|
Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Chan-Seung Lee
Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 1032
|
 Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 1:53 am Post subject: reason |
 |
|
| Quote: |
| Hope failed in this moment of crisis, which means, if we are being totally honest, that God failed � the God of stage one, who should have protected his children. In crisis we are all thrown back on a deep sense of physical danger, and not just in the case of a cancer diagnosis. The loss of a job can feel like a matter of life and death. People wrangling over a bitter divorce at times act as if their former spouse has become a mortal enemy. The fact that the old brain exerts its influence age after age accounts for the durability of God�s role as protector. Our primitive reactions to danger exist for a reason that is not going to be easily outgrown; the very structure of the brain guarantees this. The brain triggers the endocrine system., which injects adrenaline into the bloodstream to force the body � whatever the higher brain may think � to do its bidding. |
1. What does 'failed' mean?
--- * 'not worked' ?
2. What does 'be thrown back on' mean?
--- * 'depend on'?
3. What does 'not just in the case of a cancer diagnosis' mean?
--- * 'we are thrown back on a deep sense of physical danger in the case of a cancer diagnosis as well.'?
4. What does ' a reason' mean?
--- *'cause'?
or
*'rationality'?
or
*'wisdom'
5. What does 'for a reason that is not going to be easily outgrown' mean?
6. What does 'this' mean?
7. What does 'the higher brain' mean?
Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
askeladd
Joined: 05 Jan 2010
Posts: 89
Location: Chicago area, USA
|
| Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 3:04 am Post subject: Re: reason |
|
|
| Chan-Seung Lee wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Hope failed in this moment of crisis, which means, if we are being totally honest, that God failed � the God of stage one, who should have protected his children. In crisis we are all thrown back on a deep sense of physical danger, and not just in the case of a cancer diagnosis. The loss of a job can feel like a matter of life and death. People wrangling over a bitter divorce at times act as if their former spouse has become a mortal enemy. The fact that the old brain exerts its influence age after age accounts for the durability of God�s role as protector. Our primitive reactions to danger exist for a reason that is not going to be easily outgrown; the very structure of the brain guarantees this. The brain triggers the endocrine system., which injects adrenaline into the bloodstream to force the body � whatever the higher brain may think � to do its bidding. |
1. What does 'failed' mean?
--- * 'not worked' ? |
In the first instance, yes - and by extension, in the second instance, it means "did not achieve the goal," meaning that God let down the person who was hoping in him.
| Quote: |
2. What does 'be thrown back on' mean?
--- * 'depend on'? |
Here, the author is saying that in a crisis it is a natural reaction to feel as if we are threatened physically somehow, even if it's not a crisis of physical danger.
| Quote: |
3. What does 'not just in the case of a cancer diagnosis' mean?
--- * 'we are thrown back on a deep sense of physical danger in the case of a cancer diagnosis as well.'? |
Not quite. The author is saying that (of course) in the case of a cancer diagnosis (which is physical) it is expected to have feelings of being physically threatened, but this is not the only way we can have this feeling. He then gives examples of other crises where we have the same feeling of being threatened by physical danger: losing a job, getting a divorce, etc.
| Quote: |
4. What does ' a reason' mean?
--- *'cause'?
or
*'rationality'?
or
*'wisdom' |
cause
| Quote: |
| 5. What does 'for a reason that is not going to be easily outgrown' mean? |
The author is preparing to explain why we have these primitive reactions to danger. There is a reason (which he introduces later somewhere in the essay/book) why we have these feelings of being physically threatened, and the reason for this reaction is a reason that we cannot grow out of (not easily, at any rate) - the reason, whatever it may be, is such that it is difficult to develop or evolve to the point where we will no longer have this reaction.
| Quote: |
| 6. What does 'this' mean? |
"this" is referring to the first part of the sentence (before the semicolon): the structure of the brain guarantees that we will not easily outgrow this primitive reaction to danger.
| Quote: |
| 7. What does 'the higher brain' mean? |
The author is using that as a contrast to the "old brain," which he presumably views as being less evolved or less developed.
Hope this helps 
_________________
Helping ESL students since 2001!
www.summit-esl.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
