【thatll】iBT备考日志

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【听力---SSSJuly 10, 2009 】
Shell Shock: Turtle Development Secret Revealed
----A study in the journal Science tracks the embryonic development of the turtle's shell, which includes the shoulder blades getting folded within the ribs.

It sounds like the title to a Rudyard Kipling tale: how the turtle got its shell. But it’s actually a question that has puzzled scientists. After all, no other animal, living or extinct, has a similarly constructed bony shield surrounding its body. Scientists had thought that（这里的发音听起来很容易理解为doubt，即had和thought连读）, over evolutionary time, small bony plates fused with the animal’s skin. But a new study published July 10th in the journal Science offers a different pathway.

In most animals the shoulder blades lie outside the ribs. Not so with turtles. And there’s no intermediate evolutionary form in which the shoulder blades lie beneath ribs. So researchers in Japan compared chicken, mouse and Chinese soft-shelled turtle embryos（这个单词作为生物学里的重要单词我们要成为能听辨的词） at different stages of development. They show that initially the embryos develop along the same pathways. But the turtle takes a turn.

As it develops, part of its body folds in on itself. Shoulder blades get folded within the ribs. The ribs stay connected, but new connections also develop between bone and muscles. Then the shell starts to develop as the ribs fuse together and encase the shoulder blades. Not as droll perhaps as a “Just So” story. But more fascinating for being true.

注：Rudyard Kipling is the author of The Jungle Book and other British-flavored tales of the Indian subcontinent.

• Born: 30 December 1865
• Birthplace: Bombay, India
• Died: 18 January 1936
• Best Known As: The author of The Jungle Book

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如何攻克托福听力【转载】

从老托到新托的改革，最大的变化就是凸显了听说的重要性。新托福不仅删除了中国学生比较擅长的语法题，更令大部分中国学生抓狂的是，ETS在新托福当中极大限度的增加了对考生听力能力的测试。听力部分的讲座更加模拟美国大学真实课堂，讲座时间更加长；除了阅读部分不涉及听力之外，新托福口语和写作部分都有题目需要先听后说和先听后写。所以，在这样一个形势之下，对于每一个心怀出国梦想的人来说，攻克托福就意味着必须先修炼出强大而敏锐的英语听力能力，并且是真正的实力，因为只有实力，才能让你以不变应万变，因为只有实力，才能让你在去了美国之后，享受一流的大学课堂，真正学到知识。* {' n6 v2 U$ ?: u* o& H- D$ f( A% P
当然，托福听力并不可怕，它的提高是有方法的，而且必须遵循正确的方法。在我看来，托福听力的提高三分天下。

一、辨音能力
听力的境界有高下之分，刚开始的时候，是一个单词一个单词地去听，慢慢地可以一个意群一个意群地去听，再后来，可以一个句子一个句子地去听，当然，到了一定境界，你就会忘记你听到的是英语，而进入耳朵的只是一个一个的意思，这就像你听汉语一样，我们从来不去想“我正在听汉语”。这是一种“得意忘形”的境界。如果你达到了这种境界，那么托福听力立刻就成了我们小学的社会科学课考试，极其简单。但是，对于一个跟着中国的中学教育、大学教育，然后考过四六级的人来说，是远远达不到这种境界的。所以，在准备托福听力的时候，我们首先要做的功课，那就是解决对英语的辨音能力。辨音能力指的是听到一个单词能反应出它的意思，让它成为你的积极的听觉词汇。
解决辨音能力最有效的两个方法：一是听写，二是精听。
1. 听写
听写指的是将一篇听力录音中的原文全部听抄下来。对于准备托福考试的考生而言，最好的听写材料就是老托的段子。听写能最有效的检验和提高一个人的辨音能力，听写之后对照正确文本，反复再听，直到可以全部听清楚为止，这是听力提高最有效的方法。
2. 精听
精听指的是一边看着正确的文本一边听录音，听的时候要划出自己不熟悉的单词，在第一遍录音结束后查单词，然后再反复听，直到可以脱稿听为止。精听最适合的材料是SSS（Scientific American’s Sixty-second Science），因为它非常短，只有一分钟，但信息量很大，更重要的是，它是托福听力出题的重要来源。

