Lesson 20 Snake poison蛇毒

How in came about that snakes manufactured poison is a mystery.

How it（形式主语） came about that snakes manufactured poison（that...主语从句、内层） （外层、主语从句）is a mystery. 

知识点（1）

come about 英文解释： to happen, especially in a way that is not planned （意外地事情）发生

※ Can you tell me how the accident came about?

※ How did it come about that he knew where we were?

知识点（2）

manufacture v. 英文解释： (technical) if your body manufactures a particular useful substance, it produces it（身体）产生，制造，分泌

※ Vitamins cannot be manufactured by our bodies.

※ Diabetics don't manufacture enough insulin.

※ …; some snakes manufacture a poison different in every respect from that of others, …

※ Vipers (adders) and rattlesnakes manufacture the blood poison, which is known as haemolytic.

知识点（3）【课文句型提炼】

How it came about that … is a mystery. 某个事情怎么发生的，是个谜

It has never been explained why … 谁也无法解释 Lesson03-41

※ It has never been explained why university students seem to enjoy practical jokes more than anyone else.

※ 课文写法替换：

※ It has never been explained why snakes manufactured poison.

※ 造句：谁也无法解释玛雅 (Maya) 文明为什么会突然从地球上消失(vanish)。

※ How it came about that Maya civilization vanished from the earth is a mystery.

※ It has never been explained why Maya civilization vanished from the earth.

Over the periods their saliva, a mild, digestive juice like our own, was converted into a poison that defies analysis even today.

Over the periods（时间状语） their saliva, a mild, digestive juice like our own（后置定语）（saliva的同位语）, was converted into a poison that defies analysis even today（that ...定语从句）.

知识点（1）

defy v. 英文解释：be so difficult as to make (sth.) impossible 无法……

※ defy description / analysis / belief / solution / explanation / understanding / comprehension …无法……

※ Beauty sometimes defies description. 

※ The problem defied solution.

※ a political move that defies explanation

※ It's a devastating and barbaric act that defies all comprehension. 

【复习】表达“是…无法…”：

be more than … can / could...

※ When my old friend Brian urged me to accept a cigarette, it was more than I could bear.

※ Dancing proved to be more than the dish could bear, for during the party it capsized and sank in seven feet of water.

※ The pain is more than I can bear. 

※ The story is more than I can believe.

※ The beauty of the West Lake is more than words can describe.

※ The weather turned out to be very good, which was more than we could expect.

be beyond sth. 无法……；不容……

※ The car is beyond repair. 

※ The rumor is beyond belief.

※ The situation is beyond my control.

※ The results are beyond dispute / controversy. 

※ Her beauty is beyond words / description.

※ His conduct is beyond reproach / criticism. 

※ The pain is beyond human endurance.

※ Working with you is beyond my wildest dreams.

※ We might say that justice has been done when a man's innocence or guilt has been proved beyond doubt.

It was not forced upon them by the survival competition; they could have caught and lived on prey without using poison, just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still do.

It was not forced upon them by the survival competition（方式状语）; they could have caught and lived（虚拟语气） on prey without using poison（介词短语相当于条件状语）, just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still do（方式状语从句）.

知识点（1）

force sth. on / upon sb. 把… 强加给… 

※ It's no good trying to force a diet on someone. 

※ people who try to force their own views on you 

【复习】表达“把… 强加给… ”：

impose sth. on / upon sb.

※ I don't want them to impose their religious beliefs on / upon my children.

exert sth. on / upon sb. 对某人施加…

※ Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us.

※ Antique shops exert a peculiar fascination on a great many people.

知识点（2）

语法：介词短语充当条件状语从句

※ …; they could have caught and lived on prey without using poison, …

※ …; they could have caught and lived on prey if they had not used poison, …

※ Lesson03-56

※ Without it we could not make a living.

※ If we didn’t have it we could not make a living.

※ Lesson03-60

※ Without it, nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in a state of chaos.

※ If we didn’t have it nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in state of chaos.

※ There would be no living things without air.

※ There would be no living things if there were no air. 

※ In his position, I would have committed suicide.

※ If I had been in his position, I would have committed suicide.

知识点（3）

… just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still do.

do 代替前面出现过得动词和动词短语

※ 课文补全：

※ …; they could have caught and lived on prey without using poison, just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still catch and live on prey without using poison.

Poison to a snake is merely a luxury; it enables it to get its food with very little effort, no more effort than one bite.

