Writing1.
The following passage is incomplete with the concluding paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph of about 100 words. Make sure that the tone and vocabulary you use are in unity with the passage provided. Manners Are Important
As one looks about, it becomes very easy to conclude that good manners seem to be a thing of the past. More and more people seem to be discourteous to one another, more indicative of a "survival of the fittest" attitude of living in a civilized society. Although much of what was considered good manners at the turn of the last century may no longer be appropriate, common courtesy and acceptable behavior are still necessary to make life pleasant, especially as our cities become more and more crowded. Although common courtesy is the underlying framework, good manners are manifested in two distinct areas, business and social relationships.
The world of business has become increasingly impersonal over the years. The fast development of computers has removed the personal touch from many business dealings. It is not uncommon, when phoning a company, to get a recorded message telling us which number to press. When we finally do get a live person on the other end, he often seems uncaring. Good business sense, though, would dictate the importance of getting back to the personal touch. The speaker should identify himself by name to the caller and make every effort to be courteous and helpful. Above all, he should take great pains to assure the call is not disconnected. In addition, he should make certain that the caller is connected to his party and not kept waiting long while listening to canned music. Good manners will assure happy, loyal customers.
Good manners are, perhaps, most frequently associated with social relationships.
Unfortunately, here again they seem to be in decline. Giving up one's seat on a crowded bus to an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or an obviously tired person seems to be a thing of the past. People also seem to have forgotten how to behave as an audience. It is not uncommon to see people putting their feet up on the seats in front of them or talking loudly during a movie or play. Even restaurants are not immune from the lack of good manners. Young parents do not seem to care that their children are roaming throughout the restaurant or are crying and disturbing the other guests. These examples touch only the surface of the rapid decline of good manners.
Good manners in the modern times are essential for people to live comfortably and peacefully with each other in every aspect of their lives. As our cities are growing more and more crowded it is the good manners that will help people learn to self-regulate their behavior to make themselves suitable in the society, and, moreover, it is the good manners that will make the difference between a civilized society and a jungle. We must all be able to expect certain types of behavior of our fellow citizens, or the quality of life will rapidly deteriorate.
[解析] 这篇文章是关于举止礼仪的。需要补充的是最后一段结论。下面来具体分析各段的意思。
第一段:总述。
正如人们所见到的那样,遵守礼仪规范正渐渐成为过去。越来越多的人对他人不再礼貌,这表明“适者生存”的生活态度比生活在文明社会更重要。尽管从上世纪末开始许多礼仪被认为不合时代,但是基本的礼貌和规范的举止对于塑造愉快的生活还是十分必要的,特别是现在我们的城市变得越来越拥挤的时候。尽管基本的礼貌是根本的行为准则,良好的行为举止更常见于两个领域——商业领域和社交领域。最后一句是文章的中心思想句(Thesis statement)
第二段:分述礼仪在商业领域的表现。
这几年,商业领域开始变得越来越缺乏人情味。计算机的发展减少了商务中的个人亲自接触。例如,当我们打电话给某个公司的时候,听到电话录音的指导是很常见的。如果电话那头是真人的话,他往往表现得漫不经心。重要的是良好的商业理念应该需要个人的亲自接触。接线员应该告知打电话的人自己所属的公司,并尽一切努力做到谨慎认真,尽力帮助对方,服务于对方。最重要的是,他要尽可能地保证电话线路的畅通。另外,他应该保证致电者能接通电话,而不是一直听着电话里的音乐苦苦等待。良好的礼仪往往能留住顾客,使之心情愉悦。最后一句为本段的主题句(topic sentence)。
第三段:过渡主题段。
或许,良好的礼仪与社交联系更为密切(topic sentence)。
第四段:分述其在社交领域的表现。
不幸的是,礼仪在社交领域也有所衰退。在公交车上为“老幼病残孕”乘客让座已成为过去的景象。人们似乎也忘了如何做礼貌的观众。在影剧院里人们把脚放到前排椅背上或大声喧哗都是十分普遍的。甚至在酒店餐厅里,人们也不再注重礼仪。年轻的父母往往不在乎自己的孩子在饭店里乱跑哭闹,打扰别人。这些还仅仅是礼仪衰落的表面现象。
从以上分析可见,我们需要补充的结论要强调礼仪在当今社会的重要性,这样来总结全文,并从商业领域和社交领域两方面展开,以照应开头,并说明礼仪衰退的危害来深化主题。
结论:在当今社会,良好的礼仪对于人们在生活的各个方面与他人和平共处是至关重要的。正因为城市变得越来越拥挤,只有良好的礼仪才能帮助人们不断规范和调整自己的行为以适应社会,良好的礼仪才是文明社会与野蛮世界的分水岭。我们必须期待人们能循规蹈矩,否则生活质量会迅速恶化。
下面来看句子是如何组织的。
1)be essential for对……是至关重要的
Good manners in the modern times are essential for people to live comfortably and peacefully with each other in every aspect of their lives.
