【thatll】iBT备考日志

thatllUID: 2538832

【阅读+写作】
From the July 2009 Scientific American Mind
Try a Little Powerlessness—Pitfalls of Self-Control
----We admire self-discipline, but could too much control be a bad thing?

Self-control is one of our most cherished values. We applaud those who have the discipline to regulate their appetites and actions, and we try hard to instill this virtue in our children. Think of the marketing slogans that key off the desire for restraint: “Just say no.” “Just do it.” We celebrate the power of the mind to make hard choices, despite our emotions or other temptations, and keep us on course.
But what if we can’t just do it? What if “it” is too difficult or if our strategy for success is misguided? Is it possible that willpower actually might be an obstacle rather than a means to happiness and harmony? Can we have too much of a good thing?
Two Tufts University psychologists believe there may be some truth to this possibility. Evan P. Apfelbaum and Samuel R. Sommers were intrigued by the notion that too much self-control may indeed have a downside—and that relinquishing some personal power might be paradoxically tonic, both for individuals and for society. They decided to test this idea in the laboratory.
Your Inner Bigot
They explored the virtue of powerlessness in the arena of race relations. They figured that well-intentioned people are careful—sometimes hypercareful—not to say the wrong thing about race in a mixed-race group. Furthermore, they thought that such effortful self-control might actually cause both unease and dishonesty, which could in turn be misconstrued as racial prejudice.
To test this theory, they first deliberately sapped the mental powers of a number of volunteers. This practice is not as diabolical as it sounds. Researchers ran the participants through a series of computer-based mental exercises that are so challenging that the subjects temporarily deplete their cognitive reserves needed for discipline. Once they had the volunteers in this compromised state of mind, they put the group (and others who were not so depleted) into a social situation with the potential for racial tension. Here it is:
Each white subject is left alone in a room. A black man enters and asks if the volunteer will consent to a brief interview on the issue of how universities should guarantee racial diversity. This question is ostensibly unrelated to the self-control experiment, but in fact that is a ruse. The interviewer asks the participant to share any thoughts he or she might have on this “hot topic,” and the conversation is recorded.
It was that simple, although sometimes the in ter viewers were white, to serve as controls. Afterward, the volunteers rated the inter action for comfort, awkwardness and enjoyment. In addition, independent judges—both black and white—analyzed the five-minute interactions, commenting on how cautious the volunteers were, how direct in their answers, and how racially prejudiced.
Failure of Control
The results were provocative. As reported in the February issue of the journal Psychological Science, those who were mentally depleted—that is, those who did not have the energy to exert personal discipline and self-control—found talking about race with a black man much more enjoyable than did those whose self-control was intact. That outcome is presumably because they were not working so hard at monitoring and curbing what they said. It may seem counterintuitive, but being cognitively drained made them less inhibited and more candid, which felt good.
And it wasn’t just the volunteers’ perceptions of the experience: the independent black observers found that the powerless volunteers were much more direct and authentic in conversation. And perhaps most striking, blacks saw the less inhibited whites as less prejudiced against blacks. In other words, relinquishing power over oneself appears to thwart overthinking and “liberate” people for more authentic relationships.
Race relations is just one arena of life where a little powerlessness may go a long way. Addiction recovery is another. One of the guiding principles of 12-step programs is that too much self-reliance can be harmful and that powerlessness is a necessary precursor of the emotional balance needed for sobriety. But self-reliance is so deeply ingrained in us that it pervades our work lives, our relationships and our health choices, so it is a real challenge to accept that it might sometimes be a character flaw. It is good to remember that the volunteers here were not only perceived as fairer; they themselves felt happier. Where else might we be acting too smart for our own good?

注：偶然遇到了，先放这儿，慢慢学习

thatllUID: 2538832

【口语作业】2006-11-18真经，大家好像对我的口语不热情哎，都无人问津，好伤心，还是期待着大家的点评了，你就下一个听听嘛，求你们了哈：

thatllUID: 2538832

[size=1.15em]【阅读+写作---Scientific American July 17, 2009】

For Neil Armstrong, the First Moon Walker, It Was All about Landing the Eagle
----Boulders, a crater, moon dust and an overworked computer all stood in the way of humankind's first lunar touchdown

"In my view, the emotional moment was the landing. That was human contact with the moon, the landing…. It was at the time when we landed that we were there, we were in the lunar environment, the lunar gravity. That, in my view, was…the emotional high. And the business of getting down the ladder to me was much less significant."

Neil Armstrong's words to me, in a 1988 interview, came as a real surprise. Like most people, I think, I had expected that for Armstrong, the moment when he took humanity'sfirst step onto another world would have been the ultimate high point of his Apollo 11 mission. As one of the 600 million people who witnessed history's first moon walk on live TV and radio, I remembered my own sense of awe seeing Armstrong's "one giant leap for mankind." And so, when I interviewed him as part of my research for my 1994 book, A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts, one of the questions I most wanted to ask was how he felt, taking that incredible step. What I hadn't fully realized was that for a test pilot like Armstrong, compared with landing on the moon, setting foot on it was no big deal.

Of all the challenges Armstrong and his crew faced onApollo 11, the landing itself was far and away the most difficult. Even if there were no malfunctions or other technical problems—an unlikely scenario—the descent would test the abilities of the entire Apollo team, Mission Control, as much as the astronauts themselves. In just 12 minutes, Armstrong and co-pilot Buzz Aldrin had to bring their lunar module Eagle from a height of 50,000 feet, orbiting at a speed of several thousand miles per hour, down to the surface in what amounted to a controlled fall. With no atmosphere, neither wings nor parachutes would have been useful; the only means of controlling the descent was by varying the thrust ofEagle's descent rocket. Adjusting the lander's flight path was especially tricky; with the craft balanced on rocket thrust, changing direction required tilting the entire spacecraft slightly to one side. And as Armstrong and Aldrin were all too aware, there was only enough fuel for one landing attempt. No wonder that before he and his crewmates left for the moon, Armstrong privately concluded that they had a 90 percent chance of returning safely to Earth but only a 50–50 chance of pulling off a successful landing.

And they almost didn't pull it off. The problems began soon after Armstrong and Aldrin began their descent on July 20, 1969. First it was trouble with communications with Earth. Then, alarm tones in the astronauts' headphones signaled something even more serious: the onboard computer, which was controlling the craft's speed and orientation, was becoming overloaded with tasks. Fortunately, experts in Mission Control soon found a way to work around the problem. But the alarms had diverted Armstrong's attention just at the time when he had planned to be watching for landmarks he'd memorized along Eagle's descent path, and scouting for a good landing spot. By the time the computer trouble quieted down and Armstrong was able to look out the window again, he discovered he had a new problem: Under the control of the computer, the lander was heading directly for a football stadium–size crater. The surrounding area was strewn with boulders, some of which were as big as cars.

For a moment—and only a moment—Armstrong was tempted by the idea of trying to set down just shy of those boulders, which he knew would be of great interest to scientists on Earth. But they were going too fast; there were just too many rocks. Armstrong took over from the computer, steering Eagle over the giant crater and the boulder field, and flew onward, hunting for safer ground. While Aldrin read off data on the craft's diminishing speed and altitude, Armstrong scanned the ground ahead. Everyone, in space and on Earth, was very aware that with each passing moment his fuel supply was dwindling.

Finally, Armstrong had found a relatively smooth spot, and with just 100 feet  to go he brought Eagle into a final, vertical descent. Armstrong knew it was crucial to land without any sideways motion, lest they risk tipping over at touchdown. But now came one more problem: The blast of the descent rocket was kicking up moon dust, sending it rushing outward in all directions and wrapping the landscape in a fast-moving haze. Armstrong fixed his gaze on rocks sticking up through the blowing dust; using them as reference points, he guided Eagleslowly downward, about as fast as an elevator. Words of warning came from Earth: just 60 seconds of fuel left before he would have to abort the landing.

