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第四十一课 ​

一、课文原文 ​

Training Elephants

Two main techniques have been used for training elephants, which we may call respectively the tough and the gentle. The former method simply consists of setting an elephant to work and beating him until he does what is expected of him. Apart from any moral considerations, this is a stupid method of training, for it produces a resentful animal who at a later stage may well turn man-killer. The gentle method requires more patience in the early stages, but produces a cheerful, good-tempered elephant who will give many years of loyal service.

The first essential in elephant training is to assign to the animal a single mahout, who will be entirely responsible for the job. Elephants like to have one master just as dogs do, and are capable of a considerable degree of personal affection. There are even stories of half-trained elephant calves who have refused to feed and pined to death when by some unavoidable circumstance they have been deprived of their own trainer. Such extreme cases must probably be taken with a grain of salt, but they do underline the general principle that the relationship between elephant and mahout is the key to successful training.

The most economical age to capture an elephant for training is between fifteen and twenty years, for it is then almost ready to undertake heavy work and can begin to earn its keep straight away. But animals of this age do not easily become subservient to man, and a very firm hand must be employed in the early stages. The captive elephant, still roped to a tree, plunges and screams every time a man approaches, and for several days will probably refuse all food through anger and fear. Sometimes a tame elephant is tethered nearby to give the wild one confidence, and in most cases the captive gradually quietens down and begins to accept its food.

The next stage is to get the elephant to the training establishment, a ticklish business which is achieved with the aid of two tame elephants roped to the captive on either side. When several elephants are being trained at one time, it is customary for the new arrival to be placed between the stalls of two captives whose training is already well advanced. It is then left completely undisturbed with plenty of food and water so that it can absorb the atmosphere of its new home and see that nothing particularly alarming is happening to its companions. When it is eating normally, its own training begins.

The trainer stands in front of the elephant holding a long stick with a sharp metal point. Two assistants, mounted on tame elephants, control the captive from either side, while others rub their hands over his skin to the accompaniment of a monotonous and soothing chant. This is supposed to induce pleasurable sensations in the elephant, and its effects are reinforced by the use of endearing epithets. The elephant is not immediately susceptible to such blandishments, however, and usually lashes fiercely with its trunk in all directions. These movements are controlled by the trainer with the metal-pointed stick, and the trunk eventually becomes so sore that the elephant curls it up and seldom afterwards uses it for offensive purposes.

二、 核心词汇与词组精讲、拓展及例句 ​

1. respectively

  • 英文释义：Separately or individually and in the order already mentioned.
  • 中文释义：分别地；各自地。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • individually (adv.) 个别地：They were interviewed individually.
    • collectively (adv.) 共同地，反义词：Act collectively.

2. resentful

  • 英文释义：Feeling or expressing bitterness or indignation at having been treated unfairly.
  • 中文释义：充满愤恨的；不满的。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • bitter (adj.) 痛苦的；怨恨的：A bitter memory.
    • grateful (adj.) 感激的，反义词：A grateful heart.

3. mahout

  • 英文释义：A person who rides and looks after an elephant.
  • 中文释义：驯象人；骑象者。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • tamer (n.) 驯兽师：A lion tamer.
    • handler (n.) 处理者/饲养员：An animal handler.

4. subservient

  • 英文释义：Prepared to obey others unquestioningly; less important than something else.
  • 中文释义：屈从的；顺从的；从属的。
  • 核心词组：subservient to（服从于……）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • submissive (adj.) 顺从的：A submissive attitude.
    • dominant (adj.) 占主导地位的，反义词：A dominant role.

5. ticklish

  • 英文释义：Difficult or hazardous; requiring careful handling.
  • 中文释义：棘手的；难对付的。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • tricky (adj.) 棘手的：A tricky situation.
    • straightforward (adj.) 简单的，反义词：A straightforward task.

