Para. 1

1. There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings.(---1)

heart: the central or most important part

Note the various meanings of the word “life” in the text.

In this sentence it means “living things”.

in harmony with: in a state of peaceful co-existence and agreement

Harmony: n. a. agreement in feeling, interests, an opinions, etc.
            b. pleasing combination of related things

racial harmony                                      种族和睦

domestic harmony                                   家庭和睦

Everyone lives in harmony.                            每个人和睦生活在一起。

Tourism should develop in harmony with environment.    旅游业应与环境和谐发展。

harmonious  relationships                            和睦的关系

harmonize different approaches into unified strategies     将不同的方法统一起来使其成为统一的策略

Paraphrase: Once upon a time there was a town in the central part of America where all living things seemed to co-exist peacefully with their environment.

2. The town lay in the midst of prosperous farms, where, in spring, white clouds of bloom drifted above the green fields.(---1)

in the midst of: (infml) among

prosperous: booming; promising: (of plants) growing well

white clouds of bloom: white clouds that look like flowers

The town lay among booming (or well growing) farms. In spring, white clouds floated above the green fields just like flowers.

3. In autumn, oak and maple and birch set up a blaze of color that flamed and flickered across a background of pines.

set up: to cause, produce, raise: ~ a wall

a blaze of color: an impressive and noticeable show of colors

flicker : v./n. a. to move waveringly= twinkle; blink; limmer
           b. to burn unsteadily or fitfully

shadows flickering on the wall                          墙上摇曳的影子

a flicker of doubt                                     一丝疑虑

leaves flickering in the wind                           在风中摇晃的树叶

the candle flickered in the wind.                        蜡烛在风中闪烁不定。

flames that flickered in the night                       黑夜中闪烁的火光

Para: In autumn, the oak, maple and birch trees turned yellow, red or brown, thus making a beautiful show of colors against the dark green of pine trees.

Pay attention to Carson’s use of color in describing the town before its environment was contaminated: white clouds floating above green fields in spring, the blaze of color in autumn, etc.

4. Then foxes barked in the hills and deer silently crossed the fields.

Now animals are introduced after plant life from the noisy foxes to the quiet deer, they cried and moved as they liked.

Para.2

1. …delighted the traveler’s eye.

…gave the traveler great satisfaction / enjoyment (what a harmonious and fascinating view)

Notice the use of the singular form of the word “eye”. Here it means a particular way of seeing sth.

2. feed on sth: ( of an animal or a bird) to eat sth.

3. berry

-berry—a small, juicy, fleshy fruit, such as a blackberry or raspberry, regardless of its botanical structure

Strawberry  草莓                 Blackberry 黑莓            Blueberry  越橘的一种

Raspberry  覆盆子，黑莓         Gooseberry  醋栗

4. Abundance n. a great or plentiful amount, fullness, affluence

In these areas trees are in abundance.

Laughing were in abundance on that trip.

 abundant  a. (be ~ in)

This area is abundant in fish resource. 这个地区有丰富的鱼资源

abound  v. (~with)

The book abounds with stories of ghost.(be full of, be filled with) 这本书了尽讲鬼故事

5. famous for the abundance and variety of its bird life:

famous because there were a lot of birds of various kinds

6. a flood of sth: a very large number of things or people that appear at the same time

e.g.   a flood of protests/ complaints/ immigrants/ tears

pour through/ in: to come or go somewhere continuously in large numbers

7. fish the streams: to catch fish in the streams

8. … when the first settlers raised their houses, sank their wells, and built their barns.

Note： “ to raise a house” is not a common collocation. We usually say “ to build houses.”

“raise” here is used to avoid repetition. “ to sink a well” is a common verb-noun collocation.

Para.3

1. Then some evil spell settled on the community: mysterious diseases swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep sickened and died.

Paraphrase: Then, as if by some evil power, disaster struck the community: strange diseases quickly stuck down large numbers of chicken; the cattle and sheep became ill and died.

2. Question: What is the evil spell?

Spell is a bewitched state, a state completely captured by magic power. 

