Unit 2 Space Invader
1. Why does the writer tell his experience at the bank?
Because the author wants to show the significance of personal space in maintaining public order. If everyone invades into others’ personal space, it would cause chaos in public or der.
2. How is the concept of personal space defined?
He defines it as one’s individual sphere with the self at the center and certain distance on each side. It is part of one’s privacy, the invasion of which necessarily makes one uneasy.
3. What is meant by “this tendency” in Paragraph4? What did the author think caused this tendency?
This tendency refers to the phenomenon exemplified in the previous part the escalation of the invasion of personal space. He attributed the tendency to the population explosion, then to the hot weather and the stimulation of caffeine and later he concludes that self- absorption is the real cause.
4. What is the characteristic of personal space as described in Paragraph5?
Personal space is a relative concept. It varies from people to people, from country to country, from region to region, i.e. different people are given different concepts of personal space.
5. Why is personal space shrinking in general?
Because people are more self-absorbed than ever before. In other words, they are paying less attention to the outside world, including personal space, than before. The fact that people care less about their personal space in effect encourages space invasion.
Unit 3 Alienation and the Internet
1. What is the author’s viewpoint abou t the benefit of the Internet? What does he see about its negative side?
As the author sees it, the Internet is likely to make our global village a better place to live in. it helps to realize human potentials. It is a powerful tool for the acquisition and application of knowledge. But it may deprive the user of his time so that the world may be further fragmented. It gives the user a skewed sense of reality.
2. What happened to the author’s friend as regards the Internet? What negative consequences did he see about it?
Addicted to the Internet and without any face-to-face verbal communication with other people, he felt lonely and depressed.
3. What alienated society members before the Internet gained popularity? What alienates them in the information age?
Automobile ownership. The Internet.
4. What is meant by the “cruel irony” that appears in Paragraph4?
The Internet provides the user with a convenient means of communication and making friend. But on the other hand, it estranges the user from people around him by canceling his availability for the face-to-face communication even with his families and friends.
5. How, according to the author, can the potential of the Internet be realized?
It can be realized when the users strike a balance between the reality and the Internet. The only way to avoid being addicted is to make moderate use of this tool without losing one’s sense of place in the real world.
Unit 4 A View of Mountains
1.Why is a view of mountains provided by a picture so significant that it
was chosen as the title of the essay?
Because it reminded us of the city that was leveled/destroyed to the ground by the atomic bomb and of the normal life that would have been going on there.
2.Why are Y amahata’s pictures still news?
Because it was the first time that Americans had ever seen the pictures since the atomic bombing fifty years ago.
3.In what way(s) is the bombing of Nagasaki the fitter symbol of the
nuclear danger?
The bombing of Nagasaki is regarded as the fitter symbol of the nuclear peril of two reasons. First, it is the evidence that nuclear weapons can be used again to destroy the human civilization. Second, the fact that Nagasaki was not the original target city indicates the unexpectability of the nuclear attacks in future.
4.What is the universal meaning of Yamahata’ photos?
They were intended to demonstrate the devastating power of nuclear weapons.
5.Do Yamahata’s pictures fully express the author’s intention of writing?
Why or why not?
No, his pictures only express part of his intension because he intends not only to express his apprehension, but to call on the people to take actions to banish forever nuclear
