英语专业八级人文知识：黑死病与农民起义，英语专业八级的人文部分要想拿高分，贵在将知识串联起来。不仅要关注大众所熟知的内容，那些犄角旮旯的零碎小知识也要熟记于心。这些就重在平时的积累了，让我们循序渐进，每天学一点，搞定专八人文知识吧！
黑死病
黑死病(the Black Death)是指由鼠疫蚤传播的致命的淋巴腺鼠疫是流，行疾病，在14世纪传播了到欧洲。1348年夏天横扫全英国。英国的人口在14世纪末从400万锐减至200万。
黑死病对经济造成的后果相当深远。鼠疫导致了大片土地无人照管和劳动力极度匮乏。地主想把耕地变为人力需求较少的牧场。存活的农民处于有利的计价还价地位，从农奴变为雇佣劳动力。于是一些支付不起或不愿意支付较高工资的地主想方设法迫使农民重返农奴地位。1351年政府颁布“劳工法令”(a Statute of Labourers)，规定农民们涨工资的要求，或者是雇主支付比地方官制订的工资水平要高的工资都是犯罪。
...1. Have a cause
I can't think of a more powerful source of motivation than a cause you care about. Such cause can inspire you to give your best even in the face of difficulties. It can make you do the seemingly impossible things.
While other causes could inspire you temporarily, a cause that matters to you can inspire you indefinitely. It's a spring of motivation that will never dry. Whenever you think that you run out of motivation, you can always come to your cause to get a fresh dose of motivation.
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