二、反应速度
以英语为母语的人在听到一个单词之后的反应速度是0.03秒，我们不是以英语为母语的，所以我们对单词的反应速度可能不能完全达到这个指标，但是尽可能地去接近它，无疑是取得托福听力高分必须做到功课。因为你在听托福听力的时候，ETS不可能等你听明白了前面的单词，然后再放后面的录音，而事实上，托福听力的语速也只是美国大学教授上课的一半语速，所以，不仅为了取得托福高分，更重要的是为了到美国能跟上美国的课堂，我们花大力气将反应速度练上去是完全必要的。1 S3 |+ a. C5 T& a4 e
而练习反应速度的最重要也是最有效的一个方法，叫做“变速练习”。变速练习指的是利用变速软件加快语速，来增加我们对材料反应的灵敏度和准确度。但有一点要强调的是，变速练习只适合于对你常速已经可以听懂的材料进行，因为如果对你不熟悉或者本来就听不懂的材料进行变速，那么结果必然是更加听不懂，这样的意义是不大的。明白了这一点，那么你就知道了其实变速练习的材料是十分广泛的，既可以是你已经听写过的老托段子，也可以是SSS的材料，更可以是你已经做过的托福听力题。

三、听力笔记
新托福针对老托的最明显的改革之一，就是允许考生在一边听听力的时候一边记笔记，这不仅是因为新托的听力变长了，需要利用笔记来弥补脑记的不足，更重要的是，这符合美国大学课堂对学生课堂上课的真实需求。托福听力，尤其是讲座，考到的题目都是重点的信息，包括主要话题、重要细节，和文章结构等。如果能在听听力的过程中，记下这些重要的内容，那么对于做题是帮助极大的。
当然，要强调的是，较强的笔记能力是需要建立在前两项能力较强的基础上。如果你听一篇材料，还是需要经常去反应很多单词的意思，或者你的反应速度很慢，那么你是不可能心有余力去记笔记的。

而针对托福听力的笔记，最主要需要记下来的信息包括两点：一是YES OR NO（√×），二是对应（术语和定义的对应，数字、时间、人名、颜色、方位和对象的对应，以及人名、地名，和建筑名称和它们的特征的对应）。另外，笔记也有一个基本的格式，最关键是要记出“主”，“问”，“例”。只有这样去记，才能保证你的笔记层次清晰、逻辑清晰、信息有效，也才能真正在考试的有限时间内迅速做题。


thatll注：所以听写是手段，我们要提高的是辨音能力，最终要提高的当然是听力水品。所以当我们听出来了的，有没有写下来无所谓，听写我们要检测的是我们到底哪些听不出来，听写和精听的区别就在于，精听是看着文本的，所以有很多熟悉的单词听出来是假的，是在知道了这个单词的前提下去看自己有没有听得出来，所以很多我们会注意不到。所以听写才能彻底解决我们的辨音问题，但是听写比较费时，所以作为辅助，我们可以练精听。

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哇塞！好激动，呵呵，谢谢诸葛斑竹的鼓励！
恩，我会继续努力，如您所说关键在听力！
我也在此为此贴成为精华记下一笔。。。

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【关于第二篇作文的素材】Should the government focus more on preserving nature environment and less on economic development?

Scientists identify 'tipping points' of climate change
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
简介：气候变化的“临界点”也许在本世纪就会突破，由量变到质变的变化，一旦发生也许会导致灾难性的悲剧而难以挽回。


Nine ways in which the Earth could be tipped into a potentially dangerous state that could last for many centuries have been identified by scientists investigating how quickly global warming could run out of control.

A major international investigation by dozens of leading climate scientists has found that the "tipping points" for all nine scenarios – such as the melting of the Arctic sea ice or the disappearance of the Amazon rainforest – could occur within the next 100 years.

The scientists warn that climate change is likely to result in sudden and dramatic changes to some of the major geophysical elements of the Earth if global average temperatures continue to rise as a result of the predicted increase in emissions of man-made greenhouse gases.
Most and probably all of the nine scenarios are likely to be irreversible on a human timescale once they pass a certain threshold of change, and the widespread effects of the transition to the new state will be felt for generations to come, the scientists said.
科学家指出，如果大气平均温度由于人类温室气体排放的增加而如预计般的持续攀升的话，气候的改变将会以迅雷不及掩耳之势改变地球的大部分物理要素。
一旦气候变化突破临界点，这九种环境变化中的大部分或者可能是全部，将会是在人一生时间中难以逆转的，重新治理这些环境变化使之变为新的状态也许需要付出几代人的心血和时间。

"Society may be lulled into a false sense of security by smooth projections of global change. Our synthesis of present knowledge suggests that a variety of tipping elements could reach their critical point within this century under anthropogenic [man-made] climate change," they report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study came out of a 2005 meeting of 36 leading climate scientists who drew on the expertise of a further 52 specialists. It is believed to be the first time that scientists have attempted to assess the risks of what they have termed "tipping elements" in the Earth's climate system.

