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1、POOH 百寶箱歷史類之一Why study historyThe importance of history in explaining and understanding change in human behavior is no mere abstraction. Take an important human phenomenon such as alcoholism. Through biological experiments scientists have identified specific genes that seem to cause a proclivity tow

2、ard alcohol addiction in some individuals. This is a notable advance. But alcoholism, as a social reality, has a history: rates of alcoholism have risen and fallen, and they have varied from one group to the next. Attitudes and policies about alcoholism have also changed and varied. History is indis

3、pensable to understanding why such changes occur. And in many ways historical analysis is a more challenging kind of exploration than genetic experimentation. Historians have in fact greatly contributed in recent decades to our understanding of trends (or patterns of change) in alcoholism and to our

4、 grasp of the dimensions of addiction as an evolving social problem.One of the leading concerns of contemporary American politics is low voter turnout, even for major elections. A historical analysis of changes in voter turnout can help us begin to understand the problem we face today. What were tur

5、nouts in the past? When did the decline set in? Once we determine when the trend began, we can try to identify which of the factors present at the time combined to set the trend in motion. Do the same factors sustain the trend still, or are there new ingredients that have contributed to it in more r

6、ecent decades? A purely contemporary analysis may shed some light on the problem, but a historical assessment is clearly fundamental and essential for anyone concerned about American political health today.History, then, provides the only extensive materials available to study the human condition. I

7、t also focuses attention on the complex processes of social change, including the factors that are causing change around us today. Here, at base, are the two related reasons many people become enthralled with the examination of the past and why our society requires and encourages the study of histor

8、y as a major subject in the schools.The Importance of History in Our Own LivesThese two fundamental reasons for studying history underlie more specific and quite diverse uses of history in our own lives. History well told is beautiful. Many of the historians who most appeal to the general reading pu

9、blic know the importance of dramatic and skillful writingas well as of accuracy.Biography and military history appeal in part because of the tales they contain. History as art and entertainment serves a real purpose, on aesthetic grounds but also on the level of human understanding. Stories well don

10、e are stories that reveal how people and societies have actually functioned, and they prompt thoughts about the human experience in other times and places. The same aesthetic and humanistic goals inspire people to immerse themselves in efforts to reconstruct quite remote pasts, far removed from imme

11、diate, present-day utility. Exploring what historians sometimes call the pastness of the past the ways people in distant ages constructed their lives involves a sense of beauty and excitement, and ultimately another perspective on human life and society.History Contributes to Moral UnderstandingHist

12、ory also provides a terrain for moral contemplation. Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against some of the real complexities individuals have faced in difficult settings. People who have weathered

13、 adversity not just in some work of fiction, but in real, historical circumstances can provide inspiration. History teaching by example is one phrase that describes this use of a study of the past a study not only of certifiableheroes, the great men and women of history who successfully worked throu

14、gh moral dilemmas, but also of more ordinary people who provide lessons in courage, diligence, or constructive protest.History Provides IdentityHistory also helps provide identity, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons all modern nations encourage its teaching in some form. Historical data i

15、nclude evidence about how families, groups, institutions and whole countries were formed and about how they have evolved while retaining cohesion. For many Americans, studying the history of ones own family is the most obvious use of history, for it provides facts about genealogy and (at a slightly

16、more complex level) a basis for understanding how the family has interacted with larger historical change. Family identity is established and confirmed. Many institutions, businesses, communities, and social units, such as ethnic groups in the United States, use history for similar identity purposes

17、. Merely defining the group in the present pales against the possibility of forming an identity based on a rich past. And of course nations use identity history as well andsometimes abuse it. Histories that tell the national story, emphasizing distinctive features of the national experience, are mea

18、nt to drive home an understanding of national values and a commitment to national loyalty.Studying History Is Essential for Good CitizenshipA study of history is essential for good citizenship. This is the most common justification for the place of history in school curricula. Sometimes advocates of

19、 citizenship history hope merely to promote national identity and loyalty through a history spiced by vivid stories and lessons in individual success and morality. But the importance of history for citizenship goes beyond this narrow goal and can even challenge it at some points.History that lays th

20、e foundation for genuine citizenship returns, in one sense, to the essential uses of the study of the past. History provides data about the emergence of national institutions, problems, and values its the only significant storehouse of such data available. It offers evidence also about how nations h

21、ave interacted with other societies, providing international and comparative perspectives essential for responsible citizenship. Further, studying history helps us understand how recent, current, and prospective changes that affect the lives of citizens are emerging or may emerge and what causes are

22、 involved. More important, studying history encourages habits of mind that are vital for responsible public behavior, whether as a national or community leader, an informed voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer.與本文相關(guān)的 issue 題目如下：The study of history has value only to the extent that it is releva

