TOEFL READING 1994/05(5)
Chemistry did not emerge as science until after the scientific
revolution in the seventeenth century and then only rather slowly and
laboriously. But chemical knowledge is as old as history , being almost entirely
connected with the practical arts of living. Cooking is essentially a chemical
process; so is the melting of metals and the administration of drugs and
potions. This basic chemical knowledge, which was applied in most cases as a
rule of thumb, was nevertheless dependent on previous experiment. It also served
to stimulate a fundamental curiosity about the processes themselves. New
information was always being gained as artisans improved techniques to gain
better results.
The development of a scientific approach to chemistry was , however ,
hampered by several factors. The most serious problem was the vast range of
material available and the consequent difficulty of organizing it into some
system. In addition, there were social and intellectual difficulties. chemistry
is notching if not practical; those who practice it must use their hands , they
must have a certain practical flair. Yet in many ancient civilizations
,practical tasks were primarily the province of a slave population. The thinker
or philosopher stood apart from this mundane world, where the practical arts
appeared to lack any intellectual content or interest .
The final problem for early chemical science was the element of
secrecy. Experts in specific trades had developed their own techniques and
guarded their knowledge to prevent others from stealing their livelihood.
Another factor that contributed to secrecy was the esoteric nature of the
knowledge of a alchemists, who were trying to transform base metals into gold or
were concerned with the hunt for the elixir that would bestow the blessing of
eternal life. In one sense, the second of these was the more serious impediment
because the records of the chemical processes that early alchemists had
discovered were often written down in symbolic language intelligible to very few
or in symbols that were purposely obscure.
重点单词：
chemistry : n. 化学,化学作用
emerge : vi. 浮现,形成,(由某种状态)脱出,(事实)显现出来
laborious : a. 艰苦的,费劲的,勤劳的
connect : vt. vi. 连接,联合,关连
essentially : ad. 本质上,本来
process : n. 程序,进行,过程;vt. 加工,处理,对...处置,对...起诉;a.
经加工的,三色版的
melting : a. 熔化的,温柔的,令人感动的,甜美的
administration : n. 行政,管理,中央政府
drug : n. 药,麻药,麻醉药,滞销货;vi. 下药,吸毒;vt. 使服毒品,毒化
potion : n. 一服,一剂
applied : a. 应用的 apply : vt. 应用;vi. 申请,适用
case : n. 情形,情况,箱,框子,病例,事实,装箱,案例;vt. 装箱,包围
thumb : n. 拇指;vt. 以拇指拨弄,笨拙处理,弄坏,翻阅,作搭车手势
nevertheless : ad. 然而,虽然如此;conj. 然而
previous : a. 早先的,前面的,过急的;ad. 早先,前面
experiment : n. 实验,试验,尝试;vi. 实验,尝试
stimulate : vt. 刺激,激励,鼓舞;vi. 起刺激作用
curiosity : n. 好奇心,新奇的事物,珍品
artisan : n. 工匠,技工
improved : a. 改良的
approach : n. 接近,入门;vt. 接近,动手处理;vi. 靠近
hamper : n. 食盒,食篮,阻碍物;vt. 阻碍,使困累,妨碍
several : a. 几,一些,各自的,不同的;pron. 几个
serious : a. 严肃的,认真的,重要的,严重的
vast : a. 巨大的,广大的,非常的,大量的
available : a. 有用的,有空的
consequent : n. 接连发生的事情,结果;a. 必然的,当然的
organize : vt. 组织,有机化,给予生机;vi. 组织起来
intellectual : n. 有知识者,知识分子,凭理智做事者;a. 智力的,知性的,聪明的
difficulty : n. 困难,难点
notch : n. 刻痕,等级,峡谷;vt. 刻凹痕,用刻痕计算,得分
flair : n. 天才, 洞察力
civilization : n. 文明,教化
province : n. 省,地方,职权,领域
slave : n. 奴隶,附件,卑鄙的人;vi. 拼命工作
philosopher : n. 哲学家,哲人
apart : ad. 分别地,分离着;a. 分开的
mundane : a. 现世的,世俗的,宇宙的
appear : vi. 出现,显得,来到
lack : n. 缺乏,无,不足;vt. 缺乏,短少,不足,需要;vi. 缺乏
final : n. 结局,决赛,期末考试;a. 最后的,终极的,决定性的
element : n. 元件,元素,要素
secrecy : n. 秘密,保密
specific : n. 特效药,特性;a. 特殊的,明确的,具有特效的,特定的,具体的
guarded : a. 被防护着的,被监视着的,警戒着的
prevent : vt. vi. 预防,防止,避免,阻止,妨碍
stealing : n. 偷窃,偷垒,贼赃;a. 有偷窃行为的
livelihood : n. 生计,营生,生活
contribute : vt. 有助于,捐助,投稿;vi. 出力,捐献,投稿
esoteric : a. 秘教的,奥秘的,秘传的
alchemist : n. 炼金术士
transform : vt. 转换,改变,改造,使...变形;vi. 改变,转化,变换
concerned : a. 关心的,有关的,参与的,担心的
elixir : n. 炼金药,不老长寿药,万能药
bestow : vt. 授予,使用,放置,留宿
blessing : n. 祝福
eternal : a. 永恒的,永远的,不灭的
impediment : n. 妨碍,阻碍,阻止,口吃,行李
alchemist : n. 炼金术士
symbolic : n. 代号;a. 象征的,符号的
intelligible : a. 可理解的,易理解的,明了的
obscure : a. 微暗的,难解的,含糊的,晦涩的,不著名的,偏僻的;vt.
使阴暗,隐藏,使
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