1、Unit 3 The world of science Developing ideas 新标准新标准英语英语高中必修高中必修第三册第三册 Activity 1 Read the short introduction to Benjamin Franklin and share any other information you know about him. Benjamin Franklin (17061790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and helped draft the Declaration of
2、Independence. Apart from being a successful statesman, he was also well known as a leading American author, printer and publisher, successful diplomat, creative scientist and inventor. Activity 2 Read the passage and find out what Franklins experiment aimed to prove. Frankins experiment aimed to pro
3、ve that lightning Frankins experiment aimed to prove that lightning was a form of electricity.was a form of electricity. Activity 3 Number the statements to show how peoples attitudes towards Franklins experiment have changed. Franklins spirit of scientific exploration is still considered an inspira
4、tion. People are amazed at and inspired by Franklins experiment. Scientists question what really happened in Franklins experiment. 3 1 2 Think & Share 1. Do you think it matters that Franklins experiment might not be true? Why? 2. What is your opinion about the statement “. we should not always beli
5、eve everything we read or hear even if it is a great story”? 3. What qualities do you think a great scientist should have? 4. In what ways do scientists contribute to society? Activity 4 Step 1 Make notes about your understanding of the saying and list supporting details Your understandingSupporting
6、 details Activity 4 Step 2 Organise your talk following the steps below lStart your talk by explaining how you understand this saying. lExplain why you think this way. Use the notes you have made to support your ideas. lEnd your talk by summarising your points. Activity 4 Step 3 Give your talk to th
7、e class Useful expressions: Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, In my opinion/ From my perspective The reason why is that In a word, / In short, / To sum up, Benjamin Franklins famous experiment with lightning has introduced generations of children to science. However, new research suggests that the story m
8、ay be fiction instead of fact. 本杰明.富兰克林关于闪电的著名实验已引领一 代又一代的儿童迈入科学世界。然而，新的研究 显示，这个故事可能是虚构的，而并非事实 The well-known story is that the American Founding Father and scientist flew a kite during a storm in 1752. At that time, there was much interest in eletricity. People wanted to know if lightning was reall
9、y produced by electricity or something else. Franklin was one of them. He raised the kite with a piece of string tied to it. A metal key was attached to the string. A flash of lightning hit the kite, and electricity was conducted through the string to the key. Franklin then touched the key with his
10、finger and got an electric shock. This, he said, proved that lightning was a form of electricity. 这一广为人知的故事讲述了这位美国开国元勋和科学家在1752年的一场暴风雨 中放风筝的经历。那时，不少人对电感兴趣。人们想知道闪电是否真的由电产 生，还是另有源头。富兰克林就是其中之一。他在风筝上系了-根细绳，把风 筝放上天，细绳上绑着一把金属钥匙。闪电击中风筝，电流通过绳子传到钥匙 上，富兰克林随即用手指触碰钥匙，感受到了电击。他说，这一实验证明了闪 电是电的一种形式。 For many years,
11、 schools have taught the story of Franklins lightning experiment. More than one generation of schoolchildren has been amazed by his bravery and his scientific approach to looking for the truth. Franklin, along with many other scientists, has inspired us and taught us that scientific experiments are
12、important in order to establish the truth and to contribute towards later scientific discoveries and inventions. 许多年来，富兰克林闪电实验的故事一直是学校的教学内容之-。 数代学生都叹服于富兰克林的勇气与追寻真理时采用的科学手段。 富兰克林与许多其他科学家一道,激励并教导我们科学实验对于 推定真理与推动科学发现及发明而言都至关重要。 However, neither the story nor the details of the experiment are entirely t
13、rue. Although it has been proved that Franklins experiment took place, more than one scientist has questioned what really happened. The detail about the string and the key is true. But scientists all agree that if Franklin had actually touched the key, he would certainly have died from the electric
14、shock. 然而，不管是故事本身还是实验细节都并非完全属实。虽然已证 实富兰克林的这-实验确有其事,不少科学家还是对事实真相提出 了质疑。使用细绳和钥匙这一细节是 真实的，但科学家们一致 认为，如果富兰克林真的碰到了钥匙，他必定会被电死。 Scientists often question acepted ideas because they want to establish the facts. Some have even questioned the story about the apple that fell on Newtons bead and led him to come
15、 up with his theory of gravity. In fact, more than one account suggests that while Newton was certainly inspired by a falling apple, there is no proof that it hit him on the head. 科学家们常常对已被人们接受的观点提出质疑，以求证事实。一 些科学家甚至也怀疑过牛顿的故事:一个苹果掉下来砸中了牛顿 的脑袋，促使他提出了万有引力定律。事实上,不止一处资料显 示，虽然牛顿的灵感确实来源于掉落的苹果，但没有证据表明这 个苹果恰
16、巧砸在了他的脑袋上。 Admittedly, fiction is often more interesting than the truth. People have been more inspired by Franklins spirit of scientific exploration than by the facts themselves. But in science,facts should be proved by experiments and research, and we should not always believe everything we read or hear- even ifit is a great story. 诚然，虚构常常比事实更为有趣。人们更多是为富兰克林的科学 探索精神所激励，而非事实本身。但在科学领域，能被实验与研 究所证明的东西才算作事实，我们不应全盘相信我们读到或听到 的事-即使它是一-个精彩的故事。
