托福综合写作练习及听力原文
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¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO3×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO3×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Rembrandt is the most famous of the seventeenth-century Dutch painters. However, there are doubts whether some paintings attributed to Rembrandt were actually painted by him. One such painting is known as attributed to Rembrandt because of its style, and indeed the representation of the woman¡¯s face is very much like that of portraits known to be by Rembrandt. But there are problems with the painting that suggest it could not be a work by Rembrandt. First, there is something inconsistent about the way the woman inthe portrait is dressed. She is wearing a white linen cap of a kind that only servants would wear-yet the coat she is wearing has a luxurious fur collar that no servant could afford. Rembrandt, who was known for his attention to the details of his subjects¡¯ clothing, would not have been guilty of such an inconsistency. Second, Rembrandt was a master of painting light and shadow, but in this painting these elements do not fit together. The face appears to be illuminated by light reflected onto it from below. But below the face is the dark fur collar, which would absorb light rather than reflect it. So the face should appear partially in shadow-which is not how it appears. Rembrandt would never have made such an error. Finally, examination of the back of the painting reveals that it was painted on a panel made of several pieces of wood glued together. Although Rembrandt often painted on wood panels, no painting known to be by Rembrandt uses a panel glued together in this way from several pieces of wood. For these reasons the painting was removed from the official catalog of Rembrandt¡¯s paintings in the 1930s.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO3×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Professor Everything you just read about ¡°Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet¡± is true, and yet after a thorough re-examination of the painting, a panel of experts has recently concluded that it¡¯s indeed a work by Rembrandt. Here is why. First, the fur collar. X-rays and analysis of the pigments in the paint have shown that the fur collar wasn¡¯t part of the original painting. The fur collar was painted over the top of the original painting about a hundred years after the painting was made. Why? Someone probably wanted to increase the value of the painting by making it look like a formal portrait of an aristocratic lady. Second, the supposed error with light and shadow. Once the paint of the added fur color was removed, the original could be seen, in the original painting, the woman is wearing a simple collar of light-colored cloth. The light-colored cloth of this collar reflects light that illuminates part of the woman¡¯s face. That¡¯s why the face is not in partial shadow. So in the original painting, light and shadow are very realistic and just what we would expect from Rembrandt. Finally, the wood panel. It turns out that when the fur collar was added, the wood panel was also enlarged with extra wood pieces glued to the sides and the top to make the painting more grand and more valuable. So the original paintingis actually painted on a single piece of wood, as would be expected from a Rembrandt painting. And in fact, researchers have found that the piece of wood in the original form of ¡°Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet¡± is from the very same tree as the wood panel used for another painting by Rembrandt, his ¡°Self-portrait with a Hat¡±.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO3×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡integrated writing sample answer (Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ) The lecture revises the idea presented in the text, that Rembrandt was not the artist who painted the famous painting "Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet". The inconsistency between the white cap, which identifies the woman as a servant, and the expensive fur collar she wears dissolves as the Professor explains that the fur collar was apparently painted over the original painting to increase its worth by displaying an aristocratic woman. In addition, the assumption that light and shadow in the painting do not fit together is refuted by the fact that in the original painting, the woman worn a light cloth that illuminated her face. Thus the presentation of light and shadow was indeed very realistic and accurate, as it is characteristic of Rembrandt¡¯s paintings. Finally, the mystery of the panel consisting of patches glued together is also solved in the lecture. Actually, the wood panel was later enlarged to make it more grand and valuable, but the original painting was painted on a single panel, as Rembrandt would have done it. Furthermore, the wood is of the same tree used in other Rembrandt paintings, like the "Self-Portrait with a Hat". All this information points to Rembrandt as the painter of the controversial painting.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO3×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡In terms of whether Rembrandt painted Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet, the reading and listening are contradictory to each other. First, the writer makes the point that the fur collar the woman is wearing is not consistent with her identity. However, the professor demonstrates a different idea that the fur collar was not part of the original painting and it was painted a hundred years after the painting was made. Second, contrary to the belief in the reading passage that light and shadow in the painting are inconsistent, the lecturer says that the woman was actually wearing a light colored cloth in the original painting, which reflects the light to illuminate the woman¡¯s face. Finally, the author states that Rembrandt should not have painted on a panel made of several pieces of wood. In contrast, the professor refutes that the original painting was enlarged to be more grand and valuable. In fact, it was painted on a single piece of wood from the same tree with another painting by Rembrandt. Sample2 The lecture revises the idea presented in the text, that Rembrandt was not the artist who painted the famous painting "Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet". The inconsistency between the white cap, which identifies the woman as a servant, and the expensive fur collar she wears dissolves as the Professor explains that the fur collar was apparently painted over。
