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Unit 8 Knowledge and Wisdom
Key
to the Exercises
Text comprehension
I.
Decide which of the
following best states the author's argument.
II.
Judge,
according
to
the
text,
whether
the
following
statements
are
true
or
false.
1.
F
(Refer
to
Paragraph
2.
The
study
of
the
composition
of
atoms,
or
the
development
of
the
atom
bomb,
for
example,
has
placed
in
the
hands
of
powerful
lunatics
the
means
to destroy the human
race.)
2.
T
(Refer
to
Paragraph
2.
This
has
become
more
difficult
than
it
used
to
be
owing
to
the
extent
and
complexity
of
the
specialized
knowledge
required
of
various
kinds
of
technicians.)
3.
T
(Refer
to
Paragraph
3.
Although
he
had
a
comprehensive
knowledge
of
history,
he was still
partial as the chief lesson of history which he
sought to inculcate
was
that
from
the
year
400AD
down
to
his
own
time
Germany
had
been
the
most
important
nation and the
standard-bearer of progress in the world.)
4.
F
(Refer
to
Paragraph
4.
It
is
true
that
both
Mr.
A
and
Mr.
B
possess
some
vices
of
their
respective
kinds,
but
the
fact
does
not
prove
that
they
are
wise
or
unwise.)
5.
F (Refer to
paragraph 5. The mistake lies in the extremity of
the statement.
According
to
Russell,
man
cannot
free
himself
entirely
from
the
physical
and
emotional
need,
so
one
can
only
grow
in
wisdom,
which
itself
is
a
matter
of
degree.)
III.
Answer the following
questions.
1.
Refer
to
Paragraph
2.
A
sense
of
proportion
could
be
seen
as
the
ability
to
take
into full consideration
all important factors in an issue and
attach due weight
to
each factor.
2.
Refer to Paragraphs 1 and 2. In the first place,
they are examples of the idea
raised
at
the
very
beginning
of
the
text:
our
age
far
surpasses
all
previous
ages
in
knowledge,
there
has
been
no
correlative
increase
in
wisdom.
The
problem,
according to the
essay, is partly due to the fact that it is now
more difficult to
acquire a sense of
proportion, or the ability to assign appropriate
weights to
various factors, thus
achieving balance. In consequence, breakthroughs
in science
are likely to bring about
harms if humankind fails to see the end of science
and
consider everything in a
comprehensive manner.
3.
Refer
to
Paragraphs
1
to
4.
According
to
Russell,
the
vices
of
the
lack
of
wisdom
are
obvious
and
palpable,
ranging
from
disturbance
to
public
life,
most
notably
the
C
upset
of
world
peace,
to
unpleasant
incidents
in
private
life.
Meanwhile,
there
seems
to be an imbalance in
the growth of knowledge and wisdom, which is very
likely to
make things even worse. So,
wisdom is necessary for both personal and cultural
developments.
4.
Refer
to
Paragraph
5.
According
to
Russell,
the
essence
of
wisdom
is
impartiality,
or emancipation from egoistic or
temporal concerns. It is naturally difficult for
man
to
attain
impartiality,
as
man
is
naturally
bound
up
by
his
own
physical
states
from
his
birth.
As
he
grows
up,
however,
his
horizon
widens,
his
concerns
get
beyond
the limits of time
and space, and his feelings become more
impersonal, hence the
growth of
impartiality and wisdom.
5.
Apart from the fact that it is one of the
ingredients of wisdom, impartiality
is
also
the
basis
of
rationality,
for
irrationality
is
normally
based
on
partiality.
IV. Explain in your own
words the following sentences.
1.
It would be unwise to
pursue a goal that is bound to fail, although it
might
be noble to do so.
2.
I
think
the
essence
of
wisdom
is
to
get
one's
horizon
free
from
the
confinement
of time and
space.
Structural analysis of the
text
Paragraph
2:
Of
these
I
should
put
first
a
sense
of
proportion:
the
capacity
to
take
account
of
all
the
important
factors
in
a
problem
and
to
attach
to
each
its
due
weight.
Paragraph
3: There must be, also, a certain awareness of the
ends of human life.
Paragraph 4: It is needed in the choice
of ends to be pursued and in emancipation
from personal prejudice.
Paragraph
5:
I
think
the
essence
of
wisdom
is
emancipation,
as
far
as
possible,
from
the tyranny of the here
and now.
Four
factors
that
constitute
wisdom:
comprehensiveness
mixed
with
a
sense
of
proportion;
a
full
awareness
of
the
goals
of
human
life;
avoidance
of
blindness
and
prejudice in private life;
impartiality.
Rhetorical features of the
text
The
capacity
to
take
account
of
all
the
important
factors
in
a
problem
and
to
attach
to each its due weight. (Paragraph
2)
This has the entirely
unintended result of making the food supply
inadequate and
lowering the standard of
life in the most populous parts of the world.
(Paragraph
2)
Perhaps
one
could
stretch
the
comprehensiveness
that
constitutes
wisdom
to
include
not
only intellect but also feeling. (Paragraph
3)
It is not only in public
ways, but in private life equally, that wisdom is
needed.
(Paragraph 4)
Vocabulary
exercises
I. Explain the
underlined part in each sentence in your own
words.
1.
consider
(when
judging
a
situation)/take
into
consideration,
give
proper
value
to
each/attach adequate importance to each
2. Certainly/Very probably, brought a
good and helpful effect to mankind, in
reality/in actual situations
3. talk (disapprovingly) about
something less worthy or less important, destroy
or ruin each other
4. connected with/dependent
on
5.
accordingly
II.
Fill in the blank in each sentence with
a word taken from the box in its
appropriate form.
1. pursue
2.
ceased
3. attainable
4. enmity
5.
populous 6. surpassed
7.
impartial
III.
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate
forms of the given words.
2. undesirable
1.
beneficiaries
8.
appallingly
3. horizontally
4. descendants
5.
increasingly 6. philosophical
7. unduly
8.
standardization
IV. Fill in
the blank(s) in each sentence with an appropriate
phrasal verb or
collocation taken from
the text.
1. required of
2. sought
to
3. descended to
4. put first
5. contributed to
6. engage in
7.
conferred
8. upon
9. bound up with
V. Give
a
synonym
or
an
antonym
of
the
word
underlined
in
each
sentence
in
the
sense
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