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第四十七课

一、课文原文

Too high a price?

Pollution is the price we pay for an over-populated, over-industrialized planet. When you come to think about it, there are only four ways you can deal with rubbish: dump it, burn it, turn it into something you can use again, attempt to produce less of it. We keep trying the first three methods, but they are not enough.

The problem is that our modern society is built on the premise of endless growth. We are conditioned to believe that a large income and a high standard of living are the ultimate goals. But at what cost? The air we breathe is choked with toxic fumes; the rivers are polluted with industrial waste; the oceans are filling up with plastic.

Some people argue that environmental protection is too high a price to pay for economic prosperity. They claim that strict regulations will stifle innovation and lead to unemployment. However, this is a short-sighted view. If we continue to treat the Earth as a bottomless dump, we will eventually destroy the very foundation upon which our economy rests.

Ultimately, we must realize that true wealth is not measured solely by our bank accounts, but by the health of our environment. A clean planet is not a luxury; it is a prerequisite for human survival.

二、核心词汇与词组精讲、拓展及例句

1. Over-populated / over-industrialized

  • 英文释义：Having too many people / having too much industry.
  • 中文释义：人口过剩的 / 过度工业化的。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • under-populated (adj.) 人口稀少的，反义词：An under-populated area.
    • industrialization (n.) 工业化：Rapid industrialization.

2. Premise

  • 英文释义：A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.
  • 中文释义：前提；假设。
  • 核心词组：on the premise that...（在……的前提下）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • assumption (n.) 假设：A false assumption.
    • conclusion (n.) 结论，相关词：Draw a conclusion.

3. Condition

  • 英文释义：To cause (someone) to accept or believe something; to train or adapt.
  • 中文释义：使习惯于；使适应（常作被动语态 be conditioned to）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • accustom (v.) 使习惯：Accustom oneself to the climate.
    • uncondition (v.) 消除……的条件反射，反义词：Uncondition a behavior.

4. Choke

  • 英文释义：To have difficulty breathing because of a strong smell, smoke, or emotion; to block.
  • 中文释义：使窒息；堵塞。
  • 核心词组：be choked with（被……堵塞/窒息）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • suffocate (v.) 使窒息：Suffocate in the smoke.
    • breathe (v.) 呼吸，反义词：Breathe fresh air.

5. Stifle

  • 英文释义：To restrain (a reaction) or stop oneself acting on (an emotion); to prevent from happening.
  • 中文释义：扼杀；压制；抑制。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • suppress (v.) 压制：Suppress a rebellion.
    • encourage (v.) 鼓励，反义词：Encourage innovation.

6. Prerequisite

  • 英文释义：A thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.
  • 中文释义：先决条件；前提。
  • 核心词组：a prerequisite for...（……的先决条件）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • precondition (n.) 前提：A precondition for peace.
    • obstacle (n.) 障碍，反义词：An obstacle to success.

三、特别语法点拨（长难句）

Pollution is the price we pay for an over-populated, over-industrialized planet. 无灵主语 + 定语从句

  • 原句：Pollution is the price (that) we pay for an over-populated, over-industrialized planet.
  • 解析：
    1. 无灵主语（Inanimate Subject）：这是《新概念 3》的核心语法之一。作者没有说 "We cause pollution because of..."，而是让抽象名词 Pollution 作主语，配合系动词 is，直接赋予“污染”一个定义。这种表达极其客观、凝练，是高级学术写作的标志。
    2. 省略 that 的定语从句：we pay for... 是修饰 the price 的定语从句，省略了关系代词 that（或 which），使句子更加紧凑。
    3. 复合形容词：over-populated 和 over-industrialized 两个带有 over- 前缀的复合形容词并列，精准地概括了现代地球的两大病灶。
  • 实战仿写：
    • Anxiety is the tax we pay for an uncertain, fast-changing future.（焦虑是我们为这个充满不确定性、快速变化的未来所缴纳的税款。）
    • Obesity is the penalty we suffer for a sedentary, calorie-rich lifestyle.（肥胖是我们为久坐不动、高热量生活方式所承受的惩罚。）

四、智慧版写作指导

1. 用“无灵主语”提升文章的客观性与哲理感

  • 写作指导：在探讨社会问题或抽象概念时，尽量减少使用 People, We, They 作主语。尝试让抽象名词、事件或事物本身作主语，搭配 be, cause, bring, prevent 等动词，能让文章瞬间摆脱“学生腔”，具备学术散文的质感。
  • 课文示范：Pollution is the price we pay for...（污染是代价。极其有力的开篇定调。）
  • 实战仿写：Technological advancement is a double-edged sword that brings convenience at the expense of privacy.（技术进步是一把双刃剑，它以牺牲隐私为代价带来便利。）

2. 用“排比与意象”具象化抽象危害

  • 写作指导：在论述“环境破坏”等宏大问题时，如果只说 "The environment is bad"，读者很难有共鸣。使用排比句式，并辅以具体的感官意象（空气、河流、海洋），能把抽象的危害转化为触目惊心的画面。
  • 课文示范：The air we breathe is choked with toxic fumes; the rivers are polluted with industrial waste; the oceans are filling up with plastic.（三个分句，三个场景，层层递进，极具视觉冲击力。）
  • 实战仿写：The forests are being stripped of their green canopy; the soil is being poisoned by chemical fertilizers; the wildlife is being driven to the brink of extinction.（森林被剥夺了绿色的树冠；土壤被化肥毒害；野生动物被推向了灭绝的边缘。）

3. 用“重新定义”打破常规认知

  • 写作指导：在文章结尾，为了升华主题，可以挑战世俗的普遍价值观。通过“重新定义（Redefine）”某个核心概念（如财富、成功、进步），提出一种更具前瞻性和人文关怀的观点。
  • 课文示范：Ultimately, we must realize that true wealth is not measured solely by our bank accounts, but by the health of our environment.（将“财富”从“银行账户”重新定义为“环境健康”，立意高远。）
  • 实战仿写：Ultimately, we must realize that true progress is not measured solely by GDP growth, but by the well-being of the most vulnerable members of our society.（归根结底，我们必须认识到，真正的进步不仅仅用 GDP 增长来衡量，更要用社会中最弱势群体的福祉来衡量。）

注意

以上内容由AI生成，请自主辨明是否存在问题。