为了帮助大家高效备考托福,为大家带来托福TPO12综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO12综合写作阅读原文文本: Jane Austen (1775-1817) is one of the most famous of all English novelists, and today her novels are more popular than ever, with several recently adapted as Hollywood movies. But we do not have many records of what she looked like. For a long time, the only accepted image of Austen was an amateur sketch of an adult Austen made by her sister Cassandra. However recently a professionally painted, full-length portrait of a teenage girl owned by a member of the Austen family has come up for sale. Although the professional painting is not titled Jane Austen, there are good reasons to believe she is the subject. First, in 1882, several decades after Austen's death, Austen's family gave permission to use the portrait as an illustration in an edition of her letters. Austen's family clearly recognized it as a portrait of the author. So, for over a century now, the Austen family itself has endorsed the claim that the girl in the portrait is Jane Austen. Second, the face in the portrait clearly resembles the one in Cassandra's sketch, which we know depicts Austen. Though somewhat amateurish, the sketch communicates definite details about Austen's face. Even though the Cassandra sketch is of an adult Jane Austen, the features are still similar to those of the teenage girl in the painting. The eyebrows, nose, mouth, and overall shape of the face are very much like those in the full-length portrait. Third, although the painting is unsigned and undated, there is evidence that it was painted when Austen was a teenager. The style links it to Ozias Humphrey, a society portrait painter who was the kind of professional the wealthy Austen family would hire. Humphrey was active in the late 1780s and early 1790s, exactly the period when Jane Austen was the age of the girl in the painting. 托福TPO12综合写作听力原文文本: Professor:The evidence linking this portrait to Jane Austen is not at all convincing. Sure, the painting has long been somewhat loosely connected to Austen's extended family and their descendants, but this hardly proves it's a portrait of Jane Austen as a teenager. The reading's arguments that the portrait is of Austen are questionable at best.First, when the portrait was authorized for use in the 1882 publication of her letters, Jane Austen had been dead for almost 70 years. So the family members who asserted that the painting was Jane had never actually seen her themselves. They couldn't have known for certain if the portrait was of Austen or not.Second, the portrait could very well be that of a relative of Austen's, a fact that would explain the resemblance between its subject and that of Cassandra's sketch. The extended Austen family was very large and many of Jane Austen's female cousins were teenagers in the relevant period or had children who were teenagers. And some of these teenage girls could have resembled Jane Austen. In fact, many experts believe that the truesubject of the portrait was one of those relatives, Marianne Kempian,who was a distant niece of Austen's.Third, the painting has been attributed to Humphrey only because of the style. But other evidence points to a later date. A stamp on the back of the picture indicates that the blank canvas, you know the actual piece of cloth on which the picture was painted, was sold by a man named William Legg. Record showed that William Legg did not sell canvases in London when Jane Austen was a teenager. He only started selling canvases when she was 27 years old. So it looks like the canvas was used for the painting at a time hen Austen was clearly older than the girl in the portrait. 托福TPO12综合写作满分范文: The reading passage suggests that three pieces of evidence provide support that a portrait recently commissioned for sale by a member of Jane Austen’s family is of Jane Austen herself when she was a teenager. However, the lecturer rejects such evidence and argues that the painting could not be a portrait of Jane Austen. First, the lecturer argues that the portrait was approved for publication by the Austen family 70 years after Jane Austen’s death, suggesting that members of her extended family might have published the portrait without having actually seen her in person. Therefore. the fact that the portrait had been endorsed by her family members does not necessarily prove that it is a portrait of Jane Austen. Second, the lecturer argues that the resemblance between the portrait and an authentic sketch of the adult Jane Austen could be explained by the hypothesis that the portrait is of a relative of Jane Austen when the relative was a teenager. Finally, the lecturer argues that despite the style of the painting, which links it to the exact period when Jane Austen was a teenager, the stamp on the back of the canvas suggests that the portrait was painted at least 27 years after Jane Austen’s birth, indicating that the portrait was of someone else who was much older than the teenage Jane Austen. 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO12综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对你有所帮助!。
