B R _ main

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After Reading Supplementary Reading

Warm-up Exercises

Background Information

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Warm-up Exercises

Journey on the Paper

Brainstorming

Clone

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Clone

News

Discussion

Ads Designing

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Background Information

Stephen Hawking

Albert Einstein

Frankenstein

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Stephen Hawking

Brief Introduction to Stephen Hawking

Chronology of Stephen Hawking

Main Achievements of Stephen Hawking

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Albert Einstein (1879~1955)

Monologue of Einstein

Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity

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Frankenstein

A General Introduction

A Clip in the Novel – Frankenstein

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Now let’s go on a journey through the most spectacular 100 years in the history of science and technology to have an overview of how our understanding of the world has grown from 1900 to today.

Journey on the Paper

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MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH — Medicine and Health1900:

Patients battle illness, while doctors can do little more than counsel ( 劝告 ) and comfort them and keep them clean.

Today:Doctors treat and often cure patients with a vast array ( 一大批 ) of medicines and medical technologies, but some diseases are still incurable.

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MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE — Physics and Astronomy

1900:The Milky Way galaxy ( 星系 ) (including some unexplained nebular clouds ( 星云 )) is the known universe. Newton’s laws explain the physical world. Matter is composed of atoms.

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Today:The Milky Way is just one galaxy among countless millions we have observed in the universe. There is no set of laws that explains all phenomena in the physical world, although there are many theories. Atoms are composed of many subatomic particles, all of which derive from ( 来自于 ) energy.

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE — Physics and Astronomy

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Today:Mental illness can be treated with a range of therapies ( 治疗 ) and medications. We know a great deal about the chemistry and the parts of the brain that control our behavior and thoughts.

RESEARCH INTO OURSELVES — Human Behavior

1900:There is no cure for the mentally ill, who are confined to insane asylums ( 精神病院 ). “Mind” and “body” arethought of as two separate things.

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FASTER, CLOSER, BETTER — Technology

1900:The only way to view the Olympic Games in Paris is in person. News about the Games travels to America via ( 通过 ) telegraph and is printed in newspapers.

Today:Millions worldwide watch the 2008 Beijing Olympics on television, transmitted instantaneously ( 瞬间地 ) by satellite. The news spreads as well by radio, newspaper, and the World Wide Web.

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ORIGINS — Earth and Life Science

1900:There is no good explanation for catastrophic events such as earthquakes. The Earth is thought to be a mere 50 million years old, and the evolution of species is hotly debated.

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Today:The plates ( 板块 ) that make up the Earth’s crust ( 地壳 ) move over time, causing earthquakes and volcanoes. The Earth is known to be 4,500 million years old. The genetic code of DNA, which drives evolution, is better understood every day.

ORIGINS — Earth and Life Science

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Brainstorm some of the scientific and technological inventions.

geneticengineering

cell phone e-mail

clone

nuclear weapons

laptop ( 笔记本电脑 )

nanotechnology( 纳米技术 )

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Discussion

Do all these inventions always change our lives for thebetter? Give examples to explain your opinion.

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News

News 1In Feb. 1997

News 2 In Apr. 1998

News 3 In Feb. 2003

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In February 1997 a group of geneticists ( 遗传学家 ) led by Ian Wilmut at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, announced that they had cloned a sheep from the mammary gland tissue ( 乳腺组织 ) of a six-year-old ewe ( 母羊 ), the first time scientists have been able to clone an adult mammal ( 哺乳动物 ).

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Dolly, the first-ever mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, with her first lamb, named Bonnie, is seen at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland in this image on April 23, 1998. Dolly, who was naturally mated at the end of last year with a Welsh Mountain ram ( 公羊 ), gave birth to Bonnie on April 13, proving that despite her unusual origins, she is able to breed normally and produce healthy offspring.

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Dolly, the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, has been put down after she was found to have a lung disease, the Roslin Institute in Scotland’s capital

Edinburgh said on Feb 17, 2003. “She was suffering from an incurable disease,” said Dr. Harry Griffin, after Roslin released a statement saying the decision had been taken to put Dolly down after she contracted ( 感染 ) progressive lung disease.

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Discussion

What is your attitude towards clone?

Clone is a member of a group of organisms or plants produced non-sexually from one ancestor.

The suggested ethical and practical arguments both for and against cloning ：

For:

Against:

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1. Technology is not well developed. It has a low fertility rate ( 出生率 ). In cloning Dolly, 277 eggs were used, 30 started to divide, nine induced pregnancy, and only one survived to term ( 临产 ).

2. Clones may be treated as second-class citizens and the unknown psychosocial harm with impacts on the family and society.

3. Loss of genetic variation.

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1. Animals from endangered species could be cloned to prevent extinction.

2. Cloning would be a good source for organ and bone marrow ( 骨髓 ) transplants.

3. Sterile ( 不育的 ) couples will be able to have offspring who will have either the mother’s or father’s genetic pattern.

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Ads Designing

Use attention-grabbing images and snappy ( 简洁 ) yet informative language in your ads. You might find models of such images and language in other public service advertisements, such as (A few good examples can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.badvertising.org.)

Decide for yourself which side of the issue to support and then plan a public service advertisement campaign for or against cloning.

1.

2.

the ones that discourage people from

smoking.

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smoking

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Brief Introduction to Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking (1942~ ): British theoretical physicist and mathematician

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1942 1958

1962

— —

—

Born in Oxford, England.Entered and became especially interested in thermodynamics ( 热力学 ), relativity theory, and quantum mechanics ( 量子力学 ).Received a bachelor’s degree in physics and then enrolled as a research student in general relativity at the .

Oxford University

University of Cambridge

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1966— Earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of Cambridge. Stayed at the University of Cambridge to do post-doctoral research. Diagnosed as having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) ( 肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化 ).

“I am quite often asked: How do you feel about having ALS? The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many.”

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1977 1979

— —

Became a professor of physics.Appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a post once held by Isaac Newton.

This is a picture of Stephen Hawking, “Isaac Newton” and “Albert Einstein”.

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1988 1993

1996

—

—

—

Published his famous book A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes.Wrote Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays.Co-authored a book with Sir Roger Penrose titled The Nature of Space and Time.

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Oxford University


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University of Cambridge


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Main Achievements of Stephen Hawking

singularity

A point in space-time at which the space-time curvature ( 曲率 ) becomes infinite.