6. susceptible

  • 英文释义：Likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing; easily influenced.
  • 中文释义：易受影响的；易受感动的。
  • 核心词组：susceptible to（易受……影响的）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • vulnerable (adj.) 脆弱的：Vulnerable to attacks.
    • immune (adj.) 免疫的，反义词：Immune to criticism.

7. blandishment

  • 英文释义：A flattering or pleasing statement or action used to persuade someone gently to do something.
  • 中文释义：奉承；讨好；甜言蜜语。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • flattery (n.) 奉承：Resist flattery.
    • criticism (n.) 批评，反义词：Harsh criticism.

三、 特别语法点拨（长难句） ​

Such extreme cases must probably be taken with a grain of salt, but they do underline the general principle that the relationship between elephant and mahout is the key to successful training. 习语 + 同位语从句

  • 原句：Such extreme cases must probably be taken with a grain of salt, but they do underline the general principle that the relationship between elephant and mahout is the key to successful training.
  • 解析：
    1. take something with a grain of salt：这是一个非常经典的英语习语，字面意思是“加一粒盐吃”，实际意思是“对……持保留态度/半信半疑”。在写作中用来表达客观、严谨的学术态度，避免把话说得太绝对。
    2. that... 引导同位语从句：这里的 that 从句用来解释说明抽象名词 principle（原则）的具体内容。同位语从句在高级英语写作中极为常见，用于对 fact, idea, belief, principle 等词进行补充说明。
  • 实战仿写：
    • The initial data must be taken with a grain of salt, but it does highlight the fundamental assumption that consumer behavior is driven by emotion rather than logic.（初步数据必须持保留态度，但它确实凸显了一个基本假设：消费者行为是由情感而非逻辑驱动的。）

四、 智慧版写作指导 ​

1. 用“对比论证”确立核心论点

  • 写作指导：在探讨某种方法论时，不要只写“好”的一面。通过引入一个**“反面教材（强硬法）”，并将其与“正面方法（温柔法）”**进行对比，能让你的核心论点显得更加深刻、有说服力。
  • 课文示范：The former method... produces a resentful animal... The gentle method... produces a cheerful, good-tempered elephant...（用 resentful 和 cheerful 形成鲜明对比，作者对温柔法的倾向性不言而喻。）
  • 实战仿写：Strict parenting often breeds rebellious teenagers, whereas empathetic parenting tends to foster independent and responsible young adults.（严厉的教养往往培养出叛逆的青少年，而同理心教养则倾向于培养独立、负责任的年轻人。）

2. 用“拟人化情感”赋予文章温度

  • 写作指导：在科普类文章中，如果通篇只有冷冰冰的数据和步骤，读者容易疲劳。适时地加入动物与人类之间的情感互动，不仅能增加文章的可读性，还能升华文章的主题。
  • 课文示范：Elephants like to have one master just as dogs do, and are capable of a considerable degree of personal affection.（把大象比作狗，指出它们也有“私人感情”，这让大象的形象瞬间变得立体、有温度。）
  • 实战仿写：Dolphins are not merely intelligent marine mammals; they are social creatures capable of forming deep, lifelong bonds with their pod members.（海豚不仅仅是聪明的海洋哺乳动物；它们是能够与群体成员建立深厚、终身纽带的社交生物。）

3. 用“客观严谨的让步”展现批判性思维

  • 写作指导：在陈述一个普遍规律或原则时，如果遇到极端的、可能引起争议的案例，不要回避。用让步结构承认其特殊性，然后再回归核心论点，这展现了极强的逻辑严密性和批判性思维。
  • 课文示范：Such extreme cases must probably be taken with a grain of salt, but they do underline the general principle that...（“虽然极端案例要打个折扣，但它们确实强调了普遍原则……”这种表达滴水不漏。）
  • 实战仿写：While individual success stories cannot be taken as absolute proof, they do illustrate the broader trend that perseverance is often rewarded.（虽然个人的成功故事不能作为绝对证据，但它们确实说明了一个更广泛的趋势：坚持往往会有回报。）

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