57unit 7 Exploring Human Nature

Unit7ExploringHumanNatureBackgroundInformationHumannaturehasbeenasubjectthatattractstheattentionofscholarsacrossthetimesandcultures,andtherearedifferentassumptionscenteredonthequestionwhetherhumanbeingsareintrinsicallygoodorevilinnature.OntheChineseside,Confuciusthinksthathumanspossessthecapacityforperfection,althoughtheymustconsciouslystrivetorealizeit,whileMenciusbelievesthathumannatureistotendtowardgoodandright.Confucius(551-479BC)Mencius(372-289BC)Incontrast,SigmundFreud,afamousphilosopher,andfounderofpsychoanalyticschoolofpsychology,holdsthatmanisbad,andthatallmenareinnatelyevilandaggressionlieswithinthehumanasapartofhisnature.Freud’sargumentiscomprisedoffactuallycorrectstatements(forhistime).Hispremisesareacceptedbymanyleadingpsychologiststoday.However,thenotionthatmanisinnatelyevildoesnotsitwellwithmostoptimists.SigmundFreud(1856-1939)Thetextisadaptedfrom“Whatishumannature?”,achapterinAnEternalCareer,writtenbyFrankandLydiaHammer.Formoreinformationonthebook,surfthefollowingwebsite::competition(forgain),diffidence/distrust(forsafety),andglory(forreputation).ThomasHobbes(1588-1679)WilliamShakespeare,intheplayHamlet,showshumannaturetobegreedy,self-involvedandvengeful(报复性的).WilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)MarkTwainportraysthetownofHadleyasgreedy,hypercritical(过分苛刻的),andmorallyvulnerable.Humannaturefromhisviewpointembracestwosignificantfactors:sociallyacquiredconsciousnessaboutmorality,andthegreedy,instinctivedesireformaterialwealth.MarkTwain(1835-1910)RobertLouisStevenson,thewell-knownEnglishnovelist,throughthestoryofTheStrangeCaseDr.JekyllandMr.Hyde,presentshisassumptionofadualhumannature---thegoodsideandevilsideexistineveryone.Hegivestheimpressionthathumannatureisaconstantbattlebetweengoodandevil.RobertLouisStevenson1850-1894Nowlet’sexplorethetextandseewhattheauthorshavetosayabouthumannatureReadingFocus:OnHumanNatureFrankandLydiaHammerTextorganizationTask1:SkimmingandScanningGothroughthetextandfindthemainideaofeachpart.PartIIntroduction(Para.1)Whatishumannature?PartIIBody(Paras.2-9)Characteristicsofhumannature(8characteristics)PartIIIConclusion(Para.10)Humannaturecanonlybeunderstood,notchangedTask2:GothroughPartIIagainandfindthe8characteristicsofhumannature.A.ThebasicnatureofhumanbeingsdoesnotchangeB.NoonewisheshisnaturetochangeC.Humannatureisevertruetoitself,nottosystemsoffaithoreducationD.Theconstancyofhumannatureisproverbial(tobecont’d)(cont’d)E.Humannaturecanbestudied,controlledanddirectedF.Man’sspiritisperfect,onlythepersonalityandthephysicalbodybecomeimperfectG.Man’smajestyandnobilityaretakenforgranted.OnlybehaviorsdeviatedfromthenormalattractattentionH.Man’sinherentgoodnessisrevealedbyhiscountlessactsofheroismDetailedstudyofthetextPara.1Task1:Findtheusefulexpressionsandusetheminasentence(Sentencemakingindialogues).(on)thebasisof(Whatisthebasisofyourhealth?)Thebasisofmyhealthiseatingtherightfoodandgettingenoughsleep.build…upon…(Howcanyouwinadebate?)Generallywewinadebatebybuildingourargumentonfacts.taketheshapeof(以…形式出现/存在)(Whathappenstoaliquidwhenitisputinacontainer?)Aliquidcantake(on)theshapeofwhatevercontaineritisin.Throughout(one’s)life(Isthereanythingthatyouwouldholdontothroughoutyourlife?)Yes,Iwouldholdontoyourfriendshipthroughoutmylife.Task2:Answerthecontentquestion:Whatisaperson’scharacterbuiltupon?Aperson’scharacterisbuiltuponhisnature(theindestructiblematrix).Task3:Summarizethemainideaofthispara.inyourownwords.Humannatureissthuponwhichyourcharacterisbuilt,andsththatyou’llkeepthroughoutyourlife.Para.2Task1:Sentencemakingindialoguesbecapableof(WhyisUFOsocalled?)UFOissocalledbecauseitisUnidentifiedFlyingObjectwhichisnotcapableofclearexplanation.move(驱使)(Whatmovedhimtostudymusicthroughouthislife?)Hisdeeploveofmusicmovedhimtodoso.beswayedby(受…左右)(Whathappenswhenapersondoesnothaveideasofhisown?)He'seasilyswayedbyotherpeople.thepursuitof(Whatismoreimportant,thepursuitofwealth,orthatofhealth?)Withoutadoubt,thepursuitofhealthismuchmoreimportant.the(whole)worldover(Whatisthesamethewholeworldover?)It’sthesamethewholeworldoverthateveryonehasrulesheorshehastoobey.Task2:Answerthecontentquestion:Whatcanbealtered,accordingtotheauthor?Thingsthatcanbealteredincludepeople’scustoms,manners,dressandhabitsTask3:Summarizethemainideaofthispara.inyourownwords.Fromancienttimestothepresent,allovertheworld,humanbeingssharethesamenature,whichcannotbechanged.Para.3Task1:Sentencemakingindialoguessee…as…(Makeasentencesimilarto“Eachmanseeshimselfasunique”.)PeopleregardEdithaseccentricbecausehealwayswearsstrangeclothes.asfaras…isconcerned(Areyousatisfiedwiththesalaryrise?)Thesalaryriseisnothing,asfarasinflationisconcerned.beinorder(Whatistherightthingtodoaftersomeoneisoffended?)Apologiesareinorder.bemistakenfor(Whathappenstotwinsveryoften?)Oneofthetwinsisoftenmistakenfortheother.Task2:Answerthec