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The Myths

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... a precarious1 balance between the forces of good and evil 

There was no letter for Sophie the next morning. All through the interminable day at school she was bored stiff. She took care to be extra nice to Joanna during the breaks. On the way home they talked about going camping as soon as the woods were dry enough.

After what seemed an eternity2 she was once again at the mailbox. First she opened a letter postmarked in Mexico. It was from her father. He wrote about how much he was longing3 for home and how for the first time he had managed to beat the Chief Officer at chess. Apart from that he had almost finished the pile of books he had brought aboard with him after his winter leave.

And then, there it was--a brown envelope with her name on it! Leaving her schoolbag and the rest of the mail in the house, Sophie ran to the den4. She pulled out the new typewritten pages and began to read:

THE MYTHOLOGICAL5 WORLD PICTURE

Hello there, Sophie! We have a lot to do, so we'll get started without delay.

By philosophy we mean the completely new way of thinking that evolved in Greece about six hundred years before the birth of Christ. Until that time people had found answers to all their questions in various religions. These religious explanations were handed down from generation to generation in the form of myths. A myth is a story about the gods which sets out to explain why life is as it is.

Over the millennia7 a wild profusion8 of mythological explanations of philosophical9 questions spread across the world. The Greek philosophers attempted to prove that these explanations were not to be trusted.

In order to understand how the early philosophers thought, we have to understand what it was like to have a mythological picture of the world. We can take some Nordic myths as examples. (There is no need to carry coals to Newcastle.)
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1 precarious Lu5yV     
adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的
参考例句：
  • Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
  • He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。
2 eternity Aiwz7     
n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷
参考例句：
  • The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
  • Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。
3 longing 98bzd     
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
4 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
5 mythological BFaxL     
adj.神话的
参考例句：
  • He is remembered for his historical and mythological works. 他以其带有历史感和神话色彩的作品而著称。
  • But even so, the cumulative process had for most Americans a deep, almost mythological significance. 不过即使如此，移民渐增的过程，对于大部分美国人，还是意味深长的，几乎有不可思议的影响。
6 kin 22Zxv     
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
  • He comes of good kin.他出身好。
  • She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。
7 millennia 3DHxf     
n.一千年，千禧年
参考例句：
  • For two millennia, exogamy was a major transgression for Jews. 两千年来，异族通婚一直是犹太人的一大禁忌。
  • In the course of millennia, the dinosaurs died out. 在几千年的时间里，恐龙逐渐死绝了。
8 profusion e1JzW     
n.挥霍；丰富
参考例句：
  • He is liberal to profusion.他挥霍无度。
  • The leaves are falling in profusion.落叶纷纷。
9 philosophical rN5xh     
adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的
参考例句：
  • The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
  • She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。
10 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
11 wed MgFwc     
v.娶，嫁，与…结婚
参考例句：
  • The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
  • The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。
12 germinated 34800fedce882b7815e35b85cf63273d     
v.（使）发芽( germinate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • First, the researchers germinated the seeds. 研究人员首先让种子发芽。 来自辞典例句
  • In spring they are germinated and grown for a year in beds. 春季里，他们在苗床发芽并生长一年。 来自辞典例句
13 domain ys8xC     
n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围
参考例句：
  • This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
  • This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。
14 treacherous eg7y5     
adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的
参考例句：
  • The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
  • The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。
15 chaos 7bZyz     
n.混乱，无秩序
参考例句：
  • After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
  • The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。
16 mythology I6zzV     
n.神话，神话学，神话集
参考例句：
  • In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
  • He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。
17 abducting 865fd8d1cb9399f7ef2713945b20b56a     
劫持，诱拐( abduct的现在分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展
参考例句：
  • She was charged with abducting a six-month-old child. 她被控诱拐一个6个月大的孩子。
  • At the same time, the rate of abducting foreigners is going down. 同时，发生在外国人身上的绑架案正在下降。
18 unlimited MKbzB     
adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的
参考例句：
  • They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
  • There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
19 hurl Yc4zy     
vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂
参考例句：
  • The best cure for unhappiness is to hurl yourself into your work.医治愁苦的最好办法就是全身心地投入工作。
  • To hurl abuse is no way to fight.谩骂决不是战斗。
20 slay 1EtzI     
v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮
参考例句：
  • He intended to slay his father's murderer.他意图杀死杀父仇人。
  • She has ordered me to slay you.她命令我把你杀了。
21 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
22 catastrophes 9d10f3014dc151d21be6612c0d467fd0     
n.灾祸( catastrophe的名词复数 )；灾难；不幸事件；困难
参考例句：
  • Two of history's worst natural catastrophes occurred in 1970. 1970年发生了历史上最严重两次自然灾害。 来自辞典例句
  • The Swiss deposits contain evidence of such catastrophes. 瑞士的遗址里还有这种灾难的证据。 来自辞典例句
23 loomed 9423e616fe6b658c9a341ebc71833279     
v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
  • A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
  • The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 rites 5026f3cfef698ee535d713fec44bcf27     
仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
  • He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。
25 defensive buszxy     
adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的
参考例句：
  • Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
  • The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。
26 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
27 deadlocked 64307541978e39468a60c1da7fb7ba83     
陷入僵局的；僵持不下的
参考例句：
  • The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
  • The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。
28 attire AN0zA     
v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装
参考例句：
  • He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
  • Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。
29 tunic IGByZ     
n.束腰外衣
参考例句：
  • The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。
  • Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢，年轻人。
30 attired 1ba349e3c80620d3c58c9cc6c01a7305     
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 squad 4G1zq     
n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组
参考例句：
  • The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
  • A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。
32 breach 2sgzw     
n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破
参考例句：
  • We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
  • He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。
33 salmon pClzB     
n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的
参考例句：
  • We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
  • Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？
34 avert 7u4zj     
v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)
参考例句：
  • He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
  • I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。
35 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
36 interpretation P5jxQ     
n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理
参考例句：
  • His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
  • Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。
37 enact tjEz0     
vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演
参考例句：
  • The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
  • For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。
38 countless 7vqz9L     
adj.无数的，多得不计其数的
参考例句：
  • In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
  • I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。
39 tamper 7g3zom     
v.干预，玩弄，贿赂，窜改，削弱，损害
参考例句：
  • Do not tamper with other's business.不要干预别人的事。
  • They had strict orders not to tamper with the customs of the minorities.他们得到命令严禁干涉少数民族的风俗习惯。
40 exponent km8xH     
n.倡导者，拥护者；代表人物；指数，幂
参考例句：
  • She is an exponent of vegetarianism.她是一个素食主义的倡导者。
  • He had been the principal exponent of the Gallipoli campaign.他曾为加里波利战役的主要代表人物。
41 depict Wmdz5     
vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述
参考例句：
  • I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
  • Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。
42 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修
参考例句：
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
43 purely 8Sqxf     
adv.纯粹地，完全地
参考例句：
  • I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
  • This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
44 imprisoned bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d     
下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
  • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

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