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misuse v. 误用，错用turn out 结果是manner n. 方式，风格

entropy n. 熵，热力学概念。fatal a. 重大的，致命的motivate v. 激发irritation n. 愤怒

black hole

A region of space-time from which nothing, not even light, can escape. Nothing can escape because gravity is so strong.

With the help of the following words and expressions, listen to a recording of more information on black hole.

object n. 物体emit v. 放射，吐露the event horizon 事件视界，即黑洞的边界

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A Brief History of Time

One of his books to make his work accessible to the public.

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Medal of Freedom

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By their very definition, black holes are objects which are not supposed to emit anything. It therefore seemed that the area of the event horizon of a black hole could not be regarded as its entropy. In fact in 1972, I wrote a paper on this subject with Brandon Carter and an American colleague Jim Bardeen. We pointed out that, although there were many similarities between entropy and the area of the event horizon, there was this apparently fatal difficulty. I must admit that in writing this paper I was motivated partly by irritation with Beckenstein, because I felt he had misused my discovery of the increase of the area of the event horizon. However, it turned out in the end that he was basically correct, though in a manner he had certainly not expected.

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Persistent in his pursuit of knowledge, Stephen Hawking has unlocked new pathways of discovery and inspired people around the world. He has dedicated his life to exploring the fundamental laws that govern the universe, and he has contributed to some of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time. His work has stirred the imagination of experts and lay persons alike. Living with a disability and possessing an uncommon ease of spirit, Stephen Hawking’s attitude and achievements inspire hope, intellectual curiosity, and respect for the tremendous power of science.

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Monologue of Einstein

Albert Einstein (1879~1955)

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I was born in Ulm, Germany in 1879. As you may know, 1905 was a big year for me. That’s when I turned the world upside down, at least for scientists, with several new ideas. I proposed that space and time had to be looked at in a whole new way — that Newton’s view of space and time was inaccurate. These ideas became known as the special theory of relativity and introduced the equation E=mc2. Ten years later I presented the general theory of relativity. The general theory showed that gravity is not a force, as Newton had thought. It is instead a curvature ( 曲率 ) of the space-time continuum.

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1) Which of the following does not change according to Einstein? ______

A. Time

B. Mass

C. Speed of lightD. Length

Listen to the recording and choose the best answer.

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1) Which of the following does not change according to Einstein? ______A

A. Time

B. Mass


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1) Which of the following does not change according to Einstein? ______B

A. Time

B. Mass


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1) Which of the following does not change according to Einstein? ______C

A. Time

B. Mass


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1) Which of the following does not change according to Einstein? ______D

A. Time

B. Mass



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2) The two spaceships mentioned are exactly alike except for ______.

A. speed

B. color

C. mass

D. motion

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A. speed

B. color

C. mass

D. motion

A

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A. speed

B. color

C. mass

D. motion

B

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A. speed

B. color

C. mass

D. motion

C

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A. speed

B. color

C. mass

D. motion

D

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3) What does the scientist in the spaceship measure? ______

A. The speed of the spaceship.

B. The time needed for a beam of light’s travel in the spaceship.

C. The speed of the other spaceship.D. The time needed for a beam of light’s travel

in the other spaceship.

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A

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B

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C

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D

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4) What did the scientist in the red ship see or conclude? ______

A. His beam of light does not appear to go straight up.B. The beam of light in the blue ship appears to

come straight down.

C. Time passed more slowly in the red ship.

D. The blue ship is shorter than the red one.

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4) What did the scientist in the red ship see or conclude? ______A


come straight down.



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4) What did the scientist in the red ship see or conclude? ______B


come straight down.



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4) What did the scientist in the red ship see or conclude? ______C


come straight down.



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4) What did the scientist in the red ship see or conclude? ______D


come straight down.



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The most important of Albert Einstein’s theories published that year became known as his “Special Theory of Relativity.” He said the speed of light is always the same — almost three-hundred-thousand kilometers a second. Where the light is coming from or who is measuring it does not change the speed. However, he said, time can change. And mass can change. And length can change. They depend on where a person is in relation to an object or an event. Imagine two space vehicles with a scientist travelling in each one. One spaceship is red. One is blue. Except for color, both spaceships are exactly alike. They pass one another far out in space.

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Neither scientist feels that his ship is moving. To each, it seems that the other ship is moving, not his. As they pass at high speed, the scientist in each ship measures how long it takes a beam of light to travel from the floor to the top of his spaceship, hit a mirror and return to the floor. Each spaceship has a window that lets each scientist see the experiment of the other. They begin their experiments at exactly the same moment. The scientist in the blue ship sees his beam of light go straight up and come straight down. But he sees that the light beam in the red ship does not do this. The red ship is moving so fast that the beam does not appear to go straight up. It forms a path up and down that looks like an upside down “V”.

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The scientist in the red ship would see exactly the same thing as he watched the experiment by the other scientist. He could say that time passed more slowly in the other ship. Each scientist would be correct, because the passing of time is linked to the position of the observer. Each scientist also would see that the other spaceship was shorter than his own. The higher the speeds the spaceships were travelling, the shorter the other ship would appear. And although the other ship would seem shorter, its mass would increase. It would seem to get heavier. The ideas were difficult to accept. Yet other scientists did experiments to prove that Einstein’s theory was correct.

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Ten years after his paper on the special theory of relativity, Albert Einstein finished work on another theory. It described what he called his “General Theory of Relativity.” It his special theory to include the motion of objects that are gaining speed. This theory offered new ideas about gravity and the close between matter and energy. It built on the ideas about mass he had in 1905.

Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity Listen to the passage, and fill in the blanks with the

missing word(s) you hear.

expanded________

relationship__________

expressed________

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Einstein said that an object loses when it gives off light, which is a kind of energy. He believed that matter and energy were different forms of the same thing. That was the basis of his famous statement E=MC2 (Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared). This or formula explained that a great amount of energy could come from a small piece of matter. It explained how the sun could give off heat and light for millions of years. This formula also led to the of atomic energy.

mass____

mathematical___________

statement________

discovery________

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In his general theory of relativity, Einstein said that gravity, like time, is not always the same. Gravity changes as speed up or slow down. He also said that gravity from very large objects, such as stars, could turn the path of light waves that passed nearby. This seemed . But in 1919, British scientists confirmed his theory when the sun was completely during a solar eclipse. Albert Einstein immediately became famous around the world.

observers________

unbelievable___________

blocked_______

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A General Introduction

Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a novel written by Mary Shelley. The title of the novel refers to a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who learns how to create life and creates a being in the likeness of man, but larger than average and more powerful. In popular culture, people have tended incorrectly to refer to the monster as “Frankenstein”.