The nine elements range from the melting of polar ice sheets to the collapse of the Indian and West African monsoons. The effects of the changes could be equally varied, from a dramatic rise in sea levels that flood coastal regions to widespread crop failures and famine. Some of the tipping points may be close at hand, such as the point at which the disappearance of the summer sea ice in the Arctic becomes inevitable, whereas others, such as the tipping point for the destruction of northern boreal forests, may take several more decades to be reached.
这九种环境变化包括两极冰川的消融、印度和西非季风的消失等。 这些变化导致的结果各不相同，包括海平面的急剧上升而淹没沿海陆地、大范围的粮食减产和饥荒等。有一些环境变化近在眼前，例如在夏天北极圈海洋冰川的消融已不可避免，另一些环境变化例如北方寒带森林的破坏可能还需要几十年的时间才会到达临界点。

While scenarios such as the collapse of the Indian monsoon could occur within a few years, others, such as the melting of the Greenland ice cap or the West Antarctic ice sheet, may take several centuries to complete. "Our findings suggest that a variety of tipping elements could reach their critical point in this century under human-induced climate change," said Professor Timothy Lenton, of the University of East Anglia, who led the study.
A tipping point is defined as the point where a small increase in temperature or other change in the climate could trigger a disproportionately larger change in the future. Although there are many potential tipping points that could occur this century, it is still possible to avoid them with cuts in greenhouse gases, said Professor Lenton.
He added: "But we should be prepared to adapt ... and to design an early-warning system that alerts us to them in time."
所谓临界点即指当气温或其他因素发生微小变化时，就会触发比例失调的巨大灾难性变化。Lenton教授认为虽然在本世纪许多潜在的环境变化会达到临界点，但如果控制温室气体的排放，仍然有希望避免悲剧的发生。
Lenton教授补充道：“但是我们必须做好准备...并且设计一套早期预警系统，以便在变化来临时及时为我们提供警报。

Irreversible changes
* Arctic sea ice: some scientists believe that the tipping point for the total loss of summer sea ice is imminent.
* Greenland ice sheet: total melting could take 300 years or more but the tipping point that could see irreversible change might occur within 50 years.
* West Antarctic ice sheet: scientists believe it could unexpectedly collapse if it slips into the sea at its warming edges.
* Gulf Stream: few scientists believe it could be switched off completely this century but its collapse is a possibility.
* El Niño: the southern Pacific current may be affected by warmer seas, resulting in far-reaching climate change.
* Indian monsoon: relies on temperature difference between land and sea, which could be tipped off-balance by pollutants that cause localised cooling.
* West African monsoon: in the past it has changed, causing the greening of the Sahara, but in the future it could cause droughts.
* Amazon rainforest: a warmer world and further deforestation may cause a collapse of the rain supporting this ecosystem.
* Boreal forests: cold-adapted trees of Siberia and Canada are dying as temperatures rise.
不可逆转的环境变化：
*北极海冰：一些学者认为夏季所有北极海冰消融的临界点即将来到
*格陵兰冰盖：格陵兰冰盖全部消融需要300年时间，但是无法逆转的临界点也许在50年内即会发生
*南极西部冰盖：科学家认为当温度较暖的边缘冰层不断倾入海水，南极西部冰盖将会以不可思议的速度消失
*墨西哥湾暖流：尽管很少科学家认为墨西哥湾暖流会在本世纪消失，但是它的消失是不无可能，只是时间问题
*厄尔尼诺：南太平洋洋流可能会被海水温度的升高所影响，这将导致深远的气候变化
*印度季风：季风的形成依赖于陆地和海洋之间的温差，但是由于污染造成的局部气温变冷将会打破原有的平衡
*西非季风：在过去西非季风的改变曾给撒哈拉带来了绿色，但未来西非季风的改变将导致干旱
*亚马逊热带雨林：全球气候变暖和不断得森林砍伐将会导致雨林以及它所支撑的生态系统的消失
*寒带森林：由于气温的增加，西伯利亚和加拿大的寒带森林在逐渐消失

学习：
tipping point：The point in time in which a technology, procedure, service or philosophy has reached critical mass and becomes mainstream.

