第一篇：2012年職稱英語綜合類閱讀理解新增文章(含練習解析及譯文)

2012年職稱英語綜合類新增文章—閱讀理解

1.第一篇：Telling Tales about People講述關于人們的故事

2.第八篇：The Changing Middle Class變化中的中產階級

3.第十篇：A Letter from Alan艾倫的來信

4.第十一篇：The Development of Ballet芭蕾舞的發展

5.第十六篇：The Sahara 撒哈拉沙漠

6.*第十七篇：Eiffel Is an Eyeful（2011年教材中為C級文章）引人注目的埃菲爾鐵塔

7.*第十八篇：Goal of American Education（2011年教材中為C級文章）美國教育的目標

8.*第十九篇：The Family家庭

9.*第二十篇：Tales of the Terrible Past講述可怕的過去

10.*第二十一篇：Spacing in Animals（2011年教材中為C級文章）動物的空間距離

11.*第二十二篇：Some Things We Know about Language（2011年教材中為C級文章）我們知道的關于語言的一些事情

12.*第二十三篇：The Only Way Is Up（2011年教材中為C級文章）只好向上

13.*第二十四篇：Clone Farm（2011年教材中為C級文章）克隆農場

14.*第二十五篇：Income（2011年教材中為C級文章）收入

15.*第二十六篇：Seeing the World Centuries Ago看許久以前的世界

16.*第二十七篇：Importance of Services（2011年教材中為C級文章）服務業的重要性

17.*第二十八篇：The National Park Service（2011年教材中為C級文章）國家公園的服務機構

18.*第二十九篇：Find Yourself Packing It On? Blame Friends（2011年教材中為C級文章）發現自己變胖了？這得責怪朋友們

19.*第三十篇：“Lucky” Lord Lucanthe small wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen and bird-watchers.It's very quiet because there are few houses or roads nearby.I think that losing this area will be terrible because we have no other similar facilities in the neighbourhood.I am also against this plan because it will cause traffic problems.How will the people from the new houses travel to work? The motorway and the railway station are on the other side of town.Therefore，these people will have to drive through the town centre every time they go anywhere.The roads will always be full of traffic，there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who come to see our lovely old buildings will leave.Shops and hotels will lose business.If the town really needs more homes，the empty ground beside the railway station is a more suitable place.No doubt the builders will make a lot of money by selling these houses.But，in my opinion，the average person will quickly be made poorer by this plan.As well as this，we will lose a very

special place and our town will be much less pleasant.I am going to the local government offices on Monday morning to protest about this plan and I hope that your readers will join me there.We must make them stop this plan before it is too late.詞匯:

facility /f?‘sil?ti/ n.場所，設施 protest /pr?u‘test/ v.抗議

motorway / ?m?ut?wei / n.高速公路

注釋:

1.For me，Parson's Place is special because it is a beautiful natural area where local people can

relax—the small wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen and bird-watchers.對我來說，帕森場是非常特別的，因為它是一個美麗的天然場地并且當地人可以在此放松休息。這片小樹林里有許多獨特的樹木并且這里的小溪受到了漁夫和野鳥觀察 者的歡迎。

2.The roads will always be full of traffic，there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who come to see our lovely old buildings will leave.公路上將總是有很多車輛，卻沒有地方停車，并且來參觀我們這兒可愛的老式建筑物的觀光者將會離開這里。

3.As well as this，we will lose a very special place and our town will be much less pleasant.不但

如此，我們將失去一個非常特別的地方并且我們的城鎮將會失去很多快樂。

練習:

1.Why has Alan written this letter?

A)To persuade the government to build new houses.B)To protest about a new motorway near the town.C)To encourage more people in the town to use Parson's Place.D)To inform other people about the builders' plans.2.Why is Parson's Place particularly important，in Alan's opinion?

A)Because it is near the football ground.B)Because lots of people live near it.C)Because it is a place near the town where people can enjoy nature.D)Because local people can get there easily by car from the town.3.What will cause traffic jams?

A)A building on Parson's Place.B)Building near the railway station.C)Tourists in the narrow streets.D)People going to the shops and hotels.4.Alan says that ordinary people who live in the town will probably soon _____.A)open new shops and hotels

B)choose to live near the station

C)be able to buy new homes

D)have less money

5.Which of these posters has Alan made?

A)SAVE OUR SPORTS GROUND

B)SAY NO TO HOUSES ON PARSON' S PLACE

C)WE NEED HOMES NOT HOTELS

D)USE THE TRAIN NOT THE ROAD

答案與題解:

1.D 本題問的是:為什么Alan寫這封信? A、B、C選項在文中沒有提到，D選項的意思是讓其他人了解建筑商的計劃，因此 D是正確答案。

2.C 本題問的是:在Alan看來，為什么帕森場非常重要?第一段中提到―因為它是一個美麗的天然場地并且當地人可以在此放松休息‖。因此 C 是正確答案。

3.A 本題問的是:什么將會引起交通堵塞?第二段提到了，如果按照建筑商的計劃，那么―公 路上將總是有很多車輛，卻沒有地方來停車‖。因此選擇 A。

4.D 本題問的是:Alan說住在城鎮的人們將來可能會，本文第三段提到―每個人將會因這個計劃的實施而快速地變窮“。因此選擇 D。

5.B 本題問的是:以下哪個是Alan制作的海報? Alan在本文中一直在說抵制建筑商在帕森 場上建造房屋的計劃，因此選擇 B，對帕森場上的房屋說不。第十一篇

The Development of Ballet

Ballet is a dance form that has a long history.The fact that it survives to this day shows that it has adjusted as times have changed.Ballet began in the royal courts during the Renaissance.At that time it became common for kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，and dance.As these entertainments moved from the Italian courts to the French ones，court ladies began participating in them.Though their long dresses prevented much movement，they were able to perform elaborate walking patterns.It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.It was also in the 1600s that professional ballet began.King Louis XIV of France，himself a devoted dancer，founded the Royal Academy of Dance.The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized.In the late 1700s another important change occurred.Ballet began to tell a story on its own.It was no longer simply dance to be performed between acts of plays.Elaborate wigs and costumes were eliminated.By the early 1800s dancers learned to rise on their toes to make it appear that they were floating.Classical ballet as we know it today was influenced primarily by Russian dancing.The Russians remained interested in ballet when it declined in other European countries in the mid-1800s.One of the most influential figures of the early 20th century was Sergei Diaghilev.His dance company，the Ballets Russes，brought a new energy and excitement to ballet.One of his chief assistants，George Balanchine，went on to found the New York City Ballet in 1948 and to influence new generations of dancers.詞匯:

adjust / ?' d??st/v.調整 eliminate /i'limineit/ v.淘汰

pageant / 'p?d? ?nt / n.盛會 influential / influ'en??l/adj.有影響力的 注釋:

1.At that time it became common for kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，and dance.在那時，芭蕾舞在國王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂、詩歌以及舞蹈一起參與到盛會的表演。

2.It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.直到17世紀女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且通過男舞者的幫助開始做一些跳躍和轉圈動作。3.The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized.由此正式確定了 腳的5個基本位置，這 5個外開的位置成為發展芭蕾舞技術的基礎。練習:

1.This passage deals mainly with _____.A)famous names in ballet B)French versus Russian ballet C)the way ballet developed D)why ballet is no longer popular 2.An important influence in early ballet was_____.A)Balanchine B)Marie Antoinette C)Diaghilev D)Louis XIV 3.You can conclude from this passage that ballet_____.A)is a dying art B)will continue to change as new people and ideas influence it C)is only currently performed in Russia and the United States D)is often performed by dancers with little training 4.The information in this passage is presented_____.A)through the story of one dancer B)by describing various positions and steps C)by listing reasons why ballet has succeeded D)in chronological order 5.The word pageants means_____.A)dances B)instructors C)kings D)elaborate shows 答案與題解:

1.C 本題問的是:這篇文章主要講述的是，A、B、D 選項都是文章的一部分，而本文主要講的就是芭蕾舞的發展，因此 C 是正確答案。2.D 本題問的是:對于早期芭蕾舞最重要的影響是，本文第三段提到―在 17 世紀，專業的芭蕾舞蹈團應運而生‖―法國國王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學院‖，因此 D 是正確答案。

3.B 本題問的是:從這篇文章你可以總結出芭蕾，A、C、D 選項在文中沒有提到，結合本文最后一段可以看出 B 選項是正確的，芭蕾將隨著新的人物和新的想法而改變。

4.D 本題問的是:本文的信息是通過何種方式介紹的。本文從芭蕾舞的起源開始一直介紹到 芭蕾舞的現況，因此選擇 D，按照時間前后的順序。

5.D 本題問的是:單詞 pageant 的漢語意思是什么，正確答案是 D，盛大的表演。第十六篇

The Sahara

The name Sahara derives from the Arabic word for ”desert“ or ”steppe“.At 3.5 million square miles，an area roughly the size of the United States，the Sahara Desert in northern Africa is the largest desert in the world.lt spans the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.Daytime temperatures can reach as high as 130°F.The humidity sometimes gets into the teens.But it can also be as low as 2.5 percent，the lowest in the world.Most of the Sahara receives less than five inches of rain per year，while large areas sometimes have no rainfall at all for years.At the heart of the Sahara is the landlocked north African country of Niger.Here the sand

dunes can be 100 feet tall and several miles long.Here sand plains stretch over an area larger than Germany where there is neither water nor towns.Yet sitting in the midst of the surrounding desert is the town of Bilma.Suddenly there are pools of cIear water.Surprisingly，there are groves of date palms.Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions.Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields.Corn，cassava，tea，peanuts，hot peppers，and orange，lime，and grapefruit trees grow in these fields.Donkeys and goats graze on green grass.The Sahara of Niger is still a region where you can see a camel caravan of 500 camels tied together in loose lines as long as a mile，traveling toward such oasis towns.There a caravan will collect life-sustaining salt，which is mined from watery basins，and transport it up to 400 miles back to settlements on the edges of the desert.The round trip across the vast sands takes one month.詞匯:

Humidity /hju'mId ?t l/ n.濕度 irrigate / ' lrlgelt/ v.灌溉

stretch / stret?/ v.伸展 camel /'k m ?l/ n.駱駝

date palms n.椰棗樹

注釋:

1.Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions.在干河床和洼地處可找到充足的地下水資源或者綠洲來支持灌溉農業。

2.Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields.灌溉溝渠通過一條小溪到達水田中。

3.Donkeys and goats graze on green grass.青草上放養著驢和山羊。

練習:

1.This passage is mostly about _______.A)life in the Sahara

B)the deserts of Africa

C)Bilma

D)how camels travel in the desert

2.Rainfall in most of the Sahara is_______.A)less than five inches per year

B)less than ten inches per year

C)less than twenty inches per year

D)zero

3.The Sahara can be described as_______.A)a place of contrasts

B)a place where no one Iives

C)an area where the winters are cold

D)an area that appeals to many tourists

4.The phrase ”an area roughly the size of the United States“ gives an indication of the size of_______.A)northern Africa

B)Niger

C)the Sahara

D)all of Africa

5.In this passage caravan means _______.A)traveling circus

B)group traveling together through difficult country

C)railroad train

D)a small，fast sailing ship

答案與題解:

1.A 本題問的是:這篇文章主要講了什么?根據文段，本文主要介紹了撒哈拉沙漠的地理概 況，城鎮的農業，以及城鎮之間的日常來往。B 選項范圍過寬。C 選項不全面，文章不止介紹了比爾馬的情況。D 選項文中沒有具體介紹。所以 A 是對的。

2.A 本題問的是:在撒哈拉的絕大多數地區，降雨情況如何?根據第一段的最后一句話，撒哈拉的絕大多數地區每年降雨量低于 5 英寸。所以 A 正確。

3.A 本題問的是:撒哈拉沙漠可以被描述成什么? A 的意思是，一個具有強烈對比的地方。B 的意思是杳無人煙的地方。C 的意思是冬天很冷的地區。D 的意思是吸引很多游客的地方。B，C，D 均不符合文意，因此 A 正確。

4.C 本題問的是:句子―大約和美國大小相當的地區‖指明的是什么地方的大小?根據第一段的第二句話可知，本句的主語是撒哈拉沙漠。因此 C 正確。

5.B 本題問的是:文中―caravan‖的意思是什么? A 的意思是旅行馬戲團。C 是火車。D 是又小又快的帆船。根據文中的介紹，穿過沙漠的駝隊由上百只駱駝組成，來到綠洲城鎮收集 鹽，因此 B 選項―一群人一起穿過條件惡劣的國家‖是正確的。第十七篇 Eiffel Is An Eyeful1 Some2 300 meters up, near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble3.Japanese,Brazilians, Americans — they graffiti4 their names,loves and politics on the cold iron — transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move5.With Paris laid out in miniature6 below，it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view7.But the graffiti also raises a question ： Why, nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world, s tallest structure,is la Tour Eiffel still so popular8? The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces9 a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is, no doubt, its agelessness.Regularly maintained, it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.”Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic‖，says Hugues Richard10,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor 一 747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds, without touching the floor with his feet.“It's iron lady，It inspires us11 ‖，he says.But to what12? After all,the tower doesn' t have a purpose.It ceased to be the world‘ s tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building13 went up in New York.Yes，television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27，aged 91 ,used its height for conducting research into weather, aerodynamics and radio communication.But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there _ a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will14.To the technically minded15, it's an engineering triumph.For lovers, it's romantic.”The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way16‖，says Isabelle Esnous, whose company manages Eiffel Tower.詞匯：

Eiffel /'aifel/ Tower(法國巴黎的)埃菲爾鐵塔

eyeful /'aiful/ n.引人注目的景象

scribble /'skribl/ v.亂涂，亂畫

graffiti /grs'fizti：/ n?涂寫,涂畫

iron work 鐵制品；鐵工

agelessness /'eid3lisnis/ n.永恒，永不過日寸

rust /rASt/ v.生銹（rust away 銹爛掉）

frenetic /frs'netik/ a辦極度激動的

tinker /'tiqko/ n.白鐵匠，能做各種小修小補的人 aerodynamics /leorsudai'naemiks/ n?空氣動力學

注釋：

Eiffel Is an Eyefiil:引人注目的埃菲爾鐵塔。由于Eiffel和Eyeful讀音相似，使用Eyeful而 不是其他的詞是有其修辭效果的。埃菲爾鐵塔是古斯塔夫?埃菲爾（Gustave Eiffel，1832— 1923，法國工程師)為1889年的巴黎博覽會設計的。該塔在塞納河南岸，高300公尺（984 英尺）。埃菲爾鐵塔的法文是第二段最后一句中的―la Tour Eiffel“。some:意為―approximately;about，（大約，將近）。如它 40 people attended the rally.大約 有40個人參加了集會。

the world comes to scribble:世界各地的人們來此涂鴉。

graffiti:在此用作graffito的動詞形式，意思是―涂鴉，在墻或其他表面上創作的畫或銘刻‖。transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.使最有法蘭西 色彩的紀念碑成為動感世界的象征。the most + adj.+ of + n.意為―在……中最為…… 的‖ 如：Beethoven is the greatest of musicians.貝多芬是最偉大的音樂家。on the move:在 運動中。in miniature:小型的，小規模的，縮影的

would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.寧愿花時間留下到此一游的痕跡,而不去觀賞風景。would rather…than:寧愿……而不……： He would rather stay at home watching DVD than going to the cinema.他寧愿待在家里看 DVD,而不愿到電影院去看電影。

在原句 Why is la Tour Eiffel still so popular?的 Why 與 la Tour Eiffel still so popular?之間插 AT nearly 114 years after it was completed, and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure.graces:在此作動詞，意為―to give beauty, elegance, or charm to‖（使……優美，優雅或具有魅 力）o Hugues Richard:法國自行車運動員，多次打破自行車運動的世界紀錄，于2002年4月8日 以19分鐘零4秒的成績騎自行車登上埃菲爾鐵塔的第二層，第六次打破自行車運動的世 界紀錄。

―It‘s iron lady,it inspires us.‖：―這是鐵娘子，能讓人產生靈感。‖It指埃菲爾鐵塔。But to what?這是一個省略句,接著上段Hugues Richard的話發問，完整的句子可以是:But what does it inspire people to? the Chrysler Building:是美國紐約帝國大廈（the Empire State Building)建成之前，世界第一 高樓，共77層，設計師是William Van Alen。

a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will:—張空白的畫布，任游客自由遐想

To the technically minded:對于那些善于從技術角度考慮問題的人來說，從技術的角度來 說。”The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way.‖：―這座塔將在我們所有的人離去后長 久存在。‖outlast：意為― to last longer than‖（比……持久）。out-：前綴，意思是―比…… 更…‖。如：Women are said to outlive men.據說女人比男人長壽。by a long way ：副詞，意思是―大大地‖。練習：

1.Why does the author think the Eiffel Tower is transformed into symbol of a world on the move? A)Tourists from all over the world come to the Eiffel Tower by car or by plane.B)Tourists of all nationalities come to scribble on the cold iron of the tower.C)The Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in the world.D)The Eiffel Tower represents all the towers in the world.2.What seems strange to the author? A)Visitors prefer wasting time scribbling to enjoying the view.B)Visitors spends much time watching other people scribbling.C)Only Japanese,Brazilians and Americans like to mark their presence.D)Scribbling spread from country to country.3.Which statement is NOT true of Hugues Richard? A)He is a cyclist.B)He is a record holder.C)He climbed 747 steps up the tower in 19 minutes and 4 seconds.D)He cycled up to the tower's second floor.4.What did the builder use the Eiffel Tower for? A)Sending radio and television signals all over the world.B)Conducting research in various fields.C)Giving people inspiration.D)Demonstrating French culture.5.Which of the following is nearest in meaning to ―（The Eiffel Tower is like)a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will ______？

A)Visitors can do whatever they want on the tower.B)Visitors can paint on the tower whatever they want.C)Visitors can imagine freely what the tower represents.D)Visitors can draw on a blank canvas provided by the Tower management company.答案與題解：

1.B第一段提供了答案。見注釋3、4、5。

2.A 第二段第一句中的句型 would rather do something than doing something else,也可以用 prefer doing something to doing something else的句型來表達。所以，A是正確選項。句型解 釋見注釋7。

3.C第四段i訴我們,Hugues Richard蹬車上塔，打破世界紀錄。C不是正確選項，因為他 cycling up to the tower's second floor,而不是 climbing up the tower.4.B A不是正確選項，因為Gustave Eiffel沒有也不可能使用該塔向全世界發射電視信號。第五段的最后一句提供了答案。

5.C第六段的大意是：對不同的人，埃菲爾鐵塔有不同的象征意義。見注釋14。*第十九篇

The Family

The structure of a family takes different forms around the world and even in the same society.The family's form changes as it adapts to changing social and economic influences.Until recently, the most common form in North America was the nuclear family，consisting of a married couple with their minor children.The nuclear family is an independent unit.It must be prepared to fend for itself.Individual family members strongly depend on one another.There is little help from outside the family in emergencies.Elderly relatives of a nuclear family are cared for only if it is possible for the family to do so.In North America，the elderly often do not live with the family;they live in retirement communities and nursing homes.There are many parallels between the nuclear family in industrial societies，such as North

America，and of families in societies such as that of the Inuits，who live in harsh environments.The nuclear family structure is well adapted to a life of mobility.In harsh conditions，mobility allows the family to hunt for food.For North Americans，the hunt for jobs and improved social status also requires mobility.The nuclear family was not always the North American standard.In a more agrarian time，the small nuclear family was usually part of a larger extended family.This might have included grandparents，mother and father，brothers and sisters，uncles，aunts，and cousins.In North America today，there is a dramatic rise in the number of single-parent households.Twice as many households in the United States are headed by divorced，separated，or never-married individuals as are comprised of nuclear families.The structure of the family，not just in North America, but throughout the world，continues to change as it adapts to changing conditions.詞匯:

nuclear /'nju:kh/ adj.原子核的，中心的 harsh /ha:?/ n.嚴酷的

emergency /I'm?:d??nsI/ n.緊急狀況 agranan / ?'gre?rl?n/ adj.土地的，耕地的 注釋:

1.lt must be prepared to fend for itself.它必須能夠照料自己。

2.In North America，the elderly often do not live with the family;they live in retirement communities and nursing homes.在北美洲，老人很少和家人一起生活;他們一般住在退休社

區和養老機構。

3.In harsh conditions，mobility allows the family to hunt for food.:在惡劣的條件下，流動性能讓一個家庭吃飽飯。

練習:

1.Another good title for this passage would be_____.A)What Makes a Family?