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A Clip in the Novel — Frankenstein

1) What was the author interested in?

The man was interested in human bodies.

2) What did the author begin to do?

The author began to work with dead bodies. He studied the progress of their decay, and examined the change from life to death, and death to life.

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3) What did the author finally discover?

He finally discovered how life was created.

4) What was the author’s attitude towards knowledge?Knowledge is dangerous.

5) What is the author’s first task?

The first task is to create a body.

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Part Division of the Text

Further Understanding

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For Part 1 Questions and Answers

For Part 2 Skimming

For Part 3 True or False

Further Understanding

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Part Division of the Text

Parts Para(s) Main Ideas

1 1~3

2 4~6

To make informed decisions about change, the public needs a basic understanding of science.What can be done to educate the public about science.

3 7 With an informed public, human civilization will survive.

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Questions and Answers

1) What is the attitude of some people towards the changes brought about by science and technology?

Some people would like to stop these changes and go back to what they see as a purer and simpler age.

2) What was life like before science and technology began to change our way of life?

For the vast majority of the population, life was nasty, brutish, and short.

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No. The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppressed anything new, and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this would not succeed.

3) What would happen if all government money for research were cut off?

The force of competition would still bring about advances in technology if all government money for research were cut off.

4) Is it possible to prevent science and technology from further development? Why or why not?

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5) What are general public’s attitudes towards science and technology?

They expect the steady increase in the standard of living that new developments in science and technology have brought to continue, but they also distrust science because they don’t understand it. Besides, the public also has a great interest in science.

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Supporting point 1:

1. Skim Part 2 to find out a mini-exposition.Topic sentence: How to educate the public in science?

Skimming

science education in schools_________________________

Supporting point 2:

replacing equations with words and diagrams__________________________________________________

Supporting point 3:

making use of popular media such as newspapers, magazines and above all TV

___________________________________________________________________________

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2. This part is full of comparison and contrast, read this part and fill in the following table with information obtained from this part.

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2. The public only needs

2Science lessons vs.Magazine articles and popular books

1. Science lessons don’t include

a qualitative grasp of scientific concepts

The author preferrednone of them

latest development and scientific progress

Sides Author’s preference

Reasons

1 Equations vs. words and diagrams

The author preferred conveying science bywords and

diagrams

1. Experts need equations for precise values of

quantities_______________________.

2. Even though these publications could help put across , they are only read by

New

a small proportion ofdevelopments

3 Magazine and books vs.

The author preferred1. It can reach

2. It contains many

________________.

a truly mass audience

very good science

televisionprograms

population

________________.

_________________________________.

___________________________________.

______________________________.

___________.

_________.

__________________

_________._________________

__________________. _______________

________.television_________.

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2) We have not been contacted by an alien civilization because of the insufficient development of the science and technology.

True or False

1) Our civilization is more advanced than other alien civilizations according to the joke. T

We have not been contacted by an alien civilization because any alien civilization tends to destroy themselves when they reach our stage.

( )

F( )

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3) The author has had sufficient evidence to prove that the joke is wrong.F

The author has not had sufficient evidence, but he believes that the good sense of the public might prove the joke is wrong.

( )

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Whether we like it or not, the world we live in has changed a great deal in the last hundred years, and it is likely to change even more in the next hundred. Some people would like to stop thesechanges and go back to what they see as a purer and simpler age. But as history shows, the past was not that wonderful. It was not so bad for a privileged minority, though even they had to do without modern medicine, and childbirth was highly risky for women. But for the vast majority of the population, life was nasty, brutish, and short.

Public Attitudes Toward Science Stephen Hawking

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Anyway, even if one wanted to, one couldn’t put the clock back to an earlier age. Knowledge and techniques can’t just be forgotten. Nor can one prevent further advances in the future. Even if all government money for research were cut off (and the present government is doing its best), the force of competition would still bring about advances in technology. Moreover, one cannot stop inquiring minds from thinking about basic science, whether or not they are paid for it. The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppressed anything new, and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this wouldn’t succeed. All it would do is slow down the rate of change.

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If we accept that we cannot prevent science and technology from changing our world, we can at least try to ensure that the changes they make are in the right directions. In a democratic society, this means that the public needs to have a basic understanding of science, so that it can make informed decisions and not leave them in the hands of experts. At the moment, the public is in two minds about science. It has come to expect the steady increase in the standard of living that new developments in science and technology have brought to continue, but it also distrusts science because it doesn’t understand it. This distrust is evident in the cartoon figure of the mad scientist working in his laboratory to produce a Frankenstein.

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It is also an important element behind support for the Green parties. But the public also has a great interest in science, particularly astronomy, as is shown by the large audiences for television series such as The Sky at Night and for science fiction.

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What can be done to harness this interest and give the public the scientific background it needs to make informed decisions on subjects like acid rain, the greenhouse effect, nuclear weapons, and genetic engineering? Clearly, the basis must lie in what is taught in schools. But in schools science is often presentedin a dry and uninteresting manner. Children learn it by rote to pass examinations, and they don’t see its relevance to the world around them. Moreover, science is often taught in terms of equations.

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Although equations are a brief and accurate way of describing mathematical ideas, they frighten most people. When I wrote a popular book recently, I was advised that each equation I included wouldhalve the sales. I included one equation, Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc2. Maybe I would have sold twice as many copies without it. Scientists and engineers tend to express their ideas in the form of equations because they need to know the precise values of quantities. But for the rest of us, a qualitative grasp of scientific concepts is sufficient, and this can be conveyed by words and diagrams, without the use of equations.

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The science people learn in school can provide the basic framework. But the rate of scientific progress is now so rapid that there are always new developments that have occurred since one was at school or university. I never learned about molecular biology or transistors at school, but genetic engineering and computers are two of the developments most likely to change the way we live in the future. Popular books and magazine articles about science can help to put across new developments, but even the most successful popular book is read by only a small proportion of the population. Only television can reach a truly mass audience.

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There are some very good science programmes on TV, but others present scientific wonders simply as magic, without explaining them or showing how they fit into the framework of scientific ideas. Producers of television science programmes should realize that they have a responsibility to educate the public, not just entertain it.

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The world today is filled with dangers, hence the sick joke that the reason we have not been contacted by an alien civilization is that civilizations tend to destroy themselves when they reach our stage. But I have sufficient faith in the good sense of the public to believe that we might prove this wrong.

