【欢迎朗读】跟读 “Knowledge and progress”

Lesson 22
Knowledge and progress
知识和进步
First listen and then answer the following question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
In what two areas have people made no 'progress' at all?
Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world? Surely progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress in the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming of science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man's nature，but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge? As is so often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being used indifferently for both. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men’s bodies，while close at hand，surgeons use it to restore them，we have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.
G.N.M.TYRRELL The Personality of Man

 

所有跟帖： 

• 读得真好。抑扬顿挫比原读还清晰容易follow。上次和大S讨论过，关于progress，那个o在这该发什么音？ -妖妖灵- ♀ (0 bytes) () 07/22/2022 postreply 07:56:01

• +1 更喜欢楼主读的。 -天边一片白云- ♀ (0 bytes) () 07/23/2022 postreply 10:29:26

• 读得真好。美坛天花板 -盈盈一笑间- ♀ (0 bytes) () 07/23/2022 postreply 07:17:29

• 恭喜7997。首页进来，谢谢网管，【欢迎朗读】跟读 “Knowledge and progress” 推荐成功 -梅雨潭- ♂ (0 bytes) () 07/23/2022 postreply 19:51:53

• 谢谢版主和大家的鼓励！ -7997- ♂ (0 bytes) () 07/23/2022 postreply 21:14:05