仓廪实而知礼节
简介：全球经济危机会威胁世界和平。哈佛经济学家 Benjamin Friedman 担心人们会变得不宽容且自私。中国的民主进程也会因此推迟。

弗里德曼先生，我们西方人已经拥有了汽车，冰箱，iPods。为什么还要发展经济？
因为经济发展不仅有关物质，它还影响到社会，道德和政治。当人们发现他们的生活水平逐渐得到改善，他们的价值观，譬如公平，慷慨，宽容民主，也会得以提升。如果人们觉得他们的生活在中期内不会有进展，整个社会就会倒退，人会变得多心猜疑，狭隘自守。世界上许多国家都有过这个历史经验，包括德国在内。

如果您的理论正确，那么目前的经济危机会带来社会动荡？
在美国和德国，情况确实令人担心。从本世纪开始，大部分国民并没有真正从经济繁荣中获利。眼下，人们的收入更要大打折扣。目前看来，经济在今后的好几年里将停滞不前。这会引发许多不愉快的问题。

您是不是觉得会发生社会骚乱？
对外国人的态度在美国和德国都是一个敏感的话题。从历史上看，人均收入水平处于上升状态时，移民的处境都不错。一旦国民经济开始原地踏步，国民就会视移民为经济威胁而对其不再宽容。

所以说，政府要把发展经济作为最高目标？
我认为经济的发展不仅仅影响到国民财富和人民生活水平。人们常常一提起它就指向阴暗面，譬如：工业化，全球化，环境污染等等。在我看来，经济发展不仅能够填饱钱囊，还能够提升道德。但是，这有一个前提，就是经济的发展能让大部分人受益。

您是不是也支持再分配：向富人收更高的税，给穷人更多的钱？
不支持。更多的再分配只会劳而无功。我着眼于十年二十年跨代的时间。与之相比，再分配只能顾及到一眨眼的功夫。

发展经济意味着消耗更多的资源。是不是因为增长有利于民主，我们就可以忽略这点？
这不行。我们该考虑的是，如何保持空气和水源的洁净 -- 是让经济长多些还是长少些？ 世界上环境污染最严重的地方，之前的经济长期停步不前。北京的空气质量糟糕透顶，孟买也一样。工业化国家的空气质量就好很多。德国的汽车有尾气净化装置，印度的汽车听都没听说过这玩意儿。

如果每个国家都追求经济增长，向西方生活水平看齐，我们的地球承受得了吗？
这个愿景还十分遥远。印度就是再发展个几十年，还做不到人手一车。再说，科学技术的进步日新月异，谁知道五十年后的汽车是什么样子，用什么能源。制造商在不断地减低废气中二氧化碳含量，太阳能应用领域也有新进展。这些都是经济发展的结果。

德国总统科乐先生在他的柏林演讲中提到，无休止的经济增长也许不是所有问题的答案。他说得有道理吗？
我没有听过这篇演讲。我认为，事实恰恰相反。持续不断地发展经济才是许多问题的的答案。特别是分配不均这个问题。全球化和它带来的经济增长对大多数国家都是件好事。没有从中得利的只是那些不想加入的 --- 朝鲜，古巴，缅甸； 或是那些无力加入的 --- 因为它们的农产品根本竞争不过欧美得到政府大肆补贴的对手。要缩小国与国之间的贫富差距，必须更广泛地推行全球化，让更多的国家参与到世界贸易中来。

如果像您说得那样经济增长有助于道德提升 -- 那么目前的经济危机对发展中国家譬如中国和印度尼西亚来说意味着什么呢？
我两个月前才从中国回来。过去三十年里，中国的经济和政治都发生了巨大的变化。言论自由开放了一些，市场放开以后政府的角色也有所改变。如果中国人能够保持他们过去二十五年的经济增长率，我的看法很乐观 -- 他们会发展成一个民主国家。问题是，在目前的经济危机中他们可能无法保持经济增长率，因而，我们也不能指望民主进程会有多少发展。

DriftKingUID: 2664045

终于成精了 哈哈 恭喜 以后要常来学习

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听力部分是否记笔记以及如何记笔记-经验分享

看了论坛的热帖，关于是否要记笔记，观点不一，但是大家都还是希望能有个记笔记的方法，我就自己的考试经验和大家分享一下。我下面所说的方法，适用于听力能大概听懂，找不到重点的，全听不懂的，需要先练习精听，再练习下面的记笔记方法。