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Why is this sentence reversed?

The word “nor” here appears at the beginning of the sentence to give force to the negation.

Nor can one prevent further advances in the future.

Nor will I deny that.

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His manner was such that he would offend everyone he met.

1. What is the grammatical function of the first “that”?Here “that” brings about an attributive

clause.

The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppressed anything new, and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this wouldn’t succeed.

2. What does the structure “such that” here mean?The structure is used to give an explanation

for something.

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3. What can we infer from this sentence?

No way can suppress anything new, as human initiative and inventiveness do exist.

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Why is there no “to” between “is” and “slow”?

When “do” appears in the subject of a sentence, the sign “to” of an infinitive which is used as the predicative can be omitted.

All it would do is slow down the rate of change.

The first thing he did was (to) look for a guide.All we could do now is (to) remain cool-headed.

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1. What does “in two minds about” mean?

Unable to decide whether or not you want sth. or want to do sth.

At the moment, the public is in two minds about science.

I think she’s in two minds about whether to accept his present or not.

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2. What can we learn from the sentence?

The public finds itself holding two contradictory viewpoints about science. On the one hand, it expects the improvement in the standard of living that has been brought by science; on the other hand, it also distrusts science because it does not understand it.

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1. What does “it” refer to?

The public’s distrust of science.

2. What part of speech is “support” here?

It is a noun.

It is also an important element behind support for the Green parties.

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Paraphrase the sentence.

But in schools science is often taught in a dull and boring way.

But in schools science is often presented in a dry and uninteresting manner.

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Translate the sentence into Chinese.

如果不用这个公式的话，也许我能多卖出一倍的书。

Maybe I would have sold twice as many copies without it.

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1. What does “sense” here mean?

Power of judging.

But I have sufficient faith in the good sense of the public to believe that we might prove this wrong.

2. What does this sentence imply?

The author believes that the public will have a good understanding about science and can make informed judgments by itself.

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likely: 1. adj. probable

I shall very likely be here again next month.

An incident likely to lead to war is reported on TV. 电视报导出一可能导致战争的事件。

2. adv. probably

Pattern:

It is likely that … 很可能…It is highly likely that he will succeed.

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likely 系常用词，指从表面迹象来看很有可能。例如：

likely, possible & probable这些词都有“可能的”意思。

CF:

The likely outcome of the contest varies from moment to moment.比赛结果每分钟可能都在变化。

possible 指由于有适当的条件和方法，某事可能发生或做到，强调客观上有可能，但常含有实际希望很小的意思。例如：

Is it possible to get to the city by train, or must I take a bus? 坐火车可以到这个城市去吗？还是我必须得坐公共汽车？

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probable 语气比 possible 强，指有根据、合情理、值得相信的 , 带有大概、很可能的意思。例如：

CF:

It is probable that he has forgotten our appointment.很可能他是忘了我们的约会了。

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do without: manage to survive, continue, or succeed, although you do not have sth. you need

He can’t do without the services of a secretary.

I haven’t enough money to buy a car, so I’ll just have to do without.

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Collocation:

摆脱；废除，取消do away with

系上，扣上；修理；打扮do up

和…有关系have something to do with

和…没有关系have nothing to do with

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highly: adv. 1) very

Mr. Smith was a highly successful salesman.

He speaks very highly of you.

2) to a high degree

出席这次会议的大部分人是受过高等教育的女性。Most of the people present at the meeting are highly educated women.

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highly “ ”指的是抽象意义上的高。例如：

highly & high这两个词都表示“高高地”。

CF:

a highly paid official 薪俸优厚的官员think highly of sb. 器重某人

high “ ”用作副词时，一般指的是具体意义上的高。例如：

aim high 向高处瞄准search high and low

到处寻找

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CF: 其他类似的例子还有 :closely & close closely 细心地，严密地。例如：

Watch what I do closely. 仔细观察我所做的。The prisoners were closely guarded. 囚犯被严密看守着。

close 邻近。例如：He lives close to the school.

他住得离学校很近。

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put / turn the clock back: return to a situation that used to exist, usually because the present situation is unpleasant

Forget all about it and look to the future; you can’t turn the clock back.

The employment bill in which women are not allowed to take jobs will put the clock back fifty years.

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bring about: cause to happen

Some educators are hoping to bring about major changes in the educational system.

这是怎么发生的？ What brought it about?

Collocation ：产生；提出bring forth

提前；提出bring forward

教育；养育；提出bring up

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Fill in the blanks with the phrases and change the form where necessary.

1. They proposed that the date of the congress be a few months.2. The trees in the orchard many

apples.3. He was well 4. At the meeting the next morning, they many problems and discussed

them one by one.

brought forward_____________bring forth_________

brought up_________.

brought up/ forward / forth_________

______________

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inquire:

He inquired (of her) the reason for being late again.

1. vt. ask to be told

He asked for his key and inquired whether there had been any message for him.

I rang up to inquire about train times.

2. vi. seek information by questioning

我打电话询问有关火车时刻的事情。

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这些词都有“问，询问”的意思。 inquire 是较正式的书面用词，渴望知道某人或某事的确实情况。例如：

inquire, ask & questionCF:

Collocation ：问候inquire after

求见inquire for

查究，调查inquire into

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ask 是最常用词 , 指为了了解某人或某事而提出问题 , 请别人解答或向别人打听消息。例如：

CF:

他询问你的电话号码。He inquired your telephone number.

对不起，我能问你一个问题吗？Excuse me. May I ask you a question?

question 指对某事不断提出问题，以便了解详细情况。例如：

警察审讯嫌疑人。The suspect was questioned by the police.

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He took the initiative in organizing a party after his brother’s wedding.

initiative: n.1) ability to make decisions and take action without

the help of othersIf you show that you have initiative, you will sooner or later be promoted.The workers are able to solve the problem on their own initiative.

2) used in the phrase “take the initiative”: be the first person to take action to improve a situation or relationship, esp. when other people are waiting for sb. else to do sth.

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rate: n.

The world’s forests are disappearing at an even faster rate than experts have thought.

1) value, cost, speed, etc. measured by its relation to some other amount

The birth rate is the number of births compared to the number of the people.

出生率是出生数与人口数之比。

2) of the (numbered) qualitya first-rate performer; a second-rate comic

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ensure: vt. make sure; guarantee

我不能确保他能及时到这儿。I can’t ensure that he will be here in time.

The new treaty will ensure peace.