In the back of his mind, Armstrong knew that once they got below 20 feet or so, even if the engine ran out of fuel, in the weaker lunar gravity they would just fall the rest of the way onto the surface and be okay. Now another call from Earth: 30 seconds of fuel left before a mandatory abort. And then, from Aldrin: "contact light." A blue light on the instrument panel signaled that one of three spindly probes at the end of Eagle's landing legs had touched the surface. The craft settled onto the Sea of Tranquility so gently that neither man felt the impact. Armstrong shut down the engine—with about 20 seconds' worth of fuel remaining. Then all was still. Seven hours later he would emerge from Eagle, climb down its ladder, and take the momentous step the world was so excited about.

But for Armstrong himself, the moment of triumph had already come. He keyed his mike and announced, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."


注：放这里再学习

jiangskyskyUID: 2478960

楼主8月22号就这么细心的准备了哈
我8月8号的还找功夫开小差，真是。。。。

thatllUID: 2538832

124# jiangskysky

我这是天天开小差，每天的康熙来了不会落下，好看电影不落下，qq聊天照常啊，呵呵

jiangskyskyUID: 2478960

可不可以告诉我你口语的综合部分是在哪里下载的？
谢谢了，做模拟题感觉和考试还是不一样

thatllUID: 2538832

我回来了，给自己放了一个星期的假，哎，真是堕落啊，大家监督我啊

slipingUID: 2584903

【口语作业】2006-11-18真经，大家好像对我的口语不热情哎，都无人问津，好伤心，还是期待着大家的点评了，你就下一个听听嘛，求你们了哈：
thatll 发表于 2009-7-18 10:41

第一题我觉得很好了 后面的几个好象不是很流利 其实后面的几个应该要好说一些的 有充足的时间准备的

thatllUID: 2538832

Language learning

A:   Seven misconceptions about language learning.

There are over 6,000 languages in the world. Some are more important than others, not better or more advanced, just more important. Why? Because they are spoken by more people, in more countries. That does not mean that Finnish is not important to the Finns, and Maori is not important to the Maoris. It is just that these languages are not so important to the rest of us.

On the other hand, Mandarin Chinese is spoken by over one billion people. Chinese origin words account for 60% of Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese vocabulary. Knowing Chinese will help you learn these languages too. It helped me. Chinese culture has influenced the world for thousands of years with its art, philosophy, technology, food, medicine and performing arts. Today China's economy is booming. Chinese seems well worth learning.

Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese are essentially dialects of the same language. If you learn one, you can learn the others. I did.  If you learn Spanish, you open the door to the culture, music, history and possible business dealings with 800 million people in 60 countries, including the US and Canada.

If you get ambitious you could try Russian, as I have been doing for the last two years. Once you have Russian you can probably communicate with other Slav speakers.

But hold it here! Before getting carried away, let's look at the present situation of language teaching.  According to one Canadian survey, after 12 years of daily French classes, only one high school graduate out of 147 (0.68%)  achieved "intermediate" proficiency. Another survey of immigrants learning English in the US showed that "classroom instructional hours" had little impact on progress.

If we cannot teach our own official languages in North America, what hope is there for other languages like Chinese or Spanish, let alone  Russian, Arabic or Hindi?

As a speaker of 10 languages I know the benefits of speaking more than one language. We simply have to change the way we go about teaching languages. To start with we need to dispel seven common misconceptions about language learning.


#1 Language learning is difficult

It is only difficult to learn a language if you don't want to. Learning a language takes time, but is not difficult. You mostly need to listen and read. Believe me, it is that simple. I have done it many times. Soon you feel the satisfaction of understanding another language. Before you know it you start speaking. It is the way languages are usually taught that makes language learning hard to like.

#2 You have to have a gift for learning languages

No you don't. Anyone who wants to, can learn. In Sweden and Holland most people speak more than one language. They can't just all be gifted at languages. Foreign athletes in North America usually learn to speak English faster than people in more formal learning environments. In language learning it is attitude, not aptitude, that determines success.

#3 You have to live where the language is spoken

Some immigrants to North America never learn to speak more than halting English. Yet we meet people in other countries who speak flawless English. In 1968, I learned to speak Mandarin fluently while living in Hong Kong, where few people spoke it. With the Internet, language content is available to anyone with a computer, and you can download it to your iPod and listen. Where you live is not an obstacle.

#4  Only children can learn to speak another language well

Recent brain research has demonstrated that our brains remain plastic well into old age. Adults who lose their eyesight have to learn a new language, braille, for example. Adults have a wide vocabulary in their own language and are better language learners than children. I have learned 4 languages since the age of 55. Adults only need the child's willingness to experiment and desire to communicate, without the fear of ridicule.

#5  To learn a language you need formal classroom instruction

This is the crux of the problem. Classrooms may be economical to run and a great place to meet others. They have the weight of history and tradition behind them. Unfortunately, a classroom is an inefficient place to learn a language. The more students in the class, the more inefficient it is. Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned. Theoretical grammatical explanations are hard to understand, hard to remember, and even harder to use. Drills and exercizes are annoying to most people. A majority of school kids graduate unable to communicate in languages that they study for 10 or more years.

# 6  You need to speak in order to learn (and I have nobody to speak to)

Speaking the language is usually the goal of language learning, but speaking can wait. Once you have acquired the language, you will find the opportunity to speak. When you are learning the language it is more important to listen.  Trying to just pick up a few "handy" phrases to say is likely to just get you into trouble. If you meet a native speaker, you will inevitably spend most of your time listening unless you already know the language. You do not need to speak in order to learn, you need to learn in order to speak.

#7   I would love to learn but I don't have the time

How about the time you spend waiting in line, commuting, doing things around the house, going for a walk? Why not use that time to listen to a language on your iPod? Once you get started, even 10 or 15 minutes a day will soon grow to 30 minutes a day, or one hour. If you believe you will achieve significant results, and if you enjoy doing it, as I do, you will find the time.


B: Five (weak) excuses for not learning a language

We all have the ability to learn to speak more than one language. Throughout history, whenever languages co-existed in close proximity, people managed to communicate across the language divide, naturally. They had to. That is still true today. Where different languages brush up against each other, people have no trouble learning another language and using it, whether it be children selling souvenirs in the market, or business people in international meetings. This is true in Asia, Africa, America and Europe.

We don't need a special gift for language learning. Doing so is natural to us all. Today, in the Internet and information age, we no longer live in isolation, linguistically or culturally. The opportunity to engage with other languages is greater than ever.

So why don't more people learn other languages, especially in North America? In part it is because of the seven common misconceptions about language learning, which confuse people. There are also five common excuses for not learning a language. But are they valid?

1) I am not interested in languages, I don't need them.

Is this really true? What if you could do it for free, free of cost and free of effort?

I sold encyclopedias door to door, almost 50 years ago. My door-opener was, "if you could get a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, free of charge, would you be interested?". That often got me in the door. Parents could visualize an encyclopedia to share with their children. Once I explained that it was not free, "but for less than you spend on coffee or cigarettes...," I was usually shown the door.

I use the same question with reluctant language learners. "If you were guaranteed to learn to speak another language, without a lot of hard work, would you be interested?" The answer is usually "yes".

Many people who say they are not interested, would really like to speak another language. Some may even have heard that language learning is excellent stimulus for the brain. But too often the image they see is one of tedious study. They do not have the experience of speaking another language. They cannot visualize the feeling of satisfaction that this brings. So in many cases the interest is there, it is just a matter of getting started.


2) I would like to learn but I cannot seem to get started.

Sometimes the goal of fluency in a language seems too far off, and difficult to envision if you have never done it. It may be better to set a short term goal to kick-start your studies, to "get your feet wet" and overcome this inertia. "L'appetit vient en mangeant" say the French, "appetite comes with eating". You just need to create the incentive to take that first bite.

Why not plan a trip to another country, and make it your goal to learn enough of the language before going, so that you can communicate and really enjoy your stay? Or, if you cannot do that, you could promise yourself that you are going to read a book, or watch a movie, in the original version. Maybe you have a friend or relative whom you want to surprise by speaking in their language. If you can make that first step, inspired by a short term goal, and if you study in an enjoyable way, you will be surprised how addictive and satisfying language learning can be.


