一、原文精读
第 1 段
1The word “encyclopaedia” comes from a Greek word that means “general education”.“encyclopaedia”这个词来自一个意为“普及教育”的希腊词。
2We use encyclopaedias to find information about different subjects.我们用百科全书来查找不同学科的信息。
3Nowadays, most people use encyclopaedias online, but some still prefer to use paper encyclopaedias.如今,大多数人在网上使用百科全书,但有些人仍更喜欢纸质百科全书。
4They often come in several volumes.它们通常分若干卷。
5China has a long history of creating encyclopaedias.中国有着悠久的编撰百科全书的历史。
6One of the first encyclopaedias was the Huanglan (i.e. the Imperial Anthology).最早的百科全书之一是《皇览》(即《皇家类书》)。
7It was created around 220 CE.它大约在公元220年编成。
8Another important encyclopaedia was the Yongle Dadian (i.e. the Yongle Encyclopaedia).另一部重要的百科全书是《永乐大典》(即《永乐百科全书》)。
第 2 段
9The Yongle Dadian was completed in 1408 and had over 11,000 volumes.《永乐大典》于1408年完成,共有一万一千多卷。
10It is probably the largest encyclopaedia in history.它很可能是历史上最大的一部百科全书。
11Both the Huanglan and Yongle Dadian included important pieces of writing.《皇览》和《永乐大典》都收录了重要的作品。
12These entries covered subjects like history, art and science.这些词条涵盖了历史、艺术和科学等学科。
13Encyclopaedias in other parts of the world also go back a long way in history.世界其他地区的百科全书在历史上同样源远流长。
14The earliest known encyclopaedias in Europe were written by the Greeks in the 4th century BCE.欧洲最早的已知百科全书,是公元前4世纪由希腊人编撰的。
15They were similar to early Chinese encyclopaedias because they included works by different scholars.它们与早期中国百科全书相似,因为它们收录了不同学者的作品。
第 3 段
16Centuries later, the editors of the first modern encyclopaedias, like the Encyclopaedia Britannica, organized the entries in alphabetical order.几个世纪后,像《大英百科全书》这样的首批现代百科全书的编辑们,按字母顺序编排词条。
17People could use the first letter of a word to find a subject quickly and easily.人们可以用一个词的首字母,快速轻松地找到某个主题。
18Encyclopaedias have played an important role through history in recording and providing information.在记录和提供信息方面,百科全书在历史上一直扮演着重要角色。
19They are still a useful tool, and they help us learn about the world that we live in.它们仍然是一种有用的工具,帮助我们了解我们所生活的世界。
思考题:What do you know about the history of encyclopaedias? (关于百科全书的历史,你了解多少?)
词汇
encyclopaedia n.百科全书
education n.教育
subject n.学科、主题
nowadays adv.如今
prefer v.更喜欢
volume n.卷、册
create v.创造、编撰
complete v.完成
probably adv.很可能
entry n.词条
cover v.涵盖
scholar n.学者
editor n.编辑
organize v.组织、编排
alphabetical adj.按字母顺序的
quickly adv.快速地
easily adv.容易地
record v.记录
provide v.提供
useful adj.有用的
词组
come from来自
general education普及教育
paper encyclopaedias纸质百科全书
several volumes若干卷
the Imperial Anthology《皇家类书》(皇览)
the Yongle Encyclopaedia《永乐百科全书》(永乐大典)
more than / over超过
go back a long way源远流长
be similar to与…相似
in alphabetical order按字母顺序
play an important role扮演重要角色
the world that we live in我们生活的世界
one of the first …最早的…之一
介词短语
from a Greek word来自一个希腊词
about different subjects关于不同学科
in several volumes分若干卷
a long history of creating encyclopaedias编撰百科全书的悠久历史
around 220 CE大约在公元220年
in 1408在1408年
in history在历史上
in other parts of the world在世界其他地区
by the Greeks由希腊人
in the 4th century BCE在公元前4世纪
similar to early Chinese encyclopaedias与早期中国百科全书相似
works by different scholars不同学者的作品
in alphabetical order按字母顺序
through history贯穿历史
in recording and providing information在记录和提供信息方面
二、语法和从句分析
1. that 引导定语从句(作主语):“a Greek word that means “general education””中 that 引导定语从句修饰 a Greek word,并在从句中作主语。
2. 不定式作目的状语:“to find information about different subjects”中 to find 作目的状语,意为“为了查找……”。
3. prefer + 不定式:“prefer to use paper encyclopaedias”中 prefer to do 表示“更喜欢做某事”。
4. of + 动名词作后置定语:“a long history of creating encyclopaedias”中 of + 动名词 creating 修饰 history。
5. 被动语态(一般过去时):“was created / was completed / were written”都用“be + 过去分词”的被动结构。
6. 形容词最高级:“the largest encyclopaedia in history”用最高级表示“最大的”。
7. both…and…:“Both the Huanglan and Yongle Dadian”表示“……和……两者都”。
8. because 引导原因状语从句:“because they included works by different scholars”解释它们相似的原因。
9. 现在完成时:“have played an important role”强调对现在持续的影响。
10. 介词 in + 动名词:“in recording and providing information”中两个动名词并列作 in 的宾语,表示“在记录和提供……方面”。
11. that 引导定语从句(作介词宾语):“the world that we live in”中 that 引导定语从句修饰 the world,并作介词 in 的宾语,即“我们生活在其中的世界”。
12. help + 宾语 + 不定式(省 to):“help us learn about…”中 help 后接宾语 us,再接省 to 的不定式 learn。
13. 最高级 + 过去分词作定语:“the earliest known encyclopaedias”中 known 是过去分词作定语,修饰 encyclopaedias。