还可说:be fundamental to
2)self-regulate one's behavior规范和调整自己的行为
3)make the difference between a civilized society and a jungle文明社会与野蛮世界的分水岭
也可说:make the difference between a civilized person and a barbarian
原文中的有用用法:
1)survival of the fittest适者生存
2)underlying framework基本行为准则
3)business dealings商务
4)identify oneself表明身份
5)in decline处于衰退中
6)give up one's seat to other else让座
2.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. Oceanography has been defined as "The application of all sciences to the study of the sea".
Before the nineteenth century, scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans?" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlntic Telegraph Company turned, in 1853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book
The Physical Geography of the Sea. The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
Within a few years oceanography was under way. In 1872 Thomson led a scientific expedition, which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea. Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report, the last volume being published in 1895.
1. The definition of oceanography
2. Before the 19th century, few scientists being interest in the sea.
3. The necessity to know more about the bottom of the sea due to the laying of the cable from Europe to America.
A. The beginning of people's interest in the sea after a telegraph cable from Europe to America being proposed
B. The important role of Maury of the US Navy in investigating the depths of the oceans
C. The living growths on the cable disproving without life in the deeper parts of the sea
4. Oceanography being under way within a few years
[解析] 列提纲的题目要求学生对文章的内容彻底了解。本文就海洋学(oceanography)展开了叙述,讲述了海洋学的定义和发展历史。
第一段开门见山,告知了oceanography的定义。
第二段讲述了在19世纪之前,对海洋有兴趣的科学家微乎其微。
第三段接着叙述大多数人都不会去询问有关大海的问题。在这遥远的大海底层,究竟有些什么,还是由于欧关之间的电报电缆的铺设才可以解答。
第四段讲述Maury of the US Navy在测量海洋深度方面起到了很重要的作用。
第五段讲述电缆上生长的生物推翻了一些科学家认为海底无生物的意见。
最后一段讲述海洋学还在发展当中。
从各段之间的关系我们可以进行一定的合并。第三、四、五段是讲述人们开始对海洋产生兴趣之后,海洋学的一些发展,如:经历了海洋测量之后,Maury所著的书,和对海洋底部到底有无生命产生了同以往不同的颠覆性意见。这三个部分可以合并。
3.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. Why People Should Exercise
In the past, I had never been inclined to participate in sports. Honestly, I didn't like it, but many persons whom I lived with kept telling me every day how good it was. Since the peer pressure was growing, I decided to go to the gym. It wasn't until then that I could really understand people when they said exercise really helped a person get organized and keep healthy, physically and mentally.
For starters, if you are a lazy person, it is difficult to take the first step. But it is all a matter of committing yourself to something that will provide you with much positive feedback. Once you start exercising and observing positive results, you will actually enjoy it. It takes much effort and a strong will, but it's worth it. The principal thing to do is to take up a sport you like. If you do, you will start organizing your day in a way that enables you to do whatever you have to, including exercising. You will no longer be a person stressed out without time to carry on with all your activities.
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Moreover, exercising is good because it affects you positively in a mental and psychological way. Exercising helps you set specific goals which, along with a strong will, can be achieved. When reaching the goals, you come to know your abilities and your weaknesses, and your self-esteem is enhanced. Any sport relieves stress because it distracts you from thinking about school, work, or your problems, among other things. It helps keep you uplifted and avoid unhealthy habits like indulgence in TV and computer games.
Exercising is very important to any person of any age. The positive effects, which I've already mentioned, are like a chain. Once you take up a sport that you like, you become better organized. Therefore, you start doing things the right way and enjoy enormous benefits. As a result, you feel good as a healthy human being. You start living your life happily.
