二十一世纪大学英语读写教程（第三册）学习笔记（原文）——3

Unit 3 - The Sense of Wonder（好奇感）

The Sense of Wonder

Rachel Carson

A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that, for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.

If children are to keep alive their natural sense of wonder without any such gift from the angels, they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with the child the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. In a mood of self-defeat, they exclaim, "How can I possibly teach my child about nature — why, I don't even know one bird from another!"

I sincerely believe that for children, and for parents seeking to guide them, it is not half so important to know as it is to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused — a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love — then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, such knowledge has far more lasting meaning than mere information. It is more important to pave the way for children's desire to know than to put them on a diet of facts they are not ready to assimilate.

Even if you feel you have little knowledge of nature at your disposal, there is still much you can do for your child. Wherever you are and whatever your resources, you can still look up at the sky — its dawn and evening beauties, its moving clouds, its stars by night. You can listen to the wind, whether it blows with majestic voice through a forest or sings a many-voiced chorus around the corners of your apartment building, and in the listening, you can gain magical release for your thoughts. You can still feel the rain on your face and think of its long journey from sea to air to earth, and wonder at the mysteries of natural selection embodied in the perfume and flavour of a fruit. Even if you are a city dweller, you can find some place, perhaps a park or a golf course, where you can observe the mysterious migrations of the birds and the changing seasons. And with your child you can ponder the mystery of a growing seed, even if it's just one planted in a pot of earth in the kitchen window.

Exploring nature with your child is largely a matter of being open to what lies all around you. It is learning again to use your eyes, ears, nose and fingertips, opening up the disused channels of your senses. For most of us, knowledge of our world comes largely through sight, yet we look about with such unseeing eyes that we are partially blind. One way to open your eyes to unnoticed beauty is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?"

What is the value of preserving and strengthening this sense of awe and wonder, this recognition of something beyond the boundaries of human existence? Is the exploration of the natural world just a pleasant way to pass the golden hours of childhood or is there something deeper?

I am sure there is something much deeper, something lasting and significant. Those who dwell, as scientists or laypeople, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the problems or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner satisfaction and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

I like to remember the distinguished Swedish oceanographer, Otto Pettersson, who died a few years ago at the age of ninety-three, in full possession of his keen mental powers. His son has related in a recent book how intensely his father enjoyed every new experience, every new discovery concerning the world about him.

"He was an incurable romantic," the son wrote, "intensely in love with life and with the mysteries of the universe." When he realized he had not much longer to enjoy the earthly scene, Otto Pettersson said to his son: "What will sustain me in my last moments is an infinite curiosity as to what is to follow."