为了帮助大家高效备考托福,为大家带来托福TPO50综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO50综合写作阅读原文文本: Scientists are considering the possibility of sending humans to Mars in the coming decades. Although there have been successful manned missions to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s, Mars is 150 times further away from Earth than the Moon is. Thus the project of sending humans to Mars would require solving an array of problems the Moon missions did not have to face. One problem is that a round-trip to Mars and back is likely to take at least two years. The trip to the Moon lasted only a few days, and it was easy to bring enough supplies of food, water, and oxygen; but the cargo capacity of space vehicles is too limited to put on board the food, water, and oxygen required by a crew for a period of two years. Without those essentials, though, a Mars mission is impossible. A second problem is that astronauts on the Mars mission would be in the zero-gravity environment of space for many months at a time. Spending a long time in the zero-gravity environment has negative effects on the human body, such as decreased muscle mass and lower bone density. Over the course of a two-year mission, the effects would be so severe, they would make it impossible for humans to make the trip without experiencing grave medical problems. Finally, astronauts on a mission to Mars would be exposed to dangerous levels of space radiation, much of which comes in the form of charged particles emitted by the Sun. Earth's magnetic field, which normally protects us from dangerous solar radiation, would not be able to protect a spaceship traveling in interplanetary space. Constructing a shield that would protect the whole spaceship from space radiation is at present impossible because it would add too much weight to the ship. 托福TPO50综合写作听力原文文本: A trip to mars would definitely be challenging but scientists have proposed solutions to the problems the reading selection discusses. First of all, food, water and oxygen. Well astronauts can use hydroponics. Hydroponics is a technique for growing plants with their roots in water rather than in soil. It requires relatively little space. Using hydroponics, the astronauts should be able to cultivate food crops in the spacecraft. In addition, the hydroponic will grow plants with recycle waste water and release it as clean water vapor, which can be collected as drinking water. And of course, all plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. So thanks to hydroponics the astronauts will also have fresh air to breathe. Second, the effects of zero gravity. Over the last few decades, we have launched several space stations orbiting the earth. And a number of astronauts have spent many months on them in a zero gravity environment. These astronauts have learned to useseveral techniques to safely manage the effects of zero gravity. For example, regular exercise prevents the decrease in muscle mass. Likewise, taking vitamins and minerals like calcium slows down the decrease in astronauts’ bone density. Third, solar radiation. Astronauts traveling to Mars will be exposed to some solar radiation but this radiation will not be at dangerous levels all the time. The sun only releases dangerous amounts of radiation occasionally, during periods when it is particularly active. In order to avoid this threat, the spacecraft could be equipped with special instruments that monitor solar radiation and with a small shelter that shield against radiation but doesn’t add much weight to the ship. Most of the time, the astronauts will go about their normal business in unshielded areas of the spacecraft. But when their instruments detect increased radiation, they could stay in the small shielded area until the danger has passed. 托福TPO50综合写作满分范文: Both the reading and listening are arguing over a question whether it is possible to send human being to Mars. The reading lists out three problems to a successful carrying out. However, the listening offers three solutions to these questions. First, the reading raises the question that it takes too long to send people to Mars, approximately two years and no spacecraft could take that many loads of food, water and life essentials. Instead, the listening says this is not a real problem since the astronauts could use hydroponics to grow crop plants in water and food will not be an obstacle. Also, they could grow plants with recycle waste water and reuse it as clean water vapor, which could be drunk. Plus, since all plants do photosynthesis, the astronauts could breathe fresh air released by them. Second, the reading asserts that living in a zero-gravity environment would exert a negative effect on one’s health. Nevertheless, the professor says that the astronauts have learned to use several techniques to make up for the health issue. They will do regular exercise to prevent muscle mass from decreasing and take vitamins and minerals to slow down problem with their bone density. In another word, they’ve figured out how to cope with the potential health problem. Third, the reading claims that radiation emitted by the sun would be dangerous to astronauts. This time professor subtly rejects by pointing out that a third solution has come out. The spaceship would be equipped with a special instrument to monitor the radiation. What’s more, the device could also shield against the radiation. When astronauts meet the period of a large amount of radiation, they could hide behind the shielded areas and come out when the danger has passed. 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO50综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对你有所帮助!。
