Astronomy: the science of the stars

1. unit 4 Astronomy: the science of the stars

2. Warming up What are some subjects we learn? Physics, chemistry, biology, geology and mathematics. Frontier Science 边缘科学 Fill inthe blanks with proper word: A. astronomy, B. biochemistry, C. geophysics, D.medicine D The scientific study of treatment of diseases and injuries. B The study of the chemistry of living things. The scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere, oceans and climate. C The scientific study of objects in space, such as planets, stars, comets and “black holes” A

3. Name the parts of these four subjects: Medicine: Biochemistry: Geophysics: Astronomy: biology & chemistry biology & chemistry geology & physics mathematics & physics

4. To study a subject scientifically, you must: Try to be objective(客观的) Set out your idea to be tested(列出要检验的观点) Design an experiment to test the idea Analyze the results Draw a conclusion Some important skills needed as real scientists: Accuracy (Being very careful) A logical approach(逻辑法) Be able to draw conclusions from the evidence Thorough writing of the experiment so someone else could redo the experiment from your notes.

5. Pre-reading Do you know any idea about the beginning of the universe? If you know, you can give an example.

7. The story about Pangu • Pangu grew between the sky and the earth, which were combined together. They were just as tall as Pangu grew. He could not bear the small world any longer. So he found an ax and cut in the middle of the sky and the earth and divided them. The world became wider. After his death, one of Pangu’s eyes became the sun and the other, moon. His breath was the wind and his muscles turned into mountains. His blood became the rivers in the world and his hairs became forests. And then, our world appears. That’s Chinese story about the origin of the world.

8. Nuwa makes men • It is said that there were no men when the sky and the earth were separated. It was Nuwa who made men by moulding(使成形) yellow clay（泥）. The work was so tiring that her strength was not equal to it. So she dipped a rope into the mud and then lifted it. The mud that dripped from the rope also became men. Those made by moulding yellow clay were rich and noble, while those made by lifting the rope were poor and low.

9. In western culture: God created the world in seven days: Back Next

10. The Biblical Account "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said..." Day 1: God spoke and separated light from darkness. creating Day and Night. Day 2: God spoke and separated the water creating sky and ocean. Day 3: God spoke and created dry land.

11. Day 4: God spoke and created the sun, moon and stars. Day 5: God spoke and created living in the air and sea. Day 6: God spoke and created the land animals and man. Day 7: God rested and blessed this day calling it Holy.

12. The Big Bang Theory

13. The Big Bang Theoryis the dominant（占优势的）scientific theory about the origin of the universe. According to the Big Bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic (宇宙的) explosion (爆炸) in all directions.

14. Fast reading Read the passage quickly and answer the 4 questions on page26.

15. Careful-reading Read the passage more carefully and do the 2nd exe. on page 27.

16. Discussion 1.Why is it wrong in films and stories to show dinosaurs and people together? Dinosaurs died out long before human beings developed on the earth. 2. Why do you think that humans are the cleverest animals on the earth? Because they have larger brains than any other creatures on the earth so far.

17. Have a try: Sum up the text: just a cloud of ______ dust ball Then it combined into a____ The beginning of the earth Exploded with ___________ fire and rock water vapor They produced__________. Oxygen, nitrogen… hot Very________ atmosphere They are the earth’s__________.

18. ________appeared on its surface. Water cool down It makes the earth show its special qualities. harmful gases. The earth dissolves ________________. So life began to develop. shellfish and all sorts of fish Early______________________________ appeared because of small________growing in the water on its surface. plants

19. Green plants appeared____________. on the land Taking…and filling… helped life to develop. Land animals ____________appeared. millions of years later Plants grew into forests; _______appeared. reptiles laid eggs Reptiles_________to produce young. Dinosaurs appeared. They disappeared; ________ became more important. mammals They are the ____group of the animals. last

20. Small animals with________________appeared. hands and feet growing food, hunting and moving around They developed new methods of __________________. Later They became the most important animals. They earth has changed a lot because ____________________________________. they are not taking care of the earth very well The earth has a history of development. Plants and animals on the earth are always changing it. So we human beings must take care of the earth well. Conclusion:

21. Difficult sentences 1.What it was to become was a mystery until the dust began to slowly combine into a ball moving around the sun. be to do 表将来 e.g. We are to be married in June. be to do 还可用来表示“职责，义务，意图，约定，可能性” All prisoners are to be in bed by 10:00. Jim, you are to feed the bird today. 随后它会变成什么曾经是一个谜，直到最后这团尘埃开始慢慢地混合成一个环绕太阳运转的球状物。