23、ntto our daily lives. 【103 】 只有研究和我們?nèi)粘Ｉ钕嚓P(guān)的歷史才有價(jià)值。So much is new and complex today that looking back for an understanding of the past provides little guidance for living in the present. 【120 】 現(xiàn)代社會(huì)是如此的嶄新和復(fù)雜以至于回首了解過去對(duì)于當(dāng)代生活已經(jīng)沒有太大幫助了。History teaches us only one thing: knowing about the past cannot help

24、 people to make important decisions today. 【 54】 歷史只教會(huì)了我們一件事：了解過去無助于人們今天作出重要的決定。POOH 百寶箱歷史類之二 Preservation of Historic BuildingsWhy Preserve?Who Benefits from Preservation - and How?Preservation c an help anyone in any place. It benefits young and old, urban and rural areas, residential neighborhood

25、s and commercial districts.Preservations advantages range so widely that its impossible to list them all. But there are at least three that show up again and again.AppearanceA flat-faced modern office block or an elegantly detailed pre-war commercial building?A strip mall fronted by a parking lot or

26、 a pedestrian-friendly retail district?A McMansion with a huge garage or a Victorian with a wraparound porch?Comparisons like these illustrate one of preservations most obvious advantages: it creates more attractive places to live and work. The style and variety of historic places make communities m

27、uch better to look at, as the examples below show:Dozen Distinctive DestinationsAn annual list that highlights vacation spots which have preserved their character and sense of place.Historic Hotels of AmericaIts 185 members prove that beautiful historic buildings can also offermodern amenities.Econo

28、micsPreservation isnt something smart people do when they can afford it- its something they know thatthey cant afford not to do. The examples below highlight what studies have consistently shown: protecting and reusing historic places makes good financial sense.Community PartnersRehabilitation and a

29、daptive use of historic buildings creates profits as well as appealing places to live and work.Heritage TourismTowns and cities that protect their historic areas attract more visitors, and those people stay longer and spend more.National Main Street CenterInvesting in traditional commercial district

30、s both produces new jobs and eliminates the cost of sprawl, such as time lost in the car and the expense of providing new infrastructure like roads.History and CultureHistoric places tell a community where it came from - what previous generations achieved, what they believed, what they hoped to be.

31、By protecting these reminders of the past, preservation also builds the present and the future, since it saves valuable resources and recalls a communitys goals and dreams, as these examples show:Issues and PoliciesProtecting the buildings at the heart of American life, such as neighborhood schools

32、and downtown commercial districts, is crucial to creating better communities.Why Preserve?Whats the Truth About Preservation?Theres lots of facts around about what preservation is and does. Unfortunately, some information is more accurate than others. The following list considers seven of the most c

33、ommon misperceptions.? Preservation is only for high-style buildings associated with famous dead rich people.? Preservation is too expensive.? If my house is listed on a historic register or located in a historic district, I lose all my property rights to the government.? If a place is listed on an

34、historic register, its safe from demolition.? Preservation is bad for business.? Old buildings arent safe.? Preservation only cares about the past.Myth: Preservation is only for high-style buildings associated with famous dead rich people.Reality: Preservation actually involves every aspect of Ameri

35、cas past. Preservation cares about the homes of the rich and the poor, industrial sites and downtown commercial districts , schools and colleges , religious sites and governmental buildings , parks and other places for recreation , rural landscapes and structures - just about any place that helps te

36、ll Americas story.Myth: Preservation is too expensive.Reality: Good preservation does have costs - but not preserving costs even more . Demolition has significant expenses: workers who tear down a historic place and carry away the debris must be paid, ugly landfills must be provided to receive const

37、ruction materials. Additional costs appear if a replacement goes in an undeveloped area, since building on open spaces requires creating and maintaining services like roads and sewers.Recent projects prove that preservation is often cheaper. In Chicago, where the public school system is now spending

38、 $2.5 billion to upgrade facilities, bare-bones new construction is costing $155 per square foot - but renovation is costing just $130.Destroying our past has costs that extend far beyond money. Lost is the work of talented craftsmen who created beautiful, lasting buildings. Lost are the memories an

39、d pride that a community took in one of its landmarks. And lost is the opportunity for future generations to enjoy and to learn from the places that help us understand and appreciate where we came from.Myth: If my house is listed on a historic register or located in a historic district, I lose all m

40、y property rights to the government.Reality: There are many variations on this theme:? I wont be able to change anything about my house, such as paint color or landscaping or plumbing, without the approval of the history police.? I have to open my house for tours.? I wont be able to sell my house.No

41、ne of those statements is true. No one from the local, state, or federal government, for example, is going to block the installation of a dishwasher or hot-water heater. Historic review boards may evaluate major projects, but these locally-chosen boards also give homeowners the opportunity to presen

