Lesson6ApologytotheFuture專題培訓課件

ByScottThomasEasthamApologyToTheFuture主講教師：紹興文理學院外語學院陳金中1.TopicoftheText2.StructuralAnalysisoftheText3.DetailedStudyoftheText4.WordStudy5.KeytotheExercisesonthetextbook6.Relevantwebsites7.Homework

Theprotectionoftheenvironmentagainstdamagefromhumanactivities.Itemphasizestheimprove-mentofhumanrelationsnotjustwithournaturalsurroundings,butalsowithoneanother,inordertopreventourlivingenvironmentfromfurtherworsening.TheTopicofThisArticleKeyWords:damageenvironmentrelationprotectionimprovementIII.conclusion–concludesthearticlewithgoodwishes.(para16-17)StructuralAnalysisOfTheTextI.Theintroductoryfirstparagraphforetellsthereaderofthecomingoftwosubtopics.(paragraph1)

Apology(para2-9)

Explanation(para10-15)Thereasonsforhumandevastation.(para10)PossibleactionswecantaketostopthesuicidalProcess.(para11-15)Instanceofourwrongdoingtotheenvironment(para2-4)Instanceofourwrongdoingtoeachother.(para5-9)II.ThebodyofthetextMydearunborngrandchild:Hollowly,yourgrandfatherFoamcontainersthreatentheenvironmentInstancesofourwrongdoingtotheenvironmentThechemicalwasteswehavebeendumpingheedlesslyforyears.Thewrongwaytodisposeoforisolatethemountainsofnuclearwaste.Oursocietaladdictiontofossilfuels.Speciesaregoingextinctattheincrediblerate.Solution:tocollaboratewiththeEarth,tobecomeresponsiblepartnerswithalltherhythmsanddynamismsofthelivingCosmos.ThevictimofthewarPalestinianscleanupabombedareaIsraelisoldiersarelaunchedtofightPalestinianprotesters

SalvagingtheremainsofthecollapsedWorldTradeCenterAYugoslavsoldierpreparestoenteraradioactive-contaminatedareaA.Insteadofofferingrealhelptothestarvingmillions,thesuper-powerssellthemweapons-meanwhilespendingaboutabilliondollarsadayontheirownsuicidalarmsrace.B.Thethreatofnuclearwars-TheBigFinale.C.Thewrongdoingofthegovernment.Solutions:wewouldhavetofindalternativestohead-onconflict.Creative,constructive,dialogicalwaysInstancesofourwrongdoingtoeachotherApologytotheFuture

ByScottThomasEastham

MyDearUnbornGrandchild:

Bythetimeyoureadthis,Ishallbedead-andprobablynotfromoldage.Youhavegrowntomaturitynow,andbyrights

expectverylittlefromyourforebears.Thisisasitshouldbe.Nevertheless,IfeelIoweyouatleasttwothings--anapologyandanexplanation.Theapologytakesprecedence.IcanguessthatyouarelivingonadevastatedEarth,theruinofagardenplanet,anEarthrenderedwell-nighuninhabitable

byforcessetinmotion

bymygenerationandthosethatprecededus.Iapologizeforallofuswhomayberesponsible.Iamespeciallysorrybecausealltheportentsforetellingthekindofworldyouwillinhabitarealreadypresenttoday.IwishIcouldsaywedon'tknowanybetter,butwedo.Weknowthatthechemicalwasteswehavebeendumpingheedlessly

fordecadeshaveprobablycausedirreversibledamage

tothehumangenepool.Thereisundoubtedlymorecongenitalsufferinginyourtime,moreweaknessoflimbandofbrain,morepeoplebornthenthannowwhomightprefertobedead.Weknowfurtherthatthereisnosafewaytodisposeof

orisolatethemountainsofnuclearwasteweareaccumulating;byyourday,thedamagewillbedone.Weknowalsothatoursocietaladdictiontofossilfuelsisreleasingfartoomuchcarbondioxideintotheatmosphere.