首先一定要把精力放在听懂上面，尽量少写，要尽量抓住文章的脉络。因为考题50%都考基本理解的。有人会问，怎么抓？你把能找到的新托福的讲座段子，听个30-40个，每听3遍，每次听都注重听讲座的结构，录音中给出重点的地方，我相信30个以后你一定会找到感觉。
其次，笔记也是必不可少的，特别是对细节题来说。如果不记笔记，别想全部答对。（记忆力超强的人除外）。对于一个讲座，熟悉结构之后，就知道哪里该记，哪里不该记。另外，平时要练习速写，对于单词，要学会用符号，和三五个字母写出来。对于听不懂的单词，要进行原音重现，就是说，把发音大概写出来，如果考试考到你，那么题目中会有这个单词，你找发音的对应就可以了。
第三，也是最重要的，怎么记笔记。什么是细节？

一般讲座的结构如下，需要你分重点决定要记哪个。
1. 主题：反复重复的词，或者是开头直接阐述，主要听。
2. 定义，解释，主要听
3. 举例子，（一定会考为什么提到这个例子，所以例子说明什么要听懂，细节不用记）
4. 比较，相同点，不同点(distinction, similarity)，一定要写笔记。
5. 分类（一定要写。一定会有考题，而且信息多，容易乱）
6. 列举（there are many reasons for this the extinction of....)要记笔记。说的特别快的列举到不一定写，也不会考。
7. 原因，结果，要记笔记。
8. 转折，要记
9. 强调（重读，重复，停顿，副词强调，句子强调（this is very important..keep in mind...），说什么东西有意思interesting， 最高级，序数词)， 一定要记。
10. 结论，作业。主要听就好了。

注意：其他提醒，例如：开头的核心词是process, procedure，一定要注意听过程，要把过程写下来，以免考排序或者考搭配题。主题是讲the formation of ...那么一定要听动词，怎样形成的。主题讲的是style，要听到底是哪几种style, 代表作是什么。也就是说，主题决定了你后面要抓什么样的信息点。 另外，每个主题也是都有讲座的规律的，需要自己总结。例如，动物话题会考动物习性，动物之间的关系，动物的生存状况。那你听到这些就要注意。

如果能把握这10点，一个讲座的核心内容也就抓住了。一个讲座不会每个点都出现，每次听讲座都注意听这些地方，就不会丢信息。如果你记忆力特别好，很多东西都可以不写，只是提醒自己，这里是重点 ，我要仔细听就好了。千万不要因为记笔记而漏听下面一句，我的老师告诉过我，下一句永远最重要。我属于记性不好的，我必须要写下来，才能记住。

另外一点大家其实要明白，有时候记笔记只是加深你的印象，做题的时候没太多时间去看笔记，所以不用担心自己记的怎样。但是像比较的时候，分类的时候，列举的时候，还是需要对照笔记的。所以自己取决一下到底什么时候该写。像我说的听30个，每个听3遍，肯定就找到感觉了。有问题跟帖问吧，呵呵。
wendy10 发表于 2009-1-28 00:50

thatllUID: 2538832

【阅读+写作---NYTimes】
Editorial
A Lesson on Warming

• Published: July 9, 2009
• Times Topics: Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Global Warming

President Obama had hoped to emerge from this week’s Group of 8 summit meeting in Italy with a tentative agreement uniting rich and developing nations in a common fight against global warming（这里表达了一个暂时性的约定，这个约定的内容用动名词这样的后置定语来表达，就是：将发达国家和发展中国家联合起来共同应对全球暖化，union sb in  a common fight against sth）. Instead（这个词很好的表达了，事实与愿望相反的意思） he got a lesson on how divided the world remains on the issue — and how hard he will have to work to pull off an agreement. （这个句式我们应该会常用到，那就是这个世界在这个问题上依旧如此的意见相左，用了devided）

emerge:intransitive verb
1 : to become manifest  : become known  *new problems emerged*
2 : to rise from or as if from an enveloping fluid  : come out into view  *a diver emerging from the water*
3 : to rise from an obscure or inferior position or condition  *someone must emerge as a leader*
4 : to come into being through evolution
那我们在这里学会了这个词，emerge from sth with sth，表示从哪里浮现出什么的意思。
put off：
1 a : DISCONCERT  b : REPEL
2 a : to hold back to a later time  b : to induce to wait  *put the bill collector off*
3 : to rid oneself of  : TAKE OFF
4 : to sell or pass fraudulently

