TGG - Chapter 27

1 - 阅读感悟

（1）关于读书。读书无用论的论调一直不绝于耳。也许有人会觉得，苏东坡的一生正印证了读书无用论，因为苏东坡最终没有因为读书享受荣华富和高官厚禄，反而因为读书，遭遇一次又一次的弹劾，一次又一次的流放。确实，从功利性用途来看，读书确实不能确保带来钱财和名誉。但是，另一方面来看，读书确是有用的。有用在打造了自己坚强乐观的内心，有用在宠辱不惊，有用在发现生活的与众不同，有用在赢得他人发自内心的尊重。这些用处，在苏东坡传中比比皆是。认同读书无用论还是读书有用论，全在于个人的选择。重要的是，往往，心中选择相信什么，就会朝着什么方向努力，那么就有可能会活成什么样子。

（2）关于神话与科学。本章中写道海南人民只要一生病就杀牛敬神的事，我们如今看觉得荒唐不已。但是在苏东坡所处的时代，只能说苏东坡有先见之明，而不能责备当地人愚不可及。人们往往愿意相信已有的神话，而不愿接受新的事物，比如科学，正如文中所说的“but of course customs could not be changed easily”。这让我想起了是布鲁诺因为坚称“地球是圆的”，提出地球只不过是无限宇宙中一粒小小的尘埃等新观点，最终被捕入狱，被宗教裁判所判为“异端”而烧死在罗马鲜花广场。

（3）关于法律。本章用一句话说明了良法才能发挥作用：... they were driven to taking the law into their own hands only because the Chinese courts could not render them justice.

2 - Words & Sentences

（1）subjugate 动词

① If someone subjugates a group of people, they take complete control of them, especially by defeating them in a war. 征服

【例句】Their costly and futile attempt to subjugate the Afghans lasted just 10 years.

他们想征服阿富汗人的意图耗费大量金钱而且无效，只维持了十年的时间。

②If your wishes or desires are subjugated to something, they are treated as less important than that thing. 使(愿望)退居其次

【例句】After having been subjugated to ambition, your maternal instincts are at last starting to assert themselves. 

你那因抱负而退居其次的母性本能终于开始展现出来。

（2）实用句型

①... a little hut which barely servers the purpose of giving shelter.

② But his indomitable spirit and his philosophy of life hardly permitted him to lose his joy of living.