It is obvious that once you start exercising you will be in better shape. You will be healthier in a physical way. It is probable that you will lose weight and your muscles will get stronger and stronger. With the strengthening of your body functions and resistance to diseases, you will not easily feel fatigued after a day's work or catch a cold due to sudden changes of weather. Your body will feel good and full of energy, and it will respond immediately to any action you want to do and any activity that has to be done with high spirits.
[解析] 第一段:开头段。我以前从不运动,但身边的朋友每天跟我说运动如何好,因为朋友舆论的压力越来越大,所以我决定参加运动。那时,我才体会到运动的真正乐趣,运动使人生活有条理性;使人保持身体或精神健康。
第二段:主体段一。对于初学者来说,迈出第一步是很困难的,特别是如果你是个懒惰的人。但只要你强迫自己坚持下去,就会有很好的收获。你也会因此而享受这个过程。最重要的是选择你喜欢的运动,这样,你将开始合理地安排你一天的生活。
第四段:主体段三。另外,运动从心理和精神上对你有利。坚持运动是需要毅力的,因此一旦你做到了,你就会知道自己的能力和缺点,从而增强了你的自尊心。并且,运动能够减轻压力。因为当你运动的时候,你会暂时忘记了学校、工作和一些问题。同时也避免你沉浸在看电视和玩电脑游戏上。
第五段:结论段。运动对于任何阶段的任何人都很重要。它像一个良性循环。一旦你坚持运动,你就开始有好的身体,并且能很好地做事,也会收获很多。最终,你觉得作为一个健康的人很好,你也就会很幸福地生活。
本题是关于为什么人们要运动的一篇说明文。需要补充的是文章的第三段。第三段也是三个主体段落之一。补充主体段,首先要找出文章的Thesis statement(主题思想句)和其中的controlling words(关键词)。本文的主题思想句是第一段最后一句:It wasn't until then that I could really understand people when they said exercise really helped a person get organized and keep healthy,physically and mentally.
其中的关键词分别是:helped a person get organized;helped a person keep healthy physically;helped a person keep healthy mentally。第二段谈论的是helped a person get organized 的问题,第四段说得是helped a person keep healthy mentally,那么第三段只能去谈论helped a person keep healthy physically的问题了。第三段应该从身体方面分析原因。运动会使你身体健康,有很好的体形,强健的肌肉。同时你的抵抗力会增强,不会因为天气的突变而感冒。你也会有很旺盛的精力,投入到你喜欢的事业中去。
下面看句子的组织:
1)好的体形be in a better shape
It is obvious that once you start exercising you will be in better shape. 很明显,一旦你开始运动,你的体形会越来越好。
2)身体健康be healthy physically
You will be healthier in a physical way. 你将越来越健康。
3)对疾病的抵抗resistance to diseases,由于……的原因due to
With the strengthening of your body functions and resistance to diseases, you will not easily feel fatigued after a day's work or catch a cold due to sudden changes of weather. 随着你身体的机能和对疾病的抵抗力不断增强,你不会因为一天的工作而疲劳,也不会因为天气的突变而感冒。
4)respond to回应
You will respond immediately to any action you want to do and any activity that you has to do with high spirits. 你可以立刻做你想做的事,以充沛的精力参加那些不得不做的活动。
原文中一些有用的说法:
1)be inclined to倾向于认为/相信/同意
In the past, I had never been inclined to participate in sports. 过去,我从不认同参加运动。
2)commit yourself to do承诺做某事
But it is all a matter of committing yourself to something that will provide you with much positive feedback但正是你承诺了去做,才让你受益匪浅。
3)your self-esteem is enhanced你的自尊心增强了
4)distract from使分心,使不能专注于……
Any sport relieves stress because it distracts you from thinking about school, work, or your problems, among other things. 任何运动都能减轻压力,因为它使你不再专注于思考学校、工作和你的运动以外的一些问题。
4.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. Nowadays, almost everyone has to compete with others for success, for good jobs, and for better lives. Unfortunately, many people who failed a few times lost their confidence.
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Self-confidence plays an important role in competition. With self-confidence, a weak team may defeat a strong one, common people may do their best or even accomplish missions impossible. In contrast, without self-confidence, sports stars, smart people, and great men may also fail. Such examples are numerous.
Since self-confidence is so important we should try hard to develop our self-confidence by aggressively getting involved in competition and trying to win all the time. At best, a win will make us realize our strengths; at worst, a loss will help US know our weakness. Since life is an endless competition, let's face it with self-confidence and succeed.
