内容正文:
-trep- to turn
tropical,tropic,retrieve,trophy
Objective:
通过词源解析和词根词缀分析,掌握tropical,tropic,retrieve,trophy等核心词及其派生词。
古人相信“地心说”,认为地球是宇宙的中心,太阳围绕着地球运转。从地球上看,太阳就像是在一个巨大的“天球”上围绕地球运行,其轨迹就是所谓的“黄道”。古人将黄道均分为十二份,每一份区域附近都有一个星座,合称“黄道十二宫”,在英语中被称为zodiac/ˈzəʊdiæk/ 。
单词zodiac来自希腊语,派生自词根zo-(动物),由它的指小形式加形容词后缀-ac组成,字面意思就是“小动物组成的(圆环)”。与它同根的常见单词有zoo(动物园)、zoology(动物学)等等。
古人很早就注意到,黄道是一个倾斜的圆环,一端向北倾斜,一端向南倾斜。在巨蟹座(Cancer)附近,黄道的位置最靠北。太阳运行到这里时,正好是夏至,地球北半球天气最热。在摩羯座(Capricorn)附近,黄道的位置最靠南。太阳运行到这里时,正好是冬至,地球北半球天气最冷。
在英语中,这两个极限位置就被称为tropic。它来自希腊语,派生自词根trop-(回转),字面意思就是“回转的(位置)”。也就是说,到了这个位置,太阳就要开始向南或向北“回转”了。黄道的最北端就是the tropic of Cancer,最南端就是the tropic of Capricorn。
现在我们知道,其实是地球围绕太阳运转。与黄道上的tropic所对应的是地球上的回归线,也就是太阳光在地球上的直射点所能到达的南北两个极限位置。所以单词tropic在现代科学中就表示地球上的“回归线”。the tropic of Cancer就是“北回归线”,the tropic of Capricorn就是“南回归线”。
由于在南北回归线之间的区域就是热带,所以tropic又衍生出“热带”之意。它常常采用复数形式tropics,因为热带地区由两条tropic(回归线)组成。比如:In the tropics, there are many passionate beauties.
tropic派生出形容词tropical,后面加了一个常见形容词后缀-al,意思就是“热带的”,比如:
Who could resist the seductions of the tropical island? 谁能不为这个热带海岛的魅力而倾倒呢?
See the pyramids along the Nile
看见尼罗河沿岸的金字塔
Watch the sun rise from a tropic isle
在热带荒岛看日出时晨光熹微
retrieve/ rɪˈtriːv / v. 找回
from re- "again" (see re-) + trouver "to find," probably from Vulgar Latin *tropare "to compose," from Greek tropos "a turn, way, manner" (from PIE root *trep- "to turn").
derivatives of retrieve:
retrievable/ rɪˈtriːvəbl / a.
可取回的;可补偿的;可检索的
-able形容词后缀
retrieval/ rɪˈtriːv(ə)l / n.检索;恢复;取回;拯救
-al名吃后缀
retriever/ rɪˈtriːvə(r) / n. (训练成能寻回猎物的)猎犬;取回的人
-er 名词后缀,此处表人,动作发出者
trophy/ ˈtrəʊfi / n. 奖杯,奖品
from trope,a rout/ raʊt /,originally a turning of the enemy.
zodiac:[ˈzəʊdiæk] n.黄带,黄带十二宫
zoo:[zuː] n.动物园
zoology:[zuˈɒlədʒi] n.动物学
tropic:[ˈtrɒpɪk] n.回归线,热带
tropical:[ˈtrɒpɪk(ə)l] n.热带的,热带地区的
retrieve/ rɪˈtriːv / v. 找回,挽救;
trophy / ˈtrəʊfi / n. 奖杯
语法填空:
Tian Ji’s Wise Race
In a tropical kingdom, where the sun blazed along the tropic,Tian Ji often lost horse races against the king. _1_ a scholar of zoology and military tactics, he understood horses’ strengths better than anyone, __2__ his steeds were always outmatched.
One day, observing the spectators grouped by their zodiac signs, his consultant Sun Bin __3__(devise) him a clever plan. Tian Ji challenged the king again, but this time he used a strategy to retrieve his __4__(lose). He deliberately matched his worst horse against the king’s best, __5__(sacrifice) the first round. Then, he used his best __6__ the king’s second, and his second against the king’s _7_(bad), winning the next two races.
The crowd marveled at his wisdom. Having turned near-defeat into victory, Tian Ji was __8_(award) a golden trophy. He proved that in competition, __9__ (strong)alone does not prevail—wisdom often __10__(claim) the prize.
语法填空参考答案:
As 2. yet/but
3.devised 4.losses
5.sacrificing 6.against
7.worst 8.awarded
9.strength 10.claims
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