B)The Life of the Inuits.C)Living with Hardship.D)The Failure of theNuclear Family.2.A nuclear family is defined as_____.A)a married couple with their minor children

B)a single father with，minor children

C)parents，grandparents，and children

D)parents，children，and aunts and uncles

3.The information in this passage would most likely be found in_____.A)an anthropology textbook

B)a biology textbook

C)a mathematics textbook

D)a geography textbook

4.The information in the first paragraph is presented mainly through _____.A)listing statistics

B)telling a story

C)pointing out similarities

D)pointing out differences

5.The word mobility means_____.A)money

B)readiness to move

C)organization

D)skill

答案與題解:

1.A 本題問的是:這篇文章的題目還可以是什么? A 的意思是是什么構成了一個家。B 的意 思是因紐特人的生活。C 的意思是生活得很艱難。D 的意思是核心家庭的失敗之處。根據文意，本文主要介紹了與家庭相關的信息。B 不是主要內容。C 未提到。D 未提到。因此A 是正確的答案。

2.A 本題問的是:核心家庭的定義是什么?根據第一段的第三句話:Until recently，the most common form in North America was the nuclear family，consisting of a married couple with

their minor children.可知 A 是正確的答案。

3.A 本題問的是:這篇文章最有可能出自哪里? A 的意思是人類學課本。B 的意思是生物課本。C的意思是數學課本。D 的意思是地理課本。本文主要介紹了家庭，因此最有可能是

人類學課本。所以 A 是正確的答案。

4.C 本題問的是:第一段的信息主要以何種方式陳述的?根據第一段的陳述方式，并沒有列 出數據或者講故事，而是通過描述共性而闡述出核心家庭的概念。因此 C 是正確的答案。

5.B 本題問的是:mobility 的詞意。Mobility 是 mobile 的名詞形式。根據文中第二段，核心家庭能夠生存下去最重要的是能夠有流動性，而錢、組織或是技能都不是能夠使一個家庭吃飽飯的必要條件。因此 B 是正確的答案。*第二十篇

Tales of the Terrible Past

It is not the job of fiction writers to analyze and interpret history.Yet by writing about the past in a vivid and compelling manner，storytellers can bring earlier eras to life and force readers to consider them seriously.Among those taking on the task of recounting history are some black writers who attempt to examine slavery from different points of view.Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison deals specifically with the legacy of slavery in her book Beloved.The main character in this novel，a former slave called Sethe，lives in Ohio in the years following the Civil War，but she cannot free herself from her horrific memories.Through a series of flashbacks and bitter reminiscences，the reader learns how and why Sethe escaped from the plantation she had lived on;the fate of her husband，who also tried to escape;and finally，what happened to the child called Beloved.Morrison's scenes of torture and murder are vivid and strongly convey the desperation of the slaves and the cruelty of their owners.Charles Johnson's Middle Passage approaches slavery from a different，yet no less violent，vantage point.His main character，Rutherfprd Calhoun，is a ne'er-do-well free black American who stows away on a slave ship bound for Africa to collect its “cargo”.Put to work after he is discovered，Calhoun witnesses firsthand the appalling conditions in which the captured Africans are transported.When they finally rebel and take over the ship，he finds himself in the middle--and is forced to come to terms with who he is and what his values are.Neither Beloved nor Middle Passage is an easy read，but both exemplify African American writers' attempts to bring significant historical situations alive for a modem audience.詞匯:

interpret /in't?:prit/ v.解釋，翻譯 desperation /desp?'rei??n/ n.絕望的境地

recount /ri'kaunt / v.敘述 capture /'k?pt?? / v.俘獲

slavery /'sleiv?ri / n.奴隸制度

注釋:

1.Yet by writing about the past in a vivid and compelling manner，storytellers can bring earlier eras to life and force readers to consider them seriously.然而通過用一種生動有趣的方式來描

寫過去，小說家可以將早期時代重現，并引起讀者的重視。

2.His main character.Rutherford Calhoun.is a ne'er-do-well free black American who stows away on a slave ship bound for Africa to collect its “cargo”.他的主人公叫做 Rutherford Calhoun，是一個游手好閑，身份自由的美國黑人。他偷偷登上了一艘開往非洲販賣奴隸的船只。

練習:

1.This passage is mostly about__________.A)the causes of slavery in America B)black writers in the late 20th century

C)why Morrison and Johnson wrote the books they did D)two novels that deal with slavery 2.Beloved is set__________.A)on a slave ship

B)on a plantation before the Civil War C)in Ohio after the Civil War D)in an African town

3.The writer seems to feel that__________.A)eveyone should read Morrison's and Johnson's novels B)the books are worthwhile but challenging C)black writers should ignore racial issues

D)we will repeat the past if we don‘t learn about it

4.The writer emphasizes that the two books are similar in their__________.A)use of flashbacks B)treatment of women C)criticism of whites D)portrayal of violence

5.The word appalling means__________.A)terrible B)surprising C)guilty D)unrealistic 答案與題解:

1.D 本題問的是:這篇文章主要講什么? A的意思是美國奴隸制的原因。B的意思是20世紀的黑人作家。C的意思是莫里森和約翰遜寫書的原因。D的意思是關于奴隸制的兩本小說。本文主要介紹了莫里森和約翰遜各自關于奴隸制的小說的主要內容，因此D是正確的答案。

2.C 本題問的是:―寵兒‖的設置背景是什么?根據第二段的第二句話:a fornier slave called Sethe，lives in Ohio in the years following the Civil War可知其背景是在內戰之后的俄亥俄州。因此C是正確的答案。

3.B 本題問的是:作者的感覺是什么?A的意思是每個人都應該讀莫里森和約翰遜的小說。B的意思是這些作品非常值得寫但又很有挑戰性。C的意思是黑人作家應當忽略種族問題。D的意思是如果我們沒有學習過去，那么這些過去會重現。A，C，D原文沒有體現，因此B是正確的答案。

4.D 本題問的是:作者強調兩部作品的共同之處是什么?根據第三段的第一句話:yet no less violent可知兩部作品都有對暴力的描寫。因此D是正確的答案。

5.A 本題問的是:appalling的意思是什么?根據第三段對運送非洲人去美國的描述可知，此狀況必然是不好的，糟糕的。A的意思是糟糕的。B的意思是令人驚訝的。C的意思是有罪的。D的意思是不現實的。因此根據文意，A是正確的答案。

*第二十六篇

Seeing the World Centuries Ago

If you enjoy looking through travel books by such familiar authors as Arthur Frommer or Eugene Fodor，it will not surprise you to lean that travel writing has a long and venerable history.Almost from the earliest annals of recorded time individuals have found ready audiences for their accounts of journeys to strange and exotic locales.1

One of the earliest travel writers，a Greek geographer and historian named Strabo，lived around the time of Christ.Though Strabo is known to have traveled from east of the Black Sea west to Italy and as far south as Ethiopia，he also used details gleaned from other writers to extend and enliven his accounts.His multivolumed work Geography provides the only surviving account of the cities，peoples，customs，and geographical peculiarities of the whole known world of his time.Two other classic travel writers，the ltalian Marco Polo and the Moroccan Ibn Battutah，lived in roughly the same time period.Marco Polo traveled to China with his father and uncle in about A.D.1275 and remained there 16 or 17 years，visiting several other countries during his travels.When Marco returned to ltaly he dictated his memoirs，including stories he had heard from others，to a scribe，with the resulting book II milione being an instant success.Though difficult to attest to the accuracy of all he says，Marco's book impelled Europeans to begin their great voyages of exploration.2

lbn Battutah's interest in travel began on his required Muslim joumey to Mecca in 1325，and during his lifetime he journeyed through all the countries where Islam held sway.3 His travel book

the Rihlah is a personalized account of desert journeys，court intrigues，and even the effect of the Back Death in the various lands he visited.In almost 30 years of traveling it is estimated that Ibn

Battutah covered more than 75，000 miles.詞匯:

venerable / 'ven?r?bl/ adj.莊嚴的，值得尊敬的 enliven /in'laiv?n/ v.使生動

account /?'kaunt/ n.記述 voyage /'v?iid? / n.航行

exotic /ig'z?tik/ v.異國的，外來的 注釋:

1.Almost from the earliest annals of recorded time individuals have found ready audiences for their accounts of journeys to strange and exotic locales.幾乎從最早有時間記載開始，人們就發現，他們對去一個陌生地方旅行的記錄是不乏讀者的。

2.…Marco's book impelled Europeans to begin their great voyages of exploration.……馬可的書促使歐洲人開始了他們偉大的航海探索之旅。

3.…he journeyed through all the countries where Islam held sway.……他去了所有伊斯蘭教掌權的國家旅行。

練習:

1.This passage is mostly about__________.A)why people find travel writing exciting

B)the literary style of three early travel writers

C)where three early travel writers went and wrote about

D)how to write a travel book

2.Ibn Battutah traveled__________.A)to China

B)to Ethiopia

C)throughout the Muslim word

D)for 16 or 17 years

3.The books bf the three writers were popular because__________.A)they listed good places to stay

B)they told of strange and exotic locales

C)they explained the best routes to get to places

D)all of their stories were firsthand accounts

4.The overall organization of this passage is through__________.A)chronological order

B)spatial description

C)travel writers‘ personal narratives

D)persuasive details

5.In this passage attest means to__________.A)give an examination to

B)draw a map of

C)tell lies to

D)give proof of

答案與題解：

1.C 本題問的是:這篇文章主要講了什么? A的意思是為什么人們覺得旅行寫作令人激動。

B 的意思是三位早期旅行作家的文學風格。C的意思是三位早期旅行作家去過的地方以及 他們的寫作內容。D的意思是如何寫一部旅行作品。根據本文內容，C選項最符合題意。因此C是正確的答案。

2.C 本題問的是:Ibn Battutah到過哪里旅行?根據最后一段的第一句話:he journeyed through all the countries where Islam held sway，可知，他去過了所有穆斯林的國家。因此C是正確的答案。

3.B 本題問的是:三位作家的作品都很受歡迎，原因是什么? A 的意思是他們列出了好的地 方。B的意思是他們寫出了陌生的外面的地方。C的意思是他們說明了去一些地方的最好路線。D的意思是他們的所有故事都是一手資料。根據第一段的最后一句話可知，旅行作品吸引讀者的地方在于它描述了一個陌生的地方，因此B是正確的答案。

4.A 本題問的是:這篇文章的整體布局是依照什么?本文主要依照時間順序介紹了公元前后 的三位作家，按時間先后用序，因此A是正確的答案。

5.D 本題問的是:在這篇文章中attest是什么意思? attest出現在第三段的最后一句話，為的

是表達馬可所說的無法被證實是否都屬實。A的意思是考察。B的意思是畫一張地圖。C的意思是說謊。D的意思是證實。因此D是正確的答案。第三十篇

―Lucky‖ Lord Lucan-----Alive or Dead

On 8th November 1974 Lord Lucan，a British aristocrat，vanished.The day before，his children's nanny had been brutally murdered and his wife had been attacked too.To this day the British public are still interested in the murder case because Lucan has never been found.Now，over 30 years later，the police have reopened，the case，hoping that new DNA techniques will he1p solve this murder mystery.1

People suspected that―Lucky‖，as he was called by friends，wanted to kill his wife he no longer lived with.They say that Lucan entered his old house and in the dark，killed the nanny by mistake.His estranged wife heard noises，came downstairs and was also attacked，but managed to escape.Seven months after the murder，a jury conc1uded that Lucan had ki1led the nanny.What happened next is unc1ear，but there are several theories which fall into one of three categories：he may have killed himself，he could have escaped or he might have been killed.It appears that the night after the murder，―Lucky‖borrowed a car and drove it，Lucan's friend Aspinall said in an interview that he thought Lucan had committed suicide by sinking his boat in the English Channel.Another version of events says that ―Lucky‖ left the blood-soaked car on the coast and took a ferry to France.2 He was met there by someone who drove him to safety in another country.However，after a time，his rescuers became worried that they would become involved in the murder too and so Lucan was killed.A further fascinating theory was made in the book Dead Lucky by Duncan MacLaughlin，a former detective.He believes that Lucan travelled to Goa，India，where he assumed the identity of a Mr Barry Haplin.Lucan then lived in Goa till his death in 1996.In the end the c1aim turned out be a case of mistaken identity.The man who died in 1996 was real1y Haplin，an ex-schoolteacher turned hippy.So what is the truth about Lucky? DNA testing has solved many murder cases，but who knows if it can cIose the book on this one.3

詞匯：

vanish / 'v rnf / v.消失 suicide /'sjvisaid/ n.自殺

case / keis / n.案件 detective / d‘ tekt iv/ n.偵探

nanny /'n ni/ n.保姆

注釋：

1.Now，over 30 years later，the police have reopened the case，hoping that new DNA techniques will help solve this murder mystery.30 多年后的今天，警察重新調查案件，希望新的 DNA技術幫助揭開這個謀殺之謎。

2.Another version of events says that ―Lucky‖ left the blood-soaked car on the coast and took a ferry to France.另一個版本是說―幸運的‖把被血染了的車子扔在了海岸上，乘上了一艘開往法國的船。

3.DNA testing has solved many murder cases，but who knows if it can close the book on this one.DNA 鑒定破了很多謀殺案件，但是不知它能否把這個案件做個了結。

練習：

1.The public are still interested in the investigation because______.A)of the terrible murder

B)of the use of new DNA techniques

C)Lord Lucan has never been found

D)Loard Lucan was famous

2.It is thought that Lucan killed the nanny because______.A)she was looking after the children

B)she was a friend of Lucan's

C)it was dark and he thought she was Lady Lucan

D)Loard Lucan thought the nanny stole his car

3.Aspinall thought Lucan killed himself by______.A)jumping into water

B)jumping out of his house

C)sailing his boat

D)sinking his boat

4.Lucan could have been killed because people ______.A)didn't want the police to catch him

B)thought he might talk to the police about them if he was caught

C)were unhappy with him

D)thought he was rich

5.Ex-detective MacLaughlin claimed that Mr Barry Haplin ______.A)was an old schoolteacher

B)died in Goa，India

C)was really Lord Lucan in disguise

D)was a merchant

答案與題解：

1.C 本題問的是：公眾對這件謀殺的調查依舊很感興趣的原因是什么?根據第一段第二句 話：To this day the British public are still interested in the murder case because.Lucan has never been found.可知 C 是正確的答案。

2.C 本題問的是：Lucan 被認為是殺了保姆的兇手是因為什么? A 的意思是保姆正在照看孩子。B 的意思是她是 Lucan 的一個朋友。C 的意思是一片漆黑中 Lucan 以為她是自己的太太。D 的意思是Lucan 認為保姆偷了他的車。根據原文意思，可知 C 是正確的答案。

3.D本題問的是：Aspinall 認為 Lucan 是怎樣自殺的?根據第三段的最后一句話：他覺得

Lucan 伯爵在英吉利海峽弄沉了自己坐的船，已經自殺了。因此 D 是正確的答案。

4.B本題問的是：Lucan 可能已經被殺了，原因是什么?根據第四段的最后一句話：他們擔心 自己也會被卷入到謀殺案件中，因此殺了 Lucan。最符合此意的選項為 B，意思為他們覺得 如果 Lucan 被捕，他有可能跟警察提起這些人。

5.C 本題問的是：前偵探 MacLaughlin 聲稱Barry Haplin是什么?根據本文最后一段：

MacLaughlin確信，Lucan 逃到了印度的果阿，在那里他換了個身份假裝 Barry Haplin 這個 人。C的意思是 Barry Haplin 是 Lucan 伯爵假裝的。因此C是正確的答案。*第三十三篇

Oseola McCarty

LATE ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON in September 1999，Oseola McCarty，an elderly cleaning lady passed away in the little wooden frame house where she had lived and worked most of her life.It may seem like an ordinary end to a humble life，but there was something quite exceptional about this woman.1

In the summer of 1995，McCarty gave $ 150，000，most of the money she had saved throughout her life，to the University of Southern Mississippi in her hometown.The money was to help other African Americans through university.She had started her savings habit as a young child when she would return from school to clean and iron for money which she would then save.She led a simple，frugal existence，never spending on anything but her most basic needs.2 Her bank also advised her on investing her hard-earned savings.When she retired，she decided that she wanted to use the money to give children of limited

Means the opportunity to go to university.3 She had wanted to become a nurse，but had to leave school to look after ill relatives and work.When asked why she had given her life savings away，she replied，―I‘m giving it away so that children won't have to work so hard，like I did.‖ After news of her donation hit the media，over 600 donations were made to the scholarship fund.One was given by media executive，Ted Turner，who reputedly gave a billion dollars.She didn't want any fuss made over her gift，but the news got out and she was invited all over the United States to talk to people.Wherever she went，people would come up to her to say a few words or to just touch her.She met the ordinary and the famous，President Clinton included.In the last few years of her life，before she died of cancer，McCarty was given over 300 awards：she was honoured by the United Nations and received the Presidential Citizen' s Medal.Despite having no real education，she found herself with two honorary doctorates：one from the University of Southern Mississippi and the other from Harvard University.Her generosity was clearly an inspiration to many and proof that true selflessness does exist.詞匯: frugal /'fru:g?l/ adj.節約的，儉樸的，花錢少 的，物質 的，廉價的 fuss /f?s / n.慌亂，小題大做，抱怨爭吵 V.忙

donation /d?v‘neif? n/ n.捐贈，捐款，捐贈的 亂，(為小事)煩惱抱怨

注釋:

1.It mayseem like an ordinary end to a humble life，but there was something quite exceptional about this woman.這位老婦人看似平凡的一生卻有著非同尋常的意義。

2.She led a simple，frugal existence，never spending on anything but her most basic needs.她一生過著簡單、節儉的生活，除了生活必需品外她從不在其他事情上花錢。

3.When she retired，she decided that she wanted to use the money to give children of limited means the opportunity to go to university.當她退休的時候，她決定用錢給那些條件有限的孩 子提供上大學的機會。

練習:

1.This woman shocked and inspired the world because _______.A)she had managed to save so much money

B)she gave her money to African Americans

C)she gave her life savings to help others through university

D)she only spent money on cheap things

2.She managed to save so much mOI1y because_______.A)she had ironed and washed clothes all her life

B)she had worked hard，saved hard and invested carefully

C)she had opened a good向 bank account

D)she knew how to make money

3.She gave her money away because_______.A)she wanted to help-the university B)she wanted others to have the chance to become nurses

C)she wanted others to have the opportunity to escape a hard life

D)she want to be remembered after her death

4.When her generosity was made_______.A)people donated billions

B)hundreds of students got scholarships

C)hundreds of people put money into the fund

D)she was sent to university

5.McCarty became famous because _______.A)of her generosity

B)of her exceptional skills

C)she had saved $ 150，000

D)she travelled all over America

答案與題解:

1.C 本題的問題是:這個女人震撼和鼓舞世界的原因是什么?從文章的第一段最后一句看出 這個女人有不同于尋常人的地方，第二段第一句直接給出了她不同尋常有著卓越意義的原因，即捐款 150000 美元。故此題答案為 C。A、B 項不切題。D 選項未提及。

2.B本題的問題是:她能夠攢下如此多的錢的原因是什么?從文中第二段最后一句話與第三 段第一句話可以得出結論，她從年輕的時候便開始有積蓄的習慣并且除了生活必需品外幾

乎沒有開銷，故本題答案為 B。A 項不切題，C，D 項未提及。

3.C本題的問題是:她把錢捐出來的原因是什么?由第四段中間她的回答可知，她是想讓孩 子們擺脫苦難的生活，不用生活得如此艱辛。故此題答案為 C。

4.C 本題的問題是:她的慷慨行為公之于世后有什么樣的影響?由第四段最后兩句可得出答

案，原文只提及一個名為 Ted Turner 的人捐款十億美元，所以 A 選項不正確，B 選項不切題，D 選項未提及，故本題正確答案為 C。

5.A本題的問題是：McCarty 因什么而聞名?總覽全文可知A為正確答案C，D 選項不切題，B 選項未提及。+第三十四篇

To Have and Have Not

It had been boring hanging about the hotel all afternoon.The road crew were playing a game with dollar notes.Folding them into small planes to see whose would fly the furthest.1 Having nothing better to do，I joined in and won five，and then took the opportunity to escape with my profit.Despite the evil-looking clouds，I had to get out for a while.I headed for a shop on the other side of the street.Unlike the others，it didn't have a sign shouting its name and business，and instead of the usual impersonal modern lighting，there was an appealing glow inside.Strangely nothing was displayed in the window.Not put off by this，I went inside.It took my breath away.I didn't know where to look, where to start.On one wall there hung three hand-stitched American quilts that were in such wonderful condition they might have been newly-made.I came across tin toys and antique furniture, and on the wall in front of me, a 1957 Stratocaster guitar , also in excellent condition.A card pushed between the strings said $50.I ran my hand along a long shelf of records, reading their titles.And there was more...―Can I help you？‖ She startled me.I hadn't even seen the woman behind the counter come in.The way she looked at me, so directly and with such power.It was a look of such intensity that for a moment I felt as if I were wrapped in some kind of magnetic or electrical field.I found it hard to take and almost turned away.But though it was uncomfortable.I was fascinated by the experience of her looking straight into me, and by the feeling that I was neither a stranger, nor strange, to her.Besides amusement her expression showed sympathy.It was impossible to tell her age；she reminded me faintly of my grandmother because, although her eyes were friendly, I could see that she was not a woman to fall out with.I spoke at last.'I was just looking really,' I said, though secretly wondering how much of the stuff I could cram into the bus.The woman turned away and went at once towards a back room, indicating that I should follow her.But it in no way lived up to the first room.The light made me feel peculiar, too.It came from an oil lamp that was hung from the centre of the ceiling and created huge shadows over everything.There were no rare electric guitars, no old necklaces, no hand-painted boxes with delicate flowers.It was also obvious that it must have taken years, decades, to collect so much rubbish, so many old documents arid papers.I noticed some old books, whose gold lettering had faded, making their titles impossible to read.'They look interesting,' I said, with some hesitation.'To be able to understand that kind of writing you must first have had a similar experience,' she said clearly.She noted the confused look on my face, but didn't add anything.She reached up for a small book which she handed to me.'This is the best book I can give you at the moment,' she laughed.―If you use it.‖ I opened the book to find it full.or rather empty, with blank white pages, but paid her the few dollars she asked for it, becoming embarrassed when I realised the notes were still folded into little paper planes.I put the book in my pocket, thanked her and left.詞匯：

impersonal /im'p?:s?n?l/ adj.客觀的；非個人的；沒有人情味的；[語] 非人稱的 n.[語]非人稱動詞；不具人格的事物

antique / n'ti:k/ adj.古老的，年代久遠的 n.古董，古玩

startle /'stɑ:tl/ vt.vi.使嚇一跳，使驚奇 n.驚愕，驚恐

arid / ' rid/ adj.干旱的，枯萎的。毫無生氣的 magnetic /m g'netik/ adj.有吸引力的，磁極的 注釋：

1.The road crew were playing a game with dollar notes.Folding them into small planes to see whose would for the furthest.巡回樂團道具管理組的成員在用美元玩兒游戲，把紙幣折成紙飛機的形狀然后看誰飛得最遠。

2.I was fascinated by the experience of her looking straight into me, and by the feeling that I was neither a stranger , nor strange, to her.我還是覺得那種被直視的感覺很美妙，那種感覺是我既不是陌生人而且對她來說并不陌生。

3.The light made me feel peculiar, too.It came from an oil lamp that was hung the centre of the ceiling and created huge shadows over everything.房間的燈光也讓我感覺和特別，燈光來自天花板上的油燈，使一切都籠罩在巨大的陰影之下。

練習：

1.Why did the writer want to leave the hotel?