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informed: adj.

knowing things; having all the information

随时告诉我新的发展。Keep me informed of fresh development.

He’s a well-informed man.

“ ”这些词都有把某消息或某件事传达给别人的意思。inform 向某人传递信息 , 特别适用于告知所发生的情况或有关资料（可以用于上级对下级，也可以用于下级对上级的通知）。例如：

inform, tell & instruct CF:

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tell 最通用，最不正式。指把某事告诉某人。例如：CF:

我刚接到母校的一封信，通知我说我的老校长雷金纳德·佩奇先生将于下星期退休。

I have just received a letter from my old school informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Reginald Page, will be retiring next week.

Glancing at her scornfully, he told her that the dress was sold.

他轻蔑地看了她一眼，告诉她说那件衣服卖掉了。

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instruct 较正式，意为“指示（一般用于上级对下级），通知”。例如：

CF:

编辑立即给这位记者发了一份电报，叫他查明台阶的准确数目以及围墙的高度。

The editor at once sent the journalist a telegram instructing him to find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall.

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steady: adj.

1) constant; regular in movementThe government’s policies have brought a period of steady economic growth with falling unemployment.There has been a steady growth in the industry.

2) firm

Using the razor requires a steady hand.

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On the basis that recognizing the problem is halfway to a solution, we should pay much attention to his comments.

basis: (pl. bases) n.

The writing is full of arguments that have a firm basis.

1) facts or ideas from which sth. can be developed; foundation (usu. used as a singular noun, followed by for or of )

2) circumstance that provides a reason for some action or opinion (usu. followed by of or that-clause)

What is the basis for your opinion?

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basis 多用于比喻，指信念、议论等的根据。例如：

basis, base & foundation “ ”这些词都有基础，根基的意思

CF:

On the basis of our sales forecasts, we may begin to make a profit next year.

基于我们售货的预测，我们明年将开始赚钱。

Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy. 慈善待人是她人生观的基点。

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base 多用于指有形的或具体的基地或根基，尤指军事或工业方面的基地。例如：

CF:

We picnicked at the base of the mountain.我们在山脚下野餐。The lamp stands on a circular base. 那盏灯由圆形底座支撑。

foundation 强调基础的稳固与坚牢，可用于比喻。例如：Those thoughts rocked her assurance to its

foundations. 那些想法从根本上动摇了她的信念。The huge lorries shock the house to its foundations.大卡车驶过，连屋基都震动了。

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lie in: exist or be found in (sth.)

The root of all these events lay in history.

这部戏剧令人感兴趣的地方在于它提出了一些婚姻方面的问题。

The play’s interest lies in the questions it raises about marriage.

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in terms of: as regards (sth.); expressed as (sth.)

以百分数回答这个问题。Give the answer in terms of a percentage.

In terms of salary, the job is terrible.

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tend: 1. vi. be likely to happen or have a particular

characteristic or effect

Some people tend to get up later at weekends.

物价正在上涨。Prices are tending upwards.

2. vt. watch over; attend toshepherds tending their flockstend the sick and wounded

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precise: adj.

We will never know the precise details of his death.

他是个非常谨慎的人。He is a very precise man.

2) taking care to be exact and not to make errors

1) exact

Our train leaves at about half past ten, or — to be precise — 10:33.

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grasp:

1. v.

1) understand This is a concept we in the West find difficult to grasp.

2) seize firmly

The drowning man grasped the rope.

贪得无厌的人可能毫无所得。A man who grasps at too much may lose everything.

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2. n. power of grasping

Success is within her grasp.

这个作品我看不懂。This work is beyond my grasp.

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sufficient: adj.

$30 should be sufficient for a new pair of shoes.

有足够的证据证明他是有罪的。 There was sufficient evidence to prove that he was guilty.

enough

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convey: vt.

This train conveys both passengers and goods.

1) make (ideas, feelings, etc.) known to another我无法用言语表达我的感情。I can’t convey my feelings in words.This picture will convey to you some idea of the beauty of the scenery.

这幅画可将那处风景的美丽向你传达一二。2) take; carry

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put across: cause to be understood

他非常善于表达自己的意见。He’s very good at putting his ideas across.Good teachers are the ones who are able to put things across well.

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Collocation ：储存（钱、时间）；把…放在一边put aside

提出（意见、建议）put forward

花费，付出（时间、精力等）put in

阻止；推迟put off

穿上put on

熄灭put out为…接通电话 put through忍受put up with

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proportion: n.

A large proportion of the dolphins in that area will eventually die because of water pollution.

1) part of a group or an amount

2) relation of one thing to another in quantity, size, etc.

这个城市的很大一部分人已年过半百。A large proportion of the city’s population is aged over 50.

The proportion of men to women in the medical profession has changed in recent years.

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Collocation ：与…成比例；和…相比in proportion to

与…成正比例in direct proportion to

与…成反比例in inverse proportion to

符合比例的in proportion

不成比例的out of proportion

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fit into:

be part of a situation, system, or plan

The new college courses fit into a national education plan.

College English videos are designed to fit into the syllabus.

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educate: vt. teach or train

You should educate your children to behave well.

这个男孩只能在工作做完后晚上自修。The boy had to educate himself in the evening after finishing his work.

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entertain: v.

1) give pleasure (to)

According to the school regulations, women students are not allowed to entertain men in their rooms.

Children’s television programs not only entertain but also teach.

我们都对他的戏法感兴趣。We were all entertained by his tricks.

2) receive (people) as guests

The Smiths entertain a great deal.

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Feel free to contact us if you need my help.

2. n. touching or communication

He made many useful social contacts while he was in Canada.

他在加拿大期间，曾结识了许多对他有益的社会人士。

contact:

1. vt. get in touch with

We can learn much by being brought into contact with other minds.

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1. Research is more mentally fatiguing, with physical labour.