3)  I have tried before but gave up.

You are more likely to continue if your language study is meaningful and enjoyable. For most people, languages classes at school were a chore, and few students graduated speaking the language they were learning. Nowadays you have more options.

Just go to google and check out the many podcasts and online courses available for learning languages. You can also find blogs and forums and social networking sites, all dedicated to language. Once you get good enough in the language, you can search your iTunes directory for leading podcasts and blogs in different languages, on travel, technology, modern culture, or whatever you are interested in. You can also buy audio books in various languages via the Web, and in many cases the texts are also available for download at sites like Gutenberg.

With your MP3 player, you can listen over and over to things you find interesting, while absorbing the language. I recommend you to use those sources that have both audio and transcripts. That way you can read and use online dictionaries in order to understand what you are listening to. You need not get bogged down in grammar and drills. You will be surprised how fast you learn when you are enjoying yourself.


4)   I am just not disciplined enough to study on my own.

Then by all means get a tutor to help you with your learning activities. You can find tutors for most major languages on the Internet. A good personal tutor can be one of the best investments you make, providing you with feedback and encouragement.

You do not need to spend hours a day with your tutor. A few hours a week, or even one hour a week, can be enough to keep you on track. You can arrange times that are convenient, and talk to your tutor via voice over Internet, from wherever is most convenient. You avoid the travel to and from class, and on the Internet it is easy to cancel or change your tutor whenever you want.

5) I can't afford the cost.

It need not cost that much.

In all likelihood you already own an MP3 player, and have Internet access. You can find audio books and other material at libraries and there is a lot of language help available on the Internet, free of charge.

Some people spend over $1,000 per month at language schools, but this is not necessary. You can do just as well on your own. Save your money so that you can make that trip you promised yourself to start it all.


C: The three stages of language learning

"You are what you eat"

-popular saying

In the global information age, maybe it should be "you are what you can say". Language, in its varied manifestations, is mankind's defining achievement, and it also defines us. Language can be social, political, technical, practical, entertaining, sensual, philosophical, and much more. At the banquet of life, each language is another course. The better you can use languages, your own and others, the more you can enjoy the feast. At least that has been my experience.

I have achieved varying degrees of fluency in 12 languages, and look forward to learning more. To me, there are three natural stages in language growth, which I outline here. Billions of dollars are wasted on ineffective language and literacy instruction programs, which ignore these natural stages.

The first stage    Connecting with the language  -  60-90 hours

My Goal:                           To become familiar with a strange language
My Measurable:                  Learn to recognize 1000 words
Main task:                         Listen repeatedly to short, simple content
My Target Languages:         (planned) Czech, Arabic, Hindi, Turkish

When I begin, I need to "connect" with the new language and overcome my resistance to its strange sounds and structure. I don't need to speak. I don't need to understand any grammar. I don't need to get anything "right". I am not interested in mastering a few phrases or simple greetings. I want to get into the language, to get a feel for it.

Here is how Fred Genesee of McGill University describes the beginning stages of language learning.

When learning occurs, neuro-chemical communication between neurons is facilitated, in other words a neural network is gradually established. Exposure to unfamiliar speech sounds is initially registered by the brain as undifferentiated neural activity. As exposure continues, the listener (and the brain) learns to differentiate among different sounds and even among short sequences of sounds that correspond to words or parts of words

I start by repeatedly listening to short morsels of content. These are 30 seconds long at first, eventually growing to one minute or longer. I listen to the same mouthful (earful?) 20 times or more, to help forge the new "neural networks" in my brain. Ideally these short episodes are part of a longer "story", which makes the whole context meaningful. After focusing intensely on a new episode, I review all the old ones, so that I am able to digest longer and longer cumulative doses of the language. The Internet and my iPod shuffle make this content accessible and portable like never before in history.

Nowadays, I read the text of whatever I am listening to on my computer. This allows me to access an online dictionary and create my own database of words and phrases for review in a variety of ways. This acquisition of words and phrases, encountered in my listening and reading, is my key measurable goal as I grow in a language.

New words in a language at first seem strange and confusingly similar to each other. However, by staying with simple content, where common words appear often in different contexts, these words eventually start to stick. I usually associate the new words and phrases with episodes where I have heard them. The more associations I can attach to a word or phrase, the easier it is to remember.

I don't speak much at first. I have so few words anyway. I practice repeating words and phrases out loud to myself, in a haphazard manner. I don't worry about pronunciation. That will be easier to work on once my brain gets better at distinguishing the sounds.

I might speak a little, just for fun, to try out what I have learned. I can easily find a native speaker tutor or language exchange partner via the Internet. I don't got to classrooms, since I don't want to be confused by other non-native speakers.


The second stage   Getting comfortable in most situations     180-360 hours

My Goal:                           To understand ordinary conversations and most everyday language
My Measurable:                  Less than 10% unknown words in most conversations
Main tasks:                        Listen to natural conversations; Work on vocabulary; Step up speaking and writing activity
My Target Languages:          Russian, Portuguese, Korean  


Now that I no longer find the language strange, I want to deal with the language as it is usually spoken or written by native speakers. This is sometimes referred to as "authentic" language.

Conversation is the easiest "authentic" content to understand, because the most commonly used words of a language account for 90-95% of conversations. The same most commonly used words usually account for 70-75 % of more formal written material.

Each item of study is now longer, 3 to 5 minutes or so. I listen to each item less frequently and cover more material, in order to learn more words. I use dead time, doing chores, driving or jogging to listen, over and over. The more words I already know, the easier it is to learn new words. Vocabulary is like money, "the more you have the more you get" or "the rich get richer".

I like to stick to interesting and familiar subjects in my listening and reading, so I quickly drop anything that is uninteresting, or where I do not like the voices.  At first it seems that native speakers talk very quickly, but my brain gets used to the natural flow, with enough repetition. I am not frustrated when I do not understand "authentic conversation". I feel exhilarated when I do.

Again, Professor Genesee's observations are helpful. Students' vocabulary acquisition can be enhanced when it is embedded in real-world complex contexts that are familiar to them.

I sometimes talk to native speakers on the Internet. Speaking helps me to identify weaknesses, missing words, concepts that I can't express, and words that I have trouble pronouncing. I can then work on these things on my own.

With limited contact with native speakers, I also write, especially on Internet blogs and forums. Writing is great for learning. I have time to compose my thoughts, and retain a record of my mistakes and problems.

At this stage, my main emphasis is still to listen, read, and increase my vocabulary.


The third stage     Constant improvement                     180 hours to forever

My Goal:                                    To continue to enjoy the language, to learn more words, and to use the language better
My Measurable:                           Less than 10% unknown words in contexts that are of interest to me
Main tasks:                                 Follow my interests
My Target Languages:                   French, Japanese,Mandarin, Spanish, Swedish, German, Italian, Cantonese,English



This is the most rewarding stage. I can travel to the country where the language is spoken, or meet with native speakers. I know I will enjoy the experience, even though I make mistakes. I can maintain the language, even if I go for long periods without using it.

This is the best stage to study grammar. I  have books and audio books on grammar, intended for native speakers of the language. I am now familiar enough with the language, through exposure, that I can use style and usage manuals intended for native speakers. Nevertheless, my personal interest takes me more to history and literature. I find reading books and listening to audio books, on subjects of interest, is the most enjoyable and most effective way to continue improving, or to refresh in a language that I have not used for a while.

I am not required to take any language proficiency tests. If I were, this is the stage when I would prepare in earnest for them. The keys to success on these tests are, the ability to read quickly and comprehend the spoken language, and a wide vocabulary of words and phrases, all of which I have already acquired, enjoyably and painlessly. Only at this level would I take these test, since I know that I would score well.

This is also the stage to work on special skills like making presentations, writing academic papers, or producing business reports. It is easy to find relevant material in the target language on the Web and elsewhere. The goal is to imitate the wording and turns of phrase, as well as the ways of organizing information, that are most appreciated in a particular language and culture. It is easy enough to find a native speaker professional tutor or coach, again via the Web, to work on these skills.