A)To enjoy the good weather.B)To have a change of scene.C)To spend all his winnings.D)To get away from the crew.2.What attracted the writer to the shop?

A)The lack of a sign or name.B)The fact that it was nearby.C)The empty window display.D)The light coming from inside.3.The writer found the stock in the front of the shop__________.A)of top quality

B)of good value

C)difficult to get at

D)badly displayed

4.What was unusual about the way the woman looked at him?

A)It made him feel self-conscious.B)She was happy to stare at him.C)She seemed to know him well.D)It made him want to look away.5.The writer disliked the back room because__________.A)there was hardly anything in it

B)she had ordered him to go there

C)he saw nothing he really liked

D)it was too dark to look around

答案與題解：

1.B 本題的問題是：為什么作者想要離開賓館？由本文第一段第一句可以得出答案。在賓館是十分無聊的，最后一句也寫出作者不顧天氣不好而想要出去走走，A，C選項錯誤，D選項未提及。

2.D 本題的問題是：是什么吸引作者到那個商店？由第二段中間―there was an appealing glow inside.‖ 可以得出答案。A，C選項不切題。D選項未提及。

3.A 本題的問題是：作者發現在小店前面存放的物品是怎樣的？從第三段對于物品的詳細描述可以得出答案。― On one wall there hung three hand-stitched American quilts that were in such wonderful condition they might have been newly-made.I came across tin toys and antique furniture, and on the wall in front of me, a 1957 Stratocaster guitar , also in excellent condition.‖

4.C 本題的問題是：那個女人看他的方式有什么不同？由第四段最后一句―I was fascinated by the experience of her looking straight into me, and by the feeling that I was neither a stranger, nor strange, to her.‖有一種似曾相識的感覺。

5.C 本體的問題是：作者不喜歡后屋的原因？從文中的第六段和第七段可以得出結論，他認為沒有什么他真正喜歡的東西。―It was also obvious that it must have taken years, decades, to collect so much rubbish, so many old documents arid papers.‖―I noticed some old books, whose gold lettering had faded, making their titles impossible to read.'They look interesting,' I said, with some hesitation.‖ +第三十五篇

Going Her Own Way

When she was twelve, Maria made her first important decision about the course of her life.She decided that she wanted to continue her education, Most girls from middle-class families chose to stay home after primary school，though some attended private Catholic “finishing” schools.There they learned a little about music，art，needlework，and how to make polite conversation.This was not the sort of education that interested Maria —or her mother.By this time，she had begun to take her studies more seriously.She read constantly and brought her books everywhere.One time she even brought her math book to the theater and tried to study in the dark.Maria knew that she wanted to go on learning in a serious way.That meant attending the public high school，something that very few girls did.In Italy at the time，there were two types of high schools: the “classical” schools and the “technical” schools.In the classical schools，the students followed a very traditional program of studies，with courses in Latin and Greek language and literature，and Italian literature and history1.The few girls who continued studying after primary school usually chose these schools.Maria，however，wanted to attend a technical school.The technical schools were more modem than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages，mathematics，science，and accounting2.Most people — including Maria's father — believed that girls would never be able to understand these subjects.Furthermore，they did not think it was proper for girls to study them.Maria did not care if it was proper or not.Math and science were the subjects that interested her most.But before she could sign up for the technical school，she had to win her father' sapproval.She finally did，with her mother's help，though for many years after，there was tension in the family.Maria's father continued to oppose her plans，while her mother helped her.In 1883，at age thirteen，Maria entered the “Regia Scuola Tecnica Michelangelo Buonarroti” in Rome.Her experience at this school is difficult for us to imagine.Though the courses included modern subjects，the teaching methods were very traditional.Learning consisted of memorizing long lists of facts and repeating them back to the teacher.Students were not supposed to ask questions or think for themselves in any way.Teachers were very demanding，discipline in the classroom was strict，and punishment was severe for those who failed to achieve or were disobedient.詞匯:

discipline /'disiplin/ n.紀律，學科，訓練，懲罰 punishment / 'p?ni?m?nt/ n.懲罰，嚴厲對待，虐待 注釋: 1.In the classical schools，the students followed a very traditional program of studies，with courses in Latin and Greek language and literature，and Italian literature and history.在傳統學校中，學生們都依照一種非常傳統的教學方式學習，包含拉丁語、希臘語與文學課，還有意大利文學與歷史。

2.The technical schools were more modem than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages，mathematics，science，and accounting.技術學校比傳統學校要現代得多，他們提供的課程有現代語言、數學、自然科學，以及會計學。練習:

1.Maria wanted to attend________.A）private ―finishing‖ school B）school with Latin and Greek C）technical high school D）school for art and music 2.In those days, most Italian girls________.A)went to classical schools B)went to ―finishing‖ schools C)did not go to high school D)went to technical schools 3.You can infer from this passage that________.A)girls usually attended private primary schools B)only boys usually attended technical schools C)girls did not like going to school D)only girls attended classical schools 4.Maria‘s father probably________.A)had very modern views about women B)had very traditional views about women C)had no opinion about women D)thought women could not learn Latin 5.High school teachers in Italy In those days were________.A)very modern B)very intelligent C)quite scientific D)quite strict 答案與題解： 1.C 本題的問題是：Maria想去個怎樣的學校？由文中第三段可明確得出結論。―Maria, however, wanted to attend a technical school.‖ A, B, D項均有明顯錯誤。

2.C 本題的問題是：在當時的意大利大多數女孩的選擇是什么？由文中的第一段可知―Most girls from middle?–class families chose to stay home after primary school ,‖所以本題的正確答案為C。

3.B 本題為推理題，問題是：從全文可以得出什么樣的結論？A選項未提及。C選項錯誤，原文只說大多數女孩子都選擇呆在家里，并未說她們都不喜歡讀書。D選項錯誤，原文只說就算是上學的話大多數女孩子都選擇傳統學校，而并非只有女孩子可以去。所以正確答案為B。

4.B 本題問的是：Maria的父親對女性的態度是什么？由文中第三段倒數第二句―Most people—including Maria‘s father —believed in the girls would never be able to understand these subjects.‖可以得出答案，父親和大多數人一樣都持傳統觀念。

5.D 本題的問題是：當時的意大利高中教師是怎樣的？從文中最后一段可以得出結論―Teachers were very demanding, discipline in the classroom was strict, and punishment was severe for those who failed to achieve or were disobedient,‖故正確答案為D。第三十七篇

Pop Music in Africa

Young musicians in African countries are creating a new kind of pop music.The tunes and the rhythms of their music combine African traditions with various forms of music popular today, such as hip-hop, rap, rock, jazz, or reggae.The result is music that may sound familiar to listeners anywhere in the world, but at the same time is distinctly African.It is different also in another way: Many of the songs are very serious and they deal with important social or political issues in Africa today.Eric Wainaina is one of these African musicians.He grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, in a family of musicians.As a teenager, he listened to pop music from the United States, and later he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.Now he has produced a CD in Kenya.Eric's most popular song, “Land of ?A Little Something‘‖ is about Kenya's problem of bribery, or paying others for illegal favors.He wants people to listen to his songs and think about how to make Kenya a better place to live.Another musician who writes serious songs is Witness Mwaijaga from Tanzania.Her own experiences have helped her understand the suffering of many African women.At the age of fifteen she lost her home, but she was luckier than other homeless young people.She could make a living by writing songs and singing on the street.By the time she was eighteen years old, she had become a star.Her songs are written in rap or hip-hop style about the problems that she sees in Tanzania, especially AIDS and the lack of rights for women1.Baaba Maal, from Senegal, also feels that pop music must go beyond entertainment.He says that in Senegal, storytellers have always been important people.In the past, they were the ones who kept the history of their people alive.Baaba believes that songwriters now have a similar responsibility.They must write about the world around them and help people understand how it could be better.The words of his songs are important, in fact.They speak of peace and cooperation among Africans, as well as the rights of women, love for one' s family, and saving the environment2.One of South Africa's most popular musicians is Brenda Fassie.She is sometimes compared to Madonna, the American pop star, because she likes to shock people in her shows.But she also likes to make people think.She became famous in the 1980s for her simple pop songs against apartheid.Now that apartheid has ended, her songs are about other issues in South African culture and life.To sing about these, she uses local African languages and a new pop style called kwaito.In recent years, people outside of Africa have also begun to listen to these young musicians.Through music, the younger generation of Africans are connecting with the rest of the world and, at the same time, influencing the rest of the world.詞匯：

reggae /'regei/ n.瑞格舞（西印度群島的舞曲）bribery /'braib?ri/ n.行賄，賄賂 apartheid / ? 'P a:theit / n.種族隔離 注釋：

1.Her songs are written in rap or hip-hop style about the problems that she sees in Tanzania, especially AIDS and the lack of rights for women.她用嘻哈和說唱的風格寫歌，歌曲的內容是 坦桑尼亞的各種問題，特別是艾滋和女性權利的缺失。

2.They speak of peace and cooperation among Africans, as well as the rights of women, love for one's family, and saving the environment.他倡導在非洲要和平與協作，同時也包括婦女權利、熱愛家庭和保護環境。練習：

1.This passage is about how African pop music is_______.A)usually about love and romance B)more serious than most pop music C)popular with young people in Africa D)mostly written just for entertainment 2.For people outside of Africa, African pop music is _______.A)the same as other pop music B)not usually very interesting C)entirely strange to them D)both familiar and different 3.The musicians mentioned in this passage all_______.A)write about serious problems B)studied in the United States C)lost their homes at a young age D)write songs in a new pop style 4.Eric Wainaina_______.A)prefers to sing in English B)listened to traditional music C)studied music in Boston D)performs only in the United States 5.Witness Mwaijaga writes about the problem of women partly because_______.A)she was had a difficult life herself B)there are many problems in Tanzania C)she has had an easy life herself D)there are no other women singers 答案與題解：

1.B 本題的問題是：非洲流行音樂的不同之處是什么？由第一段倒數第一句可以得出答案。―It is different also in another way : Many of the songs are very serious and they deal with important social or political issues in Africa today.‖ A,D項錯誤，C項未提及。2.D 本題的問題是：對于非洲以外的人來說，非洲流行音樂給他們的感覺是什么？從第一段可以得出答案。―The result is music that may sound familiar to listeners anywhere in the world , but at the same time is distinctly Afican.‖故正確選項為D。

3.A 本題的問題是：全文所提到的音樂家的共同的特點是什么？總覽全文可以得出結論。全文通篇在講有關社會和政治等嚴肅主題的音樂，故正確答案為A。B,C,D都有明顯的錯誤。4.C 本題的問題是：Eric Wainaina的成長細節。由第二段可以得出答案。―…and later he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.‖ 其余選項均有錯誤。5.A 本題的問題是：Witness Mwaijaga 寫有關女人的問題的原因是什么？答案在第三段第二句―Her own experiences have helped her understand the suffering of many African women.‖明顯可見是她有切身經歷。所以正確答案為A。+第三十八篇

Why So Many Children?

In many of the developing countries in Africa and Asia , the population is growing fast.The reason for this is simple : Women in these countries have a high birth rate — from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The majority of these women are poor , without the food or resources to care for their families ? The answer may be that they often have no choice.There are several reasons for this.One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy , large families are helpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age1.In an industrial economy, the situation is different.Many children , do not help a family;instead, they are an expense.Thus, industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy, which was industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century, Italy was a poor, largely agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World WarⅡ, Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and industrialized.By the end of the century, the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman, the world's lowest.However, the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia, for example, does not have an agriculture-based economy, and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.Nevertheless, it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia, on the other hand, are poor countries, with largely agricultural economies, but they have recently reduced their population growth.Clearly, other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.2 This would explain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There, the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few possibilities outside the home.On the other hand, the improved condition of women in Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to provide more education and opportunities for women.Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no way to do so.In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive, birth rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore, Sri Lanka, and India, as well as in Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, and Brazil.In these countries, women have also been provided with health care and help in planning their families.These trends show that an effective program to reduce population growth does not have to depend on better economic conditions.3 It can be effective if it aims to help women and meet their needs.Only then, in fact, does it have any real chance of success.詞匯：

industrialization / in‘d?stri?lai‘zei??n/ n.工業

possibility /p?s?'bil?ti/ n.可能性，可能發生的事物 effective /i'fektiv/ adj.有效的，起作用的，實際的 注釋：

1.In a traditional agricultural economy, large families are helpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.傳統的農業經濟中，家庭成員數目多是十分有利的。孩子多意味著田里的勞動力多且有人給父母養老。2.A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.高的生育率往往與婦女缺乏教育與社會地位低下相關。

3.These trends show that an effective program to reduce population growth does not have to depend on better economic conditions.這些趨勢表明有效的控制人口的方案并不依賴于良好的經濟狀況。練習：

1.In a traditional agricultural economy, a large family_______.A.can be an advantage B.may limit income C.isn‘t necessary D.is expensive 2.When countries become industrialized, _______.A.families often become larger B.the birth rate generally goes down C.women usually decide not have a family D.the population generally grows rapidly 3.According to this passage, Italy today is an example of an _______.A.agricultural country with a high birth rate B.agricultural country with a low birth rate C.industrialized country with a low birth rate D.industrialized country with a high birth rate 4.Saudi Arabia is mentioned in the passage because it shows that _______.A.the most important factor influencing birth rate is the economy B.factors other than the economy influence birth rate C.women who have a high income usually have few children D.the birth rate depends on per capita income 5.In Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia, the government _______.A.is not concerned about the status of women B.has tried to industrialize the country rapidly C.does not allow women to work outside the home D.has tried to improve the condition of women 答案與題解：

1.A 本題的問題是：在傳統的農業經濟中，大的家庭的影響是什么？從文中第二段第二句和第三句話可以得出明確的答案。―In a traditional agricultural economy, large families are helpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.‖所以答案為A，是優勢。

2.B 本題的問題是：當國家工業化后，人口和出生率的狀況是什么？從第二段意大利的例子可以明確得出答案。―In the early part of the twentieth century, Italy was a poor, largely agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War Ⅱ, Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and industrialized.‖由此可見出生率降低。

3.C 本題的問題是：本文舉出意大利的例子要說明什么？從第二段意大利的前后對比的情況可以看出正確答案為C。

4.B 本題的問題是：文中提到沙特阿拉伯的例子說明了什么？由第三段開頭可知―However, the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.‖下面將要介紹其他的因素，之后以沙特阿拉伯為例。故正確答案為B。經濟以外影響出生率的因素。

5.D本題的問題是：墨西哥、泰國、印度尼西亞的政府采取了怎樣的措施？從文中第四段后半部分―On the other hand, the improved condition of women in Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to provide more education and opportunities for women.‖可以得出結論。另一方面從第四段開頭也可以得出結論。―The most important of these is the condition of women.‖之后舉出這幾個國家的例子，從而也可以得出結論。

重磅閱讀

+第四十七篇

Narrow Escape

We had left the hut too late that morning.When we stepped outside, the sky beyond the mountains to our east was already livid with colour.1 It meant the day would be a hot one, and the warmth would loosen rocks that were gripped by ice.As soon as we stepped out on to the face, it became obvious this was going to be an awkward route.The main problem was talus, the debris that collects on mountainsides.Talus is despised by mountaineers for two reasons.First, because it can easily be pushed off on to you by people climbing above.And second, because it makes every step you take insecure.For about 30 minutes we moved steadily up the face.The rock was in poor condition, shattered horizontally and mazed with cracks.When I tried to haul myself up on a block of it, it would pull out towards me, like a drawer opening.My hands became progressively wetter and colder2.Then came a shout.”Cailloux!Cailloux!“ I heard yelled from above, in a female voice.The words echoed down towards us.I looked up to see where they had come from.There were just two rocks at first, leaping and bounding down the face towards us, once cannoning off each other in mid-air.And then the air above suddenly seemed alive with falling rocks, humming through the air and filling it with noise.Crack, went each one as it leapt off the rock face, then hum-hum-hum as it moved through the air, then crack again.The pause between the cracks lengthened each time, as the rocks gained momentum and jumped further and further.I continued to gaze up at the rocks as they fell and skipped towards me.A boy who had been a few years above me at school had taught me never to look up during a rock fall.”Why? Because a rock in your face is far less pleasant than a rock on your helmet,“ he told us.”Face in, always face in.“ I heard Toby, my partner on the mountain that day, shouting at me.I looked across.He was safe beneath an overhanging canopy of rock.I could not understand him.Then I felt a thump, and was tugged backwards and round, as though somebody had clamped a heavy hand on my shoulder and turned me to face them.A rock had hit the lid of my rucksack.I looked up again.A rock was heading down straight towards me.Instinctively, I leant backwards and arched my back out from the rock to try to protect my chest.What about my fingers, though, I thought: they'll be crushed flat if it hits them, and I'll never get down.Then I heard a crack directly in front of me, and a tug at my trousers, and a yell from Toby.”Are you all right? That went straight through you.“The rock had pitched in front of me, and passed through the hoop of my body, between my legs, missing me but snatching at my clothing as it went.Toby and I had spent the evening talking through the events of the morning: what if the big final stone hadn't leapt sideways, what if I'd been knocked off, would you have held me, would I have pulled you off? A more experienced mountaineer would probably have thought nothing of it.I knew I would not forget it.詞匯：

livid ['livid] adj.鉛色的；青灰色的；非常生氣的 awkward ['?:kw?d] adj.笨拙的；尷尬的；棘手的； grip/ɡrip / n.緊握；支配 vt.緊握；夾緊 注釋：

1.When we stepped outside, the sky beyond the mountains to our east was already livid with colour.我們走到外面，東面籠罩在山上的天空是青灰色的。

2.For about 30 minutes we moved steadily up the face.The rock was in poor condition, shattered horizontally and mazed with cracks.When I tried to haul myself up on a block of it, it would pull out towards me, like a drawer opening.My hands became progressively wetter and colder.我們平穩前進了30分鐘。巖石的狀況很不好。當我們試圖把自己拉上去，它就會滑向我們，像一個打開的抽屜。我的手巨劍出汗變得冰冷。

3.Then I felt a thump, and was tugged backwards and round, as though somebody had clamped a heavy hand on my shoulder and turned me to face them.A rock had hit the lid of my rucksack 然后我感到了一陣重擊，緊緊向后拉扯，像是有人使勁兒地用手夾住我的肩膀然后把我轉向面對他的方向。一塊石頭砸在了我背包的蓋子上。練習：

1.Why was it ―too late‖ by the time they left the hut in the morning? A)It would be uncomfortable climbing in hot weather.B)The livid colour of the sky would hurt their eyes.C)Rocks loosened by melting ice could be dangerous.D)They wouldn't be able to walk on the melting ice.2.The first reason given to explain why mountaineers hate talus is_______.A)that climbers above you might cause it to fall on you B)that it allows people climbing above you to push off C)that it makes people climbing above you feel insecure D)that it can cause other people to push you off the mountain 3.What is likely to be the meaning of ”Cailloux“? A)Rocks are flying through the air.B)Rocks are falling.C)There are loose rocks on the ground ahead.D)There are rocks everywhere.4.What is sarcastic in the words of the boy in paragraph four? A)He didn't keep his ''face in”.B)Not every climber wears a helmet.C)It is very difficult not to look up during a rockfall.D)Being hit by a rock isn't “pleasant” at all.5.In what sense was Toby “safe”?

