大学英语精读第三册 Unit Ten:The Fantastic Spur

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Alvin Toffler writes about the fact that technology is advancing much faster today than ever before in history. The symbols of technology are no longer factory smokestacks or assembly lines. As we are headed for the future, the pace will quicken still further.

The Fantastic Spurt¹ in Technology

A. Toffler
To most people the term technology conjures³ up images of smoky steel mills or noisy machines. Perhaps the classic representation of technology is still the assembly line created by Henry Ford⁴ half a century ago and made into a social symbol by Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times. This symbol, however, has always been inadequate⁵ and misleading, for technology has always been more than factories and machines. The invention of the horse collar in the middle ages led to major changes in agricultural methods and was as much a technological⁶ advance as the invention of the Bessemer furnace centuries later. Moreover, technology includes techniques, or ways to do things, as well as the machines that may or may not be necessary to apply them. It includes ways to make chemical reactions occur, ways to breed fish, plant forests, light theaters, count votes or teach history.
The old symbols of technology are even more misleading today, when the most advanced technological processes are carried out far from assembly lines or blast furnaces. Indeed, in electronics, in space technology, in most of the new industries, quiet and clean surroundings are characteristic -- even sometimes essential. And the assembly line -- the organization of large numbers of men to carry out simple repetitive functions -- is outdated⁷. It is time for our symbols of technology to change -- to catch up with the quickening change in technology itself.
This acceleration⁸ is frequently dramatized by a brief account of the progress in transportation. It has been pointed⁹ out, for example, that in 6000 BC the fastest transportation available to man over long distances was the camel caravan¹⁰, averaging eight miles per hour (mph). It was not until about 1600 BC when the chariot was invented that the maximum speed was raised to roughly twenty miles per hour.
So impressive was this invention, so difficult was it to exceed this speed limit, that nearly 3,500 years later, when the first mail coach began operating in England in 1784, it averaged a mere¹¹ ten mph. The first steam locomotive, introduced in 1825, could have a top speed of only thirteen mph and the great sailing ships of the time labored¹² along at less tan half that speed. It was probably not until the 1880's that man, with the help of a more advanced steam locomotive, managed to reach a speed of one hundred mph. It took the human race millions of years to attain¹³ that record.
It took only fifty-eight years, however, to go four times that fast, so that by 1938 men in airplanes were traveling at better than 400 mph. It took a mere twenty-year flick¹⁴ of time to double the limit again. And by the 1960's rocket plants approached speeds of 4,00 mph. and men in space capsules were circling the earth at 18,000 mph.
Whether we examine distances traveled, altitudes reached, or minerals mined, the same accelerative trend is obvious. The pattern, here and in a thousand other statistical¹⁵ series, is absolutely clear and unmistakable. Thousands of years go by, and then, in our won times, a sudden bursting of the limits, a fantastic spurt forward.
The reason for this is tat technology feeds on itself. Technology makes more technology possible, as we can see if we look for a moment at the process of innovation. Technological innovation consists of three stages, linked together into a self-reinforcing cycle. First, there is the creative, feasible idea. Second, its practical application. Third, its diffusion¹⁶ through society.
The process is completed, the loop closed, when the diffusion of technology embodying¹⁸ the new idea, in turn, helps generate new creative ideas. Today there is evidence that the time between each of the steps in this cycle has been shortened.
Thus it is not merely true, as frequently noted¹⁹, that 90 percent of all the scientists who ever lived are now alive, and that new scientific discoveries are being mad every day. These new ideas are put to work much more quickly than ever before. The time between the first and second stages of the cycle -- between idea and application -- has been radically²⁰ reduced. This is a striking difference between ourselves and our ancestors. It is not that we are more eager or less lazy than our ancestors, but we have, with the passage of time, invented all sorts of social device to hasten the process.
But if it takes less time to bring a new idea to the marketplace, it also takes less time for it to sweep through the society. For example, the refrigerator was introduced in the United States before 1920, yet its peak production did not come until more than thirty years later. However, by 1950 -- in only a few years -- television had grown from a laboratory novelty to the biggest part of show business. So the interval²¹ between the second and third stages of the cycle -- between application and diffusion -- has likewise been cut, and the pace of diffusion is rising with astonishing speed.
The stepped-up pace of invention, application and diffusion, in turn, accelerates the whole cycle still further. For new machines or techniques are not merely a product, but a source, of fresh creative ideas.

NEW WORDS
fantastic
a. unbelievably large or great 极大的；难以置信的 spurt
n. a short sudden increase of activity, effort or speed; burst 猛增；突然加速；迸发

conjure²
vt. cause (sth.) to appear in the mind 唤起；使想起

smoky
a. giving out much smoke

mill
n. factory or workshop

classic
a. typical 经典的，典型的

representation
n. sth. that represents 代表

represent vt.

symbol
n. sign, mark, or object which represents a person, idea, value, etc. 象征

inadequate
a. not adequate; insufficient²²

misleading
a. causing wrong conclusions; causing mistakes

mislead vt.

invention
n. the act of inventing; sth. invented

horse collar
马轭

agricultural
a. of agriculture

furnace
n. 熔炉，炉子

apply
vt. put into use or operation 应用，运用

occur
vt. take place; happen

breed
vt. raise (esp. animals) 饲养

vote
n. 选票；选举（权）

advanced
a. far on in development; modern

blast
n. 鼓风；送风

blast furnace
鼓风炉；高炉

electronics
n. 电子技术；电子学

surroundings
n. (used with a pl. v. ) everything around and about a place; conditions of life 环境

characteristic
a. showing the individual character 表示特性的

essential
a. necessary; most important

organization
n. the act of organizing; an organized body or system

repetitive
n. the act of organizing; an organized body or system

repetitive
a. of or characterized by the act of repeating

repetition n.

function
n. special duty (of a person) or purpose (of a thing) 职责，功能，作用

outdated
a. no longer in general use; old-fashioned 过时的

quicken
v. make or become quick(er)

acceleration
n. 加速

dramatize
vt. put into dramatic from; express or represent (sth.) in a dramatic or exaggerated way

account
n. report or description

transportation
n. the business of carrying people or goods from one place to another 运输

transport vt.