Quite a few college students lack self confidence. First, as the only child in the family, we have been depending too much on our parents at home and on teachers in school. We often doubt our ability and feel inferior to others. Second, except a few talents, most of us, who get used to being pushed around, fail to build up confidence in ourselves. Finally, life has become really tough. Difficult exams, financial problems and uncertainty of future careers make us envy those who are rich, or who have talent or who have powerful parents. Instead of working hard to get stronger, some of us become discouraged.
[解析] 全文共分四个自然段。要求根据内容补出第二自然段。文章讲述的是自信(self-confidence)在竞争中的重要作用。
文章将自信问题在大多数人中的匮乏作为开篇,也为全文定出了一个中心。下文就这一问题展开叙述。
第三段讲述“Self-confidence plays an important role in competition”。
第四段讲述我们为了增强自信可采取的办法。
由各段内容可得知,需要补出的第二自然段肯定是描写缺乏自信的方面的。从第一段最后一句“Unfortunately, many people who failed a few times lost their confidence.”中可得知,下文有必要对这一话题展开叙述,举例说明某一部分人确实缺乏自信心,并就该问题简要分析一下原因,为何会缺乏自信,以及因为缺乏自信所造成的一些后果。下文再开始讲述自信在竞争中发挥了重要作用,这样便衔接起来了。
关于补出缺失段落这类题型,重要的还是要分析内容,写出桥梁之段。
5.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "sentence outline" for it. The Decline in Writing Skills
Teachers have always complained that students cannot write well and there can be no denying that in the past twenty-five years writing skills have hit an all-time low. Students, as well as many people on the job have difficulty expressing themselves in written English. The decline is due in part to students, attitude towards writing in the past two decades and modern devices such as the television and the telephone.
The student protests over 20 years ago were a major factor for the decline in writing skills. At many schools, the faculty gave in and greatly reduced or eliminated freshman composition courses. At one college, where all undergraduates had been required to take two years of English, students were given the option of taking credits in fine arts, humanities, or English. Most preferred fine arts since it required little effort on their part—and absolutely no writing. With so little demand, the English faculty dropped from seventy-one to thirty within one year. Compounding the problem was the fact that some faculty members felt that making students write correctly was stifling their creativity. They told students not to worry about sentence structure, grammar, or spelling but just to get their feelings on paper. Those who wrote papers with sloppy sentences and numerous grammar errors could pass and even score high if their ideas were on the right track. The results were horrendous and saddening because many students' writing ability greatly declined. They simply could not write properly.
The television and the telephone must also be held responsible for the rapid decline in writing skills. Television viewing increasingly takes up more and more of a person's leisure time, time that should be spent writing and reading. No longer will youngsters write in their diaries or try to express their feelings and thoughts in poetry. Instead they would much rather space out in front of the TV, remote in hand, and switch channels. Laughter and screaming are constantly heard. Nor will they read extensively and be exposed to the workings of the language and absorb the nuances of effective communication. The telephone is even a greater culprit. Why should one bother to write letters when one can punch in a number and speak to the other party? There is no need to write down one's thoughts and then wait for a response; gratification is immediate. Modern technology has even eliminated the need to jot notes to other members of the family: the memo unit on the answering machine takes care of that.
It is no wonder that writing skills have steadily declined over the past twenty—five years. Today's youths, for the most part, see little need for writing. The telephone is their direct line of communication, and the television supplies them with immediate entertainment. The student activism of the 1970s has had its own perverse effect: it turned out a whole generation that was taught that correct writing is succumbing to the dictates of society. And the horror of horrors is that many of these students are now teachers.