A)The overhanging rock would protect him from falling rocks.B)He felt a hand on his shoulder.C)His rucksack was protected.D)He had hidden under a canopy.答案與題解：

1.C 本題的問題是：為什么說他們離開小屋的時間晚了？由第一段可以知道答案―It meant the day would be a hot one, and the warmth would loosen rocks that were gripped by ice.‖可知巖石的狀況已經不是很好了，故此題的正確答案為 C。

2.A 本題的問題是：登山者討厭斜坡的第一個原因是什么？由原文第二段可以直接得出答 案。―First, because it can easily be pushed off on to you by people climbing above.‖

3.B 本題的問題是：―Cailloux‖這個詞的意思是什么？由第三段后半部分與第四段開頭可知 這個單詞是石頭滑落的意思。―it would pull towards me, like a drawer opening‖―There were just two rocks at first, leaping and bounding down the face towards us, once cannoning off each other in mid-air.‖

4.D 本題的問題是：在第四段男孩話語中諷刺的是什么？由第四段―?Why? Because a rock in your face is far less pleasant than a rock on your helmet，‘he told us.?Face in, always face in.‘‖可知正確答案為 D。

5.A 本題的問題是：Toby安全的標志是什么？由文中第五段―I looked across, he was safe beneath an overhanging canopy of rock.“可以得出答案。

第一篇 講述關于人們的故事

最普遍的非小說類文學作品類型之一就是一些描述人們生活的故事，并且很多人喜歡閱讀這 類作品。這些故事大致分為三類：自傳、回憶錄和傳記o 自傳是作者記錄自己故事的文章。通常自傳會、以作者最早期的回憶開始并以對現在情況的總 結作為結束。自傳的作者也許不會完全客觀地介紹自己。然而，他們給讀者提供了一個途徑來了 解自己比較好的行事風格和為何成就這樣的&己。就像本杰明?富蘭克林和海倫?凱勒一樣，各 種各樣的人們已經寫了自傳。其他的作者就像詹姆斯?喬伊斯一樣僅僅寫了關于自己生活的虛構 小說。這些不是自傳，但是它們和自傳非常相近。嚴格意義上來講，回憶錄是既注重作者本身的生活經歷，也注重其所處的時代所發生的事件 的自傳性的描述。回憶錄作者通常把這些事件作為他們生活的背景。他們詳細地描述這些事件并 論述這些事件的重要性。雖然近些年，回憶錄這個詞似乎開始變得可以和自傳互換，但是目前回 憶錄也許還沒有因外界評論而有所改變。

傳記事實上是記錄（作者以外).其他人的生活。在很多方面，傳記也許是這三種非小說類文 學作品中最難寫的了。自傳作者知悉他們所寫的事件因為他們就生活在其中。但是傳記作者不得 不盡量從很多不同的渠道來收集信息。然后他們不得不決定包含哪種事實。他們的目標是用比較 全面的圖片來介紹一個人物，并不是過于蘿極也不是過于批判。一個公正并詳盡的傳記也許要花 費許多年來研究并進行書寫。

第八篇 變化中的中產階級

美國把自己看成是一個中產階級的國家。然而，中產階級既不是一個真實的稱號，也不會帶 來特別待遇。它更是一個觀念，一個也許在第二次世界大戰之后會變得更加正確的觀念。那時，美國經濟不斷增長，越來越多的人擁有了自己的家庭，工人們和雇傭自己的公司簽訂了可靠的合 同，并且幾乎所有想受到高等教育的人能夠接受教育。成功的人士享受這種上升的社會流動性。他們也許之前很窮，但是他們能夠變得富有。成功人士同樣發現他們有更好的地理流動性。換句 話說，他們發現自己正移居并生活在各種各樣的地方。這些中產階級都持有幾種相同的價值觀和原則。認為賺取足夠金錢就可以決定自己經濟命運 的想法，是其中一種比較強烈的價值觀。另外，中產階級的道德觀包括個人的責任感、家庭的重 要性、對他人的使命感以及相信自我以外的事物。

但是在20世紀90年代，這些中產階級的人們發現了成功的代價。1994年，《美國新聞與世 界報道》的一篇調查稱，75%的美國人認為中產階級家庭無法收支相抵。現在夫妻雙方以及他們 的一些孩子都在工作；遙遠的上下班路程變成了常態，兒童看護給家庭帶來了很大壓力，并且公 立學校已經不如以前那樣好了。中產階級的成員不再通過薪水來支付他們的生活所需，而是通過 使用信用卡來維持生活。對于中產階級的理解正在發生變化。第十篇 艾倫的來信

我聽說了一個要在叫Parson公園上建造三百所房子的計劃。沒有幾個人知道這個打算將我們 的城鎮擴大的計劃。對我來說，Parson公園是非常特別的，因為它是一個美麗的天然公園，當地 人可以在此放松休息。這片小樹林里有許多獨特的樹木并且這里的小溪受到了漁夫和野鳥觀察者 的歡迎。這里很安靜因為附近只有幾所房子和幾條公路。我認為失去這片公園會很糟糕，因為在 這附近我們沒有其他與其相似的公園了。我反對這項計劃也是因為它將會引起交通問題。住在新房子的人們將如何去工作呢？高速公 路和地鐵站在城鎮的另一端。因此，這些人每次出行的時候將不得不驅車穿越城鎮中心。公路上 將總是有很多車輛，沒有地方停車，并且來參觀我們這兒可愛的老式建筑物的觀光者將會離開這 里。商店和旅館將賠錢。如果這個城鎮真的需要更多的房子，那片在地鐵站附近的空地是一個更 合適的地方o 毫無疑fe，通過出售這些房子建筑商們會賺很多錢。但是，在我看來，每個人將會因這個計 劃的實施而快速地變窮。不但如此，我們將失去一個非常特別的地方，并且我們的城鎮將會失去 很多快樂。

我將在周一早上到當地政府辦公室抗議這項計劃，并且我希望你們這些讀者將會和我一起去 那里。我們必須讓他們停止這項計劃，否則就來不及了。

第十一篇 芭蕾舞的發展

芭蕾舞是一種歷史悠久的舞蹈形式。事實上芭蕾舞延續至今說明了其隨著時代的變化而有所調整。

在文藝復興時期，芭蕾舞開始于皇家宮廷。在那時，芭蕾舞在國王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂、詩歌以及舞蹈一起參與盛會的表演。當這些娛樂形式從意大利宮廷流傳到法 國宮廷的時候，宮女們開始參與進來。雖然她們的長裙子阻礙了很多的動作，但是她們能夠表演 復雜的步伐。直到17世紀女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且開始做一些男舞者表演的跳躍和轉圈動作。

而且也是在17世紀，專業的芭蕾舞舞蹈團應運而生。法國國王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學 院，而他本身就是一個芭蕾舞愛好者。由此正式確定了腳的5個基本位置，這5個外開的位置成為發展色蕾舞技術的基礎。18世紀末，發生了另一個重要的改變。芭蕾舞幵始通過自己的表演來 講述故事。它再也不僅僅是幕間表演的插舞〗精致的假發和服裝被淘汰。在19世紀初，舞者學會了用腳尖站立使其看起來像是在漂浮。

正如我們所知，現如今古典芭蕾主要受到了俄羅斯舞蹈的影響。在19世紀中葉，當歐洲其他 國家對于芭蕾舞的興趣有所減少時，俄羅斯人始終保持著對芭蕾舞的興趣。在20世紀初，最有影 響力的人物之一便是謝爾蓋?基列夫。他的舞蹈公司俄羅斯芭蕾舞團，為芭蕾帶來了新的動力與 活力。他的主要助手之一，喬治?巴蘭欽，在1948年建立了紐約市芭蕾舞舞蹈團并影響了新一代的舞者。

第十六篇 撒哈拉沙漠

撒哈拉這個名字起源于阿拉伯譜單詞―沙漠‖或―干草原‖。位于北非的撒哈拉沙漠是世界 上最大的沙漠，占地350萬平方英里，大概相當于美國的大小。它橫跨大西洋與紅海間的大陸。日間氣溫可高達華氏130度。濕度有時會在13% ~ 19% ,但也可低達2.5% ,為世界最低濕度。撒哈拉沙漠的絕大多數地區每年的降雨量低于&英寸，但多年來大面積地區根本沒下過雨。位于哈拉沙漠中心的是北非的內陸國尼日爾。這里的沙丘可高達100英尺，長至幾英里。在這里，被沙漠覆蓋的地區沒有水和城鎮，其面積大于德國。然而有一個叫做比爾馬的鎮子坐落 于環繞的沙漠中間。忽然間可看見好多個清澈的水潭。令人驚奇的是，那里還有椰棗林。在干河 床和洼地處可找到充足的地下水資源或者綠洲來支持灌溉農業。灌溉溝渠通過一條小溪到達水田 中。在這些田地里種植著玉米、木薯、茶葉、花生、辣椒、橘子樹、酸橙樹和柚子樹。青草上放 養著驢和山羊。在尼日爾的撒哈拉地區，你仍然可以看到500只被系起來的駱駝排成一條寬松的隊伍，組成 一個長達1英里的駝隊，朝這樣的綠洲城鎮走去。在那里，駝隊會收集從潮濕的盆地中開采出來 用于維持生命的鹽，然后運回到位于400英里開外的、沙漠邊緣的居住地。這種穿過廣闊沙漠的 往返行程需要一個月的時間。

第十七篇 引人注目的埃菲爾鐵塔

世箅各地的人們都來到大約300米高，接近埃菲爾鐵塔頂端的地方涂鴉。日本人、巴西人、美國人都在冰冷的鐵上涂上自己的名字、喜好和政治觀點，使這最具有法蘭西色彩的紀念碑成為 動感世界的象征。

從塔上可以看到巴黎市的遠景，但奇怪的是觀光者們寧愿花時間留下到此一游的痕跡，而不 去觀賞風景。但這些涂鴉者也引起了一個問題：為什么在建成114年后，埃菲爾鐵塔仍然這么受 歡迎?盡管它在幾十年前減已經不是世界上最高的建筑物了。

這個問題的答案就像那構成90層的鐵塔的工程一樣復雜。一部分的理由是，毫無疑問，鐵塔 是永不過時的。周期性的維護使得它永遠不會被腐蝕掉。埃菲爾鐵塔定期油漆，覆蓋那些涂鴉, 但是它仍將繼續存在下去。

―埃菲爾是巴黎的象征，而巴黎又代表了法國。所以，埃菲爾十分具有象征性。‖ Hugues Richard說道。這位31歲的法國人保持著在19分零4秒的時間內騎自行車經過747級臺階登上鐵 塔二層的紀錄。―這是鐵娘子，能讓人產生靈感，‖他說。但是它能使人們產生怎樣的靈感呢？畢竟，鐵塔并沒有任何&的。1930年紐約的克萊斯勒大 廈取代它成為世界上最高的建筑。但是電視和廣播信號仍然從塔頂發送出來，而古斯塔夫?埃菲 爾，這個狂熱的建造者利用它的高度進行氣象學、空氣動力學和無線電通訊的研究。他在12月27 日逝世，終年91歲。本質上來說，鐵塔佇立在那兒本身就是一個靈感——它就像一張空白的畫布，任游客自由遐 想。對于那些善于從技術角度考慮伺題的人來說，它是一個工程上的勝利;而對于戀人們來說，它則象征著浪漫。

―這座塔將在我們所有的人離去后長久存在。‖埃菲爾鐵塔管理公司的伊莎貝爾說。

第十八篇 美國教育的目標

教育是美國人的生活中很重要的一部分，花銷也大。其規模宏大，種類多樣。

與其他大多數國家相比，美國教育的不同在于美國教育是為每一個人設置的~”不只是為享 有特權的優等生。學校是要滿足每個孩子的需要，不論其能力如何，同時也要滿足社會本身的需 求。這意味著公立學校提供的教育不只限于學術方面的課程。很多人來到美國之后會吃驚地發現，高中除了提供傳統課程，例如：數學、歷史和語言之外，他們還提供一些課程如打字、縫紉、無 線電修理、.計算機課程或駕駛訓練課程。學生選擇課程是根據個人喜好、目標以及能力水平。美 國教育的潛在目標是將每一個孩子的能力最充分地發揮出來，培養每一個孩子的公民和社區覺悟感。

成千上萬的移民者涌入這個國家，他們的出身背景不同。傳統上,學校在建立民族團結以及 使移民者美國化兩方面起著重大作用。在社區中，尤其在小城鎮，學校仍然起著重要作用。大家對美國的教學方法彳以乎也很陌生。因為這種教學方法不僅不正式，而且不把重點放在學習具體知識上。相反，美國人教孩子獨立思考，教他們自己去開發自己的智慧以及創造能力。學 生花很多時間學習怎樣使用參考資料、圖書館、數據以及計算機。美國人認為只要孩子具有好的 推理能力，好的研究方法，他們就能在以后找到自己所需的具體知識。他們還認為懂得怎樣解決 問題比積累事實更重要。

在這個變化萬千的時代里，全世界細心的父母都在思考一個尖銳而深刻的問題：―怎樣為孩 子的明天做準備呢？孩子的明天既不能預料也不能理解。‖上述的教學方法正是美國對這一問題 的回答。

第十九篇 家庭

在全世界，甚至在同一個社會中，家庭結構有著不同的形式。家庭的構成形式隨著不斷變化 的社會和經濟影響而改變。直到最近，北美洲最普遍的家庭形式為核心家庭，由一對夫婦和他們 未婚的孩子構成。核心家庭是一個獨立的單位。它必須能夠照料自己。家庭成員緊密依賴著彼此。在緊急情況下，外界提供給家庭的幫助微乎其微。核心家庭中，只有當條件允許的時候，才會照 料家中年長的親屬。在北美洲，老人很少和家人一起生活，他們?般住在退休社區和養老機構。

在工業社會，例如北美洲，核心家庭之間有很多相似點。在居住在惡劣環境中的因紐特人的 社會中，家庭間也有很多相似點。核心家庭結構良好地適應于流動性的生活。在惡劣的條件下，流動性能讓一個家庭吃飽飯。對北美洲人來說，找工作和提高社會地位同樣需要流動性。

核心家庭并不總是北美洲人的標準。在農業社會時期，小型的核心家庭經常是大家庭的一部 分。其中可能包括了祖父母、父母、兄弟姐妹、叔伯、阿姨以及表兄弟姐妹。在現在的北美洲，單親家庭的數目大幅度增加。由核心家庭構成的單親家庭的數目是美國由于離婚、分居或者未婚 導致的單親家庭的兩倍。不僅在北美洲，在世界范圍內，家庭結構都會隨著不斷變化的條件而改變。

第二十篇 講述可怕的過去

分析和詮釋歷史并不是小說家的工作。然而通過用一種生動有趣的方式來描寫過去，小說家 可以重現早斯時代，并引起讀者的重視。在敘述歷史的作家中，有一些黑人作家試圖從不同的角度審視奴隸制。

諾貝爾獎獲得者托妮?莫里森在她的作品《寵兒》中專門闡述了奴隸制問題。小說的主人公叫塞絲，她以前是個奴隸，內戰之后住在俄亥俄，但是她無法讓自己從可怕的記憶中解脫出來。通過一系列的倒序和痛苦的回憶，讀者了解到賽絲為什么以及怎樣逃出她賴以生存的種植園，她 那同樣試圖逃出來的丈夫的命運，以及最后發生在叫做寵兒的孩子身上的事情。莫里森對奴隸受 折磨和遭謀殺的場景描寫得很生動，充分地表達出奴隸們的絕望以及奴隸主的殘酷。

查爾斯?約翰遜的小說《中途》從另一個不同的角度來描寫奴隸制，但同樣充滿著暴力。他 的主人公叫做盧瑟福?卡爾霍恩，是一個游手好閑、身份自由的美國黑人。他偷偷登上了一艘開 往非洲販賣奴隸的船只。被發現后，他開始為之工作，并親眼目睹了非洲人被抓起來，然后被運 送到美國這種可怕的狀況。當非洲人最終抵抗并占有了船只后，他發現了自己的中間性——并且 被迫與他自己的身份和價值觀念妥協。

不論是《寵兒》還是《中途》讀起來都不輕松，但是它們都是非裔美國作家努力為現代觀眾 重現重要歷史的典范之作。

第二十六篇 看許久以前的世界

如果你喜歡讀類似亞瑟?弗洛梅爾或尤金?弗多這些令人熟知的作家寫的旅行圖書，那么你 就不會驚訝于旅行寫作那悠長、令人肅然起敬的歷史。幾乎從最早有記載的時期開始，人們就發 現，他們對去一個陌生地方旅行的記錄是不乏讀者的。

公元前后的希臘地理學家、歷史學家斯特雷波，就是最早的旅行作家之一。雖然斯特雷波因 從黑海的東部出發，西至意大利1南至埃塞俄比亞而聞名，他也借鑒了其他作者的記錄來使他的 作品內容更豐富生動。他的多卷著作《地理》是唯一一部記錄當時世界上城市、人、風俗、地理 特征的作品。

大概同時期的另兩位優秀的旅行作家是意大利人馬可?波羅和摩洛哥人伊本?白圖泰。馬 可?波羅在公元1275年同他的父親和叔叔去了中國，在那里待了十六七年，在這期間他也去了一 些其他國家。回到意大利后,他向一位作家口述了他旅行的回憶以及從別人那里聽到的故事，最 終《馬可?波羅游記》問世，迅速紅了起來。雖然很難證實他所說的是否都屬實，但馬可的書促 使歐洲人開始了他們偉大的航海探索之旅。

伊本?白圖泰在1325年出發去麥加朝圣，從此開始了他的旅行。在他的有生之年，他去了所 有的穆斯林國家旅行。他的書《伊本?白圖泰游記》記載了沙漠旅行、宮廷陰謀，甚至包括他游 歷過的地方受黑死病的影響。據估計，在差不多30年里，伊本?白圖泰的旅行行程有7萬5千多 英里。

第三十篇 ―幸運的‖魯肯伯爵一是死是活

1974年11月8日，英國貴族魯肯伯爵失蹤。此前一天，他孩子們的保姆被殘忍地殺害，他的 妻子也遭到了襲擊。直到現在，英國民眾對這個謀殺案仍然很感興趣，因為魯肯伯爵一直沒有被 找到。30多年后的今天，警察重新調查案希望新的DNA技術幫助揭開這個謀殺之謎。

魯肯伯爵被朋友稱為―幸運的‖，人們猜測是他想要殺了他不再與之一起住的妻子。有人說 魯肯踏進他的老房子，在一片漆黑中錯殺了保姆。與他不和的妻子聽到聲音走下樓，也遭到了攻 擊，但是她設法逃了出去。7個月后，陪審團斷定是魯肯殺了保姆。

接下來發生了什么誰也不清楚，但是眾多斷言被總結為三點：他自殺了，他逃跑了或者他可 能已經被殺了。在謀殺發生的第二天晚上，―幸運的‖借了一輛車然后幵走了。魯肯的朋友皮諾 爾在一個采訪中表示，他覺得魯肯伯爵在英吉利海峽中弄沉了自己坐的船，已經自殺了。另一個版本是說―幸運的‖把被血染了的車子扔在了海岸上，乘上了一艘開往法國的船。某 些人在那發現了他，把他送往另一個國家使他安全。但是，過了一段時間，救他的人開始擔心自 己也會被卷入到謀殺案件中，所以他們殺了魯肯。一個更有意思的看法是前偵探鄧肯?麥克勞克林在他的書《幸運者之死》中談到的。他確信 魯肯逃到了印度的果阿，在那里他換了個身份，假裝這個人。魯肯在果阿一直生活著，直到1996 年他去世。最終這個斷言被證實是錯誤的。1996年去世的是真正的哈普林，他曾經是一個學校老 師，后來做了嬉皮士。那么關于―幸運的‖結果哪個是真的？ DNA鑒定破了很多謀殺案件，但是 不知它能否把這個案件做個了結。第三十三篇 老婦人Oseola McCarty ^ 1999年9月一個周日下午較晚的時候，一位上了年紀的名為McCahy的清潔工在她生活了大 半輩子的小木屋中去世了。這位老婦人看似平凡的一生卻有著非同尋常的意義。

1995年夏McCarty把她一生的大部分積蓄共計15萬美元全部捐給了她家鄉的南密西西比大 學，用于幫助大學中的黑人完成學業。她年輕的時候就養成了積蓄的習慣，那時候她從學校放學 就去做清潔工作和熨燙衣服賺錢，并將錢存起來。

她一生過著簡單、節儉的生活，除了生活必需品外她從不在其他事情上花錢。她退休的時候，決定資助那些條件有限的孩子上大學。她曾經想成為一名護士，但她不得不 離開學校照顧生病的親戚。當問及她為什么會把一生的積蓄都捐贈出來時，她回答：―我將錢捐贈 出來，只是為了不讓孩子們工作得那么辛苦，像我一樣。‖捐贈的消息一經傳出，就有600多名捐 贈者向獎學金基金捐款。其中一人是媒體管理人員，Fed Turner,號稱捐贈了 10億美元。她從未想過她的捐贈會產生什么樣的影響，但消息一經傳出，她就收到了來自美國各個地方 的邀請，去向人們介紹她的事。無論她去哪，都有人去跟她說話或去摸摸她。她見到過普通大眾，也見過名流顯赫，如克林頓總統。在她死于癌癥的前幾年，她獲得了 300多個獎項，被聯合國授 予過獎項，也獲得過總統市民模范稱號。從未受過正式教育的她，被南密西西比大學和哈佛大學 分別授予了榮譽博士學位。她的慷慨行為激勵鼓舞了很多人，同肘也證明了世間確實存在真正的無私。第三十四篇 逃亡

在賓館里閑待一個下午是很無聊的。巡回樂團道具管理組的成員在用美元玩兒游戲，把紙 幣折成紙飛機的形狀然后看誰飛得最遠。因為沒有什么事情可以做，我加入了他們并且贏了五 局，之后我找了個機會帶著我贏的錢退出了游戲。盡管天色看起來不是很好，我還是決定出去 走一走。