Poison to a snake is merely a luxury; it enables it to get its food with very little effort, no more effort than one bite（very little effort,的同位语）. （with... 方式状语）

知识点（1）

luxury 奢侈；奢侈品

necessity 必须；必须品

※ Limousines and perfumes are luxuries while food, clothing, shelter and transportation are daily necessities.

知识点（2）

no more than … 仅仅，只不过

※ When one seriously studies the social orders that have had the opportunity to develop autonomously, the figure becomes no more than an exact and matter-of-fact observation.

※ Modern cloth diapers are surprisingly easy to use, almost no more work than putting on a disposable.

And why only snakes?

And why only snakes manufacture poison（补全）?

Cats, for instance, would be greatly helped; no running fights with large, fierce rats or tussles with grown rabbits -- just a bite and no more effort needed.

Cats, for instance（插入语）, would（虚拟语气） be greatly helped;（分号后面是解释说明） no running fights with large, fierce rats or tussles with grown rabbits — just a bite and no more effort needed（后置定语）. （—后面是解释说明）

课文补全：

※ Cats, for instance, would（虚拟语气）be greatly helped if they manufactured poison. 

知识点（1）

running adj. 英文解释：lasting a long time; continuous 持久的，长时间的

※ For years he had fought a running battle with the authorities over the land.

知识点（2）

tussle n. 英文解释：a fight using a lot of energy, in which two people get hold of each other and struggle 扭打，搏斗

tussle with … 与…打斗

※ She had a brief tussle with her conscience before telling the whole story.

In fact, it would be an assistance to all carnivores though it would be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other.

In fact（状语）, it would（虚拟语气）be an assistance to all carnivores though it would（虚拟语气）be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other（when... 时间状语从句，充当条件状语从句）. （though… 引导让步状语从句）

课文补全：

In fact, it would（虚拟语气）be an assistance to all carnivores if they manufactured poison.

知识点（1）

two-edged weapon 双刃剑

※ As is so often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil.

two-edged weapon / sword 双刃剑

double-edged weapon / sword 

知识点（2）

语法：when引导从句充当条件状语从句

※ though it would be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other.

※ … though it would be a two-edged weapon if they fought each other. 

※ How can I explain it to you when you won’t listen?

※ When I reverse the car, it makes a funny noise. 

知识点（3）

fight (with) sb. 与…作战

※ Two guys were fighting (with) each other in the street.

But, of the vertebrates unpredictable Nature selected only snakes (and one lizard).

But, of the vertebrates（方面状语）, unpredictable Nature selected only snakes (and one lizard).

知识点（1）

of prep. 英文解释：used when comparing related things （用于比较时）在……中

※ I'm surprised that you of all people think that. 

※ A flat tyre today of all days what bad luck!

※ He's the best looking of the three brothers.

One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes concocted poison of such extreme potency.

One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes（插入语）, concocted poison of such extreme potency. （why… 宾语从句）

知识点（1）

concoct v. 英文解释：to produce sth. unusual by mixing things in a new way, esp. a drink or meal 调制

※ The soup was concocted from up to a dozen different kinds of fish.

知识点（2）

potency n. 英文解释：the strength of sth., esp. a drug, on your mind or body 效力

※ Improper storage may decrease the potency of the drug.

In the conversion of saliva into poison, one might suppose that a fixed process took place. 

In the conversion of saliva into poison（时间状语）, one might suppose that a fixed process took place. （that… 宾语从句）

知识点（1）

介词in 在…的过程中

※ In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.

知识点（2）

take place v. 英文解释：sth. happens that is planned or arranged（计划之中的事情）

发生

※ Where is the meeting taking place?

※ The wedding will take place at St. Andrew's church.

It did not; some snakes manufactured a poison different in every respect from that of others, as different as arsenic is from strychnine, and having different effects.

It did not; some snakes manufacture a poison different in every respect（方面状语） from that of others（后置定语1,修饰poison）, as different as arsenic is from strychnine（状语，补充说明different）, and having different effects（后置定语2,修饰poison）.

知识点（1）

be different from … 与…不同

知识点（2）

in every respect / aspect / way 在每个方面

知识点（3）

that of  

※ It did not; some snakes manufactured a poison different in every respect from that of others….

※ His function is analogous to that of a judge, 

知识点（4）

… as different as … is from …  就像…与…不同一样

※ 造句：中国文化在各个方面都与美国文化不同，就像大熊猫与白头鹰 (bald eagle) 不同一样。

※ Chinese culture is different in every respect from that of America, as different as the giant panda is from the bald eagle.