Wehaveevenpredictedthecatastrophicresultsofthis"greenhouseeffect"aninevitablewarmingandshiftintheEarth'sclimaticregions,meltingofthepolaricecaps,andthusfloods,massmigrations,famines,etc.Neverthelesswescoffatalternativestofossilfuelsandnuclearenergy.Theyarecostlyandunrealistic,wesay,andsowegougeevermoredeeplyintothefleshoftheEarthtofindandburnupmoreofthesame.Inasinglecentury,wehaveturnedtheEarthintoasickoldlady.Speciesaregoingextinctattheincrediblerateofoneeveryotherday.Someofthatisnaturalselection,ofcourse,butthelion'sshareofthedamageisman'sdoing.Thefoodchainisgoingtocollapseoutfromunderusoneday,butthat'saproblemforthefuturetosolve,orsowesay.Ohyes,wecanseeallaroundusthegrimbeginningsofyourworld.It'snotjustwhatwe'redoingtotheenvironmentthatspeaksoftheworldwearecreatingforyou,butjustasevidentlywhathumanbeingsaredoingtooneanother.Atthelatestestimate,some50,000peopledieofstarvationeveryday--that'sonedeatheveryothersecond.Insteadofofferingrealhelptothesestarvingmillions,thesuperpowerssellthemweapons--meanwhilespendingaboutabilliondollarsadayontheirownsuicidalarmsrace.

MostpeopleareafraidofWorldWarIII,butdon'trealizethatthe"ThirdWorldWar"isalreadywellunderway;morepeoplehavediedintheapproximately160warssinceWorldWarIIthanperishedinthatgreatconflagration.EvenasIwriteyou,thereareabout40shootingwarsbeingfoughtinandbetweensocalledThirdWorldnations,mostofthemlikequicksandpits

--themoreyoustrugglethedeeperyousink.Thehumandeathtollisalreadyenormoustoday,evenifweneverusethemassivethermonucleararsenals

we'vebeenbuildingupfortheBigFinale--whichcouldcomeatanymoment.EveryCityintheU.S.andtheU.S.S.Rwithapopulationof25,000ormoreispresentlytargetedwithatleastonenuclearbombandthecomputercontrolsarenotonlyonhairtriggers,butinadditiontheyarenotoriouslyunreliable.Everytimelightningstrikestheamunicipalpowergrid

inColoradoSprings,theNorthAmericanAirDefenseCommandcomputersthereregisterSovietmissilestrike

andpreparetostrikeback.Perhapsthisisalloldnewstoyou.Foryouandyourcontemporaries,itmaywellbetoolate.Perhapsyouarealreadylivingintheradioactiverubbleofournightmares;perhapsyouknowfirsthandaboutgeneticmutations,radiationdamage,infantleukemia,shortenedlifeexpectancy,andalltheotherhorrorswe'vebeensavingupforyou.Ifearthereisaninevitabilityhere,too.Humankindhasneveryetdevelopedaweaponitdidnoteventuallygetaroundtousingonitself.WhenAlfredNobelinventeddynamitein1866,hesupposedthat,withsuchaterribleweaponintheworld'sarsenals,nobodycouldever

countenancewagingwaragain.Inthenuclearage,thatkindofinnocenceislostforever.EvenifyouhavebysomeincrediblestrokeofprovidencebeensparedanatomicArmageddon,youwillseeourhandiworkinalltheothergruesomelegacieswehaveleftyouandwithwhichyoumusttrytolive--orshouldIsaysurvive?Governmentissupposedtobethewaywehumanbeingshandleourcollectiveaffairs,butwejustcan'tseemtogetthehangofit.You'dbeappalledatwhatpassedforgovernmentinthis,ourenlightenedmodernage.IntheU.S.,forinstance,you'dthinkwedon'treallybelieveanybodyknowshowtorunanythingproperly.We'vegottenverycynical,andexpectfraud,malfeasance,andliarsinpublicplaces.Don'tmistakemymeaning;it'snotonepoliticalpartyortheotherthat'satfault--it'sthesystem,thebureaucraticmegamachine.Ourentiresocietyhasbeenpoliticized,polarized,andfactionalizedtotheextentthateverybodyis,inthefinalanalysis,atoddswitheverybodyelse

