F2F Class Notes (Raph)[R]

Vocabulary

Manuscript (n): 1- the original copy of a book or article before it is printed. 2- an old document or book written by hand in the times before printing was invented.
E.g.: He sent the 400-page manuscript to his publisher.
E.g.: It is thought that the manuscript dates from the twelfth century.

Scroll (n): 1- a long roll of paper or similar material with usually official writing on it.
E.g.: The ancient Egyptians stored information on scrolls.
​
Significance (n): 1- importance.
E.g.: The discovery of the new drug is of great significance for people suffering from heart problems.
E.g.: They were offered a few cosmetic improvements to their working conditions, but nothing of significance.

Carbon dating (n): 1- a method of calculating the age of extremely old objects by measuring the amount of a particular type of carbon in them
E.g.: The scientists used carbon dating to determine the age of the fossils.

Fossil (n): 1- the shape of a bone, a shell, or a plant or animal that has been preserved in rock for a very long period. 2- 化石
E.g.: Archaeologists (考古学家) just discovered fossils of a new kind of dinosaur that had never been seen before.

Take sth/sb for granted (phr v): 1- If you take situations or people for granted, you do not realize or show that you are grateful for how much you get from them or you simply don’t recognize the importance of that and simply consider it guaranteed.
E.g.: One of the problems with relationships is that after a while you just take each other for granted.

Breakthrough (n): 1- an important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a problem:
E.g.: Scientists are hoping for a breakthrough in the search for a cure for cancer.
E.g.: A major breakthrough in negotiations has been achieved.

Dinosaur (n): 1- 恐龙

Written Zero 500 Years Older Than Scientists Thought
(Source: www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1709/170917-zero.html)

Scientists from Oxford University in England have discovered that the written use of the zero is 500 years older than previously thought. The scientists used carbon dating to trace the symbol’s origins to a famous ancient Indian scroll called the Bakhshali Manuscript. Scientists found the scroll dates back to the third century, which makes it the oldest script using the symbol. Before the carbon dating of the scroll, scientists believed the manuscript was created in the eighth century. It was found in the village of Bakhshali in 1881. The zero symbol that we use today evolved from a round dot frequently used in India. This symbol can be seen several times on the manuscript.

Marcus Du Santoy, a mathematics professor at Oxford University, explained the significance of the zero in our lives. He told Britain’s ‘Guardian’ newspaper that: “Today, we take it for granted that the concept of zero is used across the globe and is a key building block of the digital world. But the creation of zero as a number in its own right, which evolved from the placeholder dot symbol found in the Bakhshali manuscript, was one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of mathematics.” Zero has many names in English, including nought, nil (in football) and love (in tennis). It is often said as “oh” in the context of telephone numbers. Informal or slang terms for zero include nowt, nada, zilch and zip.

Pronunciation

Familiar: /fəˈmɪl.i.jɚ/

Cabinet: /ˈkæb.ən.ət/

Manuscript: /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

Mathematics: /ˌmæθˈmæt̬.ɪks/

Significance: /sɪɡˈnɪf.ə.kəns/

Dinosaur: /ˈdaɪ.nə.sɔːr/