One poison acts on the nerves, the other on the blood.

One poison acts on the nerves, the other （acting 省略）on the blood （独立主格）. 

知识点（1）

act v. 英文解释：to have an effect or use 有某种效果或作用 

act on … 对…有效

※ Alcohol acts on the brain.

※ Disinfectants act on bacteria in two main ways. 

act as … 作为…（而发挥效果）

※ Later it was found that there was a type of mosquito which acted as the carrier of this disease and passed it on to the rabbits.

知识点（2）复习

语法：独立主格

※ One poison acts on the nerves, the other (acting) on the blood.

The makers of the nerve poison include the mambas and the cobras and their venom is called neurotoxic.

Vipers (adders) and rattlesnakes manufacture the blood poison, which is known as haemolytic.

Vipers (adders) and rattlesnakes manufacture the blood poison, which is known as haemolytic. （which...定语从句）

知识点（1）

【复习】表达“被称为是…”：

be called …

be known as …

be referred to as … 

be addressed as …

※ … and their venom is called neurotoxic.

※ The terrible secret is called 'a skeleton in the cupboard '. 

※ Because of this, they were known as 'prize-fighters'.

※ People who work in offices are frequently referred to as 'white collar workers' for the simple reason that they usually wear a collar and tie to go to work.

※ The president should be addressed as 'Mr. President'.

Both poisons are unpleasant, but by far the more unpleasant is the blood poison.

知识点（1）

by far 英文解释：(used with comparative or superlative adjectives or adverbs) by a great amount ……得多

※ The last of these reasons is by far the most important.

※ The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn

知识点（2）【课文句型提炼】

Both … are …, but by far the more … is … 两个东西都…，但是更…的多得是…

※ Both books are interesting, but by far the more interesting is ‘Harry Potter’.

It is said that the nerve poison is the more primitive of the two, that the blood poison is, so to speak, a newer product from an improved formula.

it（形式主语）is said that the nerve poison is the more primitive of the two（that...主语从句1）, that the blood poison is, so to speak, a newer product from an improved formula（that...主语从句2）. 

知识点（1）

so to speak 好像，仿佛，可谓是，可以说是

※ He is, so to speak, a walking dictionary.

※ The Han nationality and the minority nationalities are all, so to speak, members of the same family.

= as it were 

※ He is, as it were, a walking dictionary.

※ The Han nationality and the minority nationalities are all, as it were, members of the same family.

※ They will be able, as it were, to see and hear us in action.

※ They can never, as it were, lead independent lives, or 'rule the world' by making decisions of their own.

※ He gets the solid shape, as it were, inside his head—he thinks of it, whatever its size, as if he were holding it completely enclosed in the hollow of his hand.

※ Reading is thought to be a kind of conversation between the reader and the text. The reader puts questions, as it were, to the text and gets answers. In the light of these he puts further questions, and so on.

知识点（2）

formula n. 英文解释： a list of the substances used to make a medicine, fuel, drink etc, showing the amounts of each substance that should be used 配方，处方

※ Our products are handmade from traditional formulas.

※ The formulas for the drinks are closely guarded secrets.

Be that as it may, the nerve poison does its business with man far more quickly than the blood poison.

Be that as it may（让步状语从句）, the nerve poison does its business with man far more quickly than the blood poison（than... 比较状语）.（far… 状语，修饰does its business）

知识点（1）

Be that as it may  尽管如此

= However that may be 

= Despite that

※ Be that as it may, our expenditure is bound to increase. “

※ I’m tired.” “Be that as it may, you have to do some work.” 

【扩展】

Come what may 无论发生什么

= Whatever may happen

※ Come what may, we'll always stand by your side. 

Come wind or rain 无论刮风下雨

= whether wind or rain comes 

※ Come wind or rain, I will go.

知识点（2）

do business with … 做生意；（派生、比喻）发挥效力

※ I was fascinated by the different people who did business with me. 

This, however, means nothing.

知识点（1）

mean nothing: be not important 不重要

※ Time meant nothing to me while I was travelling.

Snakes did not acquire their poison for use against man but for use against prey such as rats and mice, and the effects on these of viperine poison is almost immediate.

Snakes did not（不是） acquire their poison for use against man but（而是） for use against prey such as rats and mice（后置定语）, and the effects on these（前置） of viperine

poison is almost immediate.

知识点（1）

the effect / influence / impact of … on / upon … …对…的效果

※ In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.

※ … and the effects on these of viperine poison is almost immediate.