1. Introduction. Writing skills have declined.
A. Many people have difficulty expressing themselves in English.
B. Thesis. Students' attitude and modern technology contribute to the decline.
2. The student protests over 20 years ago were a major factor.
A. They resulted in the reduction of freshmen composition courses.
B. Students could take other courses for credits instead.
C. Teachers paid little attention to the basic requirements of writing.
3. The TV and the telephone are also responsible for the decline.
A. TV watching takes up one's time for reading and writing.
B. People prefer calling each other to letter-writing.
4. The consequences are horrible.
A. Today's youths don't see the need for writing.
B. Many of the students of twenty years ago are teachers now.
[解析] 这篇文章主要讲的是造成写作能力下降的两个原因。首先分析一下文章各段内容及其关系。
第一段:老师常抱怨学生习作技能差,在过去的25年中一直处于下降趋势。学生及很多工作了的人在英语写作中表达自己的观点方面都有困难。下降的原因有两个:一是学生对写作的态度不够认真,一是现代仪器设备的应用,例如电视和电话。最后一句为文章的Thesis statement(中心思想句)。
due to归因于,modern devices现代仪器设备
第二段:学生的对写作的抵触情绪是写作能力下降的主要原因(topic sentence)。许多学校都减少或删去写作课程。在选课中,学生更倾向于选艺术课,因为不需要写作。教授英语写作的老师也开始减少。更麻烦的是,许多老师也认为,规定学生如何写作会抑制其创造力,以至于学生只会把感觉写在纸上,写出来有很多错误的句子,即使这样他们也能及格甚至得高分。可是他们确实写不好文章。
第三段:这一段分析现代仪器设备对写作的不良影响(topic sentence)。看电视占去了一个人大部分的空闲时间,那些时间本应用于写作和阅读的。再也没有学生记日记或写诗来表达自己的感受。相反,他们更喜欢坐在电视机前,手握遥控器不停地换频道。笑声和叫声不绝于耳。他们不再博览群书,或研究语言,或致力于研究交际的细微差别。电话的使用也是原因之一。电话给人迅速的满足,于是写信毫无必要。现代技术使得用电话本记号码也不再必要,因为有了来电显示。
The television and the telephone must also be held responsible for the rapid decline in writing skills. 电视和电话对写作技能的下降负有很大责任。
第四段:总结全文(应用的是归纳主要观点的方法)
这样看来,难怪写作技巧会持续下降呢。今天的年轻人很少认识到写作的必要性。电话给予他们及时联系的可能,电视给了他们最大的即刻的娱乐。1970年的学生活动带来了不良影响,整代人都被教授这种观点:社会的发展导致了正确书写水平的降低。最恐怖的是,当年的许多学生现在成了老师。
succumb to屈服,抵挡不住
根据上文分析,全文可分为四个层次,每段为一个层次。
第一个层次讲写作技能的衰退。然后点明主旨:
Students' attitude and modern technology contribute to the decline. 学生的学习态度和现代技术是写作技能下降的主要原因。
第二个层次先陈述学生的态度这一原因。然后:
1)写作课的减少;
2)学生可以选其他课以得到学分;
3)老师的关注少。
第三个层次陈述现代技术的过错:
1)看电视消磨时间;
2)打电话取代写信。
最后一个层次说后果的严重性:
1)学生意识不到写作的必要性;
2)20年前的这种学生现在是老师。
6.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. The Effects of Television on Children's Social Relations
TV presents the child with a distorted definition of reality. The child in the affluent suburb or the small mid-western town exists within his own limited reality. His experience with social problems or people of different races, religions, or nationalities is probably somewhat limited. As television exposes him to a diversity of people and ideas, it surely expands the boundaries of his reality. It is precisely because he now relies heavily on TV to define other realities for him that we must examine carefully what those images are. If they are inaccurate or distorted, then television's reality is potentially harmful.
TV distorts reality by selecting certain kinds of images and omitting others and by portraying people in a stereotyped way. It portrays some categories of people with beauty, power and importance and renders others weak, helpless or invisible. So serious is the relative invisibility of some groups on TV that Dr. George Gerbner of the Annenberg School of Communications contends, "If you're not on TV, you don't exist."
The TV camera selects certain images to be examples, sometimes functioning like a magnifying glass held up to the worst in civilization instead of the best. When TV producers focus on violent ugliness, they lift it out and hold it up for all to see, making it impressively larger than life. A fist fight that occurs outside my window and is witnessed by only five people may be videotaped, broadcast and "witnessed" vicariously by millions of people, thus multiplying the example set by the fist fighters. In the United States, most people have not witnessed murder, yet because of television most children have seen hundreds of thousands of violent deaths and therefore believe that the world is more violent than it actually is.
TV says, in effect: This is the way the world works. There are the rules. The images presented on TV tend to be exaggerated or glorified, and so believed and accepted as models to be copied. After TV heavily promoted Evel Knievel's attempt to "fly" his motorcycle over the Snake River, many children imitated his stunts with their bicycles on home made ramps. And many landed in hospitals.
TV affects human relationships as well as behavior by influencing our feelings about ourselves and our expectations for ourselves and others. Too frequently stereotypes provide us with instant definitions. The stereotype assigns to an individual characteristics associated with a group that may or may not be accurate. We tend to note a single feature of a person and fill in the details from a storehouse of stereotypes.
