首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
With the films prevalent across the whole world, however, most critical plot points in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone cam
With the films prevalent across the whole world, however, most critical plot points in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone cam
admin
2010-05-25
35
问题
With the films prevalent across the whole world, however, most critical plot points in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone came from J. K. Rowling’s imagination. But Flamel and his powerful pebble were legendary long before Harry went to Hogwarts. The 14th-century alchemist created the philosopher’s stone (which was called "sorcerer’s stone" in US edition of Potter), with which he turned mercury to gold and gained eternal life altogether. But Flamel’s tale--like his stone and his science--was in fact no more than a magic.
The philosopher’s stone was the key to alchemy, the medieval predecessor to chemistry that aimed to cure all illnesses, make the elixir of life, and transmute base metals into gold. It may sound ridiculous. However, the last made perfect sense at the time. The Aristotelian theory of elements stated that all things consisted of fire, air, water, and earth. So a little shift in one metal’s composition could create gold.
Flamel was renowned as an alchemical success. In the year of 1382, after a period of 25 years of studying an ancient book written by "Abraham the Jew", he is said to have produced the philosopher’s stone. His texts, notably a deconstruction of the "Abraham" work, were standard reading for aspiring scientists like Isaac Newton.
Many alchemists believed that Flamel faked his death in the year of 1418 and that of his wife. Rumored sightings in the 18th century placed them even at the Paris Opera. As late as in the year of 1816 there were still reports of people searching Flamel’s former house for secrets of the mysterious stone.
Contemporary historians say a Nicolas Flamel did live in Paris in the 1300s and endowed many churches and hospitals with his wealth. But he was no alchemist at all. "He got his money in pedestrian ways-his wife’s earlier marriages, real estate speculation," says Lawrence Principe, author of The Aspiring Adept. The obvious error of time, the special style of the language, the diction of words, and the lack of earlier copies indicate that none of "his" writings originated prior to the 1500s.
"This sort of thing do happen in alchemy," says Bill Newman, author of alchemical history work Gehennical Fire. It was not rare that when an alchemist could not back up his ideas, he might publish them in the guise of a "lost" work. Flamel’s wealth made a good candidate for alchemical identity theft.
Flamel’s writings and sightings faded with alchemy’s prestage. And the closest anyone’s come to the philosopher’s stone is Rowling. In her hands, it has yielded not just gold but eternal (shelf) life as well.
What is the author’s purpose?
选项
A、To reveal that everything in Potter was imagined by Rowling.
B、To tell the truth about Flamel behind the tales in Potter.
C、To point out the inability of alchemists to defend themselves.
D、To address the close relationship between alchemy and the modern science.
答案
B
解析
主旨题。本文由《哈利波特与魔法石》引出Flamel和他的魔法石的传说,接着讲述Flamel的故事,指出他不是炼金术士,只是盗用其名。所以B 为正确答案。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/Hs1K777K
0
专业英语四级
相关试题推荐
Whatistherelationshipbetweenthespeakers?
Oneofthemostimportantsocialdevelopmentsthathelpedtomakepossibleashiftinthinkingabouttheroleofpubliceducatio
He______anothercareerbut,atthetime,hedidn’thaveenoughmoneytoattendgraduateschool.
Crypticcoloringisbyfarthecommonestuseofcolorinthestruggleforexistence.Itisemployedforthepurposeofattack(a
Crypticcoloringisbyfarthecommonestuseofcolorinthestruggleforexistence.Itisemployedforthepurposeofattack(a
ThesightofthefruitsaladmadeourdaughterKit’smouth______.
Thepolicemenwerekilledandwounded______.
Thetreasuryissuedanorderstatingthat______landpurchasedfromthegovernmenthadtobepaidforingoldandsilver.
TheEuropeanUnionhadnotapprovedanumberofgeneticallymodifiedcropsuntillate1998.But【C1】______publicconcernover【C2】
TheEuropeanUnionhadnotapprovedanumberofgeneticallymodifiedcropsuntillate1998.But【C1】______publicconcernover【C2】
随机试题
FM调制中,随基带信号规律变化的是载波的()
StudentsandTechnologyintheClassroomIlovemyblackberry—it’smylittleconnectiontothelargerworldthatcangoany
闭合性多根多处肋骨骨折,若骨折范围较小,治疗时采用哪种方法纠正反常呼吸最合适
年轻男性患者,18岁,右踝、左膝关节肿痛,活动受限3周来诊,未行任何化验检查,下列关节病中哪种疾病可能性大
合同终止的情形包括()。
计算下列各项指标时,其分母需要采用平均数的有()。
甲公司2018年9月2日以1300万元价格对外转让一项商标权。该商标权系甲公司2015年1月9日以2000万元购入,购入时该商标权预计使用8年,法律规定有效期10年。甲公司采用直线法对无形资产计提摊销,预计净残值为零。假定不考虑相关税费,则甲公司在转让无形
实施股票分割与发放股票股利产生的效果相似,它们都会()。
在我国著名的漂流河段中,被誉为“神州第一漂”的是()。
下列词语中划线的字,读音与字形全都正确的一组是()。
最新回复
(
0
)