Insuchaperversestateofaffairs,affairsofstatetendtoundergosomeratherbizarrereversals.Wehavea"Defense"Departmentthatpreparesforandcovertlywagesaggressivewar.Wehavean"Interior"Department

thatsellsoff

publiclandsforprivateprofit,anduseswasteful"slash-and-burn"clearcutlumberingtechniquesonthelandsitdoesretain.WehaveanEnvironmental"Protection"Agencywhichstymiesenforcementofthemeagerenvironmentallegislationwedohaveonthebooks

Wehavea"State"Department

whoseunstatesmanlikebusinessistomeddleintheinternalaffairsofotherstates,anda"Commerce"Departmentwhichdoeseverythinginitsconsiderablepowertoputupbarrierstofreetradebetweenfreenations.Wehavean"Energy"Departmentwhosemajorutilityistoserveasafrontfornuclearweaponprocurement.Wehavean"Education"Departmentwhosemainfunctionappearstobetodismantlepubliceducationfromthetopdown.Thelistgoesonandon.Forallofthis,ourgenerationowesyoursanapology--butnotwithoutexplanation.Theexplanation,however,isgoingtobeharderforyoutocomprehend.Icantellyouwhatitis,byandlarge,butyouwillprobablybeunabletoacceptit.I'malivenow,witnessingthegenesisofyourterribleworld,andIcanscarcelybelieveitmyself.It'salltheoldhumanfollies,writlarge.It'sgreedandstupidityandself-interestandallthebanalandroutineevilsthatgounnoticedaswesingle-mindedlyconductour"business-as-usual."Thereligionsofhumankindhavebeenwarningusfortwoorthreethousandyearsthatwe'dbettershapeup,orelse,butwegenerallydon'ttakefreeadvice.Itisnohideoushornedmonsterthathasariseninthelatterhalfofthe20thcentury.It'sjustthesameoldvicesofthesquabbling,petty,self-centered,bad-tempered,cantankeroushumanspecies,buttheeffectshavebeenhugelymagnifiedbyournewtechnologies,magnifiedandprojecteddirectlytoyou.Itisnotabirthrightwe'veleftyou,it'sa"birthwrong."(生不逢時）Youhavebeengrievouslywrongedlongbeforethedayofyourbirth,andIamashamedtoadmitthatyouaregoingtohavetojudgeourgenerationbyitsworstandmostdestructiveelements.Youwon'tseetheothersideofit,ofcourse,butthereisanothersideitmustseemincomprehensibletoyouthatweofthe1980'scouldforeseeallthesethings,yetcollectivelyandindividuallysquanderourlastbestmomenttoturntheworldaround

andleaveahabitableplanetforourprogeny.Soletmetellyoualittleofwhatwemighthavedone,hadwegivenourselves--andyou--halfchance.AfterHiroshima,weknewverywellthat,ifhumankindwastosurvive,wewouldhavetofindalternativestohead-onconflict

--creative,constructive,dialogicalwaystodealwiththeirreduciblediversityofthehumanfamily.Peaceisnotjustanaccident,alullbetweenwars;peaceisahard-wonachievement,acreativeact,asocietalworkofart.Itisalsoanimperative.Nuclearweaponsleaveusnochoice--eitherwehumanbeingslearntolivewithpeoplewhodisagreewithus,orelseweallgotohellinahandbasket.Forhumanlifeinitsentiretytoendure,wearegoingtohavetoshed[getridof]someofourdeeplyrootedculturalbiasesandpretensions.Weareinthemidstofdiscovering,forexample,thatWesterntechnocracyisnottheonlywaytoliveahumanlife,andthatitisplainwrongheadedtotrytosolveglobalhumandilemmasfromwithinthestructuresandstricturesofasinglecivilizationalmodel--one,beitnoted,whichseemsincreasinglypronetoflirtwithitsowntotaldestruction.Wearealsowellawarethatwe'vetakentheEarthforgrantedfartoolong.Thingshavechangedrapidlyfortheworseonourcrowdedplanet;we'vewornoutourwelcome