我向前走到了街道另一邊的一個小店里。與其他的小店不同，它沒有吸引眼球的名字和主要 經營的項目，取而代之的是普通的霓虹燈，里面則是吸引人的強光。奇怪的是并沒有什么影子映 射在窗戶上。我并沒有因為這個而停住腳步，我走了進去。我屏住呼吸，不知道看哪里也不知道從哪里開始看。一面墻上掛著三個手工縫制的美國壁毯，十分美麗，可能是新做的。我穿過易拉罐和散落的小玩意兒還有古董家具，在我面前的一面墻上 掛著一個嶄新的1957年的Straocaster吉他。一張五十美元的卡插在琴弦上。我的手撫摸著放唱片 的架子，讀著標題。這里還有很多的…… ―我可以幫助你嗎？‖她嚇了我一跳。我沒有看見在柜臺后面的女人。她看我的方式如此居 高臨下，這一時讓我很緊張像是被一種磁場或是電場緊緊包裹住。很難避開那個眼神。但是盡 管很不舒服，我還是覺得那種被直視的感覺很美妙，那種感覺對我來說不陌生，對她來說也不陌生。

除了愉悅以外她的神情還流露出慈愛和憐憫。我猜不出她的年齡。盡管她的眼神充滿了友善，她使我想起了我的祖母。我能感覺到她是一個不喜歡與人爭吵的人。最后我開口說話，―我真的只 是看看‖，私下里卻在好奇有多少東西能夠塞進汽車。

她轉身離開到后面的屋子，示意我應該跟隨其后，但這并非是第一個房間，房間的燈光也讓 我感覺很特別，燈光來自天花板上的油饤，使一切都籠罩在巨大的陰影之下。這里沒有罕見的電 吉他，沒有古老的項鏈，沒有鮮花裝飾的手繪盒子。很明顯它是陳舊的用來存放垃圾和那些平淡 無奇的舊文獻的。我發現了一些舊書，那些金字巳經退去使題目很難辨認。―它們看起來很有趣。‖我遲疑地 說。―要想了解上面所寫你必須有相似的經歷―她清楚地說。她察覺到我的臉上充滿了疑惑可是卻沒有再說什么。

她伸出手拿了一本小書然后遞給了我。―這是目前我能夠給你的最好的書‖，她笑著說道，―如果你要用它‖。我打開書發現全部是一片空白，但依然給了她向我要的幾美元，當我察覺到美元依然是紙飛機的形狀時不免有些尷尬。我把書放到包里，謝過她并離開了。第三十五篇 選擇她自己的路

當她12歲的時候，瑪利亞做出了她人生道路的第一個重要決定。她決定繼續讀書。對 于大多數來自中產階級家庭的女孩子來說，小學畢業就都選擇待在家里，盡管有一些參加了 教會辦的女子精修學校。在那她們學習一些音樂、藝術、針線活，以及如何禮貌交談。這些 并不是瑪利亞所感興趣的或者可以說也不是她媽媽感興趣的。此時，她對待學習更加認真。她不停地讀書，他走到哪里就把書帶到哪里。有一次她甚至把數學書帶到了劇院里，設法在黑暗中學習。

瑪利亞道她想要繼續正規學習。她想要到公立高中去學習，很少有女孩子這樣做。在當時 的薏大利，有兩種形式的髙中，一種是―傳統‖學校，另一種是―技術類‖學校。在傳統學校 中，學生們都依照一種非常傳統的教學方式學習，包含拉丁語、希臘語及文學課，還有意大利的 文學與歷史。極少數能繼續學習的女孩們也大多選擇這類學校。但是瑪利亞打算去技術類學校。技術類學校比傳統學校要現代得多，他們提供的課程有現代 語言、數學、自然科學，以及會計學。包括瑪利亞父親在內的大部分人都認為，女孩子是不可能 弄明白這些科目的。另外，他們也認為女孩子不適合學習這些。瑪利亞并不在乎適合與否。數學和自然科學是她最感興趣的學科。但是在她報名之前她必須 爭得她父親的同意。最后在她母親的幫助下她成功了，盡管過去很多年她的家庭關系依然很緊張。她的父親一直地反對她的計劃，而她的母親卻幫助她。

1883 年，瑪利亞 13 歲的時候考取了羅馬的“Regia Scuola Tecnica Michelangelo Buonarroti‖ 學 校。她在這個學校的經歷對我們來說難以想象。盡管課程包括現代學科，而教學方式卻是十分傳 統的。學習包括記憶長長的詞條和事件，然后向老師復述。學生們不會以任何的方式被提問或是 自己思考。老師非常苛刻，課堂紀律十分嚴格，未達標準或者不守紀律的學生會被給予嚴厲的懲罰。第三十七篇 非洲的流行音樂

非洲國家的年輕音樂家們創造了一種流行音樂的新形式。音調與旋律不僅有傳統的非洲因素 也有當下十分流行的各種形式，比如嘻哈、說唱打擊樂、搖滾、爵士或者是瑞格舞。這樣就使這 種音樂讓世界各地的聽者都覺得很熟悉，而它又是典型的非洲音樂。這種音樂在另一方面也有所 不同：很多音樂有著嚴肅的主題，與當今非洲重要的社會問題和政治問題相關。Eric Wainaina是這些非洲音樂家的其中之一。他成長于肯尼亞內羅畢的一個音樂世家。少年 時期他就昕美國的流行音樂，之后就讀于波士頓Berklee College學習音樂。現在他在肯尼亞發了 一張CD。他最紅的歌曲是”Land of ? A Little Something' ‖，這首歌是有關肯尼亞行賄受賄問題的。他希望人們聽他的歌曲然后思考如何讓肯尼亞變成更好的居住地。

另一個寫有關嚴肅主題音樂的音樂家是來自坦桑尼亞的Witness Mwaijaga。她的個人經歷讓 她能夠切身體會非洲婦女所受的苦難。她15歲的時候失去了家，但是比起和她一樣無家可歸 的年輕人來說她很幸運。她可以靠寫歌和在街頭賣唱維持生計。在她18歲的時候，她成為一個明星。她用嘻哈和說唱的風格寫歌，歌曲的內容是坦桑尼亞的各種問題，特別是艾滋病和女 性權利的缺失。

來自塞內加爾的BaabaMaal也認為流行音樂不僅僅是為了娛樂。他在塞內加爾說過，故事的 講述者往往是重要的人物。在^：去，他們是人民歷史的書寫者。他認為寫歌者也擁有同樣的責任。他們必須寫他們周圍的世界，幫助人民明白如何使它變得更好。事實上，歌詞的內容十分重要。他倡導在非洲要和平與協作，同時也包括婦女權利、熱愛家庭和保護環境。

南美最流行的音樂家之一是Brenda Fassie。她可以與美國流行巨星麥當娜媲美，因為她的舞 臺表現力震撼人心。但是她也喜歡讓人深思。20世紀80年代她因為一首有關反對種族隔離的單 曲而一炮走紅。現在種族隔離巳經終止了，她的歌曲有關于南美政治和文化的其他方面。她使用 傳統的非洲語言與一種新的流行形式庫威多來歌唱。

近些年，非洲以外的人們都開始聽這些年輕音樂家的歌曲。通過音樂，年青一代的音樂家使 非洲與世界其他的地方相連接，同時也影響著世界的其他地方。第三十八篇 為什么有這么多的孩子

非洲和亞洲的很多發展中國家，人P增長迅速。原因很簡單：這些國家的女人生育率很 高——每個女人平均有三個到七個孩子。這些女人大部分都很窮，沒有足夠的食物和資源來照顧 家庭。為什么她們要有這么多孩子呢？為什么她們不限制家庭的大小呢？答案是大多數時候她們 沒辦法選擇。這有很多原因。

其中之一是經濟原因。傳統的農業經濟中，家庭成員數目多是十分有利的。孩子多意味著田 里的勞動力多且有人給父母養老。在工業經濟國家中情況就不同了。多數孩子不幫助家里，而是 增加家庭開銷。因此，工業化極大降低了生育率。這是意大利的一個例子，意大利最近幾年工業 化發展十分迅速。在20世紀前葉，意大利是個貧窮的農業國家，有著很高的生育率。第二次世界 大戰之后，意大利的現代化和工業化十分迅速。世紀之末其生育率降到世界最低，平均每個女人1.3個孩子。然而經°濟并不是唯一重要的影響出生率的因素。以沙特阿拉伯為例，那里并沒有以農業為基 礎的經濟，而且是人均收入最高的國家之一。然而還是有很高的生育率（7.0)。而像墨西哥和印 度尼西亞，主要是農業經濟的窮國，但他們的人口還在不斷地下降。很明顯有其他的因素。最重要的就是婦女的狀況。高的生育率往往與婦女缺乏教育與社會地 位低下相關。這就能解釋沙特阿拉伯的出生率為什么如此之髙。傳統的文化使婦女缺乏教育或者 不能獨立，并且在外生存的技能很少。相反，墨西哥、泰國、印度尼西亞的生育率就低。他們的

政府給婦女提供更多的教育和機會。

另一個重要的因素是計劃生育。女人們也許想限制家庭的大小，但是她們沒有辦法。一些倡 導計劃生育的政府為她們提供有效而且不貴的方式，生育率下降。比如新加坡、斯里蘭卡、印度 和印度尼西亞、泰國、墨西哥、巴西。在這些國家婦女被提供健康和計劃生育的幫助。這些趨勢表明有效的控制人口的方案并不依賴于良好的經濟狀況。如果是致力于幫助婦女適 應她們的需求那么就是有效的。事實上只有這樣，才能有機會取得成功。

第四十七篇 九死一生

那天早上我們離開露營的小屋已經很晚了。我們走到外面，東面籠罩在山上的天空是青灰色 的。這意味著將會是很熱的一天，溫暖會使被冰緊裹的石頭慢慢地松開。

正當我們走在表面的時候，很明顯它變成了一段很難走的路。主要的何題是斜坡J在山坡上 有很多的碎石。斜坡被登山者反感的原因有兩個。首先，爬在上面的人很容易摔下去。其次，它使你走的每一步都很危險。

我們平穩前進了30分鐘。巖石的狀況很不好。當我們試圖把自己拉上去，它就會滑向我們，像一個打開的抽屜。我的手逐漸出汗變得冰冷。突然有一聲大喊―Cailloux!Cailloux!‖我聽到來 自上面的一個女人的呼喊。聲音成回聲向下傳向我們。我抬起頭尋找它來的方向。最開始只有兩塊石頭，彈跳著移向我們，在半空中撞擊。而此時上方的空氣也好像隨著掉 落的石頭有了生命，巨大的噪聲充斥在空氣中。撞擊聲在石頭表面，嗡嗡聲游蕩在空氣中，之 后又有了撞擊聲。每次撞擊聲之間都有；段時間的空隙，石頭越跳越遠。我一直盯著石頭，感 覺馬上它就要到我這里來一樣。在學校一個比我高幾年級的男孩告訴過我，當石頭掉下來時千 萬不要抬頭。―為什么‖？ ―因為石頭砸在你的頭盔上要遠遠好過砸在你的臉上。‖他告訴我們。低頭，永遠低頭。-我聽見那天和我一起登山的同伴Toby在喊我。我看了過去，他在一個延伸出的石頭下面，已 經安全了。我不能理解他。然后我感到了一陣重擊，緊緊向后拉扯，像是有人使勁兒地用手夾住 我的肩膀然后把我轉向面對他的方向。一塊石頭砸在了我背包的蓋子上。我再次抬起頭。一塊石頭垂直地向我硒下來。本能地，我向后傾斜，拱起我的背保護我的 胸部。我的手指怎么辦，我想，如果被砸上肯定會被砸扁，再也不能恢復。我聽到了在我正前面 的一聲巨響，有人使勁兒拉我的褲子。Toby大喊：―你還好吧，石頭徑直向你砸過來X。‖石頭在 我雙腿間擦身而過，雖然沒有碰到我，但是刮到了我的衣服。

Toby和我用整晚的時間回味早上發生的一切：假如那塊大石頭沒有從旁邊滑過，如果我被撞到，你會扶住我嗎，我會把你也刮倒嗎？對于一個有豐富登山經驗的人來說這也許沒有什么，但 我知道我永遠不會忘記這件事。

第二篇：2012職稱英語理工科新增閱讀理解文章

第六篇 Making Light of1 Sleep................................................................................................1 第十九篇 Graphene's Superstrength1........................................................................................3 *第三＋八篇 “Life Form Found“ on Saturn's Titan....................................................................5 *第四十篇 Teaching Math，Teaching Anxiety...........................................................................8 +第四＋五篇 Small But Wise....................................................................................................11 +第四十六篇 Ants Have Big Impact on Environment as“Ecosystem Engineers”....................14

第六篇 Making Light of1 Sleep All we have a clock located inside our brains.Similar to your bedside alarm clock，your internal clock2 runs on a 24-hour cycle.This cycle，called a circadian rhythm，helps control when you wake，when you eat and when you sleep.Somewhere around puberty，something happens in the timing of the biological clock.The clock pushes forward，so adolescents and teenagers are unable to fall asleep as early as they used to.When your mother tells you it's time for bed，your body may be pushing you to stay up3 for several hours more.And the light coming from your computer screen or TV could be pushing you to stay up even later.This shift4 is natural for teenagers.But staying up very late and sleeping late can get your body's clock out of sync with the cycle of light and dark5.It can also make it hard to get out of bed in the morning and may bring other problems，too.Teenagers are put in a kind of a gray cloud6 when they don't get enough sleep，says Mary Carskadon，a sleep researcher at Brown University in Providence，RI7.It affects their mood and their ability to think and learn.But just like your alarm clock，your internal clock can be reset.In fact，it automatically resets itself every day.How? By using the light it gets through your eyes.Scientists have known for a long time that the light of day and the dark of night play important roles in setting our internal clocks.For years，researchers thought that the signals that synchronize the body's clock8 were handled through the same pathways that we use to see.But recent discoveries show that the human eye has two separate light-sensing systems.One system allows us to see.The second system tells our body whether it's day or night.詞匯：

circadian/s3:'keidi?n/ adj.晝夜節奏的，生理節奏的 adolescent/?d?u'les?nt/ n．青少年；adj．青少年的 puberty/ 'pju:b?ti/ n．發育；青春期

sync/si?k/ n.（口語）同步；和諧，協調 synchronize/'si?kr?naiz / V.（使）同時發生；（使）同步

注釋：

1.make light of ：輕視，不在乎。例如： We should not make light of their achievements．我們不應當低估他們的成就。

2.your internal clock ：指的是第一句中的a clock located inside our brains，也即是第二段第一句中的the biological clock（生物鐘）。

3.stay up：不睡覺，熬夜

4.This shift：這種調整。指上文所描述的由于生理時間的變化青少年上床時間越來越晚的現象。

5.get your body's clock out of sync with the cycle of light and dark ：打亂了你的生物鐘與晝夜時間循環之間的平衡

6.gray cloud ：提不起精神的狀態

7.Brown University in Providence，RI：位于美國羅得島州普羅維登斯的布朗大學。RI是Rhode Island（羅得島）的首字母縮寫；Providence 是羅得島州的首府。布朗大學是美國一流大學，創建于1764 年，是世界聞名的美國“常春藤聯盟”（還包括哈佛大學、耶魯大學、普林斯頓大學、布朗大學、哥倫比亞大學、賓夕法尼亞大學、達特茅斯大學和康奈爾大學）中的一員。8.the signals that synchronize the body's clock：平衡生物鐘的光信號

不要太在意睡眠

我們每個人的大腦里都有一個像我們床邊的鬧鐘一樣的生物鐘。人腦里的生物鐘24小時走一圈，這一圈也就是一次完整的晝夜節律，正是這個節律決定了我們吃飯、睡覺和起床的時間。

青春期時，人的生物鐘在定時方面會發生變化，生物鐘會提前。這時，青少年會比以前睡得晚，所以當你媽媽告訴你該睡覺時，你的生物鐘可能會讓你多推遲幾小時，并且電腦或電視光線可能會導致你熬夜到更晚。

生物鐘的這種變化對青少年說是正常的，但熬夜到太晚會打亂你生物鐘與晝夜時間循環之間的平衡，這樣就會帶來一些問題，例如：早晨很難按時起床。位于美國羅得州布郎大學睡眠方面的研究員Mary Carskadon說：“當青少年睡眠不足時會打不起精神，這將影響到他們心情、學習和思考問題的狀態。”

其實生物鐘與鬧鐘一樣，也是可調的，事實上，生物鐘每天都在進行著自我調節，其方式就是通過你眼睛接收到光線的變化。

很早之前，科學家就知道了晝夜光線強弱的變化對生物鐘調節起到了重要的作用，長久以來，研究者們認為眼睛所接受到的平衡生物鐘的光信號同樣作用于人類的視覺系統。

但最近幾年的研究發現，人類眼睛有兩個感光系統，一個是視覺系統，而另一個是感知晝夜的系統。

練習：.The clock located inside our brains is similar to our bedside alarm clock because A it controls when we wake，when we eat and when we sleep.B it has a cycle of 24 hours.C it is a cycle also called circadian rhythm.D it can alarm any time during 24 hours.2.What is implied in the second paragraph? A Young children's biological clock has the same rhythm with that of the teenagers.B People after puberty begin to go to bed earlier due to the change of the biological clock.C Children before puberty tend to fall asleep earlier at night than adolescents.D Teenagers go to bed later than they used to due to the light from the computer screen.3.In the third paragraph the author wants to tell the reader that A it is natural for teenagers to stay up late and get up late.B staying up late has a bad effect on teenagers' ability to think and learn.C during puberty most teenagers experience a kind of gray cloud.D it is hard for teenagers to get out of bed in the morning.4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the fourth and fifth paragraphs? A Our biological clock resets itself automatically.B light gets through our eyes and resets our biological clock.C Our internal clock as well as the alarm clock can be reset automatically.D Our internal clock，like the alarm clock，can be reset.5.According to the last two paragraphs，what did the previous researchers think about the human eye's light-sensing system? A The human eye had two light-sensing systems.B The human eye had one light-sensing system.C The human eye could sense the light of day more quickly than the dark of night.D The human eye could reset our internal clocks in accordance with the alarm clocks.答案與題解：

1.B 第一段第二句提供了答案。句中的your internal clock 即指a clock located inside our Brains。

2.C 第二段主要內容是告訴讀者，過了青春期（puberty），由于生物鐘節奏的變化，青少年（adolescents and teenagers）比以前要晚睡幾小時。所以C是該段所隱含的內容。3.B 第三段的最后一句直接給出了答案。

4.C 根據第四和第五段的內容，鬧鐘和生物鐘都可以重新設定時間，但生物鐘能通過眼睛接受的日光來自動調節生理節奏。所以A、B和D都是這兩段中所述內容，C是正確選擇，因為鬧鐘不能自動重新設定時間。

5.B 問題使用的是過去時，問的是研究者在最新發現（recent discoveries）之前對眼睛感光系統的認識，即，the signals that synchronize the body's clock were handled through the same pathways that we use to see（眼睛所接受到的平衡生物鐘的光信號同樣作用于人類的視覺系統），也就是說，研究者之前認為人類的眼睛只有一個感光系統。但最新發現卻是，人的眼睛有兩個感光系統。

第十九篇 Graphene's Superstrength1 Big technology comes in tiny packages.New cell phones and personal computers get smaller every year，which means these electronics require even smaller components on the inside.Engineers are looking for creative ways to build these components，and they've turned their eyes to graphene，a superthin2 material，made of carbon，that could change the future of electronics.This year's Nobel Prize for Physics3 has been awarded to Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov from the University of Manchester4，UK.for the discovery of graphene.Graphene isn't just small, it's“the thinnest possible material in this world，”says Novoselov.He calls it a“wonder material.”It's so thin that you would need to stack about 25,000 sheets just to make a pile as thick as a piece of ordinary white paper.If you were to hold a sheet of graphene in your fingers5，you'd have no idea because you wouldn't be able to see it.Carbon is one of the most abundant elements in the universe.Every known kind of life contains carbon.Graphene is a sheet of carbon，but only one atom thick.You don't have to look far to find grapheme —it's all around you.If you want this high-tech wonderstuff6，all you need is a pencil，paper and a little adhesive tape.Use the pencil to shade a small area on the paper, and then apply a small piece of adhesive

tape over the area7.When you pull up the tape，you'll see that it pulls up a thin layer of some of the shading from your pencil.That layer is called graphite，one of the softest minerals in the world.Now stick the same piece of tape on another sheet of paper and pull the tape up —there should be an even thinner layer，this time left on the paper.Now imagine that you do this over and over，until you get the thinnest possible layer of material on the paper.This layer would be only one atom thick，and you wouldn't be able to see it.Graphite is made of layers of graphene，so when you get to the thinnest possible layer，you've found graphene.詞匯：

graphene/ 'gr?fi:n/ n．石墨烯

abundant/?’b?nd?nt / adj．豐富的，充裕的 atom/ '?t?m/n．原子

adhesive/ ?d'hi:siv/ n．膠粘劑； adj.黏著的 stack/st?k/ v．使成堆，堆放 graphite / 'gr?fait / n．石墨

注釋：

1.superstrength：超強的力量。該詞是一個合成詞，由兩部分組成，super（超級的）和strength（力量）。2.superthin：超薄。見注釋1。

3.Nobel Prize for Physics ：諾貝爾物理學獎

4.the University of Manchester：曼徹斯特大學。這是一所位于英國曼徹斯特市的公立研究型大學，創建于1851 年。

5.If you were to hold a sheet of graphene in your fingers：句子使用的是虛擬語氣，因為不可能將幾乎肉眼看不到的石墨烯放在指尖上。

