21世紀大學英語讀寫教程第四冊Unit1課文講解

導語：作為一個年輕的男孩，愛因斯坦在學校做得很差，老師覺得他很慢。年輕的拿破崙·波拿巴只是法國陸軍數百名火炮中尉之一。喬治·華盛頓少年​​，沒有受過正規教育，正在接受訓練，不是作為士兵，而是作為土地測量師。誰是偉大的?下面這篇英語課文將詳敍這方面的內容，歡迎閲讀。

First Listening

Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

genetics

遺傳學

psychiatry

精神病學

persistent

堅持不懈的

Second Listening

Listen to the tape again and then answer the following questions.

question did professor Simonton's research project seek to answer?

three personality traits of great people are mentioned?

a) __________________________________________________________.

b) __________________________________________________________.

c) __________________________________________________________.

negative trait of "great" people is mentioned?

4. Does professor Simonton believe that great people are more often mentally ill than other people?

　　Michael Ryan

As a young boy, Albert Einstein did so poorly in school that teachers thought he was slow. The young Napoleon Bonaparte was just one of hundreds of artillery lieutenants in the French Army. And the teenage George Washington, with little formal education, was being trained not as a soldier but as a land surveyor.

Despite their unspectacular beginnings, each would go on to carve a place for himself in history. What was it that enabled them to become great? Were they born with something special? Or did their greatness have more to do with timing, devotion and, perhaps, an uncompromising personality?

For decades, scientists have been asking such questions. And, in the past few years, they have found evidence to help explain why some people rise above, while others—similarly talented, perhaps—are left behind. Their findings could have implications for us all.

Who is great? Defining who is great depends on how one measures success. But there are some criteria. "Someone who has made a lasting contribution to human civilization is great," said Dean Keith Simonton, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and author of the 1994 book Greatness: Who Makes History and Why. But he added a word of caution: "Sometimes great people don't make it into the history books. A lot of women achieved great things or were influential but went unrecognized."

In writing his book, Simonton combined historical knowledge about great figures with recent findings in genetics, psychiatry and the social sciences. The great figures he focused on include men and women who have won Nobel Prizes, led great nations or won wars, composed symphonies that have endured for centuries, or revolutionized science, philosophy, politics or the arts. Though he doesn't have a formula to define how or why certain people rise above (too many factors are involved), he has come up with a few common characteristics.

A "never surrender" attitude. If great achievers share anything, said Simonton, it is an unrelenting drive to succeed. "There's a tendency to think that they are endowed with something super-normal," he explained. "But what comes out of the research is that there are great people who have no amazing intellectual processes. It's a difference in degree. Greatness is built upon tremendous amounts of study, practice and devotion."

He cited Winston Churchill, Britain's prime minister during World War II, as an example of a risk-taker who would never give up. Thrust into office when his country's morale was at its lowest, Churchill rose brilliantly to lead the British people. In a speech following the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940, he inspired the nation when he said, "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the shall never surrender."

Can you be born great? In looking at Churchill's role in history—as well as the roles of other political and military leaders—Simonton discovered a striking pattern: "Firstborns and only children tend to make good leaders in time of crisis: They're used to taking charge. But middle-borns are better as peacetime leaders: They listen to different interest groups better and make the necessary compromises. Churchill, an only child, was typical. He was great in a crisis, but in peacetime he was not effective—not even popular."

Timing is another factor. "If you took George Washington and put him in the 20th century he would go nowhere as a politician," Simonton declared. "He was not an effective public speaker, and he didn't like shaking hands with the public. On the other hand, I'm not sure Franklin Roosevelt would have done well in Washington's time. He wouldn't have had the radio to do his fireside chats."

Can you be too smart? One surprise among Simonton's findings is that many political and military leaders have been bright but not overly so. Beyond a certain point, he explained, other factors, like the ability to communicate effectively, become more important than innate intelligence as measured by an IQ test. The most intelligent U.S. Presidents, for example—Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy—had a hard time getting elected, Simonton said, while others with IQs closer to the average (such as Warren G. Harding) won by landslides. While political and economic factors also are involved, having a genius IQ is not necessary to be a great leader.

In the sciences, those with "genius level" IQs do have a better chance at achieving recognition, added Simonton. Yet evidence also indicates that overcoming traditional ways of thinking may be just as important.

He pointed to one recent study where college students were given a set of data and were asked to see if they could come up with a mathematical relation. Almost a third did. What they did not know was that they had just solved one of the most famous scientific equations in history: the Third Law of Planetary Motion, an equation that Johannes Kepler came up with in 1618.

