听写训练 Test 2 Civilization and Culture

 Civilization and Culture

 

There has been a strong tendency to use civilization and culture interchangeably / as though they mean the same thing, / but they are not the same. /

 

The word civilization is based on the Latin civis，inhabitant of a city. / Thus its most essential meaning is the ability of people / to live together harmoniously¹ in cities, in social groupings. / From this definition it would seem / that certain insects, such as ants or bees，are also civilized², / which live and work together in social groups. / But there is more to civilization, / and that is what culture brings to it. / So, civilization is inseparable from culture. /

 

The word culture is derived³ / from the Latin verb colere，till the soil. / Most of its definitions suggest a process / of starting and promoting growth and development. / In its modern use the word culture refers / to all the positive aspect and achievements of humanity / that make mankind different from the rest of the animal world. / Culture has grown out of creativity, / a characteristic that seems to be unique to human beings. /

1 harmoniously   

和谐地，调和地

参考例句：

• The president and Stevenson had worked harmoniously over the last eighteen months. 在过去一年半里，总统和史蒂文森一起工作是融洽的。
• China and India cannot really deal with each other harmoniously. 中国和印度这两只猛兽不可能真心实意地和谐相处。

2 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

3 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》