6.wonderstuff：神奇物。該詞為合成詞，由wonder（神奇）和stuff（東西）兩個詞構成。wonderstuff 指的是第二段提到的wonder material。

7.apply a small piece of adhesive tape over… ：將一小片膠帶敷在……上。

石墨烯的超強力量

當今重大科學技術均以“微型”來呈現，新手機和個人電腦每年都在變得更小，這就意味著電子設備要求內部零件更小，工程師們正在尋求制造這些零件的方法，他們逐漸把目光投向了石墨烯——一種由碳元素構成的超薄材料。這種材料將改變電子設備的未來。

今年的諾貝爾物理學獎頒發給了來自英國曼切斯特大學的Andre Geim和Kostya Novoselov，以表彰他們對石墨烯的發現。Novoselov說：“石墨烯不僅小，而且它是世界上所能找到的最薄材料。”他把它稱作“神奇材料”。石墨烯極薄，25 000片石墨烯疊放在一起才與一張普通白紙一樣厚。如果把一片石墨烯放在手指上，你根本就不會發現，因為你沒辦法看到它。

碳是宇宙中最多的一種元素，已知的生命體中都含有碳。石墨烯一個只有一個碳原子厚度的單層。你不用費心尋找石墨烯，它就在我們身邊。

如果你想得到這種高技術材料，一支筆、一張紙和一小段膠條就足夠了。用鉛筆在紙上涂黑一片區域，將膠條粘在上面，當你拉開膠條你會發現它粘起了很薄的一片鉛筆涂的陰影，這一片陰影就叫做石墨烯，一種世界上最軟的礦物質。

現在，再將膠條粘上另外一張紙上，把它拉起來，你會得到更薄的一層。想象一下當你重復做，直到在紙上得到最薄的一層物質，這層物質只有一個原子的厚度，你根本無法看到。石墨是由一層層的石墨烯組成的，所以當你得到最薄的一層時，你已經找到了石墨烯。

練習：.What would change the future of electronics according to engineers? A Big technology.B Creative ways.C Graphene.D Both A and B.2.According to the second and third paragraphs，what is true of graphene? A It can be used to make paper.B It is possible to see it with our naked eye.C It is easy to find graphene.D It is possibly the thickest material in the world.3.Which of the following can be used to replace the word “apply”in paragraph 4? A request.B polish.C use.D put.4.Which of the following is NOT meant in the last two paragraphs? A Graphene is made of graphite，one of the softest materials in the world.B Graphite is made of layers of graphene，the thinnest material in the world.C When we get to the thinnest possible layer of graphite，we find graphene.D With a pencil，a sheet of paper and a piece of adhesive tape，we can find graphene.5.Graphene's superstrength lies in the fact that A It is the thinnest material in the world.B It is made of the most abundant elements in the world.C It can help to make electronic components smaller.D It helps engineers to produce more sensitive electronic products.答案與題解：

1.C 第一段最后一句提供了答案：工程師將眼光投向石墨烯，一種由碳原子組成的超薄材料，這種材料能夠改變電子產品的未來。

2.C 第二段倒數第二句告訴我們，25,000 層石墨烯才能堆砌成一張普通白紙的厚度，這是為了說明石墨烯是多么的薄，而不是說它可以用來造紙，所以A不是正確答案。第三段最后一句說明石墨烯就在我們周圍，因此C是答案。B和D的表述內容都與該兩段內容不符合。3.D apply...over：將……涂（敷）在……上。

4.A 最后兩段告訴我們，用一張紙，一支鉛筆和一片膠帶就能找到石墨烯；無數層石墨烯構成石墨，當鉛筆留在紙上的石墨被膠帶剝離到最薄一層時，我們就得到了石墨烯。因此只有A不是最后兩段的表述內容。5.C 第一段提供了答案。隨著電子產品越來越小，需要更小的電子組件（components），而石墨烯作為最薄的材料可以幫助工程師實現這一目標。這就是石墨烯力量所在。

*第三＋八篇 “Life Form Found“ on Saturn's Titan Scientists say they have discovered hints of alien life1 on the Saturn's moon2.The discovery

of a sort of life was announced after researchers at the US space agency,NASA3,analyzed data from spacecraft Cassini4,which pointed to，the existence of methane-based form of life on Saturn's biggest moon.Scientists have reportedly discovered clues showing primitive alien beings are“breathing” in Titan's dense atmosphere filled with hydrogen.They argue that hydrogen gets absorbed before hitting Titan's planet-like surface covered with methane lakes and rivers.This，they say，points to the existence of some“bugs”5 consuming the hydrogen at the surface of the moon less than half the size of the Earth.“We suggested hydrogen consumption because it's the obvious gas for life to consume on Titan，similar to the way we consume oxygen on Earth，”says NASA scientist Chris McKay.“If these signs do turn out to be a sign of life，it would be doubly exciting because it would represent a second form of life independent from water-based life on Earth.” To date，scientists have not yet detected this form of life anywhere，though there are liquid-water-based microorganisms on Earth that grow well on methane or produce it as a waste product.On Titan, where temperatures are around 90 Kelvin6(minus 290 degrees Farenheit)，a methanebased organism would have to use a substance that is liquid as its medium for living processes, but not water itself.Water is frozen solid on Titan's surface and much too cold to support life as we know it.Scientists had expected the Sun's interactions with chemicals in the atmosphere to produce a coating of acetylene on Titan's surface.But Cassini detected no acetylene on the surface.The absence of detectable acetylene on the Titan's surface can very well have a non-biological explanation，said Mark Allen，a principal investigator7 of the NASA Titan team.“Scientific conservatism suggests that a biological explanation should be the last choice after all non-biological explanations are addressed，”Allen said.“We have a lot of work to do to rule out8 possible non-biological explanations.It is more likely that a chemical process，without biology，can explain these results.” 詞匯：

Saturn /'s?t?n/ n．土星

methane/'mi:θein/ n．甲烷，沼氣 Titan/'tait?n/ n．土衛六

acetylene/?'setili:n/ n．乙炔 alien/'eilj?n/ n．外星人；adj．外星球的；相異的 conservatism/k?n's?:v?tiz?m/ n．保守主義,守舊

注釋：

1.hints of alien life：外星生命跡象。

2.the Saturn's moon：指土衛六（Titan)。土衛六又稱泰坦星，是土星衛星中最大的一顆。3.NASA：美國國家航空航天局的縮寫，全稱是： National Aeronautics and Space Administration。4.spacecraft Cassini：卡西尼號探測器，以出生于意大利的法國天文學家卡西尼的名字命名，其任務是環繞土星飛行，對土星及其大氣、光環、衛星和磁場進行深人考察。1997 年10 月15日，重六噸的“卡西尼”號星際探測器被發射飛往土星的軌道。這是上世紀發射的最后一艘行星際探測的大飛船。“卡西尼”號用了將近七年時間，在2004 年7月1日飛達土星軌道。5.bugs：微生物。非正式口語表達，所以使用了引號。

6.Kelvin：可翻譯成“絕對溫度”。Kelvin Scale，絕對溫標，開氏溫標，是由Kelvin 勛爵于19世紀中葉發明的溫度計量方法，其零度相當于攝氏一273.15“ C，被認為是宇宙中最低溫度。這種溫度計量方法多為科學家使用。

7.principal investigator：研究項目負責人 8.rule out：排除……的可能性

土衛六上發現了生命跡象

科學家們說，在土衛六上發現了外星生命跡象并宣布了這一發現。美國國家航空航天局(NASA)的研究者們對卡西尼號探測器所傳回來的數據進行了分析，數據表明，土星衛星中最大的一顆衛星有以甲烷為基礎的生命的存在跡象。

據報道，科學家們已經找到了在土衛六高濃度氫氣大氣層里“呼吸”的原始外星生命的線索。

他們認為，氫氣在到達布滿甲烷河流湖泊的土衛六類似行星一樣的表層前就已經被吸收了。這就證明在這個不及半個地球大小的衛星表面有某種微生物在依靠氫氣生存。

美國國家航空航天局的科學家Chris Mckay說，“我們提出有氫氣的消耗，是由于它是土衛六上生命賴以生存的顯而易見的氣體，就像我們地球上用氧氣呼吸一樣。如果這些跡象最終證明是生命的跡象，它會加倍令人興奮，因為它會代表完全不同于地球上水基生命的第二種生命。”

時至今日，盡管地球上的依賴液體水的微生物在甲烷里生長良好或把它作為廢物排出，科學家在任何地方都沒有探測到這種生命的形式。在土衛六上，絕對溫度達到90度(相當于攝氏-273．15度)，依賴于甲烷的微生物不得不用某種液體物質作為生存的介質，這種液體不是水，水在土衛六上會凍成冰塊，不能融化。我們知道，冰塊太冷不能維持生命。

科學家們原指望太陽與大氣層中的化學物質相互作用會在土衛六上產生一層乙炔。但卡西尼號在它的表面沒有探測到乙炔。

Mark Allen是美國宇航局土衛六項目組的主要負責人，他說道，既然在土衛六的表面沒有探測到乙炔，那就充分說明上面沒有生物。

Allen說：“科學界的保守主義者們建議，要做出土衛六上有生物的結論，首先必須對土衛六上所有沒有生物的觀點做出回應；要排除土衛六上可能沒有生物的觀點，我們任重道遠。極為可能的是，一種化學過程而非生物學能解釋這些結果。”

練習：.What have scientists found about Saturn? A They have found a new moon orbiting Saturn.B They have found methane-based life on Saturn.C They have found methane-based life on Titan.D They have found earthlike life on a Saturn's moon.2.What do scientists say about Titan? A There are life clues there.B There is acetylene there.C Water on Titan exists in the form of ice.D Rivers and lakes there contain life formls.3.To date，scientists have not yet detected this form of life.(paragraph 5)What does”this form of life“ refer to? A Water-based life.B Methane-based life.C Liquid-water-based microorganisms.D Gas-based life.4.What can be inferred from what Allen said? A Scientists have different arguments over whether there is life on Titan.B Scientists all agree that there is life on Titan.C Scientists all suggest that a biological explanation is reasonable.D Scientists all agree that a non-biological chemical reaction is a possible explanation.5.Which of the following can replace the title of this passage? A Earthlike Living Beings Found on Titan.B Finding of One More Moon of Saturn.C Titan a New Satellite Found.D A different Life Form, a Possibility.答案與題解：

1.C 短文的第一段提供了答案。該段告訴讀者，科學家在土星的衛星土衛六（Titan）上發現了生命的跡象，這些生命的存在是以甲烷為基礎的。

2.A根據第二段“Scientists have reportedly discovered clues showing primitive alien beings are 'breathing' in Titan's dense atmosphere filled with hydrogen.”，說明土衛六（Titan）有生命跡象。因此A是答案。3.B this form of life 指的是土衛六（Titan）上以甲烷為生命基礎呼吸氫氣的生物，即該文討論的主題。4.A科學家至今對土衛六是否存在生物有不同的觀點和解釋。Allen 說要做出土衛六上有生物的結論，首先必須對Titan 上沒有生物的觀點做出回應；要排除土衛六上可能沒有生物的觀點，我們還須付出努力。所以只有A是正確選擇。

5.D該短文的主題是，科學家在土衛六（Titan）上發現了一種與地球生物不同的生命形式的跡象，即以甲烷為生命基礎呼吸氫氣的生物，但科學家還未能最后驗證這一發現。第四段中的一個句子能夠揭示該短文的主題：“If these signs do turn out to be a sign of life, it would bedoubly exciting because it would represent a second form of life independent from water-based life on Earth.”

*第四十篇 Teaching Math，Teaching Anxiety In a new study about the way kids learn math in elementary school, the psychologists at the University of Chicagol1 Sian Beilock and Susan Levine found a surprising relationship between what female teachers think and what female students learn:If a female teacher is uncomfortable with her own math skills, then her female students are more likely to believe that boys are better than girls at math.”If these girls keep getting math-anxious female teachers2 in later grades, it may create a snowball effect on their math achievement3 said Levine.In other words girls may end up learning math anxiety from their teachers4.The study suggests that if these girls grow up believing that boys are better at math than girls are then these girls may not do as well as they would have if they were more confident.Just as students find certain subjects to be difficult, teachers can find certain subjects to be difficult to learn--and teach.The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone.Researchers use the word “anxiety” to describe such feelings: anxiety is uneasiness or worry.The new study found that when a teacher has anxiety about math, that feeling can influence how her female students feel about math.The study involved 65 girls,52 boys and 17 first-and second-grade teachers in elementary schools in the Midwest.The students took math achievement

tests at the beginning and end of the school year, and the researchers compared the scores.The researchers also gave the students tests to tell whether the students believed that a math superstar had to be a boy.Then the researchers turned to the teachers:To find out which teachers were anxious about math,the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math, such as when reading a sales receipt5.A teacher who got nervous looking at the numbers on a sales receipt, for example,was probably anxious about math.Boys,on average,were unaffected by a teacher's anxiety.On average,girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests than other girls in the study did.Plus,on the test showing whether someone thought a math superstar had to be a boy,20 girls showed feeling that boys would be better at math--and all of these girls had been taught by female teachers who had math anxiety.“This is an interesting study,but the results need to be interpreted as preliminary and in need of replication with a larger sample6,” said David Geary,a psychologist at the University of Missouri7 in Columbia.詞匯：

snowball /'sn?ub?:l/雪球；滾雪球式增長的事

replication/repli'kei??n/ n ．重復，復現 superstar/'sju:p?sta:/ n．超級明星

注釋：

1.University of Chicago：芝加哥大學。位于美國伊利諾伊州芝加哥市，是世界一流的私立大學，創建于1891 年。

2.keep getting math-anxious female teachers：一直由對數學有焦慮感的女教師教授數學。此處getting是having的意思，math-anxious指的是上文中提到的對數學沒有自信的心理狀態。另見第三段最后一句對anxiety的解釋。

3.snowball effect on their math achievement：在數學成就上的雪球效應。其含義是：在數學上越來越沒有信心。

4.end up learning math anxiety from their teachers：最后從老師那里獲得的是對數學的焦慮。End up doing something：最終會做某事 5.sales receipt：銷售清單

6.in need of replication with a larger sample：需要用更大的調查樣本進行重復驗證。replication在量化實證研究中的意思是“重復（實驗）”。

7.the University of Missouri：密蘇里大學。位于密蘇里州，是美國一所公立研究型大學，創建于1839年。

教數學，教焦慮

在最新一項關于小學生學數學的研究中，芝加哥大學的心理學家Sian Beilock和Susan Levine 發現，女教師的想法和女學生的學習之間有著驚人的聯系：如果女教師對自己的數學能力感到焦慮，她的女學生很可能認為男孩子數學比女孩學得更好。

“如果一直由對數學有焦慮的女教師教授數學，就會對她們的數學成績產生雪球效應”，Levine說。換言之，女孩子們最后從老師那里獲得的是對數學的焦慮。該研究表明，如果女孩子們在一個認為男孩比女孩數學好的環境中成長，那么她們的數學可能會不如在更自信的狀態下學得好。

如同學生，教師也會覺得某些學科難學和難教，這就是研究者所言的“焦慮”：不自在或擔心。

此研究發現，教師對數學的焦慮能夠傳染給她的女學生們。該研究的研究對象包括65個女孩，52個男孩和17位在中西部教一二年級的教師。學生們在學年的開始和結束時都進行數學測試，研究者們比較得分。

研究者們測試學生是否認為數學明星一定會是男孩。然后研究者們測試教師，試圖找出哪些教師對數學感到焦慮，研究者們問教師們當碰到數學問題諸如閱讀銷售清單時的感受，如果一位教師一看到銷售清單的數字就感到緊張，那么她很可能對數學存在焦慮。

平均來說，教師的焦慮不會影響到男孩子。但是，一般說來，如果教女孩子的教師有數學焦慮癥，那么女孩子們在學年結束時測試得分比其他的女孩要低。另外，在關于是否認為數學明星應該是男孩的測試中，有20個女孩認為男孩數學比女孩好，這20個女孩的老師都是女性，且都患有數學焦慮癥。

來自密蘇里大學的心理學家David Geary說“這是一個有趣的研究，但是這只是初步結果，需要用更大的調查樣本進行重復驗證”。

練習：

1.What is the result of the research at the University of Chicago,according to the first paragraph? A Girls comfortable with their own math skills are better than boys at math.B Girls uncomfortable with their own math skills are not as good as boys at math.C Female teachers' math skills have influence over girl students' math skills.D Female teachers' confidence in their math skills is related to girl's math skills.2.What is implied in the third paragraph? A Math teachers,like math learners,do not like the subject due to its difficulty.B A difficult subject like math may affect teachers' confidence in teaching the subject.C Teachers are more anxious teaching math than their students learning math.D Math is so difficult that no teachers like to teach it.3.According to the experiment,those teachers were probably anxious about math when they felt A nervous memorizing the numbers of a sales receipt.B helpless saving the numbers of a sales receipt.C uneasy reading the numbers of a sales receipt.D hopeless filling in the numbers of a sales report.4.The sixth paragraph tells us that the research findings A prove a strong link between female teachers' math anxiety and their female students' math achievements.B show that male students are less likely to be affected by their math anxiety than female students.C Provide strong evidence that math superstars are more likely to be males than females.D Discover a strong link between teachers' math anxiety and their students' math achievements.5.David Geary thinks that A the study is interesting but it is based on unreliable research process.B the research results need to be retested based on a larger sample.C the research results need to be reinterpreted to be meaningful.D the study is well based and produces significant results.答案與題解：

1.D 該段告訴我們女教師的想法（what female teachers think）和女學生的學習（what female students learn）

之間有很大的關聯度，也就是說，女教師如果對自己的數學技能沒有自信，她的女學生很可能相信男孩子會在數學方面超過女孩子。

2.B 第三段的大意是，數學對任何人來說都可能有難度（The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone)，如同學生，教師也會覺得數學難學和難教，這就是研究者所言的焦慮。所以，可以推斷，作者是要告訴我們，教師會因為數學這門學科的難度而對教授該課程不自信。其他選項都不是該段所要表達的內容。

3.C 第五段第三句“To find out which teachers were anxious about math, the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math，such as when reading a sales receipt”指出了答案。memorizing the numbers；意為“記住數字”；saving the numbers意為“保存數字”；filling in the numbers意為“陸續編入數字”，而且文中沒有提到a sales report；它們均不是答案。

4.A 短文的第六段是對前一段所述調查數據結果的討論，即，男學生較少受對數學有焦慮感的教師影響，而那些數學成績較低的女生都有對數學有焦慮感的教師（girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests)，而且，所有認為男生數學肯定比女生強的女生，其數學教師都是有數學焦慮感的女教師（all of these girls had been taught by female teachers who had math anxiety.)。D所以不是正確的選擇，因為只提到teachers 和students,而不是female teachers 和female students。

5.B 根據David Geary的說法，實驗結果還是初步的（preliminary)，需要更大的樣本對其進行重復驗證（in need of replication with a larger sample)。他沒有認為該實驗的過程不可靠，所以A不是正確選項；他認為實驗樣本不夠大，所以D也不是正確選項。

+第四＋五篇 Small But Wise On December 14,NASA1 blasted a small but mighty telescope into space.The telescope is called WISE and is about as wide around as a trashcan.Don't let its small size fool you:WISE has a powerful digital camera, and it will be taking pictures of some the wildest objects2 in the known universe,including asteroids,faint stars,blazing galaxies3 and giant clouds of dust where planets and stars are born.“I'm very excited because we're going to be seeing parts of the universe that we haven't seen before,”said Ned Wright, a scientist who directs the WISE project.Since arriving in space,the WISE telescope has been circling the Earth,held by gravity in a polar orbit4(this means it crosses close to the north and south poles with each lap5).Its camera is pointed outward,away from the Earth,and WISE will snap a picture of a different part of the sky every 11 minutes.After six months it will have taken pictures across the entire sky.The pictures taken by WISE won't be like everyday digital photographs,however.WISE stands for“Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.”As its name suggests,the WISE camera takes pictures of features that give off infrared radiation6.Radiation is energy that travels as a wave.Visible light, including the familiar spectrum of light7 that becomes visible in a rainbow,is an example of radiation.When an ordinary digital camera takes a picture of a tree,for example,it receives the waves of visible light that are reflected off the tree.When these waves enter the camera through the lens,they're processed by the camera,which then puts the image together.Waves of infrared radiation are longer than waves of visible light, so ordinary digital cameras don't see them,and neither do the eyes of human beings.Although invisible to the eye,longer infrared radiation can be detected as warmth by the skin.That's a key idea to why WISE will be able to see things other telescopes can't.Not everything in the universe shows up in visible light.Asteroids,for example,are giant rocks that float through space 一but they absorb most of the light that reaches them.They don't reflect light,so they're difficult to see.But they do give off infrared radiation, so an infrared telescope like WISE will be able to produce images of them.During its mission WISE will take pictures of hundreds of thousands of asteroids.Brown dwarfs8 are another kind of deep-space object that will show up in WISE's pictures.These objects are“failed” stars 一which means they are not massive enough to jump start9 the same kind of reactions that power stars such as the sun.Instead,brown dwarfs simply shrink and cool down.They're so dim that they're almost impossible to see with visible light, but in the infrared spectrum they glow.詞匯：

trashcan / 'tr??,k?n/n．垃圾箱 infrared/'infr?'red/ adj．紅外線 asteroid/'?st?r?id/ n.小行星 dwarf/dw?:f/ n.矮星