Mr. Obama was clearly eager to restore America’s leadership role（这里我们自己往往会用want to，但是want to很难表示这个想要的程度有多大，我们这里用be clearly eager to，很好的表示了奥巴马的这样想要是多么的明显，restore American's leadership role）. He convened a special side meeting of 17 nations — the G-8 plus China, India and seven other developing nations — that together emit 80 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases.

convene:
intransitive verb   : to come together in a body
transitive verb  
1 : to summon before a tribunal
2 : to cause to assemble
那我们这里学会了convene后面跟的是一个会议名称。

Before the leaders gathered, their negotiators had already settled on a draft communiqué, committing to a 50 percent cut in worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The industrial countries would cut theirs by 80 percent, and the developing countries would make “significant” if unquantified cuts. But on Wednesday, things fell apart. The developing nations flatly refused（直接拒绝） to commit to the 50 percent goal by 2050.

communiqué：An official announcement.
settle : to come to a decision---used with on or upon  *settled on a new plan*
commit：v.intr.
To pledge or obligate one's own self: felt that he was too young to commit fully to marriage.
fall apart：
Collapse, break down, either physically or mentally and emotionally. For example, This chair is about to fall apart, or After his wife died, he fell apart.

It was not immediately clear why they balked.（这里表达了“不能直接看出来为什么”it is not immediately clear why...） Some repeated an old demand: that the United States and the other industrialized nations — which bear responsibility for the buildup of greenhouse gases since the beginning of the industrial revolution — should do more and do it faster. Otherwise, the developing nations would be left with an unfair share of the burden（这里表达了某人被动的需要接受什么的意思，be left with and unfair share of the burden） while their economies were expanding rapidly.

balk：intransitive verb  
1 : to stop short and refuse to proceed
2 : to refuse abruptly---used with at  *Congress balked at putting up the money ?Thomas Fleming*
3 : to commit a balk in sports

What is clear is that Mr. Obama and the other leaders of the developed world have yet to come up with the right mixture of pressure and incentives to get the developing countries to commit. （表达了还需要提出正确的压力和奖励混合物去使得发展中国家就范）
The 17 nations did agree to an “aspirational” goal of preventing global temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But with global climate talks in Copenhagen only five months away, aspirational goals won’t carry things very far（即表示作用不大）.
If there is any chance of pulling this off, the developed countries are going to have to take away all excuses from China, India and other developing nations. The Europeans have already committed to deep cuts in their emissions. The United States is doing a lot better under Mr. Obama, but it is still lagging.
The House’s climate change bill requires emissions reductions of only 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. (The Europeans have pledged themselves to a 20 percent reduction from a much earlier base line, which will require much more aggressive cuts.)
We know that getting the Senate to do as well as the House won’t be easy（表示要是某人做得和某人一样好是不容易的）. But Mr. Obama will have to press them to do even better.
Mr. Obama should also continue to talk to the Chinese, who are now the world’s leading emitters of greenhouse gases. A host of top administration officials, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton included, have made the pilgrimage to Beijing.
The Europeans are concerned that Mr. Obama and the Chinese will cut a less ambitious side deal and undercut a worldwide agreement. There is no evidence to support those suspicions. Mr. Obama, like the Europeans, says he wants a strong deal to bring down emissions. Without China’s participation, the fight against global warming is essentially lost.

cut：
a : to yield or accord to another  : GIVE  *cut me some slack*  b : to fill out and sign (a check)
undercut : to undermine or destroy the force, value, or effectiveness of  *inflation undercuts consumer buying power*

注：刚听SSS的时候发现的一个新的科学发现，就是骂脏话能relieve pain，这篇文章里最有一段有一个好的表达：
There is a catch, though: The more we swear, the less emotionally potent the words become, Stephens cautions. And without emotion, all that is left of a swearword is the word itself, unlikely to soothe anyone's pain.（这里很好的表达了：如果没有了什么，那么这个东西剩下的就只有是什么而已，不能起到什么作用）
catch: a concealed difficulty or complication

thatllUID: 2538832

今天听场景分类，那个打击啊，感觉比SSS还难听，有的看了答案后都不知道他怎么发的音，完全不是安常规套路出牌么，怎么跟读啊？我一个学理科出生的人，不能在不知道规则的情况下，完全考模仿吧，何况我五音不全，糟糕啊
so how do you like...，i got some extras you can use, if you like
这两个我真的是怎么都听不出来

我很想大家推荐我一关于连读，弱读等的详细资料，有的连读约定俗成的我们得学学。

今天这个听写的任务没完成，哎，被打击了，这个老托和ibt比难度如何的啊？

thatllUID: 2538832

【阅读+写作】
The very fabric of society is breaking down around us. What the hell is there left to believe in?
Charlie Brooker
The Guardian, Monday 13 July 2009

It's all gone wrong. Our belief in everything has been shattered by a series of shock revelations that have shaken our core to its core. You can't move for toppling institutions. Television, the economy, the police, the House of Commons, and, most recently, the press ... all revealed to be jam-packed with liars and bastards and graspers and bullies and turds.