22. The problem was that the earth became violent because it was not clear whether the solid shape was to last or not. Violent adj. 粗暴的，凶暴的；猛烈的；激烈的，强烈的；暴力的 （violence） The mad man was violent and had to be locked up. There is a great concern about the violent behaviour among adolescents. (青少年) 问题是地球（开始）变得激烈动荡，不知道这个固体形状是否能继续存在下去。

23. It exploded loudly with fire and rock, which were in time to produce the water vapour, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and other gases, which were to make the earth’s atmosphere. In time 1). 及时 in time for sth./ in time to do sth. Luckily he was in time for the interview. 2). 过一段时间，迟早, 最后，终于 Keep trying, and in time you will succeed. 地球上发生了猛烈的爆炸起火，并喷涌出岩浆，这些最终又形成了水蒸气，二氧化碳，氧，氮和其他气体，他们后来构成了地球的大气层。

24. As the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface. Cool down 1). (使)变凉 Let your tea cool (down) a little before you drink it. 2). (使)冷静下来；变冷淡 It took me a long time to cool down after the argument. 随着地球的冷却，地球表面就开始出现了水。

25. Nobody knew that it was going to be different from other planets going round the sun. 谁也不知道地球会有别于环绕太阳运转的其他行星。 This is how the earth began to show its special qualities. 这就是地球独有特性的初次体现。 It allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases, which had become part of the earth’s atmosphere, into the oceans and seas. 它使得地球得以把曾经存在于大气层中的有害气体，溶解在海洋里。

26. What scientists think isthat the earth was different because of the arrival of small plants growing in the water on its surface. I like Tom because he is kind. The football match was put off because of the rain. 科学家认为,地球之所以不同是因为在地球表面的水中有小植物出现的缘故. Scientists believe that taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and filling the air with oxygen helped life to develop. 科学家认为，从大气中吸取二氧化碳，而往空气中释放氧气，这样就促进了生命的发展。

27. Others, called amphibians, were able to live on land as well as in the sea. 另外一些叫两栖动物，它们既能在陆地上生活，也能在海里生存。 They were the last group of animals and they were different because they produced their young from within their bodies. from within their bodies 从体内 from 可以和很多介词一起构成复合介词词组，表示趋向 from under 从下面 from within 从里面 From under the table rushed out a mouse. 它们是最为进化的一类动物。从体内生出幼仔是它们不同于以往的动物的特征。

28. They are putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping from the earth into space. 他们把过多的二氧化碳释放到大气层中，这就使得热量不能从地球上散发到太空去。 Whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved. Whether 与 if 作“是否”讲，以下情况只用whether 而不用if 1).引导主语，表语，同位语从句 2). 作介词宾语 3). 放不定式前，与不定式组成词组

29. 4). 与or not 连用时 5).作discuss 等词的宾语 I wonder whether it is big enough or not. I haven’t settled the question of whether I’ll go back home. She hasn’t decided whether to go or not. We discussed whether we should close the shop. Whether it is true remains a question. 在未来的千百万年中，生命能否在地球上延续将取决于这个问题能否得到解决。

30. Frontier science边缘科学 • 即以两种或多种学科为基础而发展起来的科学.如生物化学是以生物学和化学为基础的边缘科学.

31. Explanation 1.We usually think of science subjects as physics, … think of … as…: 把……看作…… treat … as … look on … as… consider … as… regard … as … The student thought of his teacher as his good guide.

32. 2.But some studies combine two or more of these subjects. Some films combine education with recreation. 有些影片使教育与娱乐融为一体。 你应该努力把工作和娱乐结合起来。 You should try your best to combine work with pleasure. combination: N

33. 3.What do we mean when we say we are studying a subject scientifically? mean doing sth. 意味着 mean to do sth. 打算做 --- Why haven’t you bought any butter? --- I _____ to , but I forgot about it. (NMET2001) A. liked B. wished C. meant D. expected C means(单、复数同形）方法,手段 meaningful, meaningless

34. 4. Please give an example if you know. 你本应该举个例子让别人明白。 You should have given an example to make yourself understood. for example, 例如 take… for example 以……为例 take … as an example以……为例 follow one’s example模仿某人 set/give a good example to sb. 为某人树立好榜样