BC abbr.
Before ( the birth of) Christ 公元前

available
a. capable of being got, obtained, used, etc. 可获得的；可利用的

camel
n. 骆驼

caravan
n. (往返于沙漠地带的）商队

average
vt. have as an average 平均为

per
prep. for each 每

mph
abbr. miles per hour

chariot
n. two-wheeled carriage pulled by horses （古时）双轮马拉战车

maximum
n. & a. (being) the largest number, amount, etc.

roughly
ad. about; more or less but not exactly

impressive
a. making a deep impression on the mind and feelings 给人深刻的印象的

exceed
vt. go or be beyond a limit, measure, or degree 超过

coach
n. large, old-fashioned, closed carriage pulled by horses 四轮大马车

operate
v. (cause to ) work, be in action

mere
a. nothing more than

locomotive
a. railway engine 火车头

race
n. main division of any living things; nation or tribe 属；人种

airplane
n. 飞机

flick
n. sudden, light blow or stroke; sudden short movement 轻弹；突然的轻快动作

rocket
n. 火箭

capsule
n. the part of a spaceship in which the pilots live and work and from which the engine is separate when the takeoff is completed 宇宙密封舱

altitude
n. 高，（尤指海拔）高度

mineral
n. 矿物，矿石

accelerative
a. 加速的

trend
n. general direction; tendency 趋向；倾向

pattern
n. the way in which sth. happens or develops 模式

statistical
a. 统计的；统计学的 unmistakable
a. clearly recognizable

innovation
n. the introduction of sth. new; new idea, method, or invention 革新；新方法

stage
n. point, period or step in development 阶段；时期

cycle
n. series of events taking place in a regularly repeated order 循环；周期

feasible
a. capable or being carried out or done; possible 可行的

diffusion
n. the act of spreading out (knowledge, etc.) widely 扩散；传播

embody¹⁷
vt. give form to express 体现

generate
vt. cause to exist or occur; produce 发生；产生

shorten
v. make or become shorter

scientific
a. of science; guided by the rules of science

radically
ad. fundamentally; essentially²³; extremely

striking
a. very noticeable; attracting attention 显著的

ancestor
n. 祖先

marketplace
n. square or open place in a town where a market is held

refrigerator
n. 冰箱

frige
n. refrigerator

peak
n. the highest point or level; the pointed top fo a mountain or hill 顶峰；山峰

novelty
n. sth. new and unusual; innovation 新奇的事物

novel
a. 新颖的，新奇的
likewise
ad. in the same way

astonishing
a. very surprising; amazing

stepped-up
a. increased in size, speed, or extent

accelerate
v. (cause to) move faster 加速

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
conjure up
cause to appear as a picture in the mind 使联想起

labo(u)r along
move slowly and with difficulty

go by
pass ( in place or time)

feed on
(of animals) live on (food); draw strength, support or satisfaction from

in turn
in proper sequence or succession 依次，轮流，转而

put to work
apply

PROPER NAMES
Henry Ford
亨利.福特

Charlie Chaplin
查利.卓别麟

Bessemer
贝西默（姓氏）

1 spurt   

v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆

参考例句：

• He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
• After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿，莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。

2 conjure   

v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法

参考例句：

• I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。
• I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。

3 conjures   

用魔术变出( conjure的第三人称单数 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现

参考例句：

• The word 'birthday' conjures up images of presents and parties. “生日”这个词使人想起礼物和聚会的情景。
• The name Sahara conjures up images of a desert of aridity. "撒哈拉"这个名字使人想起干旱的沙漠情景。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

6 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

7 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

8 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

9 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

10 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

11 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

12 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

13 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

14 flick   

n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动

参考例句：

• He gave a flick of the whip.他轻抽一下鞭子。
• By a flick of his whip,he drove the fly from the horse's head.他用鞭子轻抽了一下，将马头上的苍蝇驱走。

15 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

16 diffusion   

n.流布；普及；散漫

参考例句：

• The invention of printing helped the diffusion of learning.印刷术的发明有助于知识的传播。
• The effect of the diffusion capacitance can be troublesome.扩散电容会引起麻烦。

17 embody   

vt.具体表达，使具体化；包含，收录

参考例句：

• The latest locomotives embody many new features. 这些最新的机车具有许多新的特色。
• Hemingway's characters plainly embody his own values and view of life.海明威笔下的角色明确反映出他自己的价值观与人生观。

18 embodying   

v.表现( embody的现在分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• Every instrument constitutes an independent contract embodying a payment obligation. 每张票据都构成一份独立的体现支付义务的合同。 来自口语例句
• Fowth, The aesthetical transcendency and the beauty embodying the man's liberty. \" 第四部分：审美的超越和作为人类自由最终体现的“美”。 来自互联网

19 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

20 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

21 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

22 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

23 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。