Kepler's genius, Simonton said, was not so much in solving a mathematical challenge. It was in thinking about the numbers in a unique way—applying his mathematical knowledge to his observations of planetary motion. It was his boldness that set him apart.

Love your work. As a child, Einstein became fascinated with the way magnets are drawn to metal. "He couldn't stop thinking about this stuff," Simonton pointed out. "He became obsessed with problems in physics by the time he was 16, and he never stopped working on them. It's not surprising that he made major contributions by the time he was 26."

"For most of us, it's not that we don't have the ability," Simonton added, "it's that we don't devote the time. You have to put in the effort and put up with all the frustrations and obstacles."

Like other creative geniuses, Einstein was not motivated by a desire for fame, said Simonton. Instead, his obsession with his work was what set him apart.

Where such drive comes from remains a mystery. But it is found in nearly all creative geniuses—whether or not their genius is acknowledged by contemporaries.

"Emily Dickinson was not recognized for her poetry until after her death," said Simonton. "But she was not writing for fame. The same can be said of James Joyce, who didn't spend a lot of time worrying about how many people would read Finnegans Wake."

Today, researchers have evidence that an intrinsic passion for one's work is a key to rising above. In a 1985 study at Brandeis University conducted by Teresa Amabile, now a professor of business administration at Harvard University, a group of professional writers—none famous—were asked to write a short poem. Each writer was then randomly placed in one of three groups: One group was asked to keep in mind the idea of writing for money; another was told to think about writing just for pleasure; and a third group was given no instruction at all.

The poems then were submitted anonymously to a panel of professional writers for evaluation. The poetry written by people who thought about writing for money ranked lowest. Those who thought about writing just for pleasure did the best. "Motivation that comes from enjoying the work makes a significant difference, "Amabile said.

artillery

n. heavy guns, often mounted on wheels, used in fighting on land, branch of an army that uses these 火炮;大炮;炮兵(部隊)

surveyor

n. a person whose job is to examine and record the area and features of a piece of land by measuring and calculating (土地)測量員;勘測員

unspectacular

a. ordinary; not exciting or special 不引人注意的;不驚人的

spectacular

a. (attracting attention because) impressive or extraordinary 引人注目的;出色的;與眾不同的

carve

vt. 1. form (sth.) by cutting away material from wood or stone 雕刻;雕刻成

2. build (one's career, reputation, etc.)by hard work 靠勤奮創(業)，靠勤奮樹(名聲)

uncompromising

a. not ready to make any compromise; firm or unyielding. 不妥協的.，堅定的;不讓步的

influential

a. having a lot of influence on sb./sth. 有影響的;有權勢的

genetics

n. the scientific study of the ways in which different characteristics are passed from each generation of living things to the next 遺傳學

psychiatry

n. the study and treatment of mental illness 精神病學;精神病治療

compose

vt. write (music, opera, poetry, etc.) 創作(音樂、歌劇、詩等)

symphony

n. a long complex musical composition for a large orchestra, usu. in three or four parts 交響樂

characteristic

n. a typical feature or quality 特點

unrelenting

a. not becoming less strong or severe; continuous 不鬆懈的，不放慢的;持續的

endow

vt. provide (sb./sth.) with a good quality, ability, feature, etc. 給予，賦予

super-normal

a. 超出一般的;超常的;非凡的

amazing

a. extremely good; esp. in a surprising and unexpected way 驚人的，令人吃驚的

cite

vt. mention (sb./sth.) as an example or to support an argument; refer to 引用，引證;舉出

risk-taker

n. a person who dares to take risks 敢於冒險的人

thrust

vt. push (sth./sb./oneself) suddenly or violently (用力)推;強使

morale

n. state of confidence, enthusiasm, determination, etc. that a person or group has at a particular time 士氣，精神狀態

brilliantly

ad. in an outstanding manner 傑出地;才華橫溢地

Allied

a. of the Allies (a group of countries fighting on the same side in a war, esp. those which fought with Britain in World Wars I and II) (第一次世界大戰時期)協約國的;(第二次世界大戰時期)同盟國的

ally

n. person, country, etc. joined with another in order to give help and support 同盟者;同盟國

evacuation

n. leaving a place of danger for a safer place 撤離;撤退

evacuate

v. 1. remove (sb.) from a place of danger to a safer place 撤退，撤出

2. leave or withdraw from (a place) 撤離(某處)