2. They have to build a railway across Africa.

3. I must my lawyer before I made my final decisions.

contact, contrast & contract这些词形式相似，意思却不同。contact 接触，联系contrast 对比，对照contract 订合同，订契约

CF:

Fill in the blanks with the above words and change the form where necessary.

contrasted_________

contracted_________

contact______

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Useful Expressions

Summary Writing

Talk about the Pictures

Dictation

Sentence Translation

Writing Practice

Interview

Proverbs and Quotations

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Useful Expressions

1. 在过去的一百年间 in the last hundred years

2. 回到 go back to

3. 享有特权的少数人 a privileged minority

4. 当今政府 the present government

5. 基础科学 basic science

6. 全球政府 a global state

7. 民主社会 a democratic society

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make informed decisions

the standard of living

cartoon figures

science fictions

acid rain

greenhouse effect

nuclear weapons

8. 做出明智决定

9. 生活水准

10. 卡通人物

11. 科幻小说

12. 酸雨

13. 温室效应

14. 核武器

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15. 基因工程 genetic engineering

16. 死记硬背 learn by rote

17. 使销量减半 halve the sales

18. 分子生物学 molecular biology

19. 外星文明 alien civilization

20. …对充满信心 have sufficient faith in …

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Science and technology (已带来了巨大的变化 ) to the world we live in in the last hundred years. ( 如何保证 ) that the changes are in the right directions? Clearly, the public needs (科学教育 ) so as to ( 做出明智的决定 ) on their own fate. Schools are important, especially if science is taught ( 以一种有趣的方式 ) and scientific concepts are expressed ( 用文字和图表来表达 ) At the same time, we need to(充分利用 ) popular media such as newspapers,

Summary Writing

havebrought great changes

_________________________

How to ensure____________

education in science_________________make informed decisions____________________

in an interesting manner____________________,

in the form of words and

make full use of______________diagrams

____________________

________.

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Human civilization can survive if the public understands science well.

put across the latest developments _____________________________.

magazines and above all TV to ( 了解最新的发展）

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InterviewSuppose you are Mr. / Ms. Zhang, a sociologist, who is doing a research on the benefits and harms of cell phones, and your partner is the host of Tell It like It Is ( 实话实说 ), a popular TV program concerning hot issues of current affairs and social topics. The interview may cover the following topics.

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1. Do you think people’s life has been greatly improved by the use of cell phones?

2. Do you think cell phones have seriously influenced people’s daily life?

3. Do you think we should ban the use of cell phones in public places, such as buses?

4. What would be the future of cell phones?

Tips:

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1) By using a cell phone, you can communicate with anyone whenever you want and wherever you are.

2) If there is an emergency situation, cell phones can be useful.

3) You can get access to the Internet by using a cell phone.

4) Apart from the instant access they give us, cell phones can be vital, convenient and cost-effective for people who want to stay connected all the time.

5) These devices allow you to enjoy entertainment, access information, capture and share pictures and videos, at anytime and anywhere you want.

Advantages of cell phones:

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1) Radiation affects your health. 2) Vibrations affect your ear drums. 3) Act in bad manners when you are talking to

someone and the phone rings — you start yelling “Hello! Hello”.

4) Modern phones with cameras etc. go beyond normal use. They have become dangerous to society and the privacy of your contacts.

5) Cell-phone users may spend much on running after unnecessary up-to-date models which are changed and innovated all the time.

Disadvantages of cell phones:

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Dictation

The following passage is about technology and people’s life. When you’re listening, you’re required to fill in the gaps with the words you hear.

Low technology is also important in developing countries. Low-tech can help people improve their quality of life. Two examples are devices and stoves that use a small amount of fuel. This is called “appropriate technology.” It usually fewer

inventions________

water-cleaning_____________

requires_______

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resources than high technology. It also is less costly and easier to operate. And it does not harm the environment. Burundi’s government wants people to use peat instead of fuels. Peat is easy to get and its use can save trees from being cut down. Burundi’s army is the main user of peat stoves. But the country plans to sell peat stoves to too. In Cambodia, about one hundred thousand homes have ceramic water purifiers. These devices microorganisms and other substances, making water safe to drink. The American group International Development Enterprises has supported the use of the low-tech purifiers.

traditional_________

civilians_______,

remove______

non-profit_________

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Cambodians like Lach Emmaly are very She says she finds the device useful because she does not have to for firewood to make a fire to heat water. She says the water purifier saves her time and money, and keeps her

satisfied _______.

search______

healthy_______.

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Sentence Translation

1. The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppressed anything new, and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this wouldn’t succeed.

唯一能阻止进一步发展的办法或许是一个压制任何新事物的全球政府，但人类的进取心与创造力如此旺盛，即便这个政府也不会成功。

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2. In a democratic society, this means that the public needs to have a basic understanding of science, so that it can make informed decisions and not leave them in the hands of experts.

在一个民主社会里，这意味着公众需要对科学有一个基本的了解，从而可以做出明达的决定，而不是把决定留给专家去作。

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3. What can be done to harness this interest and give the public the scientific background it needs to make informed decisions on subjects like acid rain, the greenhouse effect, nuclear weapons, and genetic engineering?

怎么样才能利用这种兴趣，向公众提供所需要的科学知识，以便其在酸雨、温室效应、核武器以及基因工程等问题上做出明智的决定呢？

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4. 这部电影的吸引力不仅在于它提供娱乐给观众 , 还在于它提及了人类与外星文明可能接触的问题。

The film’s appeal lies in not only the entertainment it provides to the audience but also the questions it raises about the possible contact between human beings and alien civilizations. 5. 的确很难做出准确的预测 , 但信息产业的稳步增长确保

该系列产品是高利润。

True it is hard to make accurate predictions, but steady growth of the information industry ensures that this line of products is highly profitable.

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7. 要了解重大的国际事件，我们首先需要考虑其历史与政治背景。

To understand the major international events, we first need to consider their historical and political background.

With the improvement of the standard of living, the proportion of people’s income spent on food has decreased while that spent on education has increased remarkably.

6. 随着生活水平的提高，人们收入中用于购买食物的比例下降了，而在教育方面的花费明显增加。

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Write an essay of about 80 words entitled Should cloning of human beings be banned? Your essay should cover the following points.

Writing Practice

1. Your opinion on cloning of human beings.2. Give supporting evidence.3. Use to begin with, secondly, thirdly and finally to

connect all the evidence.

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Cloning of human beings should not be banned. To begin with, it is probably one of the ways like vitro ( 体外的 ) fertilization (授精 ) to help a couple have a child when they could not have any other way. Secondly, it will advance our knowledge of how genes direct the development of a single cell embryo (胚胎 ) into a complex adult. Finally, the ethical problems concerning cloning will be solved gradually by human beings.

Model Paper

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Proverbs and Quotations

1. Science has no enemy but the ignorant.

科学的敌人是愚昧无知。

2. Science rests on phenomena.

科学依据自然现象。

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真理没有自己特定的时间段。它的时间永远是现在。—— 德国医生 A. 施威策

4. Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken.

— Bertrand Russell, British logician

即使所有的专家都一致赞同，他们也可能错了。—— 英国逻辑学家伯特兰·罗素

3. Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now always.