intheoldhomestead.Thesearethesignsofourtimes.Iftheairistobefittobreathe,ifthegrassandthetreesaretocontinuetogrow,ifhumanlifeistoflourishalongwithitscompanionspecies,thenwearegoingtohavetolearn--andlearndamnedquickly-tocollaboratewiththeEarth,tobecomeresponsiblepartnerswithalltherhythmsanddynamismsofthelivingCosmos.Thismeansthatwearegoingtohavetorelylessonmechanismsofforce

--andmoreonthevitalconnectionswesharewiththeentireCreationandwithoneanother

Alongthesamelines,weknowalsothathumancivilization,howeverhighitstechnicaloraestheticattainments,ispeculiarlyvulnerabletoitsowngarbage.Athens,medievalEurope,andElizabethanEnglandallsuccumbedtoplague

spawnedinstreetsthatranwithrawsewage,andournewtechniquesofbiochemicalinterferencearelikelytobefarmoredevastatingthantheoccasionalrat-infestedship.Werightlyfearthatweshallbepoisoned,buried,andmemorializedbyourowngarbage.Ithinkwedoknow,aboveallanddespiteall,thatlifeisagift,amiracle,really,thatitisfittingtocelebrateandpassonenhancedtoourdescendants.Slowaswearetoacknowledgeit,weknowthatthisgiftisinourhandsnow--forbetterorforworse.SowhatcanItellyou?Thatinmygeneration,homomaniacus,thecrazyfellow,isbusywritingtheepitaphforhomosapiens,thesupposedlywisefellowwith6,000yearsofaccumulatedhumanexperiencetodrawfrom?Thatallthebeautyandwisdomanddignitythathumanlifehaspainfullybutsteadilyacquiredovermillenniawillbesquanderedbyasingle,mindlessgenerationinawildfrenzyofdestruction?Idon'tknow.

Icertainlyhopenot,butitoftenseemslikeahopeagainsthope.Ihopeourgenerationcanseethealternativesandmaketheresponsiblechoices--livingryinsteadofweaponry,creationinsteadofdestruction,lifeinsteadofdeath.IwishIknewtheoutcome,butonlyyoucanknowthatforsure.Onlyyou,myunknownandnamelessgrandchild,canproperlyjudgeyourparentsandgrandparentsandtheworldthey'vehandedovertoyou,thelifethey'vepassedontoyou.Asforme,IonlywishIknewwhetherweareevengoingtoallowyoutoexist.

