Unit one
Elementary Schools in early America
What accounts for the great outburst of major inventions in early America -- breakthroughs such as the telegraph, the steamboat and the weaving machine?
Among the many shaping factors, I would single out the country's excellent elementary schools; a labor force that welcomed the new technology; the practice of giving premiums to inventors; and above all the American genius for nonverbal, "spatial" thinking about things technological.
Why mention the elementary schools? Because thanks to these schools our early mechanics, especially in the New England and Middle Atlantic states, were generally literate and at home in arithmetic and in some aspects of geometry and trigonometry.
Acute foreign observers related american adaptiveness and inventiveness to this educational advantage. As a member of a British commission visiting here in 1853 reported, "With a mind prepared by thorough school discipline, the American boy develops rapidly into the skilled workman."
A further stimulus to invention came from the "premium" system, which preceded our patent system and for years ran parallel with it. This approach, originated abroad, offered inventors medals, cash prizes and other incentives.
In the United States, multitudes of premiums for new devices were awarded at country fairs and at the industrial fairs in major cities. Americans flocked to these fairs to admire the new machines and thus to renew their faith in the beneficence of technological advance.
Given this optimistic approach to technological innovation, the American worker took readily to that special kind of nonverbal thinking required in mechanical technology. As Eugene Ferguson has pointed out, "A technologist thinks about objects that cannot be reduced to unambiguous verbal descriptions; they are dealt with in his mind by a visual, nonverbal process. The designer and the inventor are able to assemble and manipulate in their minds devices that as yet do not exist."
This nonverbal "spatial" thinking can be just as creative as painting and writing. robert fulton once wrote, "The mechanic should sit down among levers, screws, wedges, wheels, etc. , like a poet among the letters of the alphabet, considering them as an exhibition of his thoughts, in which a new arrangement transmits a new idea."
When all these shaping forces -- schools, open attitudes, the premium system, a genius for spatial thinking -- interacted with one another on the rich U.S. mainland, they produced that american characteristic, emulation. Today that word implies mere imitation. But in earlier times it meant a friendly but competitive striving for fame and excellence.
invention n. 1.發明,發明物 2.捏造,虛構
inventor n.發明家,發明者
[聯想詞]
inventory n.1.詳細目錄 2.存貨清單
breakthhrough n. 1.突圍,突破 2.重大成就,驚人發現
[聯想詞]
breakdown n. 1.垮臺,破裂 2.衰竭,衰弱 3.損壞,故障 4.分類
premium n. 1.保險金 2.額外費用 3. 獎品,贈品,額外津貼 
a. 1.高級的,優質的 2.售價高的
[聯想詞]
subsidy n. 津貼,補貼
verbal a. 1.口頭的 2.用言辭的,用文字的
[聯想詞]
vocal a. 發聲的,嗓音的
spatial a. 空間的,與空間有關的
literacy n.識字,有文化,讀寫能力
literate a.1.有讀寫能力的 2.有文化修養的
stimulus n. 1.促進 2.刺激
[聯想詞]
provocation n. 1.挑釁,挑撥 2.刺激,激怒
provocative a. 1.挑釁的,煽動的 2.刺激的
precede vt. 在...之前,先于
precedent n. 1.先例,范例,判例 2.慣例
patent n.專利,專利權
a.專利(權)的,受專利保護的
vt.得到...的專利權
originate vi. 起源于,來自,產生
vt.創造,創始,開創
[聯想詞]
commence v.開始
incentive n.刺激,鼓勵
multitude n. 1.大量,許多 2.大眾,民眾
ambiguous a.引起歧義的,模式棱兩可的,含糊不清的
[聯想詞]
indefinite a. 1.不明確的,含糊的 2.無限期的
exdplicit a. 1.明確的,明晰的;詳述的 2.直言的,毫不隱瞞的,露骨的
manipulate vt. 1.操縱,控制,影響 2.操作,使用
lever n. 1.杠桿 2.途徑,工具,手段
vt. 撬動,撬起
wedge n.楔(子) vt. 把...楔入,塞入
[聯想詞]
groove n. 溝,槽
hinge n. 鉸鏈
interact vi. 相互作用,相互影響
emulation n. 1.競賽,競爭 2.仿效,仿真
imitation n. 1.模仿 2.仿制,仿制品 3.贗品
strive vi. 努力,奮斗,力求
sculpture n.1.雕刻,雕塑 2.雕刻作品,雕塑品
[聯想詞]
carve vt. 1.切,把...切碎 2.雕刻,刻
engrave vt. 1.在...上雕刻 2.使銘記,使牢記
statue n. 雕像,塑像
bust n. 1.胸像,半身像 2.胸部,胸圍
marble n. 1.大理石 
diploma n. 畢業文憑,畢業證書,資格證書
[聯想詞]
diplomat n. 1.外交官,外交家 2.有交際手段的人,圓滑的人
perpetual a. 1.永久的,永恒的,長期的 2.無休止的,沒完沒了的
 
Unit Two
Fight Again Youth Smoking
　　Three years ago, appalled by how many children were becoming addicted to cigarettes every year, the Vice President and I committed this administration to stopping the sale and marketing of cigarettes to children. Today, thanks to these efforts and the persistence of state attorneys general, the public health community, and leaders in Congress, we have the best opportunity ever to pass comprehensive anti-smoking legislation that well save millions of our children from a premature, painful, and very preventable death.
　　 This week, in a historic and resounding 19 to 1 vote, a key Senate committee gave its stamp of approval to comprehensive legislation sponsored by Senator John McCain, a Republican, and Senator Fritz Hollings, a Democrat, that would cut youth smoking by half over the next decade. This bill represents a dramatic step forward. It would raise the price of cigarettes, give the FDA full authority to regulate tobacco products, ban advertising aimed at children, and protect tobacco farmers.