— A. Schweitzer, German surgeon

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真正的金科玉律就是世上并无金科玉律。—— 爱尔兰作家萧伯纳

5. The Golden Rule is that there are no golden rules.

— G. B. Shaw, Irish writer

大多无知是可以克服的。我们不知道只是因为我们不想知道。

—— 英国作家奥尔德斯·赫胥黎

6. Most ignorance is vincible ignorance. We don’t know because we don’t want to know.

— Aldous Huxley, British writer

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Culture Notes

Reading

Comprehension Tasks

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Culture Notes

El Nino

A Brief History of Exploration of Mars

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Comprehension Tasks


Listening and Discussion

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El Nino El Nino is a global ocean-atmosphere phenomenon. It is an important temperature fluctuation in surface waters of the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. The name El Nino, from the Spanish for “the little boy”, refers to the Christ child, because the phenomenon is usually noticed aroundChristmas time in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America.

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A Brief History of Exploration of Mars

1. The modern era of Mars exploration began to take shape in the early 1960s.This era has, so far, consisted of a series of robotic probes launched, primarily, by the United States.

2. Mariner 4 was launched by NASA in November of 1964. On July 15th, 1965 it passed by Mars successfully at 9,846 km.

3. The two Viking probes were launched from Earth in 1975 and entered Mars orbit in the same year.

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4. Mars Pathfinder was launched on December 4th, 1996 and landed near the mouth of the Ares Valles valley on July 4th, 1997.

5. Mars Odyssey was launched on April 7th, 2001 and entered Mars orbit on October 24th, 2001.

6. Mars Express is the first successful robotic probe to Mars launched and operated by the European Space Agency. It was launched in June of 2003 and arrived in Mars orbit on December 25th, 2003.

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David H. Levy

When these headlines appeared this year, their stories became the subjects of conversations around the world — talks spiced with optimism and confusion. Imagine the hopes raised in the millions battling cancer. Did the news mean these people never had to worry about cancer again?

New Drugs Kill CancerDevastation by El Nino ─ a Warning6:30 p.m. October 26, 2028: Could This Be the Deadline for the Apocalypse?

How to Make Sense out of Science

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Or that we all had to worry about a catastrophe from outer space or, more immediately, from El Nino? Unfortunately, science doesn’t work that way. It rarely arrives at final answers. People battling cancer or victims of El Nino may find this frustrating, but the truth is that Nature does not yield her secrets easily. Science is done step by step. First an idea is formed. Then this is tested by an experiment. The outcome, one hopes, results in an increase in knowledge.

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Science is not a set of unquestionable results but a way of understanding the world around us. Its real work is slow. The scientific method, as many of us learned in school, is a gradual process that begins with a purpose or a problem or question to be answered. It includes a list of materials, a procedure to follow, a set of observations to make and, finally, conclusions to reach. In medicine, when a new drug is proposed that might cure or control a disease, it is first tested on a large random group of people, and their reactions are then compared with those of another random group not given the drug. All reactions in both groups are carefully recorded and compared, and the drug is evaluated. All of this takes time — and patience.

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It’s the result of course, that makes the best news — not the years of quiet work that characterize the bulk of scientific inquiry. After an experiment is concluded or an observation is made, the result continues to be examined critically. When it is submitted for publication, it goes to a group of the scientist’s colleagues, who review the work. If the work is important enough, just before the report is published in a professional journal or read at a conference, a press release is issued and an announcement is made to the world.

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The world may think that the announcement signifies the end of the process, but it doesn’t. A publication is really a challenge: “Here is my result. Prove me wrong!” Other researchers will try to repeat the experiment, and the more often it works, the better the chances that the result is sound. Einstein was right when he said: “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can at any time prove me wrong.”

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In August 1996, NASA announced the discovery in Antarctica of a meteorite from Mars that might contain evidence of ancient life on another world. As President Clinton said that day, the possibility that life existed on Mars billions of years ago was potentially one of the great discoveries of our time. After the excitement wore down and initial papers were published, other researchers began looking at samples from the same meteorite. Some concluded that the “evidence of life” was mostly contamination from Antarctic ice or that there was nothing organic at all in the rock.

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Was this a failure of science, as some news reports trumpeted? No! It was a good example of the scientific method working the way it is supposed to. Scientists spend years on research, announce their findings, and these findings are examined by other scientists. That’s how we learn. Like climbing a mountain, we struggle up three feet and fall back two. It’s a process filled with disappointments and reverses, but somehow we keep moving ahead.

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deadline: n. point in time by which sth. must be done

I’m afraid you’ve missed the deadline — the deadline for applications was May 30th.

Friday’s deadline is going to be very difficult to meet.

在周五的最后期限之前完成将是非常困难的。

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Imagine the hopes raised in the millions battling cancer. Paraphrase the sentence:

Imagine what a great encouragement it is for the millions of patients who are fighting against cancer.

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Science doesn’t work that way.

Paraphrase the sentence:

Science doesn’t operate that way.

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It rarely arrives at final answers.

Paraphrase the sentence:

Seldom does science enable us to arrive at ultimate solutions.

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victim: n. sb. who has been hurt or killed by sb. / sth.; sb. who suffers because of sth. bad that happens or because of an illness孩子们是这场打斗的无辜受害者。

He was the victim of an administrative error.

The children were the innocent victims of the fighting.

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frustrate: vt.

由于大雪，他们登上顶峰的努力失败了。

cause (sb.) to feel discouraged or disappointed; prevent (sb.) from doing or achieving sth.

Some websites are not tested adequately and consequently carry bugs that frustrate visitors.

They were frustrated in their efforts to reach the summit by heavy snowfall.

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yield: vt. reveal; produce or provide

双方的会谈没有取得成果。

The agency finally yielded consent to his application.

Talks between the two sides have yielded no results.

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step by step: gradually

该教科书是以其循序渐进介绍英语语法而众所周知。

The career counselor guided Elle step by step through her planning for gaining admission to a graduate program in psychology.

The textbook is well known for its step-by-step introduction to English grammar.

step-by-step: adj. gradual

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outcome: n. result

在记者招待会上将会公布谈判的结果。

One current educational approach which has not received a lot of attention is outcome-based education.

The outcome of the negotiations will be announced at a press conference.

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gradual: adj. happening or developing slowly and by degrees

这一过程是悄然发生、循序渐进且无法避免的。

This process is quiet, gradual and inevitable.