Spell: words that make magical things happen

Mysterious diseases swept the flocks of chickens; cattle and sheep sickened and died; birds trembled and could not fly; fish died in the streams.

People were infected with new diseases with several sudden and unexplained deaths.

Vegetation withered and got browned.

No life was on the road, in the stream; silence lay over the fields, the woods and marsh.

Para. 4

1. The feeding stations in the backyards were deserted.

No birds came to eat or drink what was there at the feeding stations.

feeding station: a dish-like container fixed on top of a post where people regularly leave sunflower seeds or the like for passing birds to feed on. Feeding stations are generally put up in the backyards.

Deserted: forsaken; visited by nobody (here birds)

A ~ street /island

2. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of scores of bird voices there was now no sound;

-- The morning air used to vibrate with the singing of birds, but there was now no sound.

Or: The chorus of many birds caused the morning air to shake rhythmically, giving the place life.

scores of bird: many birds

Before the use of chemical

T. sentence     All life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings.

people’s life:    the town in the midst of prosperous farms; fishing the streams

plants:      blooming flowers; growing on green field; oak, maple, birch flaming and flickering with life

animals: birds feeding on the berries and on the seed heads of the dried weeds rising above the snow; floods of migrants pouring through; sweet singing of birds

The scene of vitality and prosperity

After the use of chemicals

T. sentence Some evil spell settled on the community – loss of life:

Live stock: mysterious diseases sweeping the flock of chickens;  the cattle and sheep sicken and died.

Birds: birds trembling violently and being unable to fly; soundless birds;

Fish: All the fish had died

Plants: browned and withered vegetation

People: several and unexplained deaths of adults and children

The scene of desolation everywhere

Para. 8

1. … a harsh reality we all shall know.

… some serious consequence that we all have to face.

Para. 9

1. This book is an attempt to explain.

This book, Silent Spring, intends to explain what has caused the disasters in many towns in America.

Para. 10

1. … a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings.

… a history of how living things and their environment affect and relate to each other.

2. To a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment.

The physical features and habits of the living things on earth have been greatly shaped by their surroundings.

the physical form and the habits: the outward appearance and the regular behavior

3. Considering the whole span of earthly time, the opposite effect, in which life actually modifies its surroundings, has been relatively slight.

When we think of the long history of life on earth, the degree (or extent) that living things affect their environment has been insignificant as compared with the effect of the environment on plant and animal life.

Carson implies that in recent years the human race has affected and spoiled much of its environment.

4. modify  

v. a. change in form or character; alter

 b. make less extreme, severe, or strong

e.g.  The equipment may be modified to produce VCD sets.

She refused to modify her stand on the issue

Association： change, alter, vary

He then changed overalls and spent the next eight hours as a dustman. 换了 （general word）

She had her dress altered the other day.  修改

The action he takes varies according to the nature of the complaint.

他所采取的行动，根据投诉的性质，而有所不同。

Para. 11

1. …but it has changed in character.

…but the nature of this power to alter the environment has changed.

In the past, to survive humans made use of what nature offered, for example, by cutting down trees, damming rivers; now they create things that did not exist, such as chemicals and unnatural radiation.

2. assault v./n. violent physical or verbal attack (usually implies sudden, intense violence)

e.g. Muggers often assault their victims on dark streets.

The politician began an assault on his opponents' policies.

3. contaminate v. a. make impure or unclean by contact or mixture

               b. expose to or permeate with radioactivity

e.g. The river was contaminated with waste from the factory.

Don't be contaminated by bureaucracy.

   n. contamination

4. This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable.

In most cases, the polluted air, soil, and rivers and the sea cannot be restored to their original natural state.

Irrecoverable: irreparable (not reparable); incurable; irremediable

5. Chemicals sprayed on croplands or forests or gardens lie long in soil, entering into living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death.

lie long in soil: they stay in soil for a long time because they don’t break down chemically there

entering into living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death:

the chemicals that insecticides contain are likely to enter birds and animals in food, and then pass out in waste matter from their bodies, get into the soil and are absorbed by the plants that grow on it. When birds and animals and people eat the plants, these substances again are taken into their bodies. This process goes on and on endlessly, poisoning plant and animal life alike. In short, the chemicals tend to be endlessly recycled in the food chains.