　　We still have work to do in this legislation. Above all, we need to put in place tough penalties that will cost the tobacco industry if it continues to sell cigarettes to young people. Just this week the Centers for Disease Control released a disturbing report that more than a third of teenagers in the United States now smoke, even though it's illegal.
　　 It is time to hold tobacco companies accountable. Reducidng youth smoking must be veerybody's bottom line. Let's remember -- this is not about politics or money, or seeking revenge against the tobacco industry for past practices. We're not trying to put the tobacco companies out of business; we want to put them out of the business of selling cigarattes to kids. This week's progress in the Senate shows we have real momentum in both parties to do just that.
　　There're still maly issues to be worked out and many long nights ahead. But we have within our grasp one of the most important public health victories our nation has ever achieved.
　　 Finally, lit me just pause a moment to observe the 30th anniversary of the death of one of America's greatest heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King. His dream, deeply rooted in the American Dream, is a dream for all Americans. Let us here at home always strive to heed Dr. King's words and live up to his legacy.
　　　　　　　　　　-------- Bill Clinton
appall vt.使驚駭,使大吃一驚
[聯想詞]
terrify vt.使害怕,使驚嚇
outrage vt.激起...的義憤,激怒
n.1.義憤,憤慨 2.暴行,駭人聽聞的事件
addict n.1.有癮的人 2.入迷的人 
vt.使成癮,使入迷
[聯想詞]
cocaine n.可卡因
toxic a.有毒的,中毒引起的
persistent a. 1.堅持不懈的,執意的 2.持續的
persistence n.1.堅持不懈,執意 2. 持續性,持續狀態
[聯想詞]
stubborn a. 1.頑固的,執拗的,倔強的 2.難對付的,難于克服的
legislation n.1.法律,法規 2,立法的,法律的制定
[聯想詞]
legitimate a. 1.合情合理的 2.合法的,法律認可的
judicial a. 1.司法的,法庭的,審判的 2.明斷的,公正的
sue vi.1.控告,起訴 2.要求,請求 vt.控告,起訴
prosecute vt.1.對...提起公訴,告發,檢舉 2.繼續從事 vi.起訴,告發
defendant n.被告
invalid a.1.無效的,作廢的 2.無可靠依據的 n.病弱者,殘疾者
testify vi.1.作證,證明 2.表明,說明 vt.作證,證明
testimony n.1.證詞 2.見證,證明
premature a.1.比預期時間早是 2.不成熟的,倉促的
authority n.1.權力,管轄權 2.官方,當局 3.當權者,行政管理機構 4.權威,專家
authoritative a.1.權威性的,可信的 2.專斷的,命令式的
authorize vt.授權,批準
[聯想詞]
definitive a. 1.最可靠的,權威性的 2.決定性的
accountable a. 負起責任的
revenge n.報復,報仇
momentum n.1.動力,沖力,勢力 2.動量
[聯想詞]
impetus n.1.推動,促進,刺激 2.推動力
strive vi.努力,奮斗,力求
heed vt.留心,注意,聽從
legency n.遺贈的財物,遺產
deadly a.1.致死的,致命的 2.不共戴天的,殊死的 3.極度的,十足的 ad.非常,極度地]
[聯想詞]
drastic a.1.極端的,嚴厲的 2.激烈的,迅猛的
epidemic n.1.流行病 2.流傳,流行 a.流行性的,流傳極廣的
lure vt.吸引,引誘,誘惑
 
Unit Three
Beauty Is Meaningless
　　A young man sees a sunset and, unable to understand or to express the emotion that it rouses in him, concludes that it must be the gateway to a world that lies beyond. It is difficult for any of us in moments of intense aesthetic experience to resist the suggestion that we are catching a glimpse of a light that shines down to us from a different realm of existence, different and, because the experience is intensely moving, in some wqy higher. And, though the gleams blind and dazzle, yet they do convey a hint of beauty and serenity greater than we have known or imagined. Greater too than we can describe, for language, which was invented to convey the meanings of this world, cannot readily be fitted to the uses of another. 
　　That all great art has this power of suggesting a world beyond is undeniable. In some moods, Nature shares it. There is no sky in June so blue that it does not point forward to a bluer, no sunset so beautiful that it does not waken the vision of a greater beauty, a wision which passes before it is fully glimpsed, and in passing leaves an indefinable linging and regret. But, if this world is not merely a bad joke, life a vulgar flare amid the cool radiance of the stars, and existence an empty laugh braying across the mysteries, if these intimations of a something behind and beyond are not evil humour born of indigestion, or whimsies sent by the devil to mock and madden us , if, in a word, beauty means something, yet we must not seek to interpret the meaning. If we glimpse the unutterable, it is unwise to try to utter it, nor should we seek to invest with significance that which we cannot grasp. Beauty in terms of our human meanings is meaningless.
intense a. 1.強烈的,劇烈的,緊張的 2.認真的,專注的 3.熱情的,熱切的
intensify v. (使)增強,(使)加劇
aesthetic a. 1.美學的,審美的 2.悅目的,雅致的
gleam vi.1.閃亮,閃爍 2.閃現,流露 n.1.閃光,閃亮 2.閃現,流露
[聯想詞]
sparkle vi.1.發光,閃耀,閃爍 2.活躍,煥發 n.1.發光,閃耀,閃爍 2.活力,生氣
glitter vi. 閃閃發光,閃耀 n.閃光,燦爛的光輝 2.耀眼,輝煌
dazzle vt. 使眩目 n.1.耀眼的光 2.令人贊嘆的東西
serenity n. 1.平靜,安詳 2.晴朗,明朗