Conclusion:

Having done it a few times, I know that I can learn a new language, or improve in a language I already speak well, including my own. So can anyone else who wants to. The key is motivation and enjoyment, not a school or a diploma. I know, as well, that the pursuit of perfection in any language is futile, so I am happy to make mistakes and do not really ask to be corrected. I just like to feast on languages, drinking, eating, tasting, chewing and digesting them. I never get full, although I may get a little intoxicated from time to time.

thatllUID: 2538832

外语学习七五三

一、学习外语的七个误区

世界上有6000多种语言，一些语言比另一些语言更重要，不是更好或者更先进，只是更重要。为什么？因为更重要的那些语言在更多的国家被更多的人使用。这并不意味着芬兰语对芬兰人不重要，毛利语对毛利人不重要，只是这些语言对我们其他人而言不是那么重要。

另一方面，中国普通话有10亿多人在讲。日语、韩国语和越南语的词汇表中有60%的词起源于中文。懂中文也将帮助你学习这些语言。我就是这样。中国文化用它的艺术、哲学、技术、食物、医学和表演艺术等影响了世界数千年。今天，中国经济繁荣昌盛，中文似乎很值得学习。

西班牙语、法语、意大利语和葡萄牙语本质上是同一种语言的不同方言。如果你学会了一门，就可以学习其他的各门。我就是这样。如果你学会了西班牙语，你就打开了通向文化、音乐、历史的大门，以及同包括美国和加拿大在内的60个国家的8亿人口做生意的大门。

如果你有雄心壮志的话，可以试试俄语，过去的两年我一直在学俄语。一旦你掌握俄语，你或许可以和其他说斯拉夫语的人沟通。

但是就此打住！在晕头转向之前，让我们看看语言教学的现状。根据一次加拿大的调查，每天都上法语课，过了12年后，147名高中生中只有一个（0.67%）会达到中等熟练程度。另一次关于美国移民学英语的调查显示，“课堂教学时间”对进步几乎没有什么影响。

如果我们不能在北美教我们自己的官方语言，还有什么希望教汉语或西班牙语等其他语言？更不用说俄语、阿拉伯语或者北印度语了。

作为一个会讲10种语言的人，我知道会讲一种以上语言的好处。我们只是必须改变我们进行语言教学的方法。首先我们需要纠正语言学习的七个常见误区。

1. 学习外语难

只有在你不想学的时候学一门语言才困难。学一门语言耗费时间，但是并不难。你主要的是需要听和读。相信我，就是那么简单。我已经学过很多次了。很快你就会体会到懂另一门语言的满足感。不知不觉你就会说了。是那种通常教授语言的方式使得语言学习让人难以喜欢。

2. 你必须有学习语言的天赋

不，你不必有。任何想学语言的人都可以学。在瑞典和荷兰，大部分人不止会说一种语言。他们不可能都有语言天赋。北美的外国运动员通常比那些在更加正式的学习环境中的人更快地学习说英语。在语言学习过程中，是态度而不是天资决定成功。

3.你必须生活在所学外语的环境中

一些移民到北美的人顶多学会说磕磕绊绊的英语。然而我们在其他国家遇到过说一口完美英语的人。1968年，我在香港的时候学会了讲流利的普通话，那里很少有人讲普通话。有了互联网，语言内容对每个有电脑的人来说都可以得到，你可以把内容下载到你的iPOD然后再听。你住在哪里并不是一个障碍。

4.只有孩子才能很好的学会说外语

最近的大脑研究表明，我们的大脑到老都会很好的保持可塑性。比方说失去视力的成年人必须学一门新语言-布莱叶盲文，成年人有广泛的自身语言词汇，与儿童相比是更好的语言学习者。55岁以后我学过4门外语，成年人只需要像孩子那样愿意尝试并渴望沟通，不害怕嘲笑。
5.要学外语需要接受正规的课堂教学

这是问题的症结所在。上课或许很经济，也是与他人见面的好地方，课堂有着历史和传统上的价值。不幸的是，学习语言课堂不是一个有效率的地方。课堂上学生越多越没效率。语言不是教的，语言只能学。理论化的语法讲解晦涩难懂，难以记住，要想运用就更难了。训练和练习对大多数人来说是令人厌烦的。大多数孩子毕业的时候不能用他们已经学了10年或者10几年的语言交流。

6.要想学你就需要开口说（我没有人可以与之说）

说语言通常是语言学习的目标，但是说可以等等。一旦你学会了语言，你会找到说的机会。当你学语言的时候，听更加重要。尝试只挑选一些“手头的”短语来说可能只会让你陷入困境。如果你遇到一个说母语的人，你会不可避免的花费你的大部分时间来听，除非你已经懂这门语言了。你不需要为了学习而说，你需要为了说而学习。

7.我很想学，可是我没时间

你排队等候花的时间，乘公交车上下班的时间，在房子周围做事情的时间，去散步的时间，这些时间怎么样？为什么不用这些时间听听你下载在iPOD上的语言？一旦你开始，即使每天10分钟或者15分钟，不久就会增加到每天30分钟或一小时。如果你相信你会取得巨大的成果，如果你很喜欢做这件事，就像我一样，你会找到时间。

二、不学外语的五个（没有说服力的）借口
我们都有学会说不止一门语言的能力。纵观历史，只要不同的语言近邻共存，人们总会自然而然地设法跨越语言分界进行沟通。他们必须这样。今天依然如此。在不同语言相互碰撞的地方，无论是在市场上卖纪念品的孩子，还是国际会议上的商人，人们毫无困难的学习并使用另一语言。亚洲、非洲、美洲和欧洲都是如此。
我们不需要语言学习的特殊禀赋。学习语言对我们所有人来说都是自然的事情。今天，在互联网和信息时代，无论是从语言角度说还是文化角度说，我们都不再离群索居。接触其他语言的机会比以往都多。

因此，为什么更多的人不学另一门语言呢？尤其是在北美。部分原因是语言学习方面的7个让人们迷惑的常见误区，还有5个常见的不学一门语言的借口。但是，这5个借口站得住脚吗？

1.我对语言不感兴趣，我不需要他们。

这是真的吗？要是你无需付出就可以学一门语言的话，不用花钱，也不用付出努力，怎么样？

差不多50年前，我挨家挨户推销百科全书。我的的开门秘诀是“如果你可以得到一整套不列颠百科全书，免费，你会感兴趣吗？”。这个办法通常会使我有机会进门。父母们会在心里想象一本可以和孩子分享的百科全书。一旦我解释说不是免费的“但是收费不会超过在喝咖啡或者抽烟方面的花费...”的时候，我通常会被扫地出门。

我把相同的问题提给犹豫的语言学习者。“如果保证让你学会说另一门语言，不需要非常努力地学习，你有兴趣吗？”回答通常是“是的”。

很多说不感兴趣的人其实真地想说另一门语言。一些人甚至听说过，学习语言对大脑有很好的刺激作用。但是他们太经常看到的是一种单调乏味的学习景象。他们没有讲另一门语言的经历，他们不能想象由此而来的满足感。因此，在很多情况下，兴趣有，只是开始学的问题。

2.我想学，可是似乎无法下手。

有时候，流利地说一种语言的目标似乎太过遥远，如果你从来没有做到过的话，那个目标也很难想象。设定一个短期目标来开始你的学习或许会更好，“先把你的脚弄湿”，克服这种惰性。法语所说的“L'appetit vient en mangeant”就是“食欲越吃越旺”，你只需要找一个吃第一口的动机。

为什么不做一个去外国旅游一次的计划，把去之前学会够用的语言定为目标，这样你就能沟通并真正享受你的旅行？如果你不能那样做的话，或者你可以向自己保证，你要读一本书或者看一部电影，原版的。或许你有一个朋友或亲戚，你想用他们的语言说话来给他们一个惊喜。如果你能在短期目标的激发下迈出那第一步，如果你用愉快的方法学习，你会惊讶的发现语言学习将是多么的令人醉心和满足。

