COlEGe ENGLIsh LESSON TEN The Man in Asbestos Stephen Leacock LU ONLINE LEARNING
1.Introduction 2.Text 3.Language points 4. Grammar 5.Exercises related to the text 6.Grammar exercises
1. Introduction 2. Text 3. Language points 4. Grammar 5. Exercises related to the text 6. Grammar exercises
Introduction This story is a good example of a genre common in the West during the 20th century,a genre that could be called “literary dystopia”(meaning the opposite of utopia).“The Man in Asbestos"paints the future in darkly pessimistic colors. In the "new society"presented by Leacock,there is no hunger,war,or disease;natural disasters and gender inequality have been eliminated,but life is dull. empty and meaningless.There is a clear implication that hunger,war,natural disasters and inequality make life
Introduction This story is a good example of a genre common in the West during the 20th century, a genre that could be called “literary dystopia” (meaning the opposite of utopia). “The Man in Asbestos”paints the future in darkly pessimistic colors. In the “new society” presented by Leacock, there is no hunger, war, or disease; natural disasters and gender inequality have been eliminated, but life is dull, empty and meaningless. There is a clear implication that hunger,war,natural disasters and inequality make life
interest and make us human.The article perhaps does raise a thought provoking question.Human beings are always going to have problems.When old problems are resolved,new problems will occur. Scholars have expressed the concern that science has been busy finding answers,but it has not bothered to ask the right questions. Success,progress,achievement all have to be measured by some value system.No doubt, the "new society"presented by Leacock is considered a perfect paradise by the "Men in Asbestos
Scholars have expressed the concern that science has been busy finding answers, but it has not bothered to ask the right questions. Success, progress, achievement all have to be measured by some value system. No doubt, the “new society” presented by Leacock is considered a perfect paradise by the “Men in Asbestos”. interest and make us human. The article perhaps does raise a thought provoking question. Human beings are always going to have problems. When old problems are resolved, new problems will occur
Text The Man in Asbestos By Stephen Leacock To begin with,let me admit that I did it partly from jealousy(. It seemed unfair that other writers should be able at will to drop into a sleep of four or five hundred years,and to plunge headfirst into a distant future and be a witness of its marvels. I wanted to do that too. I made preparations for the sleep
Text The Man in Asbestos By Stephen Leacock To begin with，let me admit that I did it partly from jealousy (1). It seemed unfair that other writers should be able at will to drop into a sleep of four or five hundred years, and to plunge headfirst into a distant future and be a witness of its marvels(2). I wanted to do that too. I made preparations for the sleep
It was,.in a way③，clear,straight suicide,but I did it. I could feel my senses leaving me.I fell into the deep immeasurable sleep in which the very existence of the outer world was hushed 5.Dimly I could feel the days go past,then years,and then the long passage of the centuries 6) Then quite suddenly,I woke up,and looked about 7me. Where was I? I found myself sitting on a broad couch in some kind of museum
It was，in a way(3)，clear，straight suicide(4)，but I did it. I could feel my senses leaving me．I fell into the deep immeasurable sleep in which the very existence of the outer world was hushed(5). Dimly I could feel the days go past，then years，and then the long passage of the centuries(6). Then quite suddenly，I woke up，and looked about (7)me. Where was I? I found myself sitting on a broad couch in some kind of museum
Beside me sat a man.His face was hairless,but neither old nor young.He wore clothes that looked like the grey ashes of paper that had burned and kept its shape 8.He was looking at me quietly,but with no particular surprise or interest. "Quick"I said,eager to begin,"Where am I?Who are you?" "What a queer,excited way you have of speaking,"he looked annoyed. “Tell me,”I said again,“is this the yea 3000?2” “I haven 't the faintest idea9,”he said. Don't you keep track of 10 them
“Quick” I said, eager to begin, “Where am I? Who are you?” “What a queer, excited way you have of speaking,” he looked annoyed． “Tell me， ”I said again， “is this the year 3000?” “I haven’t the faintest idea(9)， ”he said． Beside me sat a man．His face was hairless， but neither old nor young．He wore clothes that looked like the grey ashes of paper that had burned and kept its shape(8)．He was looking at me quietly，but with no particular surprise or interest. “Don’t you keep track of(10) them
any more?”I gasped. "We used to, 之 said the man “But it died out.Why,” continued,“after we eliminated death_” "Eliminated death!"I cried,sitting upright. "I was saying-after we had eliminated death,and food, and" "Stop!"I said,my brain reeling."Tell me one thing at a time." “Humph!'he ejaculated2.c“Tsee, you must have been asleep a long time. Go on then and ask questions." Oddly enough the first question that
any more?” I gasped. “We used to ， ” said the man ． “ But it died out ． Why,” continued, “after we eliminated death—” “Eliminated death!” I cried, sitting upright． “I was saying — after we had eliminated death，and food, and —” “Stop!” I said, my brain reeling(11). “Tell me one thing at a time.” “Humph!” he ejaculated(12). “I see, you must have been asleep a long time. Go on then and ask questions.” Oddly enough the first question that
sprang to my lips was "What are those clothes made of?" “Asbestos,”answered the man. "Thank you,"I answered.."Now tell me where I am." "You are in a museum.The figures in the cases are specimens like yourself3,But here(14么，”he said,“if you want really to find out about what is evidently a new epoch to you,get off your platform and come out on Broadway. I got down.But the moment we came out upon the street,I stood riveted in astonishment(15
sprang to my lips was— “What are those clothes made of?” “Asbestos， ”answered the man． “Thank you,” I answered.. “Now tell me where I am .” “You are in a museum． The figures in the cases are specimens like yourself(13). But here(14),” he said, “if you want really to find out about what is evidently a new epoch to you, get off your platform and come out on Broadway．” I got down．But the moment we came out upon the street, I stood riveted in astonishment(15)．
Broadway!Was it possible?The change was absolutely appalling!In place of the roaring thoroughfare that I had known,this silent,moss- grown desolation 16.Great buildings had fallen into ruin.The place was soundless.Not a vehicle moved. There were no wires overhead-no sound of life or movement except,here and there, there passed slowly to and fro(7)human figures dressed in the same asbestos clothes as my acquaintance 18,with the same hairless faces,and the same look of infinite age upon them
Broadway! Was it possible? The change was absolutely appalling! In place of the roaring thoroughfare that I had known, this silent，moss— grown desolation(16). Great buildings had fallen into ruin．The place was soundless. Not a vehicle moved. There were no wires overhead—no sound of life or movement except, here and there, there passed slowly to and fro(17) human figures dressed in the same asbestos clothes as my acquaintance(18), with the same hairless faces, and the same look of infinite age upon them