage and then decide which of the choices given below correctly complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blanks.
The term” government” brings to many 1 the notion of interference with the activities of individuals, and their organization for national purposes. The experience of war has 2 this conception. War demands much interference with the live and woke of individuals, and 3 the control and direction of man power, of national resources and national morale. These functions of government have also their expression in time of 4 . Such matters as the liberty of the subject, national defense, free trade and tariff reform, imports and exports, the 5 of husband and wife, and parent and child are all subjects which modern national governments regard as their proper concern.
With these great matters local authorities have 6 to do. Their chief concern is 7 what may be called the domestic work of a civilized community. The central government will decide whether there is to be war or peace, whether agriculture or other industries to be subsidized, or merely let 8 .What local authorities have to do is to keep the place tidy and fit to live in, to see that the streets are swept, that the house are properly built, to provide parks and gardens for the 9 of young and old, to educate the children, to tend the sick, and to care for the helpless and the aged. This is the job of local government. It is a fine job, necessary, and one well worth 10 .Without it, no civilized country can carry on, or call itself civilized.
1. A. hearts B. heads C. minds D. persons
2. A. aided B. undermined C. attacked D. contradicted
3 A. permits B. requires C. abandons D. offers
4. A. war B. plague C. conflict D. peace
5. A. relation B. relations C. relationship D. relationships
6. A. much B. less C. little D. more
7. A. with B. over C. to D. for
8. A. lone B. lonely C. alone D. aside
9. A. creation B. recreation C. creative D. recreative
10. A. do B. to do C. doing D. done
key
|