3.我之前试过但是放弃了

如果你的语言学习有意义且愉快，你更可能继续下去。对大多数人来说，学校的语言课繁琐无趣，很少有学生毕业的时候会说他们学的语言。现在你有更多的选项。

只要登录谷歌，检索出很多语言学习的播客和在线课程，你还可以找博客和论坛以及社交网站，都以语言为目的。一旦你在语言上学的足够好，你可以搜索你的指示不同语言的播客和博客的iTunes索引，旅游方面的、科技方面的、现代文化方面的，或者任何你感兴趣的东西。你还可以通过网络购买不同语言的音频书籍，在很多情况下，文本也可以在像“古藤堡”这样的网站上下载到的。

利用你的MP3播放器，你可以一遍一遍的听你觉得有趣的东西，同时理解这门语言。我推荐你使用那些既有音频又有文本的资源。那样你就可以阅读并使用在线词典以理解你正在听的东西。你不必拘泥于语法和训练，你会吃惊的发现你愉快的时候学的是多么得快。

4.我不够自律无法自学。

那么无论如何找一个家庭教师，在学习行为方面给你提供帮助。你可以在互联网上找到大部分主要语言的家庭教师。一个好的私人家庭教师给你提供反馈和鼓励，可能是你所做的最好投资。

你不需要一天花费数个小时和你的家庭教师呆在一起，一周几个小时，甚至一周一个小时或许足以使你走上正轨。你可以在最方便的地方安排方便的时间通过互联网聊天功能和你的家庭教师交谈。你可以免受来回上课的劳顿，在互联网上，随时撤换家庭教师是很容易的事。
5.我承担不起花费
不需要花费那么多。

很可能你已经拥有了一台MP3播放器，也有互联网接入。你可以在图书馆找到音频和其他资料，互联网上有很多可供免费下载的语言学习资料。

有些人每月花在语言学校的费用就有1000多美元，这是不必要的。你完全可以自己学习，把钱节省下来进行你为了开始学习而许诺自己的旅行。

三、语言学习的三个阶段

“人如其食”-流行谚语

在全球资讯时代，这句话或许应该说成“人如其言”。表现各异的语言是人类最典型的成就，语言也是我们的特性。语言可以是社交的、政治的、技术的、实用的、娱乐的、色情的、哲学的，还有更多。在生活的盛宴里，每一门语言都是一道菜。你能更好地使用你的母语和其他语言，你就越能享受这顿盛宴。起码这是我的经验。

我已经在12门语言上达到了不同程度的流利，还期待学更多种语言。对我而言，语言能力的发展有三个自然阶段，我将其概括在此。数十亿美元被浪费在无效的语言和识字辅导课程上，那些辅导课程都忽视了这三个自然阶段。

第一阶段 和外语建立联系 - 60-90小时

我的目标：熟悉陌生的语言
我的量化标准：学会识别1000个单词
主要任务：反复听简短的内容
我的目标语言：（计划中的）捷克语、阿拉伯语、北印度语和土耳其语

开始的时候，我需要与这种新语言建立联系并克服对其奇怪发音和结构的抵制。我不需要讲，不需要理解任何语法，不需要得到任何“正确的”东西。我对掌握一些短语或者简单的问候语不感兴趣。我想习惯这种语言，找到对这种语言的感觉。

下面是麦克基尔大学的费雷德·杰纳西对语言学习开始阶段的描述。

学习行为发生时，神经元之间的神经化学交流得到促进，换句话说，一个神经网络被逐渐建立起来。大脑起初将接收到的不熟悉发音标示为无差别的神经活动。随着持续的接收，听者（以及大脑）学会区分不同发音甚至短的相当于话语或部分话语的发音序列。

我开始的时候反复听短的文章片段。一开始这些片段有30秒长，最后增加到一分钟或更长。为了帮助在大脑中形成新的神经网络，同样的话我要听20遍，甚至更多。这些短片段是一个更长“故事”的一部分，这样就很理想了，这使得整个上下文就有了意义。一心一意听过一个新片段上之后，我复习所有听过的旧片段，这样我就能够消化越来越长的语言累积量。互联网和我的闪存型iPOD使这种文章随手可得并便于携带，这是历史上从来没有过的。

现在，我阅读曾在电脑上听过的所有文本。这样我就可以登录到某个在线词典并创建自己的词汇和短语库，以备用各种方法进行复习。随着我在一门语言上的进步，掌握听和阅读过程中遇到的单词和短语是我的关键衡量目标。
一门语言的新词一开始看起来很奇怪，彼此之间很相似，容易让人混淆。然而，通过反复阅读简单文章，其中的常见词经常出现在不同的上下文中，这些词最终开始在大脑中扎根。我通常把新词及短语同我听过的有这些词的片段联系起来。我将一个词或短语联系的越多，就越容易记住。

我一开始说的不多，无论如何我的词汇量太小。我很随意地对着自己大声练习重复词汇和短语，我不担心发音。一旦我的大脑在分辨发音方面变得更好，继续学习将更加容易。

我可以说一点，只是为了找乐，试试我学过的东西。通过互联网，我可以轻易找到一个讲母语的家庭教师或语言交流伙伴。因为我不想被其他讲非母语的人搞迷糊了，所以我没去上过外语课。


第二阶段 在大部分情况下变得舒服 180-360小时

我的目标：懂得普通会话和大部分日常用语
我的量化标准：大部分对话中的生词不超过10%
主要任务：听正常会话；背词汇；逐步增加说和写的活动
我的目标语言：俄语、葡萄牙语和韩国语


由于我不再觉得这门语言奇怪，所以我想接触当地人通常说的或写的。有时候这被称为“权威的”语言。

会话是要懂的最简单的“权威的”内容，因为一门语言最常用的单词占会话的90-95%。同样这些单词通常占正式一些的书面材料的70-75%。

每个学习项目现在更长了，差不多3到5分钟。我听每个项目的频率有所降低，为了学更多的单词转而听更多的材料。我利用一些死时间，零零碎碎的学，开车或跑步时听，一遍又一遍。我已知的单词越多，学习新单词就越容易。词汇就像钱，“你有的越多学的就越多”，或者说“富者更富”。
听和读的时候我喜欢找一些有趣的和熟悉的主题，因此我会马上放弃我不感兴趣或者有我不喜欢的有声资料。起初，似乎讲母语者说的很快，但是我的大脑经过足够多的重复后逐渐适应了这种自然流。当我不理解“权威的会话”时，我不觉得沮丧；我理解了之后觉得振奋。

再说一遍，杰纳西教授的意见是有帮助的。当学生的词汇被嵌入到他们很熟悉的真实世界的复杂上下文中时可以得到加强。

有时候我在互联网上和说母语者谈话，开口说帮助我找出缺点、遗漏的词、不会表达的概念以及发音有问题的词。然后我可以自己纠正这些问题。
通过和讲母语者的有限联系、接触，我还写，特别是在互联网博客和论坛上。写对于学来说很重要。我有时间去编辑我的思想，保留我的错误和问题的记录。

在这个阶段，重点还是听和读，以及增加词汇量。

第三阶段 持续改善 180小时-永远

我的目标：继续享受这门语言，学更多的词，更好的使用这门语言
我的量化标准：我感兴趣的文章中的生词不超过10%
我的任务：做我感兴趣的事
我的目标语言：法语、日语、普通话、西班牙、瑞典语、德语、意大利语、广东话和英语


这是最有回报的阶段。我可以到讲这种语言的国家去旅游，或者会见以这种语言为母语的人。我知道我会享受这种经历，即使我会犯错误。我可以保持对这门语言的掌握，即使我长时间不用它。

这是学习语法的最好阶段。我有关于语法的书和音频资料，专供说母语的人使用的。现在我对这门语言足够熟悉，通过不断接触，我可以使用专供母语者使用的风格和使用手册。不过，我的个人兴趣更倾向于历史和文化。我发现，读书听音频资料，主题都是自己感兴趣的，这是最愉快最有效的持续提高的方法，或者提起精神学习一门我还没用过一会儿的语言。