Hollowly,YOURGRANDFATHERPassageone1.notfromoldage:notdienaturally,butispoisonedtodeathbythepollutedenvironmentorkilledinasenselesswar2.byrights:rightly;withgoodreason.Heretheauthormeansthatitiscorrectyoudonotclaimanythingfromyourforebears,butIfeelweoweyoutwothingsatleast.3.forebear:forefather(literarywordwhileancestorsacommonword)4.Thisisasitshouldbe:Thisisaswenormallyhope.(setexpression)Passagetwo5.takeprecedence:shouldbedealtwithfirst6.devastated:completelydestroyed;greatlydamaged7.gardenplanet:aplanetwhichiscoveredwithtreesandflowersincontrasttodesolateanduninhabitableplanets8.renderedwell-nighuninhabitable:madealmostunsuitableforpeopletoliveon9.forcessetinmotion:destructiveforceswhichareactivatedorsettowork10.portents:warningsigns11.IwishIcouldsaywedon’tknowanybetter,butwedo:IwishitwereallbecausewehavelessthanenoughknowledgetomakeusrealizewearedoingwrongPassagethree12.dumpingheedlessly:discardingwithoutpropercare13.Irreversibledamage:damagethatcaninnowayberepaired14.thehumangenepool:allthegenesavailabletothehumanspeciesconsideredasawhole15.Congenitalsuffering:alsobirthdefects;diseasethatstartatthetimeofbirthbutnotnecessarilyhereditary16.disposeof:getridof;throwsth.away17.isolate:keepwastesstrictlyfromleakingintothenaturalenvironment18.addictiontofossilfuels:indulgenceinusingfossilfuels/mineralfuelssuchascoal,petroleumandnaturalgas19.inevitablewarming:theglobalwarmingcausedbythegreenhouseeffect20.Shiftintheearth’sclimaticregions:theearthisdividedintoclimaticzonesbasedonaveragepearlytemperatureandprecipitation21.massmigration:themovementoflargegroupsofanimals22.scoffat:speakinascornfulmockingwayasitisridiculousorinadequatePassageFour23.asickoldlady(para.4)—MotherEarthgonesickfromallthedamage,pollution,anddevastationdonebymanIntheWest,theearthisthoughttobeawoman.Bycontrast,aweakeningcountryinEuropeissometimescalled"theSickManofEurope",aphrasefirstcoinedin1844bytheRussianCzarNicholasItorefertoTurkey,whichhadlongbeenindecline.OnFeb.21,1853,hesaidthisagaininaconversationwithSirG.Seymour:"Irepeattoyouthatthesickmanisdying;andwemustneverallowsuchaneventtotakeusbysurprise."24.oneeveryotherday(para.4)—Everytwodaysthereisonespecieswhichdisappearsfromthefaceofearth(becauseofadverselivingconditions).25.thelion'sshare...man'sdoing(para.4)—Itismanwhocausesthegreatestpartofdamagetotheenvironment.thelion'sshare:thegreatestpart;nearlyall,e.g.Heneverofferstobuyanywine,butwhenabottleisopened,healwaystakesthelion'sshare.ThephrasecomesfromoneofAesop'sfables.Thestorygoesthatseveralanimalswerehuntingforfood.Thelionclaimed3quartersofthefoodforhimself,forhissuperiorcourage,andforhiswifeandyoungrespectively.Theotheranimals,beingafraidofhisanger,alsogaveupthefourthquartertohim.26.thefoodchain...usoneday(para.4)—Afoodchainisaserialprocessbywhichweakcreaturesaretypicallyeatenbystrongeronesinascendingorder.Forexample,inthegrasslandfoxesfeedonrabbits,whichinturnfeedongrass.Inoceans,tinyfisheatalgae.Inturn,thesetinyfishareeatenbylargerfish,andthosebystilllargerfish.Inthisway,foodispassedthroughfoodchainsaseachmembereatstheonebelowitandiseatenbytheoneaboveit.Thetruepictureofthenaturalworldisfarmorecomplexthanthis,though.Asmanycreaturesusemorethanonespeciesasfood,severalfoodchainsmayoverlapatmanypointstoforma"foodweb"or"foodcycle".Forexample,mice,rabbits,anddeeralleatplants,butowlseatmiceandrabbits,andmountainlionseatrabbitsanddeer.Thesefivespecies,therefore,be-comepartsofafoodweb.Suchfoodrelationshipscanbevisuallyrepresentedashierarchicalpyramid-shapeddiagrams,withthebottomlinkalwaysbeingagreenplant(becauseonlythegreenplantcanmakefoodfromsunlightthroughphotosynthesis),andwiththehumanbeingsupposedlybeingatthetop.Suchanecologicalsystemissofinelybalancedthatremoval(distinction)ofanyonespecies,suchascausedbydroughtorpollution,canbedisastrous.Thiswillleadthefoodchaintocollapseout(thespeciesisvisually,asitwere,forced"out"ofthetreediagram),anditwillcollapseoutfrom"under"us,becausewehumansareatthetop.29.orsowesay(para.4)—Ifinfactthatisnotaproblemforthefuturetosolve,atleastwethink(=say)itis.Or(so)isusedtomakeaconcessiontothepreviousstatementyouhavemade.Itmeanswhatyouhavejustsaidmaynotbeatruefact,butatleastsomeonesaysorthinksso,e.g.Jamesisleavingtonight,orsohesaid.(=Hemightnotleavetonight,butatleasthesaidhewould.)Mary'scomingoverthissummerorsoI'veheard.Apparentlyhisfirstwordstoherwere"Willyoumarryme?"orsothestorygoes(=oratleastthatiswhatpeoplesayhappened).It'sgoingtosnowtomorrow,orthat'swhattheforecastsays.27.grim:unpleasant,depressing,difficulttoacceptPassageFive28.It'snotjust...tooneanother,(para.5)—Ourbehaviortowardstheenvironmentindicates(speaksof)clearly(evidently)whatkindofworldyouaregoingtohave.Butinaddition,ourbehaviortowardsoneanotheralsoindicatesthat,andjustasclearly(asourbehaviortowardstheenvironment)(1)speakof:indicate;suggest;giveevidenceof,e.g.Hisbatteredshoesspokeof(=showedhehadhad)alongjourney.Thebloodstainsonthefloorspokeof(=wereevidenceof)thefiercefightingthenightbefore.Everythingatthepartyspokeof(=wasindicativeof)carefulplanning.Inthefardistanceasoftnessofgraygreenspokeof(=suggested)waterinthedesert.(2)Whenthecomparativeclauseinthe"as...as..."structureisomittedforbeingunderstoodfromthecontext,theword"just"isoftenadded.ThefollowingexampleisthemoraloftheIndianfable"SixBlindMenandtheElephant":Itisnotjustblindpeoplewhomakesuchsillymistakes.Peoplewhohaveeyessometimesactjustasfoolishly(

