Lesson Eleven

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Lesson Eleven
Silent Spring Rachel Carson
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Teaching Procedures

• About the Author
• About the Text
• Word Study
• Detailed Discussion of the Text
• In-class Discussion

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About the Author

• Rachel Carson (19071964) was an American
  biologist and writer. She was a quiet, private
  person, fascinated with the workings of nature
  from a scientific and aesthetic point of view.

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About the Text

• Today, environmental protection has become a
  worldwide movement. It is almost fashionable to
  talk about this problem. But at the time this
  article was first published, the author was very
  much under attack. She was accused of being an
  alarmist. However Carson did not give in. She
  went on fighting. Soon the idea caught on. More
  and more people began to join in. So today there
  is a general consensus that we are facing a very
  serious ecological problem, and we must do
  everything possible to keep our water and air
  clean.

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Word Study

• 1. assault v./n. violent physical or verbal
  attack (usually implying sudden, intense
  violence)
• Examples
• Muggers often assault their victims on dark
  streets.
• increases in violent assaults over the past
  decade
• 2. confine v./n. to keep within bounds restrict
• Examples
• Please confine your remarks to the issues at
  hand.
• The sick child was confined to bed.

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Word Study

• 3. consent v./n. to agree accept approve of
• Examples
• Marys parents refused their consent to her
  marriage.
• Has the minister consented to having his speech
  printed?
• 4. contaminate v. a. to make impure or unclean by
  contact or mixture
• b. to expose to or permeate
  with radioactivity
• Examples
• The river was contaminated with waste.
• Don't be contaminated by bureaucracy.

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Word Study

• 5. contend v. a. to strive in opposition or
  against difficulties struggle
• b. to compete, as in a
  race maintain
• Examples
• The armies in the two countries are contending
  for control of the strategic territory.
• They had to contend with long lines at the
  airport.
• The defendant contended that the evidence was
  inadmissible.

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Word Study

• 6. deliberate a. a. intentional
• b. arising from or marked by careful
  consideration
• Examples
• He mistook the oversight for a deliberate insult.
• He told us a deliberate lie.
• 7. evolve v. a. to develop or achieve gradually
• b. to work out devise
• Examples
• The British present political system has evolved
  over several centuries.

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Word Study

• 8. futile adj. useless, fruitless, trifling and
  frivolous idle
• the futile years after her artistic peak.
•  
• Cf futile /barren/ bootless /fruitless/
  unavailing/ useless /vain
• The central meaning shared by these adjectives is
  producing no result or effect.
• a futile effort a barren search bootless
  entreaties fruitless labors
• an unavailing attempt a useless discussion vain
  regrets.

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Word Study

• 9. gear vt. To adjust or adapt so as to make
  suitable
• geared the speech to a conservative audience.
• Education should be geared to children's needs.
  ????????????
• n. (???)??
• The truck driver changed gear to go up the hill.

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Word Study

• 10. impetuous adj. abrupt hasty impulsive rash
  reckless sudden unexpected
• impetuous rush of water ????
• Youngsters are usually more impetuous than old
  people.
• ???????????
• Impetus an impelling force an impulse
  Something that incites a stimulus.
• The approaching deadline gave impetus to
  the investigation.

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Word Study

• 11. modify v. a. to change in form or character
  alter
• b. to make less extreme,
  severe, or strong
• Examples
• The equipment may be modified to produce VCD
  sets.
• refuse to modify her stand on the issue
• 12. prosperous adj. Having success flourishing,
• well-to-do well-off wealthy a prosperous
  family.
• favorable a prosperous moment to make a
  decision prosperous weather for growing

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Word Study

• 13. sinister adj. evil a sinister smile.
• ominous sinister storm clouds.
• Chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation
  in changing the very nature of the world.
• 14. tamper (with) vi to interfere in a harmful
  manner or improperly
• Tried to tamper with the decedent's will
• Don't tamper with my feelings.
• Tamper with a jury.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• The rapidity of change follows the impetuous pace
  of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature.
  (13)
• Paraphrase
• The rapid change of the environment takes place
  as a consequence of mans drastic and reckless
  alteration of nature. It does not occur as a
  result of slow and careful working of nature.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• Radiation is now the unnatural creation of mans
  tampering with the atom. The chemicals are the
  synthetic creations of mans inventive mind,
  having no counterparts in nature.
• Paraphrase
• In the past, radiation was only sent out from
  radioactive substances in certain rocks today
  man creates such harmful rays by causing the
  nucleus of the atom to split such as radium.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• We have subjected enormous numbers of people to
  contact with these poisons, without their consent
  and often without their knowledge.
• Paraphrase
• By spraying insecticides on food grains
  vegetables and fruit, we have caused large
  numbers of people absorb harmful chemicals
  without asking whether they would like to do so
  and often without their knowing it.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• Given timetime not in years but in
  millennialife adjusts, and a balance has been
  reached. (12)
• Paraphrase
• It takes thousands of years for life to adapt
  itself to environment. Actually it so happens
  that life adapts and a balance has been reached.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• And even this, were it by some miracle
  possible, would be futile, for the new chemicals
  come from our laboratories in an endless stream.
  (14)
• Paraphrase
• Even if life did adjust to the chemicals by some
  miracle, it would be useless, because the new
  chemicals are continuously created and produced .

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• The whole process of spraying seems caught up in
  an endless spiral. (17)
• Paraphrase
• The whole process of spraying chemicals to kill
  insects is a vicious cycle of chemical abuse. The
  more deadly chemicals are used, the more
  resistance they meet from the insects.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• Thus it is no accident that our most troublesome
  insects are introduced species. (23)
• Paraphrase
• Thats why the most troublesome insects in our
  country are brought in from other places.

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• I am saying, rather, that control must be geared
  to realities, and that the methods employed must
  be such that they do not destroy us along with
  the insects. (19)
• Paraphrase
• On the contrary I am saying that the control
  should be determined by the actual environment
  and that the methods should not be harmful to
  humans that they die along with the insects .

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Detailed Discussion of the Text

• instead we need the basic knowledge of animal
  populations and their relations to their
  surroundings that will promote an even balance
  and damp down the explosive power of outbreaks
  and new invasions. (24)
• Paraphrase
• Instead we need the basic knowledge of animal
  populations and their relations to their
  surroundings. This knowledge contributes to
  retaining an equal balance and reducing their
  mass-breeding and invading power.

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In-class Discussion
What do you think of Carsons views published
some forty years ago? Do you think it has any
relevance to todays realities in our own country?