6. Or they pass mysteriously by underground… who drink form once pure wells.

Or they get deeper into underground streams, undergo some chemical process somewhere, and then become new substances that contaminate wells, kill plants and make cattle as well as people that drink the water sick.

work harm on: to produce harmful effect on

7. What does nature actually mean to man?

Nature molded physical features of all life and their habits. So, without nature, there would be no man.

8. What have people done to nature?

People have changed nature by abusing the chemical, and contaminated environment we live in and destroyed the chain of food, which causes poison and death.

Para. 12

1. Given time—time not in years but in millennia—life adjusts, and a balance has been reached.

When the environment changes, living things can adapt to their new surroundings, but it is a long process and it takes millennia of years for life to be in harmony with their modified world again.

millennia of years: thousands of years

Past Participle phrase used as adverbial of conditions

Given opportunity，he will make an artist.

如果要是给他机会的话，他会成为艺术家

Cooked in Chinese style， pork tastes like fish.

如果用中式风格烹饪的话，猪肉有鱼的味道。

2. But in the modern world there is no time.

But in the modern world, life has no time to adjust itself to the change of environment, for man’s power to temper with nature has become too great. Man is so eager to change nature for short-term benefits, he does not think of the long-term interest of his own species.

Para. 13

1. The rapidity of change follows the impetuous pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature.

Paraphrase: Man is changing nature rapidly while nature adjusts to the changes slowly. Therefore adjustment can never keep up with change, and a new balance between living things and their environment can hardly be reached.

Notice the antithesis used here: the rapidity of change vs. the deliberate pace of nature

a pair of antitheses:  “drastic and rapid pace of man” vs.“slow and careful pace of nature”

Parallel structure: introduced by correlative conjunctions, such as either…or, both…and, not only…but also, whether…or, rather than

2. impetuous  a. impulsive and passionate (forceful impulsiveness or impatience);  =reckless; rash

e..g.   impetuous, heaving waves    奔腾汹涌的浪花

impetuous promise          冲动的许诺

3. deliberate    a. a. intentional     

        b. arising from or marked by careful consideration           

It looked like a deliberate and planned attack

He told us a deliberate lie.

They took a deliberate action yesterday.  采取慎重的措施

4. Radiation is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom.(---13)

Paraphrase: In the past, radiation was only sent out from radioactive substances in certain rock; today man creates such harmful rays by splitting the nucleus of the atom of such substance as radium.

5. tamper   v. a. to interfere in a harmful manner

             b. to tinker or handle with rashly or foolishly

Examples:

He tried to tamper with the decedent's will.

Don't tamper with my feelings.

We found someone had tampered with the document. 我们发现有人篡改了文件。

Don’t tamper with my iphone.   别瞎摆弄我的Iphone

6. The chemicals are the synthetic creations of man’s inventive mind, having no counterparts in nature.

Paraphrase: Nature does not produce such things as chemicals. They are man-made, i.e. the result of man’s creative power.

Synthetic: artificial

Para. 14

1. And even this, were it by some miracle possible, would be futile, for the new chemicals come from our laboratories in an endless stream.

Paraphrase: It would take some magic power to make living things adjust to these chemicals in the life of generations. Even if this were possible, it would be useless, because new chemicals are continuously being created and produced.

If it were…possible

Unreal conditional clause in which “were” is placed at the beginning of the clause

e.g. If an expert given the job, he or she would adopt a different approach.

Were an expert given the job, he or she would adopt a different approach.

If it should be fine tomorrow, we would go swimming.

Should it be fine tomorrow,…….

If I had listened to you, I would have arrived there in time.

Had I listened to you,……

2. … almost five hundred annually find their way into actual use in the United States alone.

find one’s way: to reach a destination, esp. with some difficulty

e.g.  Slang expressions come and go, and only a small number have found their way into standard Chinese.

find their way into actual use: to manage to enter the market and be sold to farmers

come into use / go out of use: to start / stop being used

Now the insecticide has gone out of use, because the chemical it contains remains in the crops and can harm people.

