Why Are Maps Drawn with North at the Top
时间:2018-12-30 作者:英语课 分类:自考英语(一)78讲
Tough
painting—water color—sketch
Local government
Localization
Greece
Mathematics
Base
Footnote
Forehead
philosophy
Commonly—ordinarily
Classic
Flat—apartment
Flat tyre
Refer to---referee
Navy—log—voyage—sailor
Calculation—calculator
Fixed
In line with—out of line with
Rely on / upon
LESSoN EIGHTEEN
TEXT B
Why Are Maps Drawn 1 with North at the Top
Now it is hard to visualize 2 a map that does not feature north at the top, but this was not always so.
The oldest known map in the accepted sense of the word was drawn about 3,800 BC, and represents the river Euphrates flowing through northern Mesopotamia, Iraq. This, and others that followed it, were little more than rough sketches 3 of localized features; it was not until many centuries later that the ancient Greeks placed the science of map-making on a sound footing.
At the forefront of the pioneers in the field was the Greek mathematician 4 and philosopher Claudius ptolemaeus (c. AD 90-168), more popularly known to history as ptolemy. The last great scientist of the classical period, he was the first to draw a map that was based on all available knowledge, rather than guess or imagination. Earlier, the Babylonians had attempted to map the world, but they presented it in the form of a flattened 5 disc rather than a sphere, which was the form adopted by ptolemy.
Given the state of knowledge of those times, he got things wrong; for example, his estimate of China and the Atlantic ocean was far from being accurate. Nevertheless, it was a useful effort, and the map remained a work of reference for over a thousand years. In fact, Christopher Columbus used a version of it when he set sail in search of the New World -- which caused him some navigational problems, since ptolemy had calculated wrongly the size of the Atlantic and was unaware 6 that the pacific ocean existed.
The really important thing about ptolemys map was that north was at the top. The reason for this was that he decided 7 to orientate 8 the map in the direction of the pole Star since polaris was the immovable guiding light in which the voyagers of that era placed their trust.
North at the top remained the accepted arrangement until the early Middle Ages, when the Church began to interfere 9 seriously with the advance of science. In accordance with the orders of the Church, maps were still produced in accordance with ptolemys principles -- but now Jerusalem was the central feature, as it was held to be the center of the Christian 10 faith, and east was moved to the top.
These maps are often called T Maps because they show only three continents -- Europe, Asia and Africa -- separated by the T formed by the Mediterranean 11 Sea and the River Nile. From a navigational point of view, they were almost useless.
More accurate maps began to appear in the 14th century, with the spread of trade and increasing reliance on the compass. once again, north assumed its rightful place at the top of maps.
- All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
- Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
- I remember meeting the man before but I can't visualize him.我记得以前见过那个人,但他的样子我想不起来了。
- She couldn't visualize flying through space.她无法想像在太空中飞行的景象。
- The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
- You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
- The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。
- She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
- I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。
- They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
- I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- The explorer climbed a tree in order to orientate himself.那位勘探者为了确定他所在的地点爬到了一颗树上。
- The mountaineers found it difficult to orientate themselves in the fog.登山的人在浓雾中难以确定自己的方位。
- If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
- When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
- They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
- His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
- The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
- Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。