注釋：

1.NASA（美國國家航空航天局）是縮寫詞，全稱是National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2.the wildest objects ：任何你能想象得到的天體。wild 有“未被人馴養的”“荒唐的”“離奇的”意思。3.faint stars, blazing galaxies：指的是那些只能看到微弱的光和因燃燒而無法觀察到的天體。

4.polar orbit：極地軌道。指軌道平面與赤道面夾角為90的人造地球衛星軌道。人造衛星運行時能到達南北極區上空，即衛星能飛經全球范圍的上空。需要在全球范圍內進行觀測和應用的氣象衛星、導航衛星、地球資源衛星等都采用這種軌道。

5.lap：一圈。原指競賽場的一圈或游泳池的一個來回，如： She overtook the other runners on the last lap.她最后一圈超過了其他參賽者。6.infrared radiation：紅外線輻射

7.spectrum of light：光譜，即，光輻射的波長分布區域。

8.Brown dwarfs：褐矮星。褐矮星非常暗淡，很難發現它們，要確定它們的大小就更加困難。9.jump start: 啟動。

小而聰明

12月14日，美國國家航空航天局發射了一個體積小而威力大的望遠鏡，它的名字叫“WISE”(聰明)，大約只有一個垃圾盒子那么寬。你可千萬不要輕視這個小東西，WISE可是一款高強數碼相機，它將在人類已知的宇宙里拍攝任何你所能想到的天體，包括小行星、那些只能看到微弱的光和因燃燒而無法觀察到的天體，以及自行星和恒星誕生以來的巨大塵埃云。

Ned Wright是主持WISE項目的科學家，他說：“我十分興奮，因為我們就要看到以前從未看到過的那部分宇宙”。

到達宇宙空間后，WISE由于受極地軌道重力作用，一直在圍繞地球旋轉。(這意味著，每轉一圈，它就離南極和北極靠近)。它的鏡頭是向外的，遠離地球。每11分鐘WISE就會抓拍天空一個不同的部分。六個月之后，它將把整個天空拍攝完畢。

然而，WISE拍攝的相片不會像我們日常的數碼相片。WISE是Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer(廣域紅外勘測探測器)的縮寫。正如名字所示，WISE能拍到發出紅外線輻射物體的相片。

輻射是波浪狀行進的一種能量。人能看到的光，包括大家熟悉的、在彩虹里看到的光譜就是射線的一個例子。當普通的數碼相機給一棵樹照相時，它能接收到樹反射回來的、可見的光波。光波通過鏡頭進入到相機里，相機對它進行加工，然后把圖像合成。

紅外線的波長比可見光長，所以，普通的數碼相機捕捉不到他們，人眼也看不到這種射線。盡管人們看不到，人的皮膚能感受到較長紅外線帶來的溫暖。

這就是為什么WISE能捕捉到其他望遠鏡看不到的物體的主要原因。宇宙中，不是所有的東西都以可見光的方式呈現出來。例如，小行星是在太空中漂浮的大巖石，但是小行星吸收射到他們表面的大部分光。他們不能反射光，所以要看到他們很困難。但他們卻釋放出紅外線，所以，象WISE這樣的紅外線望遠鏡才能夠捕捉到它們的圖像。WISE的任務就是拍攝成千上萬的小行星圖像。

WISE的另一任務是為另外一種太空深處的天體一褐矮星拍照。這種天體是“失敗的”恒星，它們是一些不夠大，不能像太陽的能量那樣啟動相同的反應。褐矮星只能縮小和冷卻。他們發出的光如此之微弱，人們根本看不到，但是在紅外頻譜中，它們是發光的。

練習：.What is so special about WISE? A It is small in size but carries a large camera.B It is as small as a trashcan.C Its digital camera can help astronomers to see the unknown space.D Never before has a telescope carried a digital camera in space.2.Which is NOT the synonym for the word “snap” in the third paragraph? A make.B shoot.C take D photograph.3.The camera on WISE A is no different from an ordinary camera.B does not see infrared radiation while the ordinary camera does.C catches the infrared radiation while the ordinary camera does not.D reflects light that human eyes can see.4.Which of the following is NOT correct about“asteroids” according to paragraph 7? A Asteroids float through space giving off visible light.B Asteroids do not reflect light that reaches them.C It is difficult to take asteroids' pictures by ordinary cameras, D The WISE telescope can take pictures of asteroids 5.What is implied in the last paragraph? A Brown dwarfs give off visible light.B Brown dwarfs give off infrared radiation.C Brown dwarfs are power stars like the sun.D Brown dwarfs are impossible to see with the WISE telescope.答案與題解：

1.C 短文的第一和第二段提供了答案。WISE 的特殊之處就在于，雖然體積小，但它的數碼相機能拍到任何天體，所以能夠幫助天文學家觀測到宇宙空間中（in the known universe）的未知天文現象。其他選項都不是短文表達的意思。

2.A snap 是個多義詞，可以解釋為“拍照”，更為確切的意思是“拍快照”。這里shoot, take 和photograph 都是snap 的同義詞。

3.C 短文第六段和第四段提供了答案。人類的肉眼和普通相機看到的光是visible lights，看不見紅外線輻射（infrared radiation)，而WISE 的相機能夠看到。

4.A 短文第七段第二句說并非所有的宇宙中的物體都會發出可見光，比如asteroids，所以A是正確選項。其他選項的內容都可以在該段中找到。

5.B 最后一段的第一句說，褐矮星能出現在WISE 照片中，根據上文對WISE 望遠鏡的描述只有WISE 望遠鏡才能拍到紅外線射線，所以B是正確選擇。

+第四十六篇 Ants Have Big Impact on Environment as“Ecosystem Engineers”

Research by the University of Exeter1 has revealed that ants have a big impact on their local environment as a result of their activity as “ecosystem engineers” and predators.The study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, found that ants have two distinct effects on their local environment.Firstly, through moving of soil by nest building2 activity and by collecting food they affect the level of nutrients in the soil.This can indirectly impact the local populations of many animal groups, from decomposers to species much higher up the food chain.Secondly, they prey on a wide range of other animals, including larger prey which can be attacked by vast numbers of ant workers.Dirk Sanders, an author of the study from the university's Centre for Ecology and Conservation, said:“Ants are very effective predators which thrive in huge numbers.They're also very territorial3 and very aggressive, defending their resources and territory against other predators.All of this means they have a strong influence on their surrounding area.”

“In this research, we studied for the first time how big this impact is and the subtleties of it.What we found is that despite being predators, their presence can also lead to an increase in density and diversity of other animal groups4.They genuinely play a key role in the local environment, having a big influence on the grassland food web,” Sanders said.The study, carried out in Germany, studied the impact of the presence of different combinations and densities of black garden ants and common red ants, both species which can be found across Europe, including in the UK.It found that a low density of ants in an area increased the diversity and density of other animals in the local area, particularly the density of herbivores and decomposers.At higher densities ants had no or the opposite effect, showing that predation is counteracting the positive influence.Dr Frank van Veen, another author on the study, said:“What we find is that the impact of ants on soil nutrient levels has a positive effect on animal groups at low levels, but as the number of ants increases, their predatory impacts have the bigger effect — thereby counteracting the positive influence via ecosystem engineering.”

Ants are important components of ecosystems not only because they constitute a great part of the animal biomass5 but also because they act as ecosystem engineers.Ant biodiversity6 is incredibly high and these organisms are highly responsive to human impact, which obviously reduces its richness.However, it is not clear how such disturbance damages the maintenance of ant services to the ecosystem． Ants are important in below ground processes8 through the

alteration of the physical and chemical environment and through their effects on plants, microorganisms, and other soil organisms.詞匯：

predator /' pred?t?/ n．食肉動物

nutrient/' nju:tri?nt/ n ．營養物；adj．營養的 decomposer/,di:k?m'p?uz?/ n．腐生物；分解體 prey/prei/ v．捕食；n．被捕食的動物 subtlety/ 's?tlti/ n，微妙，精妙 herbivore/ 'h?:biv?: / n ．食草動物

注釋：

1.the University of Exeter ：埃克斯特大學。1851 年建校，位于英國西南部重要商業中心埃克斯特市，是英國著名的傳統大學之一。2.nest building ：筑巢

3.territorial：領地的。在此用來形容螞蟻的本性，即具有很強的領地意識，并且會竭盡全力保衛自己的領地。4.an increase in density and diversity of other animal groups ：其他動物群體在數量和品種上的增長。5.biomass ：物質名詞，由bio和mass 兩部分組成，意為“生物量”“生物質”。6.biodiversity ：物質名詞，由bio和diversity 兩部分組成，意為“生物多樣性”。7.the maintenance of ant services to the ecosystem ：螞蟻對生態系統的維護作用。8.below ground processes ：土壤下面的（工作）過程，即影響生態環境的過程。

螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”對環境影響巨大

埃克斯特大學所做的研究表明，螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”和食肉動物的行為對當地的環境影響巨大。該研究發表在動物生態雜志上，它表明螞蟻對當地的環境有兩大顯著的影響。

第一，通過筑巢而挪動土壤或采集食物，螞蟻影響土壤的營養水平。這可間接影響當地從腐生物到食物鏈高層的許多動物種群的數量。

第二，它們捕食的動物種類很多，包括那些被大量工蟻攻擊的大獵物。

Dirk Sanders是該大學生態和保護中心所做的此項研究的作者，他說：“螞蟻是高效的食肉動物，而且能大量繁殖。它們具有很強的領地意識，并且會竭盡全力對抗其他的食肉動物來保衛自己的領地。所有這些都意味著螞蟻對周圍環境影響巨大。”

“在該研究中，我們第一次對螞蟻帶來的影響程度及微妙程度進行研究。所得的發現是：盡管是食肉動物，螞蟻的出現能促使其他動物族群在數量和品種上的增長。并對當地的環境起到切實重要的作用，對大草原的食物鏈影響巨大。”Sanders說。

該研究在德國進行，它對花園黑螞蟻和一般的紅螞蟻在不同混合程度和不同密度下的影響力進行研究。黑螞蟻和紅螞蟻在整個歐洲包括英國都能找到。研究發現，一個地區的螞蟻密度小，而其他動物尤其是食草動物和腐生物的數量和種類會增多。如果螞蟻的密度大，就不可能產生同樣的影響，或者產生相反的影響，這表明，螞蟻的掠食活動會抵消螞蟻給環境帶來的積極影響。

Dr Frank van Veen是本研究的另一作者，他說：“我們的發現是：如果螞蟻的數量少，其對土壤的營養水平的影響會對動物族群產生積極的效果。但是如果螞蟻的數量增加，其捕食的影響會達到最大化，因此會抵消螞蟻通過生態工程給環境帶來的積極影響”。

螞蟻是生態系統的重要組成部分，不僅因為它占有很大部分的生物量，而且因為其作為生態系統工程師的角色。螞蟻具有難以想象的多樣性，但極易受人類的影響，這就使它的多樣性有顯著的減少。然而，科學家還不清楚人類對螞蟻這種干擾如何破壞螞蟻對生態系統的維護作用。螞蟻通過變動物理的和化學的環境，通過對植物、微生物和其他土壤生物的影響

而對生態環境起至關重要的作用。

練習：.Why are ants compared to ecosystem engineers? A Because they build their own nests.B Because they collect food.C Because their activity affects the environment.D Because they are predators.2.As predators, ants A prey on small as well as large animals.B collect nutritious food from the soil C collect food as decomposers.D prey on species much higher up the food chain.3.Dir Sanders' study centered on how ants A can manage to thrive in huge numbers.B defend their resources and territory against other predators.C attack those invading animals for survival.D produce such a big impact on the environment.4.What does paragraph 6 tell us? A Ants bring about a negative influence to an area when their population is small.B Ants bring about a positive influence to an area when their population is small.C Ants' predation counteracts the positive influence they may have on an area.D At higher density, ants produce a positive influence on an area.5.What still remains unclear about ants, according to the last paragraph? A What roles do ants play in the ecosystem in which they live? B How do ants affect the animal diversity in a given ecosystem? C How do human activities affect ants' influence on a given ecosystem? D How do ants alter the physical and chemical environment? 答案與題解：

1.C 短文的第一段提供了答案。A不是正確答案，因為并不是因為螞蟻會筑巢才被譽為生態系統工程師，而是因為它們筑巢和獲取食物的方式改變了土壤的營養水平，為整個食物鏈提供了很好的生態環境（見第二段）。

2.A答案能夠從短文的第三段直接找到。該段告訴我們，螞蟻的掠食范圍很廣，甚至包括比它們體積更大的動物（larger animals）。prey 在這里的意思是“捕獵，捕食”，作為動詞，后面跟介詞on或upon。3.D Dirk Sanders說：“In this research, we studied for the first time how big this impact is and the subtleties of it.”（第五段）所以，D是正確選擇。句中the subtleties of it 的意思是：螞蟻對環境影響的精妙之處。4.B 短文第六段第二句的大概意思是，螞蟻數量小（a low density of ants）的話，能使其他動物的品種和數量增加（increased the diversity and density of other animals），從而給環境帶來積極影響；第三句說，如果螞蟻的數量大（At higher densities），就不可能產生同樣的影響，或者是相反的影響，這表明，螞蟻的掠食活動會抵銷螞蟻給環境帶來的積極影響。第七段Dr Frank van Veen 表達了大體相同的內容。

5.C 最后一段的第二和第三句提供了答案。第二句告訴我們，螞蟻極易受人類的影響（these organisms are highly responsive to human impact），第三句告訴我們，科學家還不清楚人類對螞蟻這種干擾如何破壞螞蟻對生態系統的維護作用（“it is not clear how such disturbance damages the maintenance of ant services to the ecosystem.”）。

第三篇：2014年職稱英語綜合類考試教材補全短文文章及譯文

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

2014年職稱英語綜合類考試教材補全短文文章及譯文（3）

2014年職稱英語考試時間為3月29日。小編為您整理職稱英語教材中，補全短文部分的文章及譯文，希望對您有所助益。

Are Online Friends Real Friends?

Modern computer technology has made a new kind of human relationship possible: online friendship.____(1)____.Are online friendships as beneficial as face-to-face friendships? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having virtual friends? Can people form strong bonds online? Today these questions are the subject of lively debate1.Some people believe that the Internet is the best way to make new friends.It’s convenient, it’s fast, and it allows to make contact with different kinds of people from all over the world.When you use social networking websites and chat rooms, you can easily find people with interests and hobbies similar to yours2.Information updates and photos add to the experience.Making friends on the Internet is especially good for shy people who feel uncomfortable in social situations.It’s often easier to share thoughts and feelings online.____(2)____.They can make people feel less lonely and help them solve problems.Although the Internet can encourage friendship, it has a major disadvantage.____(3)____.Online friends only tell you what they want you to know.They sometimes exaggerate their good qualities and hide the less positive ones, so you can’t be sure of what they really like3.That is why you should not give personal information to anyone online unless you’re totally sure of who that person is.Can online friendship be as meaningful as face-to-face ones? There are different points of view.Researchers at the University of Southern California surveyed 2,000 households in the United States.The results showed that more than 40 percent of participants feel “as strongly about their online buddies”as they do about their “offline”friends.____(4)____.In contrast, there are many people who believe that it’s not possible to have deep relationships with online friends.A young Indian software engineer, Lalitha Lakshmipathy，says，“it’s good to feel connected with many people, but all my e-buddies are not necessarily my close friends.”____(5)____.They say that it’s hard to develop feelings of trust and connection _____________________________________________________________________

[1]

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

when you don’t share experiences in person4.People continue to express different opinions about online friendship.However, most of them would agree that virtual friendships must not replace face-to-face friendships.As one life coach says, “a social networking site should only be the ‘add on’ in any relationship.”

注釋：

1.Today these questions are the subject of lively debate.：現今這些問題成了人們熱議的話題。

2.When you use social networking websites and chat rooms, you can easily find people with interests and hobbies similar to yours.：當你瀏覽社交網站和進人聊天室聊天時，你會很容易找到志趣相投的人。

3.They sometimes exaggerate their good qualities and hide the less positive ones, so you can’t be sure of what they really like.：他們有時會夸大自己的優點而掩蓋缺點，讓你看不清他們的廬山真面目。

4.They say that it’s hard to develop feelings of trust and connection when you don’t share experiences in person.：他們認為，由于缺乏共同的經歷，與網友發展信任和聯系很困難。

練習：

A.In addition, virtual friends can offer emotional support.B.When you’re not face to face, it’s much easier to deceive people.C.Many people would agree.D.Researchers also found that it’s not unusual for online friends to become face-to-face friends.E.Online friends may be of help in many ways.F.Online friends，or virtual friends，are people who have become acquainted with each other through the Internet.答案與題解：

1.F開頭第一句講了現代計算機技術給人類帶來了一種新型的人際關系，即網友。而這一句是對網友的定義，即人們通過網絡認識的朋友。第二句的開頭online friends與第一句的結尾online friendship承上啟下，是文章寫作的要素。

2.A本段講的是網上交友的有利因素：方便快捷;分享真情實感比社交場合容易得多。本句的開頭_____________________________________________________________________

[2]

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

in addition(另外)引出對以上有利因素的補充。

3.B本段講的是網上交友的不利因素。本段第一句是一個總括句：網上交友有一大不利。本句說明這一不利是什么，即沒有而對而的接觸，人們很容易受騙，緊接著下一句講怎樣被騙：網友只會告訴你他們想讓你知道的信息。

4.D該句的前一句講的是：調查結果顯示，超過40%的受訪者認為“網上的友誼”同“線下的友誼”一樣牢固。而這一句是對上一句的進一步解釋：調查還顯示，網友轉變成現實中的朋友也不是不尋常的。also —詞也表明了該句和前一句的關系。

5.C該句的前一句和后一句都講的是網絡可以使人們多聯系，但耍使人們成為親密的朋友比較難。所以，該句(很多人也認同這一點)恰當地把它們連接起來。

譯文：網友算真正的朋友嗎?

現代計算機技術使得一種新的人際關系成為可能，即網友。網友，或稱虛擬朋友，是指在網上認識的人。網友是否能像現實中的朋友一樣互相幫助?交網友的利弊分別有哪些?網絡上能建立起牢固的聯系嗎?現金，這些問題引起了激烈的爭論。

有的人認為，網絡是結交朋友最好的方式。網絡不僅方便快捷，還能讓你聯系到全世界各種類型的人。當你瀏覽社交網站或進入聊天室聊天時，你會很容易找到志趣相投的人，信息更新和照片也能增進這種體驗。在網上交友對于內向的人來說尤其有利，因為他們在社交場合可能會感到不自在。在網絡上，分享思想和情感也變得更為容易。另外，虛擬的朋友能夠給人們以情感支持，減少人們的孤獨感，幫助他們解決問題。

網絡雖然可以增進友誼，但也存在不少缺陷。由于沒有面對面的接觸，人們很容易受騙。網友只會告訴你他們想讓你知道的信息。他們有時會夸大自己的優點而掩蓋缺點，讓你看不清他們的廬山真面目。正因如此，在不完全確定對方是誰之前，不要隨便將個人信息提供給網絡上的任何人。

網絡上的朋友能和現實中的朋友一樣有意義嗎?對此有許多不同的觀點。南加州大學的研究人員對美國2000戶家庭進行了一項調查，調查結果顯示，超過40%的受訪者認為“網上的友誼”同“線下的友誼”一樣牢固。調查還顯示，網友不能轉變成現實中的朋友也不是尋常的。與此相對的是，許多人認為與網友發展深厚友誼不太可能。拉麗莎·拉什米帕西是一名年輕的軟件工程師，她說：“同許多人保持聯系給人感覺很好，但是我網上的朋友不都是我親密的朋友。”很多人也認同這一點，他們認為，由于缺乏共同的經歷，與網友發展信任和聯系很困難。

人們還在為網友的問題爭論不休。不過，大部分人仍認為，虛擬的朋友不能代替現實中的朋友。正如一位人生導師說：“社交網站只能成為人際關系的助益，而不能取而代之。”

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[3]

第四篇：2014年職稱英語綜合類考試教材補全短文文章及譯文

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

2014年職稱英語綜合類考試教材補全短文文章及譯文（2）

2014年職稱英語考試時間為3月29日。小編為您整理職稱英語教材中，補全短文部分的文章及譯文，希望對您有所助益。

Teamwork in Tourism

Growing cooperation among branches of tourism has proved valuable to all concerned.Government bureaus，trade and travel associations, carriers and properties are all working together to bring about optimum3 conditions for travelers.(1)They have knowledge of all areas and all carrier services，and they are experts in organizing different types of tours and in preparing effective advertising campaigns.They distribute materials to agencies, such as journals, brochures and advertising projects.⑵

Tourist counselors give valuable seminars to acquaint agents with new programs and techniques in selling.(3)Properties and agencies work closely together to make the most suitable contracts，considering both the comfort of the clients and their own profitable financial arrangement.(4)(5)Carriers are dependent upon agencies to supply passengers，and agencies are dependent upon carriers to present them with marketable tours.All services must work together for greater efficiency, fair pricing and contented customers.注釋：

concerned:作定語時常常放在所修飾的詞或短語的后面，表示“有關的”。例如:Everyone concerned must sign their names here.carriers and properties:指運輸公司和房地產公司。

optimum:形容詞，意為“最佳的”。又如:an optimum temperature for this kind of flower：適合 這種花生長的最佳溫度。

brochure:指具有宣傳性質的小冊子。seminar：研討會

conversely:相反地，反過來說0 又如：The teacher gave the students knowledge, and conversely，the students offered the teacher their warmest gratitude._____________________________________________________________________