我没有必要去参加任何的语言水平考试。如果我有必要参加考试，我会在这个阶段认真准备考试。取得这种考试成功的关键是快速阅读能力和理解口语能力以及广泛的词汇和短语量，所有这一些我都已经快乐而毫无痛苦的达到了。只有达到这个水平我才会参加这些考试，因为我知道我会得到高分。
这也是学习特殊技能的阶段，比如做演示、写学术论文或者撰写业务报告等。在网上和其他地方找到目标语言的相关资料很容易。目标是模仿某一特定语言和文化中最值得欣赏的措辞、语序以及组织信息的方法。找一个讲母语的专业家庭教师或教师来学习这些技巧非常容易，还是通过网络。

结论：

我已经如此这般许多次了，我知道我能学会一门新语言或者提高一门已经说的不错的语言，包括我的母语在内。任何想这样做的人都可以做到。关键在于激励和享受，而不是一所学校或一个文凭。我又知道，任何一门语言要想追求完美是没有用的，因此我很乐意犯错误，也真地不要求别人给我纠正错误。我就是喜欢饕餮语言盛宴，喝、吃、品尝、咀嚼并消化他们。尽管我会不时有一点陶醉，但从来都没饱过。

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When "Good Enough" Is Better Than Perfect

I was inspired by an observation by Voltaire to make my resolution “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” In other words, instead of pushing yourself to an impossible “perfect,” and therefore getting nowhere, accept “good.” Many things worth doing are worth doing badly.
I have a friend who never exercises unless she’s training for a marathon; as a consequence, she almost never exercises. I never push myself when I exercise, and although I suspect she scoffs at my wimpy workouts, I’ve managed to get myself to exercise several times a week for years. If I’d tried to have a more ambitious workout, I’m sure I wouldn’t have exercised at all.
Along the same lines, I told a friend that one of my happiness-project resolutions was to "remember birthdays," and so I was sending out happy-birthday e-mails. He said, "Oh, you shouldn't e-mail! You should call or write a hand-written note; that's much nicer." True—but I won't. And it's better to get something done imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly.
The perfect can also become the enemy of the good in the quest for perfect information. There are two ways to approach decision-making: as a satisficer (yes, that is a word) or as a maximizer.
Satisficers are those who make a decision or take action once their criteria are met. That doesn’t mean they’ll settle for mediocrity; their criteria can be very high, but as soon as they find the pasta sauce or the business card that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied. Maximizers want to make the optimal decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until after they’ve examined every option, to make the best possible choice. Studies suggest that satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers; maximizers spend a lot more time and energy to reach a decision, and they’re often anxious about whether they did, in fact, make the best choice. (For a fascinating discussion, read Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice.)
In almost every category, I’m a satisficer, and in fact, I often felt guilty about not doing more research before making decisions. But it’s one of my Secrets of Adulthood: Most decisions don’t require extensive research. In picking a girls’ summer camp, a friend got information from 25 camps and visited five in person. We got information from five camps and picked the one that a friend’s daughter loved. I used to think that my lack of diligence was a sign of laziness, and my resolution “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good” has made me feel a lot better.
In some situations, the happier course is to know when good enough is good enough and not to worry about perfection or making the perfect choice.

有时“不错”好过“完美”

伏尔泰曾说过：“别因为苛求完美而错过美好的结果。”在这句话的影响下，我决定如此这般行事。换言之，逼迫自己去追逐不可能实现的“完美”而最终一事无成，还不如接受“不错”。很多事情值得一做，而且非常值得一做。
我的一个朋友除了做马拉松训练不愿意做任何锻炼；结果，她几乎从不锻炼。我从不在锻炼时苛求自己，而且尽管相信她会嘲笑我的锻炼强度太小，我已经做到多年来每个星期都坚持做几次。如果我过去为自己设定高强度的训练计划，我想我肯定一点锻炼都不曾做。
本着同样的精神，我告诉一个朋友我的“幸福计划”方案之一便是“记住别人的生日”，并且我常常在别人生日当天发出祝福的E-mail.他说：“你不应该发电子邮件，你应该打电话或者寄一封手写信，那才象样嘛。”他说的的确有道理，不过我不会这么做。如果对事情的完美要求使我们无法做到的话，还不如去先做出某些结果，就算做得不够完美。
在寻求信息的时候，完美主义同样是表现不错的敌人。做决定时通常有两种方法，一种是立即行动，一种是尽善尽美。
立即行动者是指那些一旦基本要求得到满足便立即做出决定或采取行动的人。这样的行事方法并不意味着他们会甘于成绩平庸;他们的标准可以很高，但若一旦发现他们需要的意大利面酱或者名片等小事物能达到他们的基本要求，他们就不会多加挑剔。而尽善尽美者则希望执行最佳方案,就算他们发现单车和背包都已经准备好，他们都会犹豫不决，直到他们评估了所有的可能性做出了最佳的选择。研究表明立即行动者会比尽善尽美者更快乐。尽善尽美者在做决定上花费掉太多的时间和精力，而且事实上他们常常会怀疑是否做出了最佳选择而焦虑。(更多精彩的评论，可以阅读Barry Schwartz所著的《选择的矛盾》)
几乎每一个方面，我都算是个立即行动者。而且事实上，我常常因为没有在做决定前做大量研究而心有不安。但是这是我作为成年人总结的独有心得：大多数的决定都不需要做广泛的事前研究。在一次为女儿挑选夏令营的过程中，一个朋友搜集了25个夏令营的资料而且亲自实地考察了5个。而我们不过获取了5个夏令营的信息就找到了一个朋友的女儿所满意的。我过去常认为我不够面面俱到，体现了自己的懒惰，而“别因为苛求完美而错过美好”让我觉得安心了很多。
在某些情况下，获得幸福感的方法就是要认识到不错已经足够好，而不去苛求事事完美或者做出的抉择绝对无可挑剔。

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What can we learn from Confucianism?
With the recent revival of Confucianism in China, Chinese scholars are examining its unique contribution to problem solving

Over the last decade or so, there has been a revival of Confucianism in China. Popular books on Confucianism are bestsellers, and official discourse from the government often expresses traditional Confucian values such as harmony. What is less well known, however, is the resurgence in interest among academics in China.  

Rigorous experiments by psychologists such as Peng Kaiping and Wu Shali show that there are striking cognitive differences between Chinese and Americans, with Chinese more likely to use contextual and dialectical approaches to solving problems. Psychologists Huang Guangguo and Yang Zhongfang from Taiwan and Hongkong advocate the use of traditional Chinese ideas like the "relationism" (guanxizhuyi) and "middle way" (zhongyong zhi dao) for psychological research. Economists such as Shen Hong take the family as the relevant unit of economic analysis and try to measure the economic effect of such values as filial piety. Feminists such as Chan Sin Yee and Li Chengyang compare care ethics and Confucian-style empathy, particularity, and the family as a school of moral education. Theorists of medical ethics such as Fan Ruiping discuss the importance of family-based decision making in medical settings. Those working in the field of business ethics such as Huang Weidong research the influence of Confucian values on business practices in China.

Political surveys by political scientists such as Shi Tianjian, Chu Yunhan and Zhang Youzong show that attachment to Confucian values has increased during the same period that China has modernized. Sociologists such as Kang Xiaoguang and Sebastien Billioud study the thousands of experiments in education and social living in China that are inspired by Confucian values.

Theorists of international relations such as Yan Xuetong and Xu Jin look to pre-Qin thinkers like Mengzi and Xunzi for foreign policy ideas. And philosophers such as Jiang Qing, Chen Lai, Bai Tongdong, and Chen Ming draw upon the ideas of great Confucian thinkers of the past for thinking about social and political reform in China. Wang Richang discusses the Confucian foundations of government slogans like "yi ren wei ben" ("the people as the foundation").

But academics doing research on Confucianism often work within rigid disciplinary boundaries borrowed from western academia. At a recent conference, Traditional Values in a Modern Chinese Context: An Interdisciplinary Approach, held at Renmin University of China, we tried to break away from this pattern, with academics working on Confucian values from different displicines seeing what we could learn from each other.

