Unit 12Unit 12Unit 12Unit 12

Reading 1

•The Green Revolution

• Pre-reading Questions• 1. What does the “Green

Revolution” refer to?• 2. Why did various writers predict

that there would be widespread famine?

• 3. Name some countries with serious food shortages.

• 4. What is “miracle rice”?

• 5. What are some of the factors that caused the famines?

• 6. What did the World Food Conference held in 1974 do for the world?

• 7. Can technology alone help to feed the world’s people in the future?

• 8. What did Dr. Borlaug think about technology development in grain production?

famine:

• a very serious lack of food for a great people, causing illness and death.

Award, reward & prize

• Award implies a decision by judges but does not connote overt competition– The Olympic winner received a gold

medal as an award.– He received honors and awards from

the government for his contribution to agriculture.

Reward:refers to sth given in recompense for a go

od deed or for merit • He was presented with a gold

watch as a reward for his service.

Prize:implies sth won by competition or, often, in a lottery or game of chance

• Frank won the first prize in the chess tournament.

breeder • She was one of

country’s top sheep breeders.

sponsor: •    A large department store is the

sponsor of the annual Christmas celebration.

•  The sponsor of the TV play is Ports Garment Company.

• In regard to the test tomorrow, it is postponed.

• I will write to you later in regard to this matter.

In regard to: about

organism: a single living plant, animal, bacterium or virus

pathologist: an expert in study of disease, esp. one

who examines a dead person’s body, often by

cutting it open, to discover how they died

humanitarian:  The prisoner has been

released for humanitarian reasons

The United Nations is sending humanitarian aid to the areas worst affected by the conflict.

yield : n, v --- supply or produce sth as a profit

   That tree yields plenty of fruit.

 The stock yields 8% interest a year.

productive        Talks to end the strike

had been very productive. 有成果的

       Farming is a very productive labour. 有收益的

attain: suggests a being goaded on by great ambition to gain an end regarded as beyond the reach of most persons

• He attained the position of headmaster.

• The idea of attaining fame and gain is comtemptible.

• Attain power/ prosperity/ knowledge/ wisdom

decisive: 有决定性的，果断的        The year 2001 is the decisive year

of my life.       The enemy’s lack of inspired

leadership was decisive to its defeat.       A decisive person is needed to deal

with the situation.

• Borlaug’s picture

Reading 2 The Irish Famine

• Pre-reading Questions• 1. When did the Irish famine occur?• 2. Are its effects still felt today?• 3. Did lots of people suffer during the

famine?• 4. What does one find it hard to

believe?

• 5. How did the 19th-century eyes look at the famine? What was thought to be the right thing to do?

• 6. Would a little more humanity shown by the British government have done any harm?

• 7. What was the result of the famine?

• 8. How did the Irish people fell about British after the famine?

shape: influence sth, such as a belief, opinion etc and make it devel

op in a particular way Mother’s good temper helps to shape

a child’s character. This event shaped his whole life. A powerful person who can shape event

s

Look back on: in retrospect, recall and think about sth

• When I look back on those days, I realize I was desperately unhappy.

Magnitude: the large size or importance of sth

The professor is the scientist of considerable magnitude.

People had been conscious of the problem before but the event made them aware of its magnitude.

Avert:prevent sth from happening

• 1. Accident can be averted by careful driving.

2. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.

In the light of: taking sth into consideration, according to

o 1. In the light of the change, we must revise the plan.

2. In the light of what you have told me I shall

• Supreme• 1.       the highest• the Supreme Court• the Supreme Commander• 2.       the most important• He treated them with supreme

contempt.• By supreme effort, he won the race.

Undertake: undertakingDo, begin to do, promise that you’ll do sth• But it was one of the hardest jobs that

I ever undertook.

• Who will undertake the job of decorating the room.

• Building one’s own house is tremendous undertaking.

Laisez-faire: unwillness to get involved in or influence other people’s activities. • If a government has a policy ot laisez-fai

re, it doesn’t have many laws and rules which control the buying and selling of goods or services.

• The problems began long before he became headmaster, but they worsened under his laisez-faire attitude.

Intervene: to become involved, intentionally in a difficule situation in order to improve it or preventing it from getting.worse.

• The argument between the two boys became so fierce that Dad had to intervene to tell them to behave.

• The referee intervened before the players hurt each other.

• A nation refused the intervene the Vietnam War.

• 1.       emigrate 是指某人离开自己的国家去另一国家，永久性居住在那里。

• He received permission to emigrate to the United States.

• 2.       emigration 指人们移居另一国家的过程

• …the encouragement given to peasant emigration

• 3.       emigrant 移居移居别国的人• Thousands of emigrants boarded the ship

s for the New World.

•Despise•I despise situation

comedies.•Honest boys despise lies

and liars.•Strike-breakers are

despised by their workmates.

• Exploit: exploitation• 1. 剥削• The company exploited its workers with lo

ng hours and low pay.• Exploit child labour• 2. 开发， 利用• You must exploit every opportunity to lear

n new things.• Exploit oil under the sea

• Overthrow: to remove from power

• They will fight until they overthrow capitalist system.

• Fascism had lawlessly overthrown the demoncratic government of the country.

• The overthrow of the dictator was greeted with cheers.

• Advocate  He advocated, though he did’t practic

e, the prohibition of alcohol.  West German labour unions advocate

35-hour week in order to create more jobs.

• n. a person who advocates       advocate of capitalism       advocate of free trade

Discussion

• Do you think such an event as “the Irish Famine” would take place anywhere in the world today? Why or why not?