“全都乱套了。一系列令人震惊的真相把我们所有的信仰击得粉碎，动摇了我们内心的信念。你对这个堕落的体制无计可施。电视，经济，警察局，下议院，还有最近的新闻界……全都充斥着骗子、混蛋、恶霸和贪婪、卑鄙、无耻之徒。”
在这里我们要学会一个词：shatter
v.tr.

• To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow.
• • To damage seriously; disable: His health was shattered by the disease.
  • To cause the destruction or ruin of; destroy: The outcome of the conflict shattered our dreams of peace and prosperity.

v.intr. To break into pieces; smash or burst.
做及物动词讲就是击得粉碎，严重伤害，破坏这个意思，做不及物动词讲就是破碎了。那表示被击得粉碎，就是be shattered by sth.
还有就是我们要解释一下这个shake one's core to its core的意思，就是动摇了某人的内心，直到他的信仰，第一个core是内心的意思，第二个core是内心的信仰的意思。
topple：intransitive verb   : to fall from or as if from being top-heavy
也就是说topple作为不及物动词讲就是fall的意思，那么toppling institutions就是表示堕落的体制。
You can't move for toppling institutions.这里的move表达出了一种无奈，对于某些东西无计可施的无奈。you can't move for sth.
我们还要注意的一个是reveal的用法：

• To make known (something concealed or secret): revealed a confidence.
• To bring to view; show.

这里表示reveal sth可以表示揭示出了什么，即to make sth known，还可以像文中这样表示sth reveal to be....这样表示被动，即某事物显示为什么样子。
be jam-packed with:To crowd to capacity: a road that was jam-packed with vehicles.
我们还要注意的是最后的连用and，表达了一种气势，这在语法上也没错，我们可以理解为这些个and的层次不同，一个比一个低一级。

And we knew. We knew. But we were deep in denial, like a cuckolded partner who knows the sorry truth but tries their best to ignore it. Over the last 18 months the spotlight of truth has swung this way and that, and one institution after another was suddenly exposed as being precisely as rotten as we always thought it was. What's that? Phone-in TV quizzes might a bit of con? The economic boom is an unsustainable fantasy? Riot police can be a little "handy"? MPs are greedy? The News of the World might have used underhand tactics to get a story? What next? Oxygen is flavourless? Cows stink at water polo? Children are overrated? We knew all this stuff. We just didn't have the details.

”我们知道，都知道。但我们内心深处拒绝承认这一事实，就像戴绿帽子的丈夫，明知真相令人悲哀，却竭尽全力装着什么都不知道。过去18个月以来，捕捉真相的聚光灯摇来摇去，使一个又一个机构原形毕露，它们就像我们一直认为的那样腐朽不堪。这都是些什么？电视里的热线电话竞答可能有诈？经济繁荣只不过是暂时的美梦？防暴警察颇为“手巧”？议员们都贪得无厌？《世界新闻报》会用见不得人的手段制造新闻？接下来还有什么？氧气没有味道？奶牛的水球打得很烂？孩子们得到了过高的评价？这些东西我们都知道，我们只是不清楚细节。”
be deep in denial这个表达比一般的拒绝更表达了一种强烈程度。
be exposed as being precisely as adj. as we always thought it was

After all their histrionic shrieking about standards in television, it was only a matter of time before the tabloids got it in the neck. Last Monday even the Press Complaints Commission, which is generally about as much use as a Disprin canoe, finally puffed up its chest and criticised the Scottish Sunday Express for its part in the Dunblane survivors' story scandal. You remember that, don't you? Back in March? When the Scottish Sunday Express ran a story about survivors of the Dunblane massacre who'd just turned 18? It fearlessly investigated their Facebook profiles and discovered that some of them enjoyed going to pubs and getting off with other teenagers, then ran these startling revelations on its front page, with the headline ANNIVERSARY SHAME OF DUNBLANE SURVIVORS.