Para. 15

1. Among them are many that are used in man’s war against nature.

man’s war against nature: It refers to what a lot of people advocated in the first half of the last century about “ conquering nature.”

The question: Can man really conquer the nature?

2. …and other organisms described as “pests”; and they are sold under several thousand different brand names.

described as “pests”: referred to as destructive insects.

The quotation marks show that Carson does not regard the so called pests as that harmful. Any species, when its population is kept under control, forms a part of nature. Wiping a species out would destroy the balance between life and the environment.

Para. 16

1. These chemicals are now applied almost universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homes, killing every insect, the “good” and the “bad”, to still the song of birds and the leaping of fish, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in soil—all this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects.

Paralleled structures used as adverbial of results

Paraphrase: The purpose of the wide use of the chemicals in farms, gardens, forests and homes is to kill some weeds or insects. But the fact is that they deprive the lives of birds, fish and leaves and have a delayed effect in soil.

2. These chemicals are now applied almost universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homes…

apply sth to: to put or spread sth on the surface of,

e.g.   She never goes out without applying sun cream to/on her face and neck.

Apply this lotion liberally to the bitten area and the pain will wear off.

3. …to still the song of birds and the leaping of fish, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in soil…(---16)

…to kill the birds and fish, to cover the leaves with a thin layer of death-causing chemicals and to stay in soil for a long time…

4. …all this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects.

… all these serious consequences come about perhaps just because man wants to destroy a few weeds or insects.

5. Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a large number of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life?

Such a large number of poisons stored on the surface of the earth will surely make it unfit for all loving things. ( This is a rhetorical question.)

lay down

v. to store for future use

It is possible to make it unfit for all life to lay down such a large amount of poison on the surface of the land .

Different meanings of “lay down”

Father laid down a few good bottles before the war. 储存

I lay down the pen and shut the book. 放下

Her smile encouraged him to lay down the burden of secret. 放弃

Lay down a feasible plan before making a decision. 制定

They laid down their life for the cause of independence. 牺牲，献出

Para. 17

1. The whole process of spraying seems caught up in an endless spiral. (17)

Paraphrase: The more insecticides are sprayed, the less effective they will become in destroying the “ pests.” Then more deadly chemicals will be developed to kill them. This process will go on endlessly. In the rest of the paragraph, Carson explains why.

be caught up in: to become involved in, often against one’s wishes

e.g.  In the end, even the gloomy man got caught up in the cheerful mood of the party.

an endless spiral: a process of never-ending, continuous upward movement

Question: Why did Carson say the chemical war is never won?

Chemicals kill indiscriminately, reduce biodiversity and contaminate the entire environment. They cannot solve the pest problem, for pests can adapt to the chemicals and evolve into super races that immune to chemicals, and they can undergo a “flare-back”. The vicious circle will never end until man is killed along with other lives.

2. Darwin’s principle of the survival of the fittest

In his On the Origin of Species (1859), Darwin developed his theory of evolution. According to this theory, plants and animals that can best adapt themselves to their environment will continue to live and develop, while plants and animals that do not have these qualities gradually disappear. This process is called natural selection.

“Survival of the fittest” is a quote from “Principles of Biology” by the English philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820-1903). Today the phrase is often used to refer to any situation in which unsuccessful competitors are quickly destroyed or defeated.

3. immune to: unable to be harmed or affected because of special qualities in oneself

e.g. By then he had become immune to criticism.

4. destructive insects often undergo a “ flare-back,” or resurgence.

The pests often return in even larger numbers.

5. Thus the chemical war is never won, and all life is caught in its violent crossfire.

Therefore, this fight between man and pests will never come to an end, and all living things are affected by or fall victim to this chemical war.

Question: Why did Carson say the chemical war is never won?

Chemicals kill indiscriminately, reduce biodiversity and contaminate the entire environment. They cannot solve the pest problem, for pests can adapt to the chemicals and evolve into super races that immune to chemicals, and they can undergo a “flare-back”. The vicious circle will never end until man is killed along with other lives.