Via TV's stereotypes we see men as strong and active, women pretty and at home. All too frequently, minorities are cast in exaggerated portrayals and stereotyped roles, more as white male producers perceive them than the way minority persons perceive themselves.
Exposure to stereotyped presentations can easily influence viewers behavior toward unfamiliar people. TV images, in fact, teach values and behaviors, especially to children who have little firsthand knowledge of the real world. To the extent that children are exposed to certain characters portrayals and behaviors on TV, they may acquire or learn those behaviors and roles and eventually accept them as models for their own attitudes and actions.
Perhaps most serious are the effects of information distortions on the child's self-image. At some level we begin to judge our own meaning, dignity and worth in comparison with the TV characters who portray people like us. We should be fully aware that there inaccurate or distorted portrayal may be harmful to children's growth.
1. Introduction: The presentation of distorted reality on TV
A. Children's limited experience
B. Children's heavy reliance on TV
C. TV's distorted reality
D. Thesis. The reality as presented by TV is potentially harmful.
2. Different ways of distorting reality
A. Portrayal of stereotypes
B. Selection of the undesirable
3. TV's strong effects
A. Children's imitation of stars, actions
B. Inaccurate portrayal of unfamiliar people
C. Children's acceptance of TV images as models
D. Harmful effects on the child's self-image
[解析] 这是一篇关于电视对孩子与社会接触的影响的文章,要写出提纲,首先要了解文章各段所讲的内容和各段落之间的关系。
第一段:主要讲电视会呈现给孩子歪曲的事实。一个居住在小镇的孩子,他了解现实的途径是有限的。他处理问题的社会经验或对其他种族、宗教、民族的了解也是有局限的。而电视将呈现给他形形色色的人和事,这必定扩大他的视野。由于孩子十分依赖电视来定义现实,所以我们有必要检查电视究竞怎样呈现世界。最后点明文章主旨:如果电视中的事实是歪曲的或不准确的,它们对孩子的成长有潜在的危害。
1)distorted definition of reality对现实的歪曲
2)expand the boundary扩大视野
3)rely on依赖于
If they are inaccurate or distorted, then television's reality is potentially harmful.
如果电视中的事实是歪曲的或不准确的,它们对孩子的成长有潜在的危害。
第二段:电视通过筛选影像,按一定成规塑造人物来歪曲事实。更严重的是,如果你不出现在电视上,你就不存在在这个世界里。
TV distorts reality by selecting certain kinds of images and omitting others and by portraying people in a stereotyped way
电视通过筛选影像,按一定成规塑造人物来歪曲事实。
第三段:摄像机选取特定的影像,有时会像放大镜那样展现文明中最坏的地方而非最好的。当制作人想集中体现暴力的丑陋时,他们会把暴力拿出来,高高举起给所有人看,使人们对其印象深刻,胜过对生活的了解。发生在我窗外的只有五个目击者的拳斗可能会被拍摄下来,被播出,让成千上万的人去见证。在美国,大多数人都没有见过谋杀,然而由于电视,大部分孩子看过暴力血腥的死亡场面,而因此相信世界是暴力的。其实并非如此。
1)hold up举出,拿出;
2)witnessed by被见证,被目击
The TV camera selects certain images to be examples, sometimes functioning like a magnifying glass held up to the worst in civilization instead of the best.