"在关于电视行业标准的夸张的大呼小叫之后，八卦小报受到惩罚只是时间问题。上周一，就连一贯和Disprin独木舟一样没用的报刊投诉委员会（Press Complaints Commission）也终于义愤填膺，指责《苏格兰周日快报》（the Scottish Sunday Express ）参与制造Dunblane幸存者故事的丑闻。想必你还记得吧？发生在三月份的？《苏格兰周日快报》报道的一些刚满18岁的Dunblane校园大屠杀（译注：Dunblane校园大屠杀于1996年3月发生在苏格兰Dunblane小学，共有16名学生和一名教师遇难，凶手随后自杀）幸存者的故事？他们无耻地调查了这些幸存者的Facebook资料，发现他们中的一些人喜欢泡吧，还和其他年轻人鬼混。然后该报在头版披露了这些耸人听闻的内幕，大标题是“Dunblane幸存者的周年之耻”。"
histrionic:

• Of or relating to actors or acting.
• Excessively dramatic or emotional; affected.

it is only a matter of time before sth.表示什么事情的发生只是时间问题

下文略，没有什么语言值得我们学习。呵呵。

thatllUID: 2538832

【写作】今天头脑风暴中的一题，关于博物馆museum，我对他了解不多，査些资料在下：
12.Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

• A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment, for the purposes of education, study, and enjoyment".

     那这段主要讲了museum的一个定义，他有什么，用来干什么。

• There are many types of museums, from very large collections in major cities, covering many of the categories below, to very small museums covering either a particular location in a general way, or a particular subject, such an individual notable person. Categories include: fine arts, applied arts, craft, archaeology, anthropology and ethnology, history, cultural history, military history, science, technology,children's museums, natural history, numismatics, botanical, zoological gardens and philately. Within these categories many museums specialize further, e.g. museums of modern art, local history, aviation, agriculture or geology. A museum normally houses a core collection of important selected objects in its field.
  这一段主要讲了有大博物馆，有各个地方的小博物馆，按门类分都有哪些专有博物馆。
• Shaanxi History Museum, which located to the northwest of theGiant Wild Goose Pagoda in the ancient city Xi'an, in the Shaanxi province of China, is one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China. The museum houses over 300,000 items including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. The modern museum was built between 1983 and 2001 and its appearance recalls the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty.

• Shaanxi has been the imperial capital since ancient times, and more than 13 feudal dynasties built their capitals there in history including Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang. The province is rich in cultural relics. With the completion of the Shaanxi History Museum, it collected over 370,000 precious relics which were unearthed in Shaanxi Province. The bronze wares, pottery figures, and mural paintings in Tang tombs, etc., are all artistic treasures.

• The design of the Forbidden City, from its overall layout to the smallest detail, was meticulously planned to reflect philosophical and religious principles, and above all to symbolise the majesty of Imperial power.

提纲：
As we know, a museum is an institution exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its development, for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. Therefore, people who travel to new places will always be quite eager to visit the local museum for enlarging the scope and enjoyment.
1) people who travel to new places always want to have some ideas of the place, such as the history of the place and special objects unique to the place. while the local mesuems just exhibit such objects. for example, shaanxi history museum.
2) people travel to new places always for pleasure, and many museums provide interesting subjects to amuse the traveller. many antiques and sth you have never seen will provoke you to laugh. for example, when i went to the palace museum in the forbidden city four years ago, i enjoyed its splendor and the majesty of imperial power so much that i deeply proud of my own country.

saavedroUID: 2423190

以后每天坚持来此贴浏览。 看到此贴，看到力量；感受感动，体会人生。

saavedroUID: 2423190

楼主真的很认真，想我去年决战GRE-AW时，自己的论证资料库单成一个word文件。 却也没有你这样详细，磅礴。

难能之处在于：杀G后，仍能保持极度亢奋和坚持不懈，认真到底的精神立即投入到IBT备考中。这的确是难能可贵的之处。 这是很多板油和考友都做不到的事。也是我辈多没有的素质。   再此再次向楼主致敬。


以后争取每天来这贴看一下，这样每天都会过的很充实。

BALLON6UID: 2576833

新托福的讲座段子 哪里可以找到这么多呢？

thatllUID: 2538832

87# saavedro
哈哈，说得我好惭愧，我现在就没有斗志呢，有的时候这是表面现象，我正愁呢，找不到动力源

thatllUID: 2538832

88# BALLON6
什么意思？