Vocabulary Preparation:

 

penguin / 5peN^wIn / n. a large black andwhite Antarctic sea bird, which cannot fly but uses its wings for swimming 企鹅

waddle / 5wCdl / v. to walk with shortsteps, with the body moving from one side to another - used especially aboutpeople or birds with fat bodies and short legs 蹒跚而行

conservative / kEn5s\:vEtIv / n. someone who does notlike changes in politics, ideas, or fashion 保守派；保守主义分子

documentary / 7dCkjJ5mentrI / n. a film or televisionor a radio program that gives detailed information about a particular subject 记录片

arduous / 5B:djEs / adj. involving a lot ofstrength and effort 费劲的；艰辛的

mating / 5meItIN / n. sex between animals 交尾；交配

ritual / 5rItjJEl / n. something that youdo regularly and in the same way each time 习惯；老规矩

feature / 5fi:tFE / v. to depict or outline the features of 刻画或勾勒…的特点

Antarctic/ An5tB:ktIk/ adj. of or relating to the SouthPole 南极的；南极洲的

embarkon to start something, especially something new,difficult, or exciting 着手；从事

activist / 5AktIvIst / n. someone who workshard doing practical things to achieve social or political change 激进主义份子

bless / bles / v. to make somethingholy by saying a prayer over it 祝福；祝圣

monogamy /mC5nC^EmI / n. the fact or customof being married to only one person at a particular time 一夫一妻制

hold up to useor present somebody or something as an example 举出（例子）；提出（作为榜样）

abortion / E5bC:FEn / n. a medical operationto end a pregnancy so that the baby is not born alive 流产；堕胎

equilibrium / 7i:kwI5lIbrIEm / n. abalance between different people, groups, or forces that compete with eachother, so that none is stronger than the others and a situation is not likelyto change suddenly 平衡；均衡

complexity / k[m5pleksEtI / n.the state of of being complicated 复杂；复杂性

hatch / hAtF / v. (of a young bird, fish, insect, etc.) to come out of an egg 孵化；孵出

foster / 5fRst[ / adj. adopted 收养的；领养的

agenda / E5dVendE/ n. a listof problems or subjects that a government, organization etc is planning to dealwith 议程

heterosexual / 7hetErEJ5sekFJEl / adj. sexually attractedto people of the opposite sex 异性的；异性恋的

extol /Ik5stCl/ v. topraise something very much 盛赞；赞美

ditch / dItF/ v. to end aromantic relationship with someone 摆脱；抛弃

slippery / 5slIpErI / adj. not having oneclear meaning and able to be understood in different ways 难以应付的；棘手的

 

 

Notes:

 

March of the Penguinsis a French nature documentary film which won the 2006 Academy Award for BestDocumentary Feature. The film depicts the yearly journey of the emperorpenguins of Antarctica. 《帝企鹅日记》（2006年奥斯卡最佳记录片）

The Passion of theChrist is a 2004 filmco-written, co-produced and directed by Mel Gibson. It is based on Catholicaccounts of the arrest, trial, torture, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus,events commonly known as "ThePassion". 电影《耶稣受难记》

Intelligentdesign is the term used for the assertion that"certain features of the universe and of living things are best explainedby an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as naturalselection." 智能设计论

 

Exercise:Listen to the news report and choose the best answer to the followingquestions.

 

1．What do conservatives and the penguins have in common?

A. They’re both in favor of abortion.

B. They both have an arduous mating journey.

C. They both celebrate traditional family values.

D. They both demonstrate the case of monogamy.

 

2.    According to the news, what may intelligentdesign imply?

       A. It implies an unidentified intelligent force may exist.

       B. It implies everything emerges because of its intelligence.

C. It implies other life forms are not as complex as penguins.

       D. It implies Charles Darwin's theory of evolution works innature.

 

3.    What can we infer from the case of penguinsRoy and Silo?

A.    It’s an ironythat a straight penguin can be homosexual.

B.   Emperor penguinsare heterosexual without any different behavior.

C.   There is aremarkable order that seems to be placed inside of penguins.

D.   Their caseprovides a strong argument against what the conservatives extols.

 

4．  Which of the following statements is NOT true based on the news?

A.   There is an orderto everything that the penguins do.

B.   Same-sex penguinsare likely to change their sex preference.

C.   "The Passion of the Christ" is used as potent political weapons.

D.   The documentary "Marchof the Penguins” provokes controversy.

 

5.    What lesson will conservatives learn fromthe cultural wars?

A.   Don’t getinvolved in politics.

B.   Don’t conflictwith the liberals.

C.   Penguins don’talways fit nature.

D.   Nature doesn't alwaysspeak for politics.