[1]

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

練習：

A The same confidence exists between agencies and carriers，including car-rental and sight-seeing services.B They offer familiarization and workshop tours so that in a short time agents can obtain first-hand knowledge of the tours.C Travel operators, specialists in the field of planning, sponsor extensive research programs.D As a result of teamwork, tourism is flouring in all countries.E Agencies rely upon the good services of hotels, and, conversely, hotels rely upon agencies, to fulfill their contracts and to send them clients.F In this way agents learn to explain destinations and to suggest different modes and combinations of travel-planes，ships，trains，motorcoaches, car-rentals，and even car purchases.答案與題解：

1.C本段第二句和第三句話都以人稱代詞they作主語，但所指不明。在大多數情況下，其指 代對象應在同一段落的前文中找。C與這兩個句子在結構和意思上都是平行的，時態也一 致，而且用travel operators這個名詞去替代這兩個句子中的they都講得通。

2.B這一句繼續講旅游經紀人的工作,它同本段前三句話在時態、結構和意思上一致或平行。3.F指示詞this/that及其復數形式在英語中是重要的銜接手段，多數情況下this指上文剛剛 提到的事情或說過的話。本段第一句話說旅游顧問召開研討會使代理人熟悉新業務和銷售 技巧。承接這句話，F說“通過這種方式，代理人學會了怎樣對旅行自的地加以解釋以及向 游客建議各種不同的旅行方式及組合方式，如飛機、船、火車、公共汽車、汽車出租，甚至汽車 的購買”。“這種方式”就是指上一句話中的召開研討會，因而F是最合適的選項。

4.E本段第一句話說房地產公司和旅行社密切合作，達成了最為適當的協議。這種協議兼顧 了顧客的方便和他們自己的財政方面的安排。E實際上進一步闡述了二者之間相互依賴的 緊密關系。

5.A寫文章講究句子和段落之間的銜接。第四段講到了房地產公司和旅行社之間相互依賴 的合作關系,A說“旅行社和運輸公司之間也存在著同等程度的信任”，像same, different(ly), similar(ly), otherwise這樣的詞語有很強的銜接力，屬于指稱銜接(reference)中的比 較銜接。下一句話詳細解釋旅行社和運輸公司之間的關系，進一步印證了應該選A。

譯文：旅游業中的團隊合作

不同旅游部門之間越來越多的合作證明對有關各方都有益。政府機構、貿易與旅游協會、運 輸公_____________________________________________________________________

[2]

中華會計網校&職業培訓教育網聯合推出

司和房地產公司都一齊致力于為旅行者創造良好的條件。

旅游經紀人作為旅游計劃的專家提出廣泛的研究方案。他們了解所有的旅游區和所有運輸公 司的服務。他們的專長是組織不同類型的旅游活動以及準備有效的廣告宣傳。他們把材料分發給 旅行社。這些材料包括雜志、小冊子和廣告項目。他們提供熟悉情況和組織研討問題的旅游，從 而使旅行社在短時間內就能獲得有關他們正在推出的旅行活動的第一手資料。

旅游顧問舉辦各種重要的研討會以便使旅行社代理人熟悉新的方案和技巧。通過這種方式, 代理人學會了怎樣對旅行目的地加以解釋以及向游客建議各種不同的旅行方式及組合方式，如飛 機、船、火車、公共汽車、汽車出租，甚至汽車的購買。

房地產公司與旅行社之間密切合作，達成了最為適當的協議。這種協議兼顧了顧客的方便和 他們自己的財政方面的安排。旅行社依靠旅館提供良好的服務，反過來，旅館依靠旅行社來完成 合同，招攬顧客。

在旅行社與運輸公司(包括汽車出租和觀光服務)之間也存在著同種程度的信任。運輸公司 依靠旅行社來提供乘客，而旅行社依靠運輸公司提供受游客歡迎的旅行活動。所有服務機構都以 提高效率、價格公平及使顧客滿意為宗旨。

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[3]

第五篇：2012年職稱英語理工類閱讀理解新增文章(翻譯)

2012年職稱英語理工類翻譯

新增文章

閱讀理解（6篇）

第六篇 Making Light of1 Sleep 第十九篇 Graphene's Superstrength1 *第三＋八篇 “Life Form Found” on Saturn's Titan *第四十篇 Teaching Math, Teaching Anxiety +第四＋五篇 Teaching Math, Teaching Anxiety +第四十六篇Ants Have Big Impact on Environment as “Ecosystem Engineers” 注：

1、+表示A級文章；*表示B即文章；其他為C級文章

2、閱讀理解 3、2012年詞匯部分與2011年教材相比未作任何變化

理工類C級 第六篇 不要太在意睡眠

我們每個人的大腦里都有一個像我們床邊的鬧鐘一樣的生物鐘。人腦里的生物鐘24小時走一圈，這一圈也就是一次完整的晝夜節律，正是這個節律決定了我們吃飯、睡覺和起床的時間。

青春期時，人的生物鐘在定時方面會發生變化，生物鐘會提前。這時，青少年會比以前睡得晚，所以當你媽媽告訴你該睡覺時，你的生物鐘可能會讓你多推遲幾小時，并且電腦或電視光線可能會導致你熬夜到更晚。

生物鐘的這種變化對青少年說是正常的，但熬夜到太晚會打亂你生物鐘與晝夜時間循環之間的平衡，這樣就會帶來一些問題，例如：早晨很難按時起床。位于美國羅得州布郎大學睡眠方面的研究員Mary Carskadon說：“當青少年睡眠不足時會打不起精神，這將影響到他們心情、學習和思考問題的狀態。”

其實生物鐘與鬧鐘一樣，也是可調的，事實上，生物鐘每天都在進行著自我調節，其方式就是通過你眼睛接收到光線的變化。

很早之前，科學家就知道了晝夜光線強弱的變化對生物鐘調節起到了重要的作用，長久以來，研究者們認為眼睛所接受到的平衡生物鐘的光信號同樣作用于人類的視覺系統。

但最近幾年的研究發現，人類眼睛有兩個感光系統，一個是視覺系統，而另一個是感知晝夜的系統。

第十九篇 石墨烯的超強力量

當今重大科學技術均以“微型”來呈現，新手機和個人電腦每年都在變得更小，這就意味著電子設備要求內部零件更小，工程師們正在尋求制造這些零件的方法，他們逐漸把目光投向了石墨烯——一種由碳元素構成的超薄材料。這種材料將改變電子設備的未來。

今年的諾貝爾物理學獎頒發給了來自英國曼切斯特大學的Andre Geim和Kostya Novoselov，以表彰他們對石墨烯的發現。Novoselov說：“石墨烯不僅小，而且它是世界上所能找到的最薄材料。”他把它稱作“神奇材料”。石墨烯極薄，25 000片石墨烯疊放在一起才與一張普通白紙一樣厚。如果把一片石墨烯放在手指上，你根本就不會發現，因為你沒辦法看到它。

碳是宇宙中最多的一種元素，已知的生命體中都含有碳。石墨烯一個只有一個碳原子厚度的單層。你不用費心尋找石墨烯，它就在我們身邊。

如果你想得到這種高技術材料，一支筆、一張紙和一小段膠條就足夠了。用鉛筆在紙上涂黑一片區域，將膠條粘在上面，當你拉開膠條你會發現它粘起了很薄的一片鉛筆涂的陰影，這一片陰影就叫做石墨烯，一種世界上最軟的礦物質。

現在，再將膠條粘上另外一張紙上，把它拉起來，你會得到更薄的一層。想象一下當你重復做，直到在紙上得到最薄的一層物質，這層物質只有一個原子的厚度，你根本無法看到。石墨是由一層層的石墨烯組成的，所以當你得到最薄的一層時，你已經找到了石墨烯。

理工類B級 第三十八篇 土衛六上發現了生命跡象

科學家們說，在土衛六上發現了外星生命跡象并宣布了這一發現。美國國家航空航天局(NASA)的研究者們對卡西尼號探測器所傳回來的數據進行了分析，數據表明，土星衛星中最大的一顆衛星有以甲烷為基礎的生命的存在跡象。

據報道，科學家們已經找到了在土衛六高濃度氫氣大氣層里“呼吸”的原始外星生命的線索。

他們認為，氫氣在到達布滿甲烷河流湖泊的土衛六類似行星一樣的表層前就已經被吸收了。這就證明在這個不及半個地球大小的衛星表面有某種微生物在依靠氫氣生存。

美國國家航空航天局的科學家Chris Mckay說，“我們提出有氫氣的消耗，是由于它是土衛六上生命賴以生存的顯而易見的氣體，就像我們地球上用氧氣呼吸一樣。如果這些跡象最終證明是生命的跡象，它會加倍令人興奮，因為它會代表完全不同于地球上水基生命的第二種生命。”

時至今日，盡管地球上的依賴液體水的微生物在甲烷里生長良好或把它作為廢物排出，科學家在任何地方都沒有探測到這種生命的形式。在土衛六上，絕對溫度達到90度(相當于攝氏-273．15度)，依賴于甲烷的微生物不得不用某種液

體物質作為生存的介質，這種液體不是水，水在土衛六上會凍成冰塊，不能融化。我們知道，冰塊太冷不能維持生命。

科學家們原指望太陽與大氣層中的化學物質相互作用會在土衛六上產生一層乙炔。但卡西尼號在它的表面沒有探測到乙炔。

Mark Allen是美國宇航局土衛六項目組的主要負責人，他說道，既然在土衛六的表面沒有探測到乙炔，那就充分說明上面沒有生物。

Allen說：“科學界的保守主義者們建議，要做出土衛六上有生物的結論，首先必須對土衛六上所有沒有生物的觀點做出回應；要排除土衛六上可能沒有生物的觀點，我們任重道遠。極為可能的是，一種化學過程而非生物學能解釋這些結果。”

第四十篇 教數學，教焦慮

在最新一項關于小學生學數學的研究中，芝加哥大學的心理學家Sian Beilock和Susan Levine 發現，女教師的想法和女學生的學習之間有著驚人的聯系：如果女教師對自己的數學能力感到焦慮，她的女學生很可能認為男孩子數學比女孩學得更好。

“如果一直由對數學有焦慮的女教師教授數學，就會對她們的數學成績產生雪球效應”，Levine說。換言之，女孩子們最后從老師那里獲得的是對數學的焦慮。該研究表明，如果女孩子們在一個認為男孩比女孩數學好的環境中成長，那么她們的數學可能會不如在更自信的狀態下學得好。

如同學生，教師也會覺得某些學科難學和難教，這就是研究者所言的“焦慮”：不自在或擔心。

此研究發現，教師對數學的焦慮能夠傳染給她的女學生們。該研究的研究對象包括65個女孩，52個男孩和17位在中西部教一二年級的教師。學生們在學年的開始和結束時都進行數學測試，研究者們比較得分。

研究者們測試學生是否認為數學明星一定會是男孩。然后研究者們測試教師，試圖找出哪些教師對數學感到焦慮，研究者們問教師們當碰到數學問題諸如閱讀銷售清單時的感受，如果一位教師一看到銷售清單的數字就感到緊張，那么她很可能對數學存在焦慮。

平均來說，教師的焦慮不會影響到男孩子。但是，一般說來，如果教女孩子的教師有數學焦慮癥，那么女孩子們在學年結束時測試得分比其他的女孩要低。另外，在關于是否認為數學明星應該是男孩的測試中，有20個女孩認為男孩數學比女孩好，這20個女孩的老師都是女性，且都患有數學焦慮癥。

來自密蘇里大學的心理學家David Geary說“這是一個有趣的研究，但是這只是初步結果，需要用更大的調查樣本進行重復驗證”。

理工類A級 第四十五篇 小而聰明

12月14日，美國國家航空航天局發射了一個體積小而威力大的望遠鏡，它的名字叫“WISE”(聰明)，大約只有一個垃圾盒子那么寬。你可千萬不要輕視這個小東西，WISE可是一款高強數碼相機，它將在人類已知的宇宙里拍攝任何你所能想到的天體，包括小行星、那些只能看到微弱的光和因燃燒而無法觀察到的天體，以及自行星和恒星誕生以來的巨大塵埃云。

Ned Wright是主持WISE項目的科學家，他說：“我十分興奮，因為我們就要看到以前從未看到過的那部分宇宙”。

到達宇宙空間后，WISE由于受極地軌道重力作用，一直在圍繞地球旋轉。(這意味著，每轉一圈，它就離南極和北極靠近)。它的鏡頭是向外的，遠離地球。每11分鐘WISE就會抓拍天空一個不同的部分。六個月之后，它將把整個天空拍攝完畢。

然而，WISE拍攝的相片不會像我們日常的數碼相片。WISE是Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer(廣域紅外戡測探測器)的縮寫。正如名字所示，WISE能拍到發出紅外線輻射物體的相片。

輻射是波浪狀行進的一種能量。人能看到的光，包括大家熟悉的、在彩虹里看到的光譜就是射線的一個例子。當普通的數碼相機給一棵樹照相時，它能接收到樹反射回來的、可見的光波。光波通過鏡頭進入到相機里，相機對它進行加工，然后把圖像合成。

紅外線的波長比可見光長，所以，普通的數碼相機捕捉不到他們，人眼也看不到這種射線。盡管人們看不到，人的皮膚能感受到較長紅外線帶來的溫暖。

這就是為什么WISE能捕捉到其他望遠鏡看不到的物體的主要原因。宇宙中，不是所有的東西都以可見光的方式呈現出來。例如，小行星是在太空中漂浮的大巖石，但是小行星吸收射到他們表面的大部分光。他們不能反射光，所以要看到他們很困難。但他們卻釋放出紅外線，所以，象WISE這樣的紅外線望遠鏡才能夠捕捉到它們的圖像。WISE的任務就是拍攝成千上萬的小行星圖像。

WISE的另一任務是為另外一種太空深處的天體一褐矮星拍照。這種天體是“失敗的”恒星，它們是一些不夠大，不能像太陽的能量那樣啟動相同的反應。褐矮星只能縮小和冷卻。他們發出的光如此之微弱，人們根本看不到，但是在紅外頻譜中，它們是發光的。

第四十六篇 螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”對環境影響巨大

埃克斯特大學所做的研究表明，螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”和食肉動物的行為對當地的環境影響巨大。該研究發表在動物生態雜志上，它表明螞蟻對當地的環境有兩大顯著的影響。

第一，通過筑巢而挪動土壤或采集食物，螞蟻影響土壤的營養水平。這可間接影響當地從腐生物到食物鏈高層的許多動物種群的數量。

第二，它們捕食的動物種類很多，包括那些被大量工蟻攻擊的大獵物。

Dirk Sanders是該大學生態和保護中心所做的此項研究的作者，他說：“螞蟻是高效的食肉動物，而且能大量繁殖。它們具有很強的領地意識，并且會竭盡全力對抗其他的食肉動物來保衛自己的領地。所有這些都意味著螞蟻對周圍環境影響巨大。”

“在該研究中，我們第一次對螞蟻帶來的影響程度及微妙程度進行研究。所得的發現是：盡管是食肉動物，螞蟻的出現能促使其他動物族群在數量和品種上的增長。并對當地的環境起到切實重要的作用，對大草原的食物鏈影響巨大。”Sanders說。

該研究在德國進行，它對花園黑螞蟻和一般的紅螞蟻在不同混合程度和不同密度下的影響力進行研究。黑螞蟻和紅螞蟻在整個歐洲包括英國都能找到。研究發現，一個地區的螞蟻密度小，而其他動物尤其是食草動物和腐生物的數量和種類會增多。如果螞蟻的密度大，就不可能產生同樣的影響，或者產生相反的影響，這表明，螞蟻的掠食活動會抵消螞蟻給環境帶來的積極影響。

Dr Frank van Veen是本研究的另一作者，他說：“我們的發現是：如果螞蟻的數量少，其對土壤的營養水平的影響會對動物族群產生積極的效果。但是如果螞蟻的數量增加，其捕食的影響會達到最大化，因此會抵消螞蟻通過生態工程給環境帶來的積極影響”。

螞蟻是生態系統的重要組成部分，不僅因為它占有很大部分的生物量，而且因為其作為生態系統工程師的角色。螞蟻具有難以想象的多樣性，但極易受人類的影響，這就使它的多樣性有顯著的減少。然而，科學家還不清楚人類對螞蟻這種干擾如何破壞螞蟻對生態系統的維護作用。螞蟻通過變動物理的和化學的環境，通過對植物、微生物和其他土壤生物的影響而對生態環境起至關重要的作用。

第四十五篇 小而聰明

12月14日，美國國家航空航天局發射了一個體積小而威力大的望遠鏡，它的名字叫“WISE”（聰明），大約只有一個垃圾盒子那么寬。你可千萬不要輕視這個小東西，WISE可是一款商強數碼相機，它將在人類已知的宇宙里拍攝任何你所能想到的天體，包括小行星、那些只能看到微弱的光和因燃燒而無法觀察的天體，以及自行星和恒星誕生以來的巨大塵埃云。

Ned Wright是主持WISE項目的科學家，他說：“我十分興奮，因為我們就要看到以前從未看到過的那部分宇宙”。

到達宇宙空間后，WISE由于受極地軌道重力作用，一直在圍繞地球旋轉。（這意味著，每轉一圈，它就離南極和北極靠近）。它的鏡頭是向外的，遠離地球。每11分鐘WISE就會抓拍天空一個不同的部分。六個月之后，它將把整個天空拍攝完畢。

然而，WISE拍攝的相片不會像我們日常的數碼相片。WISE是Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer（廣域紅外勘測探測器）的縮寫。正如名字所示，WISE能拍到發出紅外線輻射物體的相片。

輻射是波浪狀行進的一種能量。人能看到的光，包括大家熟悉的、在彩虹里看到的光譜就是射線的一個例子。當普通的數碼相機給一棵樹照相時，它能接收到樹反射回來的、可見的光波。光波通過鏡頭進入到相機里，相機對它進行加工，然后把圖像合成。

紅外線的波長比可見光長，所以，普通的數碼相機捕捉不到他們，人眼也看不到這種射線。盡管人們看不到，人的皮膚能感受到較長紅外線帶來的溫暖。

這就是為什么WISE能捕捉到其他望遠鏡看不到的物體的主要原因。宇宙中，不是所有的東西都以可見光的方式呈現出來。例如，小行星是在太空中漂浮的大巖石，但是小行星吸收射到他們表面的大部分光。他們不能反射光，所以要看到他們很困難。但他們卻釋放出紅外線，所以，像WISE這樣的紅外線望遠鏡才能夠捕捉到它們的圖像。WISE的任務就是拍攝成千上萬的小行星圖像。

WISE的另一任務是為另外一種太空深處的天體一褐矮星拍照。這種天體是“失敗的”恒星，它們是一些不夠大，不能像太陽的能量那樣啟動相同的反應。褐矮星只能縮小和冷卻。他們發出的光如此之微弱，人們根本看不到，但是在線外頻譜中，它們是發光的。

第四十六篇 螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”對環境影響巨大

埃克斯特大學所做的研究表明，螞蟻作為“生態系統工程師”和食肉動物的行為對當地的環境影響巨大。該研究發表在動物生態雜志上，它表明螞蟻對當地的環境有兩大顯著的影響。

第一，通過筑巢而挪動土壤或采集食物，螞蟻影響土壤的營養水平。這可間接影響當地從腐生物到食物鏈高層的許多動物種群的數量。

第二，它們捕食的動物種類很多，包括那些被大量工蟻攻擊的大獵物。Dirk Sanders是該大學生態和保護中心所做的此項研究的作者，他說：“螞蟻是高效的食肉動物，而且能大量繁殖。它們具有很強的領地意識，并且會竭盡全力對抗其他的食肉動物來保衛自己的領地。所有這些都意味著螞蟻對周圍環境影響巨大。”

“在該研究中，我們第一次對螞蟻帶來的影響程度及微妙程度進行研究。所得到的發現是：盡管是食肉動物，螞蟻的出現能促使其他動物族群在數量和品種上的增長。并對當地的環境起到切實重要的作用，對大草原的食物鏈影響巨大。”Sanders說。

該研究在德國進行，它對花園黑螞蟻和一般的紅螞蟻在不同混合程度和不同密度下的影響力進行研究。黑螞蟻和紅螞蟻在整個歐洲包括英國都能找到。研究發現，一個地區的螞蟻密度小，而其他動物尤其是食草動物和腐生物的數量和種類會增多。如果螞蟻的密度大，就不可能產生同樣的影響，或者產生相反的影響，這表明，螞蟻的掠食活動會抵消螞蟻給環境帶來的積極影響。

Dr Frank van Veen是本研究的另一作者，他說：“我們的發現是：如果螞蟻的數量少，其對土壤的營養水平的影響會對動物族群產生積極的效果。如果螞蟻的數量增加，其捕食的影響會達到最大化，因此會抵消螞蟻通過生態工程給環境帶來的積極影響。”

螞蟻是生態系統的重要組成部分，不僅因為它占有很大部分的生物量，而且

因為其作為生態系統工程師的角色。螞蟻具有難以想象的多樣性，但極易受人類的影響，這就使它的多樣性有顯著的減少。然而，科學家還不消楚人類對螞蟻這種干擾如何破壞螞蟻對生態系統的維護作用。螞蟻通過變動物理的和化學的環境，通過對植物、微生物和其他土壤生物的影響而對生態環境起至關重要的作用。

2012年職稱英語理工、綜合和衛生教材（電子版已經發布，歡迎下載）