Para. 19

1. 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.

gear sth to: to allow ( an activity or the course of an action) to be dependent on or influenced by ( a particular fact or condition), e.g.

Production must be geared to public demand.

Formal structure so…that

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 .

Para. 20

1. Nature has introduced great variety into the landscape and holds the species within bounds by the built-in checks and balances.

Nature keeps living things in proportion, regulating their number through the check and balance mechanisms of itself. (In other words, when the population of one species is too big/small, Nature has a way of making it decrease / increase.)

within bounds: being under legal or moral obligation

bounds: the accepted or furthest limit

e.g. His energy knows no bounds (=He is very energetic.)

out of bounds

        a. If a place is out of bounds, people are not allowed to go there.

        b. If something is out of bounds, people are not allowed to do it, use it, see it, or know about it.

built-in: included as part of sth

e.g.  a built-in wardrobe; a built-in advantage/ disadvantage of a system

2. One important natural check is a limit on the amount of suitable habitat for each species.

One important check mechanism of nature itself is to restrict the living area of each animals or plants.

habitat: natural environment (or home) of an animal or a plant

 e.g.: The panda's natural habitat is the bamboo forest.

3. Insect problems arose with the intensification of agriculture – the devotion of immense acreage to a single crop.

Insect problems resulted from the intensification of agriculture, that is, the practice of planting a single crop on a large area of cropland.

acreage: an area of land measured in acres

e.g.:The farm has a considerable acreage.

Enormous acreages of soya beans are grown in the United States.

4. Such a system set the stage for explosive increases in specific insect populations

Such a way of farming creates favorable conditions for the rapid increase of particular insects.

set the stage for sth: to make it possible for sth to happen,为…提供舞台；为…创造条件

e.g. Border clashes between the two countries set the stage for a five-year-long war.

5. Obviously then, an insect that lives on wheat can build up its population to much higher levels on a farm devoted to wheat than on one in which wheat is intermingled with other crops to which the insect is not adapted.

The population of an insect that lives on wheat on a farm specializing in the production of wheat is much higher than that on a farm producing multiple-crops , because the insect cannot be adjusted to it.

live on sth: feed on;  to eat a particular type of food to live

build up sth: to increase, strengthen, develop sth

be devoted to sth: to be given to

be intermingled with sth: to be mixed together

adapt to: to change in such a way that sb/sth has become suitable for a new situation

6. intensify v. make intense or more intense

intensified image放大像

The press has intensified its scrutiny of his background.

新闻界已增强了对他背景的调查。

Association

intense （强度，数量或程度）强烈的，剧烈的；（感情或感受）强烈的，极度的

intense emotions深情

intense heat酷暑

an intense writer感受深刻的作者

intensive 深入细致的，加强的， 强化的

intensive training强化训练

research-intensive研究密集型的

intensive care悉心照顾

Para. 21

1. confine v./n. keep within bounds, restrict

Please confine your remarks to the issues at hand.

The sick child was confined to bed.

Association: restrict, limit, tie down

She doesn’t want children because they will tie her down.

Tied down to a schedule, we can not alter time casually.

I limit/confine myself to 3 cups of coffee a day.

Try to limit/confine your talk to ten minutes.

They succeeded in confining/restrict the fire to a small area.

The woods restrict/confine our vision.

2. colossal separate nature reserves

巨大的、分离的自然保护区

Para. 23

1. In new territory, out of reach of the restraining hand of the natural enemies that  kept down its numbers in its native land, an invading plant or animal is able to become enormously abundant.

out of reach of: outside the distance to which sb. can stretch out of their hands

out of reach: the limit to which sb/sth has the power or influence to do sth,

e.g.: Such matters are beyond the reach of the law.

keep down: keep (numbers) low, control; suppress, oppress (people);

cf. damp down (diminish)

Paraphrase

In new region, the number of the natural enemies in its native home decrease , the population of an introduced plant or animal are spreading colossally/ reproduced enormously.