Some people favour a gradual switch from the Microsoft system to open source.

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process: n. connected series of actions, changes, etc.

减肥是一个缓慢的，渐进的过程。

Losing weight is a slow, gradual process.

I think life itself is a learning process.

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conclusion: n. belief or opinion that is the result of reasoning; end

我们是根据事实得出的结论。We based our conclusion on facts.

There are perhaps two main conclusions to be drawn from the above discussion.

会议是结束了，却取得很少进展。At the conclusion of the meeting, little progress had been made.

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propose: vt. put forward for consideration; suggest (used in the patterns: propose that … ; propose doing sth.)

报告还建议延长高速公路。

The report also proposes extending the motorway.The government has proposed legislation to ban retailers from selling tobacco products to young people.In his speech he proposed that the UN should set up an emergency centre for the environment.

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evaluate: vt. assess您的工作将由管理团队的成员进行评估。Your work will be evaluated by members of the management team.

From books to Internet sites to television to scholarly journal articles, it is always important to critically evaluate information.

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It’s the result of course, that makes the best news — not the years of quiet work.


成为新闻热点的当然是结果，而非长年默默无闻的努力。

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bulk: n. the main or largest part; (largeness of) size

他注意到，活跃的社区成员大部分是女性。

He has noticed that the bulk of active community members are women.

The bulk of the wealth of humanity is intangible, informational, and cultural.

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submit: vt. offer for consideration (used in the pattern: submit sth. to sb.)

发展商向当地政府提交了建筑图 ,以获得批准。The developers submitted building plans to the local government for approval.

We have submitted proposals for a new curriculum to the Vice Chancellor.

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publish: vt. make information available to people, especially in a book, magazine or newspaper, or produce and sell a book, magazine or newspaper

这个出版社主要出版教科书和其他教育材料。The press publishes mainly textbooks and other educational materials.

They are publishing the dictionary on CD-ROM.

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professional: adj. of a profession

这个网站提供免费和专业的语言翻译服务。This website provides free and professional language translation service.

He was a keen amateur photographer for many years before he turned professional.

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That claim has been challenged and much debated, but it seems to hold up.

challenge: 1. n. difficult or stimulating task; statement or action wh

ich questions (sth.)我喜欢学习新事物的挑战。I like the challenge of learning new things.Brian now faces the biggest challenge of his career.

2. v. give / send / be a challenge to

We were challenging all the traditional methods of testing for poisons.

这种说法一直备受争议和质疑，但又似乎站得住脚。

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amount: n. quantity; total sum

当你增加纤维的摄入量时 , 要多饮液体 , 这一点很重要。It’s important to drink more fluids when you increase the amount of fiber you eat.

My dog has an amount of nearly white hairs.

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wear down: (cause to) become smaller, weaker, etc.

多年内战拖垮了这个国家。The country was worn down by years of civil war.

The tires have worn down; they don’t grip as well as before.

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organic: adj. relating to farming or gardening methods of growing food without using artificial chemicals, or produced or grown by these methods

有机水果一般更为昂贵。Organic fruit is generally more expensive.

Most supermarkets now sell organic produce.

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Like climbing a mountain, we struggle up three feet and fall back two.

Paraphrase the sentence.

Just like in mountain climbing, progress is gradual, slowed by reverses.

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somehow: adv. in some way; by some means; for some reason that is not clear

他原本能按预定进度做完这件事的，但不知怎么却落后了。He could have finished it on schedule, but somehow he fell behind.

Still single in his fifties, he expected somehow to discover a woman who would love him.

Somehow my tongue got tied and I failed to ask the film star for her autograph.

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The scientific method, as many of us learned in school, is a gradual process that begins with a purpose or a problem or question to be answered.


正如我们很多人在学校里所学的那样，科学方法是一个渐进的过程，这个过程始于某个目的，或某个需要解决或回答的问题。

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Other researchers will try to repeat the experiment, and the more often it works, the better the chances that the result is sound.


别的研究人员会试图重复这一实验，实验成功的次数越多，其结果就越有可能是可靠的。

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As President Clinton said that day, the possibility that life existed on Mars billions of years ago was potentially one of the great discoveries of our time.


正如克林顿总统那天所说，发现亿万年前火星上可能存在生命这件事，有可能是我们时代最伟大的发现之一。

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Some concluded that the “evidence of life” was mostly contamination from Antarctic ice or that there was nothing organic at all in the rock.


有些人得出结论说，这些“生命的证据”大多来自南极冰的污染，或者那块石头里根本就没有有机物。

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Divide students into two groups. The first group looks at Picture 1, and the second group looks at Picture 2. Invite students from each group to describe their picture respectively, and then hold a discussion about pros and cons of technology.

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Picture 1

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Picture 2

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In this part, you will hear two short passages about tumor and cell phones. You are required to listen to them carefully and write down some important information. After your listening, you are asked to have a discussion based on the questions following the passage.

Listening and Discussion

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Passage One

tumoranalogdigital

瘤模拟的数字的

A Swedish study suggests that people who use cell phones for at least ten years might be at greater risk for developing a rare tumor. It can grow on the nerve that leads from the inner ear to the brain. The risk was higher on the side of the head where the phone was usually held. The researchers found that those people who had used cell phones for at least ten years had almost two

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times the risk of developing this kind of tumor. In addition, the tumor risk was almost four times higher on the side of the head where the phone was usually held. There was no increased risk for those who had used cell phones for fewer than ten years. At the time the study was done, only analog phones had been in use for ten years. Almost all early analog cell phones released more radiation than the digital phones now being sold. But researchers say they cannot be sure if the results are just linked to the use of analog phones. They say further study is needed.

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Questions for discussion:

1)2)

3)

What is the study mainly about?Who would have a higher health risk according to the report?Do you always believe what scientists say or report?

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Passage Two New research has found no link between the use of cell phones and tumors in the head. The study is one of the largest ever done on the possible links between brain cancer and cell phone radiation. Anthony Swerdlow led the study. He said the results suggest there is no major risk of acoustic neuromas in the first ten years of using cell phones. But he said the technology is still too new to know about long-term effects. He also warned that young children who use cell phones could be at higher risk. The results of a recent Swedish study also found no link between cell phone use

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and brain tumors. In 2000, a British study found no serious health effects from the use of cell phones. However, it warned that children should use them only in emergencies.

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Questions for discussion:

1)2)3)

What is the new research mainly about?What are the major findings?Why does the second report totally contradict the first report?

B R _ main

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