flag

vi. become tired or weak; begin to lose enthusiasm or energy 疲乏;變弱;(熱情、精力等)衰退，低落

striking

a. attracting attention; unusual or interesting enough to be noticed 引人注目的;顯著的，突出的

firstborn

n. a child born before other children 長子(或長女)

peacetime

n. a period when a country is not at war 和平時期

fireside

n. part of a room beside the fireplace, esp. considered as a warm comfortable place 壁爐旁

chat

n. a friendly informal conversation 閒談，聊天

fireside chat

爐邊親切閒談;(政治領袖在無線電或電視廣播中)不拘形式的講話

innate

a. (of a quality, feeling, etc.) in one's nature; possessed from birth 天生的

landslide

n. (競選中)壓倒多數的選票;一面倒的勝利

equation

n. 等式;方程(式)

boldness

n. the state or quality of being confident and brave 勇敢，無畏

bold

a. confident and brave; daring 勇敢的，無畏的;敢作敢為的

magnet

n. a piece of iron or other material that can attract iron, either naturally or because of an electric current passed through it 磁鐵

obsession

n. the state of being obsessed 着迷

contemporary

n. a person who lives or lived at the same time as another, usu. being roughly the same age 同代人;(幾乎)同年齡的人

a. belong to the same time; of the present time; modern 屬於同一時代的;當代的;現代的

poetry

n. poems collectively or in general [總稱]詩

intrinsic

a. (of a value or quality) belonging naturally to sb./sth.; existing within sb./sth., rather than coming from outside 固有的;本質的;內在的

randomly

ad. without method or conscious choice 任意地，胡亂地

submit

vt. give (sth.) to sb./sth. so that it may be formally considered or so that a decision about it may be made 提交，呈遞

anonymously

ad. without revealing one's name 用匿名的方式

evaluation

n. the act of assessing or forming an idea of the amount, quality or value of sb./sth. 評價，評估

have (sth., nothing, a lot, etc.) to do with sb./sth.

be connected or concerned with sb./sth. to the extent specified 與某人 / 某事有(一些、毫無、很大)關係

make history

be or do sth. so important or unusual that it will be recorded in history 創造歷史，影響歷史的進程;做出值得紀念(或載入史冊的)事情

rise above

become successful or outstanding 取得成功;出類拔萃

leave behind

cause to lag behind; surpass 把…丟在後面;超過

focus on

concentrate on 集中於;着重於

be endowed with

naturally have a good quality, ability, feature, etc. 天生具有

come out of

originate in or develop from 從…中獲得;從…中發展而來

base ... on; use (sth.) as a foundation for further progress 把…建立在…上

take charge

take control (of sth.); be responsible (for sth.) 掌管;負責

go /get nowhere

achieve no success or make no progress 不能成功;無進展

set ... apart

make (sb./sth.) different from or superior to others 使顯得突出，使顯得與眾不同

put up with

tolerate or bear (sb./sth.) 忍受，容忍

Michael Ryan

邁克爾·賴恩

Napoleon Bonaparte

拿破崙·波拿巴 (1769 — 1821, 法蘭西第一帝國和百日王朝皇帝)

George Washington

喬治·華盛頓 (1732 — 1799, 美國第一任總統)

Keith Simonton

基思·西蒙頓

Dunkirk

敦刻爾克(法國北部港市)

Franklin Roosevelt

富蘭克林·羅斯福 (1882 — 1945, 美國第三十二任總統)

Thomas Jefferson

托馬斯·傑斐遜 (1743 — 1826, 美國第三任總統，《獨立宣言》主要起草人)

Woodrow Wilson

伍德羅·威爾遜 (1856 — 1924, 美國第二十八任總統)

Warren G. Harding

沃倫·G·哈定 (1865 — 1923, 美國第二十九任總統)

Johannes Kepler

開普勒 (1571 — 1630, 德國天文學家和占星家)

Emily Dickinson

艾米莉·迪金森 (1830 — 1886, 美國女詩人，美國現代詩先驅者之一)

James Joyce

詹姆斯·喬伊斯 (1882 — 1941, 愛爾蘭小説家，多用“意識流”手法，代表作《尤利西斯》)

Finnegans Wake

《為芬尼根守靈》(喬伊斯於 1939 年出版的最後一部小説)

Brandeis

布蘭代斯大學 (馬薩諸塞州)

Teresa Amabile

特蕾莎·阿瑪貝爾