=actasfoolishlyasblindpeopledo)whentheytakeaone-sidedviewofthings.(3)Theclauseafterbutisnotonlyellipticalbutalsoinverted.Thefull(butveryclumsy)versionmightrunsomethinglikethis:"butit'salsowhathumanbeingsaredoingtooneanotherthatspeaks,andjustasevidently,oftheworldwearecreatingforyou".29.thanperishedinthatgreatconflagration(para.5)—thantherewerepeoplewhodiedinWorldWar

IIThesubjectofacomparativeclausecanbeomitted,withtheconjunction"as"or"than"thenfunctioninglikearelativepronoun,e.g.Thesituationisnotasseriousashasbeenreported.Youspentmoremoneythanwasintendedtobespent.Thehousewasmoreluxuriouslyfurnishedthansuitedherpurpose.Conflagration:afirethatburnsoveralargearea30.evenasIwriteyou(para.5)—exactlyatthemomentofmywritingevenas:justatthesamemomentas,e.g.Itriedtoreasonwithhim,butevenas(=exactlywhen)Istartedtoexplainhowthemistakehappenedhestooduptoleave.Evenas(=atexactlythesametimeas)shesaidthis,sheknewitwasnotquitetrue.31.quicksandpits(para.5)—deepmassesofloosewetsandthatyieldeasilytoweightandwouldsuckdownintothemanyheavyobjectthatcomesontothem(cf.swamp;marsh).Theyaresocalledbecausequickhasanarchaicmeaningof"alive",andquicksandissandwhichshiftsitsplaceasifitwerealive.Inthetexttheauthormeansthatmostofthesewarswillonlyinvolvethewarringsidesmoreandmoredeeplyinthem,withtheprospectofsolvinganypoliticalissueslookingevermoredistant.PassageSix32.massivethermonucleararsenals(para.6)—hugecollectionsofthermonuclearweapons(cf."intheworld'sarsenals"inpara.7,whichmeans"intheworld'sstorehousesforweapons")33.hairtrigger(para.6)—aguntriggerinventedinthe16thcenturywhichallowsthefiringdeviceofaguntobeoperatedbyaveryslightpull.Inthetext,"onhairtriggers"means"over-sensitive;readytobesetoffattheslighteststimulus",implyingthedangerofanuclearwarcomingeasilyatanymoment.Thewordisoftenusedfigurativelyasanadjective:Ahair-triggersituationhasbeencreatedwhichcouldleadtoanoutbreakofwaratanytime.34.themunicipalpowergrid(para.6)—thecity's(ColoradoSprings')networkofhigh-voltagepowerlinescarryingelectricityfromwhereitisproducedtowhereitisused35.registeraSovietmissilestrike(para.6)—setdownarecordofastrike,butmistakethelightningstrikeforaSovietmissilestrike.ThesentenceillustrateshowunreliablethecomputersintheAirDefenseCommandare.36.ournightmares(para.6)—nuclearwars.Theauthormeansthatnuclearwarsmayalreadyhavebeenwagedwhenyoureadthisletter(cf."itmaywellbetoolate").37.geneticmutations(para.6)—(also"geneticchanges")changesingenestructures,causedsupposedlybyradiationandcertaintoxicchemicalsintheenvironment.Itisbelievedthatdefectiveordamagedgenesaretherootsofmanydiseases,whichcanthenbepassedonfromparentstotheirchildren.Oneofsuchdiseases,forexample,iscalled"Huntington'sdisease",characterizedbyinvoluntaryjerkymovementsoftheface,limbs,orentirebody.Soifwecanfindthesetofgenesresponsibleforacertaindisease,wemightfindawaytopreventthediseasefrombeingpassedonfromparentstotheirchildrenbychangingandcuringthegenes.Thisispartlywhatgeneticengineeringisabout.38.horrorswe'vebeensavingupforyou(para.6)—(ironic)dreadfulthingswe'vedeliberatelypreparedforyou(Equallyironicis"ourhandiworkinalltheothergruesomelegacieswe,haveleftyou"inpara.7.)PassageSeven39.Humankindhasnever...usingonitself,(para.7)—Humankindwilluseeveryweaponithasmadesoonerorlatertokillitself.get(a)roundto(doing)sth.:dosth.afteralongdelaybecauseyoupreviouslydidnothavetimeorchancetodoit,e.g.IsaidIwouldwritetoyou,butasusualInevergotaroundtoit...I'vegotbagsofphotographsandImustgetroundtoputtingtheminanalbumsomeday.(=Imustfindtimetodothis,whichIhavebeenintendingtodoforalongtime.)40.countenance(para.7)—(aformalwordusedmainlyinthenegative)approveandallowtohappen;tolerate,e.g.Johnwouldnotcountenancehisdaughter'smarryingwhilestillastudent.Ijustcan'tcountenancekillinganimalstomakefurcoats.Theschoolwillnotcountenancebadbehavior.41.evenifyouhave...Armageddon(para.7)—evenifGod'sfavorissuddenlyandunbelievablybestoweduponyouandsavesyoufromsufferinganuclearworldwar/evenifyouareluckyenoughtohaveescapedanuclearworldwar(1)Astrokemeansasuddenunexpectedoccurrenceofsome-thingpleasant.Forexample,astrokeofluckorfortuneisanunexpectedpieceofgoodluck,asin:Mycarhadbrokendownoppositeagarage,whichwasarealstrokeofluck.(2)ProvidenceisGod'swillorfate,e.g.PopeJohnPaulsaidthatprovidence(=God)hadchosenhimtoproclaimthespiritualunityofEurope.Thesewomenregardhisdeathasanactofprovidence.(3)ArmageddonisthenamegivenintheBibletothesiteofthefinalbattleonJudgmentDay("battleofthatgreatdayofGodalmighty")betweentheforcesofgoodandevil.Inmodernuse,Armageddonoftenreferstotheprospectofanuclearconflictwhichwillannihilateallhumanlifeonearth,e.g.WemaybethegenerationthatseesArmageddon.Inthetext,thewordisanalternativeto"theBigFinale".PassageEight42.Governmentissupposed...thehangofit.(para.8)—Heretheword"government"isanabstractnoun,referringtotheactofgoverning(ofcontrollinganddirectingthepublicbusinessofacountry),asin:Thepartythatwaselectedtopowerhasnoexperienceofgovernment.getthehangofsth.:learnthetr