Te xt A
Why Ar e Maps Dr awn with Nor th at the Top？
绘制地图为什么以北为上？
Study of the Text
1.Now it is hard to visualize a map that does not feature north at the top, but this was not always so. 今天, 人们很难想像地图的上方指的不是北方。但过去情况却不尽如此。
1 )it 在这里是代词, 作形式主语, 真实主语为动词不定式短语to visualize a map。that does not feature north at the top 是定语从句, 修饰先行词map。
2 )feature 在这里是动词, 意思是“ 标明；指向”。
3 )north 在这里是副词, 意思是“ 向北方, 在北方”。
The window of the house faces north. 房子的窗户面向北方。
They are sailing west to cross the Pacific.
他们正向西航行, 穿越太平洋。
4 )at the top (of)在上面, 在上部The book you want is a t the top of the shelf.
你想要的书在书架上部。
His career is a t the top of the ladder.
他的事业处于巅峰(他的事业正如日中天)。
5 )so 在这里是副词, 代替上文中的“ feature north at the top”, 常译作“ 如此；这样；那样”。
I could scarcely believe it, but it was so.
我简直无法相信, 但的确是这样。
He hopes he will win and I hope so too.
他希望他能赢, 我也希望如此。
2.It was not until many centuries later that the ancient Greeks placed the science of map-making on a sound footing. 直到许多世纪以后, 古希腊人才把地图绘制学置于坚实的基础上。
1 )It be.that.是强调结构, 本句强调的是时间状语。注意将本
句还原为自然语序应是: The ancient Greeks didn’t place the science of map-making on a sound footing until many centuries later. 也可以用倒装句型对时间状语进行强调。
Not until many centuries later did the ancient Greeks place the scence of map-making on a sound footing.
2 )place 在这里是及物动词, 意思是“ 放(某物)于某一位置；放置；安置”, 是相当正式的用语。
He placed the books carefully on the shelf.
他仔细地把书排放在书架上。
A politician should pla ce his loyalty to the people above party interest.
从政者应将他对人民的忠诚置于政党的利益之上。
3 )sound 在这里是形容词, 意思是“ 可靠的；坚实的；有理由的”。
It is a sound investment that is sure to bring good profits.
这是一个可靠的投资, 一定会带来很大的利润。
The view is philosophically sound. 这一见解在哲学上是正确的。
4 )辨异: ancient, old, adj.
这二者在时间上都含有“ 过去的”意思, 但ancient 指的时间更久远。
ancient 古代的。较庄重的用词, 指今已不存在的时代。
They study a ncient history. 他们研究古代的历史。
old 旧的, 陈旧的。常用词, 与“ 新的”相对, 指事物经过长期使用, 已变旧了。
He still likes to drive his old car although it cannot run fast as before.
虽然他的旧车跑得不如以前快, 他仍喜欢开它。
It is a very old joke. 这是一个老笑话了。
3.Earlier, the Babylonians had attempted to map the world, but they presented it in the form of a flattened disc rather than a sphere, which was the form adopted by Ptolemy. 在他之前, 巴比伦人曾试图绘制世界地图, 但他们把它绘制成平盘状而不是托勒密所采用的球体形状。
1 )which 关联词引导的是非限制性定语从句, 修饰先行词sphere。
2 )attempt to do sth. 试图做某事, 企图做某事
He a ttempted to enter the hall with the crowd but was stopped.
他试图随着人群进入大厅, 但被拦住了。
辨异: manage, attempt, try, v.
这三个词后面都常接动词不定式, 都含有“ 试图, 力图做某事” 的意思。
manage to do sth. 设法, 力图做某事。指需花费一定努力, 成功地做成某事。
He ma na ged to pa int the whole room in one hour.
他设法在一小时内粉刷了整个房间。
attempt to do sth. 企图做某事, 指想做某事, 但往往未能成功。
The prisoner a ttempted to escape, but he failed.
囚犯企图越狱, 但未成功。
try to do sth. 努力、力图做某事。指尽力做某事, 可能成功, 也可能失败。
He tr ied to sta nd on his head, but he couldn’t.
他试图用头倒立, 但没能成功。
We ha ve tried to finish the difficult task on time.
我们努力按时完成了这项困难的任务。
3 )present 在这里的意思是“ 展示；呈现”, 是动词。
This case presents some interesting features.
这个事例显示出一些有趣的特色。
His works present in the form of novels, poems and essays as well.
他的作品有小说、诗歌以及散文等形式。
4 )adopt 在这里是动词, 意思是“ 采用；采纳”。
European dress has been a dopted by the people in many parts of the world. 欧洲服饰为世界许多地方的人们所采用。
That’s a good idea. We should a dopt it.