42、t their case for making changes. Though many people choose to open their homes to once-a-year neighborhood tours, no one has to give the public access. And its becoming increasingly clear that being part of a historic district may actually improve property values, since potential buyers know that th

43、eir community will escape the kind of every-man-for-himself development that ultimately leaves everyone poorer.Myth: If a place is listed on an historic register, its safe from demolition.Reality: Un fortun ately, buildi ngs that are importa nt eno ugh to have made a local, state, or n ati onal regi

44、ster can still be torn down. Listing in the National Register of Historic Places, for example, does provide some protect ion, since a project built with federal money - like a highway - must con sider its impact on historic resources, but eve n the n, historic resources can be damaged or destroyed i

45、f there is no feasible alter native.Because legal protection is limited, its vital for communities to fight for their historic places. Few new projects - roads, offices, stores - have to be built in a specific place in a particular way. Citizens can make sure that their elected officials understand

46、the need to protect the historic places , and find ways to comb ine the best of the old and the n ew.Myth: Preservati on is bad for bus in ess.Reality: Preservati on is actually a good bus in ess - and a big one. A rece nt travel in dustry survey found that more tha n 40% of America ns made visit in

47、g a historic place - a build ing, battlefield or historic community - part of their vacations, and that these people spent nearly 40% more than the typical traveler. Commun ities participati ng in theNatio nal Trusts Main Street program, which revitalizestraditi onal commercial districts, have gen e

48、rated more tha n $16 billio n in private and public in vestme nt since 1980.Preservatio n is also better bus in ess tha n new con struct ion. A study shows that $1,000,000 spe nt on rehabilitatio n will create more jobs and keep more money in the local economy tha n the same $1,000,000 spen t on new

49、 co nstructio n.Myth: Old build ings arent safe.Reality: Its not the age of buildi ngs that makes them safe from forces like fire and earthquakes and hurrica nes - its how theyre built. Rece nt disasters have show n that older, carefully con structed build ings may sta nd up better. I n 1992s Hurric

50、a ne An drew, for example, it was n ew, cheaply built structures that suffered the most damage.Whats equally importa nt is that old build ings can adopt new safety methods. Historic schools and office build ings can be retrofitted with moder n fire-surpressi on systems and seismic rein forceme nt. I

51、 n the early 1990s, Stanford Uni versity showed how moder n tech niq ues could preserve and stre ngthe n build ings that had bee n damaged by an earlier earthquake.Nor does preservati on in crease the dan ger from hazards like asbestos and lead pain t. If an older build ing in cludes either of those

52、 materials, they have to be abated whether the structure is demolished or rehabilitated, and ofte n preservatio n creates less dan ger because it does not expose the hazards to the air.Myth: Preservatio n only cares about the past.Reality: Preservation does care about the past. It cares about honori

53、ng the achievements of previous gen erati ons, the places they lived and worked, and the history and achieveme nts we now enjoy.But preservatio n also cares about the prese nt and the future. By protect ing our past, it helps us remember how we came to be where we are and what we ought to do now. An

54、d it cares about giving future gen erati ons the same opport un ities to enjoy beautiful build ings and Ian dscapes that we have today.POOH百寶箱社會(huì)類之一 -Problems!SOCIAL PROBLEM OVERVIEW5GLOBAL WARMINGELNINOOZONE HOLEEARTH-ALTERING ACCIDENTSENERGY AND THE EARTHTHE OPPOSITION TO HUMAN CLONING:HOW MORALITY

55、 AND ETHICS FACTOR INPROBLEMS WITH SOCIETY1112TEEN SOCIAL ISSUESGENETIC ENGINEERINGSocial Problem OverviewProblems of Poverty and WorkMany myths and stereotypes-and many theories-exist about the poor and the causes of poverty. Sociological expla nati ons for poverty focus on societal n eeds and soci

56、al forces. In one view, poverty is an outcome of Iongstanding conflict between haves and have-nots; in another, poverty is actually fun cti onal for society. Structural arra ngeme nts, such as official un employme nt and the stipulati on of a poverty line, have the effect of limiti ng opport un itie

57、s and justify ing social in equality. Thus, poverty is perpetuated through class discrim in ati on and un equal opport un ities for upward mobility. Programs and policies for address ing problems of poverty and work, such as the social welfare system and affirmative action, are themselves problems.P

58、roblems of Racial and Eth nic In equalityEcono mic and political in equalities in any country arise from overc oncen tratio ns of wealth and power. Imbalances in the distribution of power can lead to a lack of political representation in government for some groups, the creation of power elites, the

59、loss of personal freedoms and civil liberties, and abuses of authority, of which genocide is an extreme example. Imbalances in the distribution of wealth can lead to the loss of economic opportunity and social mobility, the creation of a permanent underclass, and conditions of illiteracy, unemployment, homelessness, hunger, and disease