Chen Lai pointed to the complexity of measuring Confucian values, which would involve tracing their origin in classic texts, their historical development, as well as evidence of contemporary influence. But most participants still felt that the research was well worth doing, given the importance of Confucianism for understanding Chinese society and furthering social and political reform rooted in local conditions.

As one might expect, there were important areas of disagreement. For one thing, the starting points were often different. The majority sympathised with Confucian values and openly admitted that they begin with normative standpoints, just as liberal thinkers try to promote liberal values. Some claimed that they are doing purely scientific work measuring Confucian values. And some do both: most notably, Kang Xiaoguang both promotes political Confucianism and studies its development in Chinese society.

The participants also identified areas of study that could not be researched fruitfully from other perspectives. Philosophers like Jiang Qing pointed to values like tian (Heaven) and liangzhi (conscience) that could not be studied by the empirically-minded social sciences, and Confucian educators like Yang Ruqin argued that moral growth is long term and could not be measured in controlled laboratory studies.

But the workshop also led to some fruitful proposals for cross-disciplinary research. The participants noted areas of weakness in their own disciplines that could be usefully addressed from other perspectives. Philosophers and historians could help to refine the questions posed in political attitude surveys. For example, the "Confucian" attitude measured by political scientists that children should blindly obey their parents should be made more conditional if the aim is to measure attachment to Confucian values rooted in classic texts. Philosophers might also suggest questions for research inspired by less well-known Confucian values, such as the idea that listening to different types of music or believing in different views of human nature have different moral consequences during the course of one's life.

Social scientists, for their part, can help philosophers determine which Confucian values are most effective in contemporary society. For example, the claims that filial piety provides the psychological basis for extending morality to non-family members could be researched by means of longitudinal studies. Psychologists could also identify the key ages that best allow for the memorization of classical texts. Social scientists could also help to study whether morality normally improves with age and whether learning the Confucian classics really does make rulers more morally sensitive and politically effective.

The findings of social scientists might also help Confucian philosophers to determine which Confucian values are particular to societies with a Confucian heritage and which ones might be universalised. For example, the finding that collectivist attitudes are more typical of Chinese subjects in experimental settings means that there will likely be resistance to promoting those values abroad (just as there would be resistance to promoting highly adversarial and interest-based politics in China). Yan Xuetong pointed out that Confucianism won't be taken seriously abroad unless it is practiced by political leaders at home.

These research questions remain open. What is clear, however, is that academics need the freedom to discuss and publish their ideas and adequate funding to carry out research in order to pursue these questions in fruitful ways. Under the right conditions, China could well develop into a leading centre of global learning, with academics researching questions and values hitherto neglected in the west.

儒学复兴——温故而知新

子曰：温故而知新。儒学在中国复兴，中国学者们研究其解决现代问题的独特价值。

过去十年左右的时间中，中国的儒家复兴了。关于儒家的大众书籍成为畅销书，政府官方话语中也常透露出“和谐”之类传统儒家理念。然而，不太为人所知的是，中国学术界对儒学的兴趣也开始复兴。

彭凯平、吴沙莉等心理学者设计的心理学实验显示，中国人与美国人之间存在着明显的认知差异，中国人更倾向于考虑整体情境和用辩证的方式解决问题；来自台湾和香港的心理学家黄光国、杨中芳将“关系主义”、“中庸之道”等传统价值理念引入了心理学研究。经济学家盛洪把“家庭”作为经济学分析的实际单位，并且试图研究“孝道”等观念的经济效应。

陈茜仪（音）和李晨阳等女权主义者们特别将医护道德与儒家式的关怀相提并论，并将家庭视作道德教育的学校。范瑞平等医学伦理理论家探讨了家庭医疗决策的重要性。商业伦理学领域的黄伟东等人则在研究儒家价值观在中国对商业行为的影响。

史天健、朱云汉、张佑宗等政治学者进行的政治调查研究显示，随着中国逐步现代化，对儒家价值观的认同正在与日俱增。社会学家康晓光和毕游塞（Sebastien Billioud）对受儒家思想启发的数千项教育和社会生活方面的实验进行了研究。

国际关系问题专家阎学通、徐进等人从先秦时代的思想家孟子、荀子思想中寻找外交政策的理念。哲学家蒋庆、陈来、白彤东、陈明利用古代伟大的儒家思想家的理念思考中国政治和社会改革。王瑞昌则探讨了政府作为口号的儒家理论基础——“以人为本”。

但是学者们通常在儒家研究方面通常囿于来自西方学术界的严格学科界限。最近，在中国人民大学召开的“现代中国语境中的传统价值观：一种跨学科研究方法”会议中，我们试图打破这种限制，来自各学科的学者们聚集在儒家价值观这面大旗帜下，互相学习。

陈来指出了儒家学说的复杂性，这可以追溯到最初的经典文本、之后的历史演进，以及影响当下的迹象之中。但是大多数参与者仍感到这研究是值得的，因为儒家学说对于理解根植于本土文化的中国社会和推进社会及政治改革有着重要意义。

正如预期的一样，在很多重要领域也存在着分歧。其中一个原因就是，起点迥异。大部分情系儒家价值观并公开支持儒家价值观的人出发点都是本身的立场，就同自由主义思想家试图推广自由主义价值观是一个道理。而另一部分人声明他们纯粹是以科学的方法衡量儒家思想的价值。还有两者兼有的：最显著的是康晓光，从推广儒家政治理念和研究其在中国社会的发展两个方面开展工作。

与会者们还确定一些难以从其他角度获得丰硕成果的研究领域。比如像蒋庆一样的哲学家们指出，像“天”和“良知”的价值就不能够以社会科学经验研究的方法来研究，而且杨汝清等儒学教育者也主张道德成长道路之漫长，使其难以在实验室控制研究中被衡量。

学术研讨会也在跨学科研究方面获得了一些成果。与会者列出自身领域的弱项，这样可以得到来自其他领域的有效帮助。哲学家和历史学家可以帮助精炼政治态度调查中提出的问题。比如政治学学者们提出，“孩子不应忤逆父母之意”的“儒家”观点实际上应该考虑更多情境，才是根植于最初儒家经典文本中的儒家价值观。哲学家们也建议研究不那么广为人知的儒家思想，比如倾听不同类型的音乐或信仰有关人性的不同观点对于一个人的生活会产生不同的道德影响。

社会学学者从自身领域出发可以帮助哲学家确定哪些儒家思想对当下社会最为有益。例如，可以通过纵向考察来研究“孝道可向非家庭成员道德提升提供心理学基础”的主张。心理学家也可以帮助确定最适于记忆经典文本的年龄。社会学家也可以帮助研究道德水平是否真随年龄增长而上升，以及学习儒家经典是否对统治者道德水平和施政效率有帮助。

社会学学者的发现也可以帮助信奉儒家思想的哲学家判断，何种儒家价值观与这个继承了儒家遗产的社会相符，以及何种价值理念可以放诸四海皆准。比如，有试验研究发现在中国国民中集体主义的态度更为普遍，这就意味着将这种价值观念向国外推广可能受到抵制（同在中国推广高度对抗和利益为基础的政治会受到抵制是一个道理）。阎学通指出，除非政治领袖们在国内推广儒家学说，否则它在国外不会受到重视。

这些问题仍然没有定论。但有一点是清晰的，学术界需要讨论和将观点公之于众的自由，还需要让研究产生丰硕成果的充足资金。如果能走上一条正确的道路，在这个迄今为止被西方学术界忽视的领域，中国将获得世界研究中心的地位。

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【听力---SSS--July 20, 2009】
[size=1.15em]Aldrin Dusts Off Moon Memories
---Buzz Aldrin recalls the simple strangeness of being on another world, such as how the dust rose and fell differently on the moon with each footfall.