New Words

misfortune

n. bad luck 不幸；灾祸

clear-eyed

a. 视力好的；目光炯炯的

awe-inspiring

a. 令人敬畏；令人惊叹的

dim

vt. make less bright or unable to see clearly 使…暗淡；使…看不清

a. (of a light) not bright; not easy to see 昏暗的；模糊的

angel

n. 天使

preside

vi. have authority or control; direct 负责；主持

inadequate

a. not good enough in quality, ability, size, etc. 不够格的；不能胜任的；不充分的

confront

vt. stand or meet face to face; bring face to face 面对；遭遇

mood

n. state of mind or feelings 心境，心情；情绪

sincerely

ad. 真诚地；忠实地

sincere

a. free from falseness; true and honest 忠实的；真诚的

arouse

vt. cause to become active; excite 唤醒；激发

rouse

vt. 1. cause to become active; excite (=arouse) 唤醒；激发

2. wake (sb.) up 唤醒，使醒来

mere

a. nothing more than 只不过的，仅仅的

assimilate

vt. take in and make a part of oneself; absorb 使同化；吸收

disposal

n. the act of getting rid of sth.; the power or right to use sth. freely 处理；支配

dispose

vt. 1. put in place; set in readiness 布置；配置

2. cause to have a tendency (to do sth.) 使有倾向；使愿意

majestic

a. showing power and greatness; dignified and impressive 雄伟的，威严的

majesty

n. 1. greatness; a show of power as of a king or queen 雄伟；庄重；君王尊严

2. [M-] 陛下（对帝王、王后等的尊称）

chorus

n. 1. a song sung by many singers together 合唱曲

2. a group of singers singing together 合唱队

selection

n. the act of selecting; sb. or sth. that is selected 选择；被选出的人（或物）

embody

vt. 1. represent (a quality, idea, etc.) in a physical form 体现；使具体化

2. contain, include 包含

perfume

n. 1. a sweet or pleasant smell 芳香，香气

2. 香水

flavo(u)r

n. a taste; a special quality 味道；风味；特色

vt. give a particular taste to 给…调味

migration

n. the movement of a group (often of animals, birds, etc.) from one area to another 迁移；移居；（鸟类等的）迁徒

migrate

vi. 1. (of animals) travel regularly to a different area according to the seasons of the year （动物的）迁徒

2. change one's place of living; move from one place to another, especially to find work 迁移；（农业季节工人等）外出找工作

migrant

n. 迁移动物；移居者；农业季节工人

ponder

vt. think about carefully; consider 沉思；考虑

strengthen

vt. make stronger 加强，强化

awe

n. a feeling of respect mixed with fear and wonder 敬畏；惊叹

recognition

n. the act of recognizing; the state of being recognized 认同；认出；承认

weary

a. very tired; bored 疲倦的；厌倦的

reserve

n. anything kept for later use 储备物

vt. 1. keep for a special purpose 保留；储备

2. (AmE) book （美）预订

reservation

n. 1. doubt or uncertainty, esp. when one's agreement with sth. is in some way limited 保留；保留意见

2. (AmE) booking; reserved seat or accommodation 预定；预定的座席（或住处等）

symbolic(al)

a. 象征性的

symbol

n. (of) a sign, shape or object which represents a person, idea or an item 象征；标志；符号

ebb

n. a flowing of the tide away from the shore 退潮，落潮

tide

n. the regular rise and fall of the ocean, caused by the attraction of the Moon 潮汐

bud

n. a small swelling on a plant that will grow into a flower, leaf, or branch 牙；花蕾

heal

v. (cause to) become sound or healthy again 治愈；痊愈

infinitely

ad. 无穷地，无限地

finite

a. having an end or a limit 有限的

refrain

n. a part of a song that is repeated, esp. at the end of each verse （歌曲中的）叠歌，副歌

vi. (from) hold oneself back (from) 忍住；克制

oceanographer

n. 海洋学家

possession

n. 1. the act or state of possessing or being possessed 拥有；具有

2. (often pl.) personal property ［常复数］所有物；

keen

a. 1. good, strong, quick at understanding 敏锐的

2. (on, to) eager or anxious to do sth. 热切的

intensely

ad. greatly or extremely; strongly 极度地；强烈地

intense

a. great or extreme; strong 极度的；强烈的

intensity

n. 1. 强烈，剧烈

2. 强度，烈度

concerning

prep.(fml) about; with regard to; in connection with 关于

earthly

a. of this world as opposed to heaven; material rather than spiritual 尘世的，世俗的

Phrases and Expressions

preside over

direct (a committee or other formal group of people); have or exercise control or authority over (sth.) 主持（委员会等）；掌管（某事）

wish for

have a desire for; long for 想要；希望得到

pave the way (for)

make smooth or easy (for); be a preparation (for) 为…铺平道路；为…作准备

at sb.'s disposal

available for one to use as one wishes 由某人支配或使用

wonder at

be surprised by or curious about 对…感到惊讶

natural selection

the theory developed by Charles Darwin that plants and animals best suited to the conditions around them survive while those not suited to the conditions die out 自然选择（指生物界适者生存不适者被淘汰的现象）

a matter of sth./doing sth.

a question of; an instance or a case of 一个…的问题；一件…的事

open up

make or become open or accessible 打开；开放

be weary of

be tired of; be bored with 对…感到厌倦

look about

look around; examine the place or state of affairs 扫视四周；观察（事态）

be in possession of

have in one's possession; maintain control over 拥有；控制

as to

about; concerning 关于；有关

Proper Names

Rachel Carson

雷切尔·卡森（女子名）

Otto Pettersson

奥托·彼得森（男子名）

参考资料：

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册 Unit03_大学教材听力 - 可可英语

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