为了帮助大家高效备考托福,为大家带来托福TPO49综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO49综合写作阅读原文文本: Like many creatures, humpback whales migrate long distances for feeding and mating purposes. How animals manage to migrate long distances is often puzzling. In the case of humpback whales, we may have found the answer: they may be navigating by the stars, much as early human sailors did. What we know about humpback whales makes this a distinct possibility. First, humpback whales seem to be intelligent enough to use stars to navigate by. Whales' brains have a high degree of complexity--a common determiner of intelligence. This suggests that the whales' brain power far exceeds that of most other animals. The whales' well-developed cognitive ability seems to provide a sound basis for the ability to use a complex, abstract system of sensory stimuli such as the night sky for orientation. Second, humpback whales migrate in straight lines. Animals can maintain movement in a straight direction for long distances only if they orient themselves by some external objects or forces. Many birds and other terrestrial creatures, for example, use physical landmarks to help them stay on track as they migrate. Whales, which swim in the open ocean, cannot rely on land features; they could, however, rely on stars at night to provide them with external signs by which to maintain direction over long distances. Third, humpback whales exhibit an unusual behavior: they are sometimes observed floating straight up for minutes at a time, their heads above the water as though they were looking upward. The behavior is known as spy-hopping, and it is very rare among marine animals. One explanation for the function of spy-hopping is that the whales are looking at the stars, which are providing them with information to navigate by. 托福TPO49综合写作听力原文文本: Professor: The theory that humpback whales use the stars to navigate the open seas is a fascinating one, but the evidence supporting the theory is not very convincing. First, there doesn’t seem to be any real connection between intelligence and an animal's ability to use stars for navigation. You know, there are other animals that use stars to navigate. Some birds have this ability, like ducks for example. Now the general cognitive ability of ducks is only average. They are not highly intelligent. The fact that the ducks evolved the ability to use stars for navigation does not seem to have much of a connection to their overall intelligence. It's just an instinct they were born with, not a sign of intelligence. So the fact that humpback whales happen to be intelligent does not make them particularly likely to use stars for navigation. The two things just don't seem to be connected. Second, there may be a different explanation for the humpback whale’s abilityto navigate in straight lines. Remember that for animals to be able to do this, they have to sense some external object or force. Well, the external force the whales could be sensing is Earth’s magnetic field. Humpback whales have a substance in their brains called biomagnetite. Generally, the presence of biomagnetite in an animal’s body makes that animal sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field. The fact that there’s biomagnetite in the brains of humpback whales suggests that they orient themselves by the magnetic field rather than the stars when they migrate.Third, spyhopping probably has nothing to do with looking at stars. Spyhopping is rare, but there are other animals that exhibit it. Some sharks do it, for example. But sharks don't migrate or look at stars. Sharks spyhop to look for animals they want to hunt. And another thing, humpback whales often spyhop during the day, when no stars can be seen. So to suggest that the function of spyhopping is to look at stars is pure speculation. 托福TPO49综合写作满分范文: In the reading passage, the author states that humpback whales may navigate by stars to migrate long distances. However, the professor refutes this idea and thinks the reasons listed in the reading are unconvincing. First of all, the author claims that humpback whales are intelligent enough to navigate by stars, while the professor states that there is no correlation between intelligence and an animal’s ability to use stars for navigation. For example, some birds such as ducks evolved the ability for navigation by stars. And ducks are only of general cognitive ability, not as advanced as humpback whales’. So, it seems that there is no real connection between intelligence and the ability to use stars for navigation. In addition, the author argues that humpback whales have no land features in the ocean to help them migrate in straight lines for long distance. So, they have to rely on stars. However, the professor challenges this statement by pointing out that the presence of biomagnetite in the brains of humpback whales enables them to be sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field. It is Earth’s magnetic field that helps humpback whales to migrate. Finally, the professor cast doubt on what is stated in the reading that humpback whales look at the stars through spy-hopping, which is a rare behavior among marine animals. He claims that there is no connection between spy-hopping and looking at stars since there are other animals exhibit this behavior but do not migrate, such as sharks. Also, humpback whales do spyhop during the day when there are no stars can be seen in the sky. So, the statement that humpback whales adopt spyhopping to look at stars is not convincing. 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO49综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文,希望对你有所帮助!。