摄像机选取特定的影像,有时会像放大镜那样展现文明中最坏的地方而非最好的。
第四段:实质上,电视就是在说:世界就是这样运作的。这种展现是有规定的。呈现在电视上的影像往往是夸张的或被美化了的,这样才能被相信并被接受来作为模仿的典范。在电视上大肆渲染了Evel Knievel的飞车越江表演后,许多孩子纷纷效仿,结果进了医院。
promote提倡,渲染
The images presented on TV tend to be exaggerated or glorified, and so believed and accepted as models to be copied. 呈现在电视上的影像往往是夸张的或被修饰过的,这样才能被相信并被接受来作为模仿的典范。
第五段:电视通过影响我们的自我感觉及我们对自我和他人的期望来影响人际关系和言行举止。成规的频繁出现给予我们“速成定义”。成规提供给个人的相关特征不一定全是准确的。我们倾向于只看到一个人的一个特点,然后用成规偏见来评价这个人。
as well as和……一样
第六段:通过电视的成规,我们看到男人是强壮活跃的;女人是美丽顾家的。常见的是,少数人被夸张地塑造成经典形象,更符合制片人心目中的形象,而非他们自己所理解的那样。
第七段:经典形象的呈现很容易影响观看者对陌生人的态度举止。电视形象,实际上,教授了价值观和行为举止,特别是对那些还不太了解真实世界的孩子们。当孩子在电视上看到的特定人物的塑造和行为达到一定程度时,他们会学习并最终接受其成为他们自己生活态度和行动的模范。
1)firsthand Knowledge第一手资料
2)acquire习得
第八段:或许最严重的是歪曲信息对孩子自我认识的影响。在某种程度上,我们会和电视中的人物进行比较来判断我们生存的意义、尊严和价值。我们应该意识到不准确的人物塑造和歪曲的事实对孩子的成长是有害的。
self-image自我认识
通过上文的分析,我们可将全文分为三个层次。第一段是第一个层次。介绍电视呈现的是歪曲的现实。首先说孩子经验有限,然后说他们因此依赖于电视来了解世界。然后揭示了电视中的歪曲的现实。最后点明主旨:电视上呈现的现实是有潜在危害的。
第二、三段是第二个层次,主要讲电视歪曲事实的不同方式。一是对经典形象的塑造,一是对不好事物的选取。
第四至第八段是第三个层次,主要讲电视的影响。
1)孩子模仿明星的行为;
2)对于陌生人的错误判断;
3)孩子接受电视形象作为模范;
4)对孩子自我认识的危害。
7.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. Computers may one day turn night into day—with good old, natural sunlight.
Colossal computer-controlled mirrors, thousands of feet across, may one day orbit the earth, reflecting sunlight onto a darkened United States.
Some scientists say that 16 of these mirrors, each about a half mile across could aim their reflected light at one area on the earth that was about 200 miles by 300 miles. That much light would equal about 56 moons.
The mirrors would be so high that they could catch the sun's light as it was shining on the other side of the earth. The mirrors could orbit—thousands of miles high—at the same speed as the earth turns on its axis. That way, the mirrors would always be over the same spot.
The aluminum-coated, plastic mirrors could be folded up and packed into a spaceship, according to the scientist. Once released a few hundred miles in space, the mirrors, powered by a solar powered engine, could make the rest of trip into space on their own.
The scientists say that the computer-controlled mirrors could also be made to tilt slowly, so the reflected sunlight would sweep slowly along the surface of the earth. For example, as night fell, the mirrors could be tilted to light up Boston. Later on, as darkness spread slowly westward, Chicago, for example, then San Francisco could be lit up. The reflected sunlight would allow these cities to save up electricity. And in emergencies, such as power-failures, the mirrors could light up the affected area.
What no one knows yet is what effect this artificial daytime would have on plants, animals, and humans. Would it confuse some animals and harm plants that are used to regular day-night cycles? The scientists recommend that studies be done to find out what bad effects there might be.
1. computers maybe one day turning night into day
A. Computer-controlled mirrors maybe orbiting the earth
B. The mirrors high enough to catch the sun's light
C. The mirrors being folded up and packed into a spaceship
D. The mirrors also being tilted slowly
2. No one knowing this artificial daytime's effect on plants, animals and humans
[解析] 这是一篇提纲抽取题。全文共有7个自然段。纵观全文,乍看内容较为细碎,不易总结出层次。但仔细阅读之后,不难发现,虽然段落短小,但中心非常明确,其实第一自然段就是总领全文的自然段,以下5个自然段全部围绕“Computers may one day turn night into day”这个中心来描述的讲述computer-controlled mirror怎样绕地球运行。第2段是说“Computer-controlled mirrors may orbit the earth.”紧接着下一段还是接着该问题继续展开,可合并。下面分别说mirrors的特点:
(1)would be high enough to catch the sun's light;
(2)could be folded up and packed into a spaceship;
(3)could also be tilted slowly.
最后一段独自形成一层意思,与第一自然段平行,是说目前还不太清楚这种人工照明会给动植物和人类带来什么影响。
8.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. Should you make a formal written outline of your subject before you begin to write about it? There is no hard and last answer because writers and subjects differ so much. One writer may carry his material clearly organized in his mind that formal outlining is unnecessary; another cannot "see" his subject until he sees it outlined. One writer finds that an outline helps bring structure out of something that was shapeless; another finds that it makes for rigidity and appearance rather than the fact of organization. Furthermore, subjects differ in the degree to which they require the support of a written outline. A 5000-word research paper on the life of the architect who built the college library certainly would.