那是个很好的想法, 我们应该采纳。
4.Given the state of knowledge of those times, he got things wrong；for example, his estimate of China and the Atlantic Ocean was far from being accurate. 鉴于当时人们的知识状态, 他把事情搞错了。例如: 他对中国及大西洋的估计远不够精确。
1 )given 在这里是介词, 意思是“ 考虑到；鉴于”。
Given their inexperience, they’ve done a good job.
考虑到他们经验不足, 他们工作已做得不错。
Given his long illness, we should not ask him to do more.
鉴于他长期生病, 我们不应叫他多做事。
2 )estimate 在这里是名词, 意思是“ 判断；(大小, 价钱等之)估计”。
I hope you can give me a rough estima te of the cost.
我希望你能将费用大约地估计一下。
Her estima te that we would arrive at 5∶ 30 was exactly correct.
她估计我们可能在5∶ 30 到达完全准确。
3 )far from 一点也不；无非, 表达一个否定的意义。
What he said is fa r from true. 他所说的简直不正确。
Your work is fa r from (being)satisfactory.
你的工作一点都不会令人满意。
5.The reason for this was that he decided to orientate the map in the direction of the Pole Star since Polaris was the immovable guiding light in which the voyagers of that era placed their trust. 其理由是他决定以北极星的方向来确定地图的方向, 因为北极星是固定的航灯, 那个时代的航海者根据它来航行。
1 )reason 是句子的主语, that 引导的从句是表语从句。注意这里不能用because 引导表语从句, 即不能这样说: The reason for my absence was because I was ill. 这里的表语从句只能用that 引导。
2 )for 在这里的意思是“ ..的”, 是介词。名词reason 后常用介词for, 表示“ ..的原因”。类似的还有:
His excuse for leaving early was that his father was in hospital.
他走得早的借口是他父亲在住院。
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience we have caused.
请接受我们的歉意, 给你们带来了诸多不便。
3 )in the direction of 向..方向, 方位, 位置
Bullets were flying in the direction of the crowd. 子弹向人群射去。
When the police came, people ran away in a ll directions.
警察赶到时, 人们四处跑远。
4 )immovable 在这里意思是“ 不能移动的”, 是形容词。动词move+ 后缀able → movable 表示“能移动的”, 否定前缀im + movable→immovable 表示“ 不能移动的”。类似的还有: unbelievable 不能相信的；unchangeable 不能改变的。
5 )place / have trust (in)相信, 信任She doesn’t pla ce much trust in his promise. 她不大相信他的诺言。
Don’t worry about anything, pla ce your trust in me.
不要担心任何事情, 相信我好了。
6.North at the top remained the accepted arrangement until the early Middle Ages, when the church began to interfere seriously with the advance of science. 直到中世纪早期以前, 上方为北方被传下来, 并得到承认。这以后, 教会严重地阻碍了科学的发展。
1 )when 在这里是个关系副词, 意思是“ 在那时；届时”, 引导一个非限制性定语从句。
The Queen will visit the town in May, when she will open the new hospita l. 女王将在五月访问这个城市, 届时她将主持一所新医院的开业典礼。
2 )名词arrangement 在这里的意思是“ 安排、布置”。动词arrange + 后缀ment→名词arrangement, 表示行为的结果或方式。类似的还有: movement 运动；development 发展；government 政府。
3 )interfere with 干涉；妨碍
We will not interfere with other countries’ internal affairs for ever.
我们永远不会干涉他国内政事务。
Their deeds have interfere with the officials in the performance of their duty. 他们的行为已经妨碍了公职人员履行职务。
4 )advance 在这里是名词, 意思是“前进；进步”。
Science has made great a dva nces during the last fifty years.
科学在过去50 年内有很大的进步。
Our country’s industrial a dva nce has been remarkable.
我国的工业进步是很惊人的。
7.In accordance with the orders of the church, maps were still produced in accordance with Ptolemy’s principles. 根据教会的命令, 地图依然按托勒密的原则进行绘制。
1 )in accordance with 根据, 按照
In accorda nce with the law, this criminal should be sentenced to death. 按照法律的规定, 此罪犯应判处死刑。
I have cancelled the meeting in a ccorda nce with your order.
按照你的指令, 我已取消了这次会议。
2 )principle 在这里的意思是“ 原则；准则”。
The principles which underlie our foreign policy are sound.
作为我国外交政策基础的原则是明智的。
in principle 大体上= in general；
on principle 根据原则；根据信念。