Lesson 27 The Personality of Man 人的性格

Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world ? Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound-interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge ? As is so often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being used indifferently for both. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men's bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them ? We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.

New words and expressions 生词短语
loom vi. 阴森的逼近（带贬义）
Eg: The shadow of the impending war looms ahead/large/big.
    (即将来临的战争的阴影正在迫近。)
Eg: It was approaching the Spring Festival(vocation), the examinations were loomed up.
    (春节快到了，考试也正在迫近。)
Eg: A high mountain looms ahead.
    (一座大山横在面前。)
manifest adj. 明显的
S: visible adj. 明显的，显著的
  patentn. 专利； adj. 显著的，明显的
  另有：obvious/clear/parent…
mankind n. 人类
morality n. 道德
  moral adj. 道德；moral code 道德准则；moral standard 道德标准
  to enhance people’s consciousness of morality 提高人们的道德意识
communicate vt. 交流，交际
  communication n. 交流
  enhance communication between(among) people 加强交流
  enhance communication among nations 增进国际交流
Eg: Language is a tool for communication.
    (语言是交流的工具。)
  communicative adj.
  communicative means 交流方式
Eg: Language is a communicative tool.
    (语言是交流的工具。)