There is no obvious danger in not outlining. If you start without a plan and simply trust to thinking of things as you go along, you are inviting trouble. Your theme may be mixed up because when you are almost through you think of something that should have come early. It may be badly out of proportion because you wrote so much on your second point that you do not have time for a third one, which turns out to be just important. Making an outline often helps you not only to arrange your material in the right order and in black and white, you can judge them better.
Still, no matter how much you rely on an outline, do not let yourself become its slave. An outline is a somewhat mechanical thing, with items set down in one-two-three-order. You make an out line so that you will know for sure what these items are. You need not treat all of them at equal length simply because they have an equal place in the outline. Nor are you obliged to salute the reader with "First", "Second", and "Third" at the beginning of each section. Make your plan and follow it, but feel free to give emphasis, to shift proportion, and to include examples.
Do not let your outline keep your theme from being as lively and interesting as you can make it. Remember that, just as a good painter studies anatomy but not allow the skeleton to show through his painting of the body, so the writer should study the structure of his material but not allow it to make a display of itself.
There are two kinds of outlines. The first is the paragraph outline. In it, each paragraph is summarized in one sentence. There are no subdivisions.
The second kind of outline is the analytical. It may be either an analytical topic outline, in which each division of the thought is expressed in a noun or phrase.
Subdivisions are the essence of the analytical sentence outline and the analytical topic outline. The subject is first divided into two or more main divisions; each of these main divisions is next divided into two or more divisions: then each of these subdivisions may be further divided—and the process can be continued(though probably it should not be)until the most minute points are listed.
1. The reasons the writer outline his subject
A. The various need for an outline
1) Writers with different needs
2) Different subjects also
B. The definite value of outline,
1) Helping the writer see the best order
2) Helping him give correct proportion
3) Helping him evaluate his ideas
C. Certain cautions of the writer's observation
1) Mechanical outline
2)The writer's freedom
a. Being free to give emphasis
b. Being free to shift proportion
c. Being free to include examples
3) The form of the outline not being evident in the theme itself
2. Having two types of outlines
A. The paragraph outline
1) Doing so in complete sentences
2) Making no subdivisions
B. The analytical outline
1) In the analytical sentence outline, these divisions and subdivisions being expressed in sentences
2) In the analytical topic outline, they being expressed in nouns or phrases
[解析] 全文共分7个自然段。文章开头提出问题:“Should you make a formal written outline of your subject before you begin to write about it?”,可得知全文是围绕是否有必要在写作之前列一个正式的书写提纲来叙述的。
作者接着回答这个问题。是否需要列出一个正式的书面提纲并没有一个确切的所谓正确做法,因为作者和写作主题因人而异。但下文作者又给出一个建议,列出书面提纲有若干好处,关于该点作者从三个方面来讲述。
可是,从反面来说,列出这样一个书面提纲又有一定的麻烦。
接着作者列举了两种提纲,以及两种提纲各自的特点。
这是大的框架。若仔细研究内部层次,我们可看出,全文分两个大层次,即
1)提出问题(1—4自然段):Should the writer outline his subject?
2)介绍提纲的分类(5—6段):There are two kinds of outlines.
在第一层中,作者从三个小方面回答了这个问题。即:
A. (第一段)The various need for an outline
(1)Writers with different needs
(2)Different subjects also
B. (第二段)The definite value of outline
(1)Helping the writer see the best order(否则就会mix up theme)
(2)Helping him give correct proportion(若不列些提纲,就有可能出现第二点记述过长而第三点没涉及,而这一点恰恰可能是重要的)
(3)Helping him evaluate his ideas(可以用来思考和判断材料)
C. (第三、四段)Certain cautions of the writer's observation
(1)Mechanical outline
(2)The writer's freedom
a. Being free to give emphasis
b. Being free to shift proportion
c. Being free to include examples
(3)The form of the outline not being evident in the theme itself
从第五段开始,文章进入了第二大层次。该层次又可分为两部分:
A. The paragraph outline
(1)Doing so in complete sentences
(2)Making no subdivisions
B. The analytical outline
(1)In the analytical sentence outline, these divisions and subdivisions being expressed in sentences
(2)In the analytical topic outline, they being expressed in nouns or phrases