It’s the 40th anniversary of the first humans setting foot on the moon. Last August, I interviewed one of them, Buzz Aldrin, in the lobby of a hotel he was staying at in Manhattan. Near the end of our conversation I asked him to get a little existential: “What was the actual experience of being up there? Did you have any time to just say, ‘This is unbelievable?’”
Aldrin: “Well, there is no way to recreate or really anticipate the visual that we were given. You just couldn't project ahead that you are going to see unusual things like putting your foot down and the dust goes out and kind of lands in a different way. Things behave differently up there.”
To hear the entire interview with Buzz Aldrin, just go tosnipurl.com/buzzaldrin
It includes a discussion of how his doctoral thesis work at M.I.T. on guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous wound up coming into play（这里一个被动一个主动两个后置定语表明了一个前后关系） during actual missions that he took part in as an astronaut.

注意：project : to come across vividly  : give an impression（这是project作为不及物动词的一个含义，那这里的project ahead其实就和recreate, anticipate有相同的含义）
rendezvous:

• A meeting at a prearranged time and place.
• A prearranged meeting place, especially an assembly point for troops or ships.
• A popular gathering place: The café is a favorite rendezvous for artists.
• Aerospace. The process of bringing two spacecraft together.

这个单词是GRE单词，我们当时记得就是约会地点，那在这里是天文学有关的名词，就是这里的第四个词条：两个飞行器对接的过程。

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【听力----SSS--July 21, 2009】
Raindrop Sizes Surprises
---A study in the journal Nature Physics shows that raindrop size distribution is a function of large drops disintegrating as they fall.

When you get caught in a downpour, you probably don’t think about the size of the raindrops that assault you as you run for cover. But physicists do. And they’ve come to the conclusion that the drops that hit the ground, or your head, are the shattered remains of bigger drops that fell from the clouds.


Raindrops come in a variety of sizes, even within the same storm. And scientists used to think that, to get that kind of distribution, raindrops must crash into each other on the way down, breaking up into smaller droplets or coalescing into larger ones. Now a team of French scientists has produced high-speed footage（很形象的说话，快速的脚印） of falling water droplets. And they find that drops of different dimensions don’t require collision—they come from the fragmentation of individual, isolated droplets. Their results appear online in the journal
Nature Physics.*


The video evidence reveals that water droplets first flatten out as they fall. And as these plummeting pancakes get wider and thinner they eventually capture air, forming what look like little plastic grocery bags floating in a breeze. And when the bags get big enough, they pop. And you’re left wondering why you can never remember your umbrella.

学习：
fragmentation：
1 : the act or process of fragmenting or making fragmentary
2 : the state of being fragmented or fragmentary

fragment：
intransitive verb : to fall to pieces
transitive verb : to break up or apart into fragments

flatten : intransitive verb
: to become flat or flatter: as a : to become dull or spiritless b : to extend in or into a flat position or form c : to become uniform or stabilized often at a new lower level ? usually used with out

注意的是这里的flatten本身就是动词而非flat的过去分词，flat的过去式和过去分词都是flatted，这个要注意
那这里就是扁平的意思


grocery：
A store selling foodstuffs and various household supplies.
groceries Commodities sold by a grocer.
也就是单数是杂货店的意思，复数表示杂货。
我们说的杂货塑料袋的表达就是plastic grocery bag

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[size=1.4em]
[size=1.4em]Super-slow-motion pictures show soap bubble bursting in stunning detail

ByCAROLINE GRANT
Last updated at 8:54 AM on 13th July 2009

stunning：
1 : causing astonishment or disbelief  *stunning news*
2 : strikingly impressive especially in beauty or excellence  *a stunning view*  *stunning workmanship*
这个词我们要学会，很好的一个词，表示令人吃惊的或者是难以相信的；还有就是美轮美奂的，杰出的。

[size=1.2em]To the human eye the bursting of a bubble is a simple affair. One prod（这个gre单词就是戳的意思） of a finger and - pop（这个词我们在雨滴这篇听力文章里也有，呵呵）! - it's vanished in a split second.
[size=1.2em]But as these breathtaking（这又是一个表示令人吃惊的一个形容词，就是倒吸一口气的感觉） pictures show, the process is spectacular（还是一个壮观的意思） - if only we could see it.
[size=1.2em]These images were taken with a slow-motion camera to show every stage of the soap bubble's disappearance.

在人们的肉眼看来，泡泡破灭是件微不足道的事儿。手指一戳——噗！它瞬间就不见了。

但是，正如这些惊人的图片所展示的，这一过程十分引人入胜,要是我们能看到它就好了。

这些图像是用高速摄影镜头拍摄的，展现了肥皂泡消失的每一个阶段。

Richard Heeks spent weeks capturing his images of the bursting of a bubble: This is how it begins


A tiny prod with a fingertip and the delicate surface of the bubble is broken



After being poked the surface of the breaks up, from one side to another, turning its surface into a multitude of droplets which appear to hang in the air

[size=1.2em]Photographer Richard Heeks, fromExeter, used a fast shutter speed of 1/500th of a second and chose a perfect wind-free day so nothing would disturb his shoot, while his wife Sarah provided the all-important finger.
[size=1.2em]A bubble is made up of three layers - one thin layer of water sandwiched between two layers of soap molecules.
[size=1.2em]As Mrs Heeks's finger breaks the surface tension, the perfect sphere is replaced by a round mass of soapy droplets which dissolve into the air. And the bubble is gone.
[size=1.2em]Mr Heeks, a student, used a macro camera to get in close and had to wait patiently for a windless day.
[size=1.2em]He even had to find a sheltered spot in his garden so any sudden gust would not disturb the shoot.

来自埃克塞特的摄影师理查德·赫克斯，用的快速快门速度是每秒1/500th，他选择了不会影响摄影的一个理想的无风日子，他的妻子萨拉负责用手指戳泡泡。

泡泡由三个层次组成——薄薄的一层水夹在两层肥皂分子之间。

当赫克斯太太的手指戳破了泡泡的表面张力，美妙的球体即被圆状的大量肥皂水飞沫取代，飞沫消散到空中。泡泡就没了。

身为学生的赫克斯太太，用低倍放大摄影相机接近泡泡，还得耐心等待无风的一天。

他甚至得在自己的花园里找到一个避风之处，这样，即便突来阵风也不会妨碍摄影。

As the droplets begin to fall away only a small part of the bubble's surface is left intact



Within the blink of an eye（眨眼工夫）, what was once a splendid bubble is now nothing but a fine mist falling to the floor

[size=1.2em]It took him a month until he got the sequence right（理清思路） after seeing his nieces playing with bubble mixture.
[size=1.2em]'I was looking ideas for new things to photograph and I just thought the bubbles looked beautiful and with a bit of luck I managed to get one mid burst,' he said.
[size=1.2em]'That's what started it off.
[size=1.2em]'One day I was so absorbed in the project I didn't notice a group of builders watching me. I think I must have looked a bit of an idiot（看起来有点像傻瓜的表达方式，look a bit of an idiot）, but maybe they thought it was fascinating. Who knows, because I got embarrassed and scuttled back into the house.'
[size=1.2em]A bubble is actually made up of three layers - one thin layer of water sandwiched between two layers of soap molecules.

[size=1.2em]No matter what the shape the bubble is initially, it will always try to become a sphere because it h[size=1.2em]as the smallest surface area and requires the least amount of energy to achieve.

[size=1.2em]The biggest bubble ever blown was 50 feet by 2 feet in diameter. It was achieved by David Stein fromNew Yorkin 1988.

看到自己的侄女玩泡泡水之后，他花了一个月工夫才理顺了思路。

他说：“我一直在找寻构思拍摄新的东西，我原来只以为泡泡看上去美丽，靠着一点运气，我就能拍下破裂一半的泡泡。

“这是它开始破裂的状况。

“一天，我全神贯注地按这个方案拍摄，没注意到一群建设工人一直在看着我。我想我一定是看上去有点傻乎乎的，但也可能是他们觉得这很迷人吧。谁知道呢，当时我十分尴尬，连忙跑回家里。”

泡泡实际上是由三个层次组成——薄薄的一层水夹在两层肥皂分子之间。

无论泡泡最初是什么形状，它总要试图成为一个球体，因为球体是最小的表面面积，它成形所需的能量也最少。

吹出来的最大泡泡是50英尺乘直径2英尺。它是纽约的大卫·斯特恩1988年吹出来的。