2. Thus it is no accident that our most troublesome insects are introduced species.

“it” is used as an anticipatory subject

it is no accident that: It is certain, unavoidable

Paraphrase

That’s why the most troublesome insects in our country are brought in from other places.

3. Question: What is the difference between the natural spreading of species and the man-assisted process? And how does this process contribute to the pest problem?

Answer: The natural spreading of the species involves the restraining hand of natural enemies that keep down its numbers in its native land.

An alien species is introduced by man into a new territory finds no natural enemies, thus becoming enormously abundant in number.

4. Question: What led to insect problems?

Answer: There are four factors account for the insect problems. One is the devotion of immense acreage to a single group. The other is the spreading of thousands of  different kind of organisms from their native lands. The former creates a good condition for the increasing of insect population. The latter is insects’ natural development that is based on the change of natural environment , and accelerated by man’s changing environment. The third is that with new plant imported，abroad animals are inevitably brought into. The last is that in new territory, introduced insects have no natural enemies, so its population increase dramatically.  

Para. 24

1. …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.”   

damp down: to control and reduce; to suppress,

e.g. The man was too keen on betting on horse races, and his wife decided to damp down his enthusiasm.

damp

a./v./n. a. slightly wet

  b. moisten

      c. restrain or check; discourage

Examples:

I don't like to sleep between damp sheets.

His clothes were damped in the rain.

The rain damped their spirit.

His remarks damp down their enthusiasm.

the explosive power of outbreaks and new invasions: the power of insects to multiply / breed in large numbers suddenly and quickly and their power to invade new territories

2. Question: What should we do to solve pest problems?

Answer: We should try to have the basic knowledge of animal population and their relations to their surroundings to promote an even balance, control the power of outbreaks of insects and reduce new invasions rather than seeking new technology to suppress this plant or that animal.

Para. 25

1. I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically chemicals indiscriminately into the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potentials for harm. (para25)

Paraphrase

My argument /contention is that when we put the large amount of  chemicals into people’s hands, we don’t distinguish poisonous chemicals from powerfully effective chemicals on living things , and people don’t know completely about the potential harm  of the chemicals.

contend(para24)

v. a. strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle

  b. compete, as in a race; maintain

e.g.

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.

n.contention : an argument, dispute

indiscriminate

a. a. unselective; widespread; wholesale

  b. confused; chaotic; unrestrained

e.g.

indiscriminate taste in music无特殊音乐品味

indiscriminate violence大规模的暴力事件

the indiscriminate use of pesticides杀虫剂的广泛使用

the indiscriminate policies of

the previous administration前任内阁令人困惑的政策

indiscriminate spending无节制的挥霍

2. We have subjected enormous number of people to contact with these poisons, without their consent and often without their knowledge.

contact: Noun. The act of touching physically

Paraphrase

By spraying insecticides on food grains, vegetables and fruit, we have caused large numbers of people to absorb harmful chemicals without asking whether they would like to do so and often without their knowing it.

Subject sb/sth to sth: (written) to make sb/sth suffer or be affected by sth, usually sth unpleasant,

e.g.

Diogenes was constantly subjected to ridicule.

Before launching the new car, they subjected it to severe tests.

subject

v. a. experience      

b. expose        

c. submit to the authority of

adj. prone; exposed

The patients in that ward were subjected to infection.

易受传染/感染

We have subjected the metal to chemical analysis.

我们已经对这种金属进行化学分析

He was subjected to brutal mutilation.他受到残暴的肢解。

He was not subjected to discipline. 他不守纪律

consent v./n. agree, accept, approve of

Mary's parents refused their consent to her marriage.

玛丽的父母不同意她的婚事。

Has the speeker consented to having his speech printed?

发言的人同意把他的讲话印出来吗？

She tried to persuade her father, but he refused to consent.

她试图说服她父亲，但是他拒绝同意。

3. Question: What is Carson’s contention?

Answer：Nature is an integral nature. We should promote our knowledge of relation of chemicals and ecology. Before we use chemicals, we should know clearly about their effect on environment and people and make reasonable use of them.