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO41×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO41×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Burning coal in power plants produces a waste product called coal ash, a material that contains small amounts of potentially harmful chemicals Environmentalists in the United States are concerned about the damage such harmful chemicals may be doing to the environment and suggest that the United States government should create new, much stricter regulations for handling and storing coal ash. However, representatives of power companies take the opposite view; they argue that new regulations are unnecessary and might actually have negative consequences They use the following arguments to support their position. Regulations Exist First, power company representatives point out that effective environmental regulations already exist. For example, one very important regulation requires companies to use liner-special material that prevents coal ash components from leaking into the soil and contaminating the surrounding environment. Companies that dispose of coal ash in disposal ponds or landfills must use liner in every new pond or landfill they build. Concerns About Recycling Coal Ash Second, some analysts predict that creating very strict rules for storing and handling coal ash might discourage the recycling of coal ash into other products Currently, a large portion of coal ash generated by power plants is recycled: it is used, for example, in building materials such as concrete and bricks Recycling coal ash reduces the need to dispose of it in other ways and presents no environmental danger. However, if new, stricter rules are adopted for handling coal ash, consumers may become concerned that recycled coal ash products are just too dangerous, and may stop buying the products Increased Cost Finally, strict new regulations would result in a significant increase in disposal and handling costs for the power companies. perhaps as much as ten times the current costs. Power companies would be forced to increase the price of electricity, which would not be welcomed by the general public.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO41×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Professor: There should definitely be stricter rules adopted for handling and disposing of coal ash.¡¡¡¡First, the regulations we have now, for example, those that require companies to use liner, are not really sufficient. Under the current regulations, liner has to be used only when a company builds a new landfill or a new pond. But companies are not required to add liner to old ponds and landfills. Yet several of those older disposal sites have caused significant damage. For example, the harmful chemicals from coal ash leaked into groundwater and contaminated drinking water. We absolutely need stricter new regulations that will prevent environmental damage at all coal ash disposal sites, the new sites as well as the old ones.¡¡¡¡Second, stricter rules for handling coal ash won't necessarily mean that consumers will stop using recycled coal ash products. Let's look at how people responded to strict regulations for other dangerous materials. Take mercury for example. Mercury is a fairly hazardous material and it's been subject to very strict handling and storage rules for a long time. Yet despite those rules, it's been successfully and safely recycled for over 50 years. And consumers have had very few concerns about it. So it's unlikely that consumers will become afraid to buy recycled coal ash products if stricter regulations are adopted.¡¡¡¡Third, it's true that the cost of coal ash storage and handling will increase, but in this case, the result is well worth the extra cost. According to analysts, the cost to the power companies of implementing these rules would be about 15 billion dollars. That sounds like a lot. But when you actually do the math, it would increase the average consumer's household electricity bill by only about one percent. That's not a big price to pay for having a cleaner environment.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO41×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡The reading mainly talks about that the new regulations of coal ash are unnecessary. However the listening challenges what are stated in the passage by providing three strong reasons. Firstly, in the reading, it is said that the effective environmental regulations have already existed. In contrast, the listening holds a view that the regulations we have now are not sufficient. For example, the harmful chemicals from coal ash leaked into groundwater and contaminated drinking water. So we need stricter new rules to prevent environmental damage at all coal ash disposal sites. Secondly, the passage asserts that creating too strict rules for storing and dealing with coal ash might discourage the recycling of it into other products. However, the professor maintains an opposite opinion that stricter rules don¡¯t mean that consumers won¡¯t use recycled coal ash products anymore. Take mercury as example, it¡¯s been successfully and safely recycled for over 50 years and it receives little concerns. Finally, the author of reading passage believes that strict new regulations would increase the cost of disposal and handling for the power companies. On the other hand, the professor disagrees it with the point that the result is worth the extra cost. To state it more clearly, it would increase the average consumer¡¯s electricity bill by only about one percent which is totally acceptable to have a cleaner environment. ####According to the reading passage, representatives of power companies hold the view that new regulations for handling and storing coal ash are unnecessary and might lead to undesirable consequences. However, the listening challenges what are stated in the passage by providing three strong reasons. Firstly, in the reading, it is said that the effective environmental regulations already exist. For example one regulation requires companies to use liner to prevent coal ash components from contaminating the surrounding environment. In contrast, the listening holds a view that the regulations we have now are not sufficient. For example, the harmful chemicals from coal ash leaked into groundwater and contaminated drinking water. So。
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO29×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO29×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Large numbers of dinosaur fossils have been discovered in deposits on Alaska's North Slope, a region that today experiences an extremely cold,arctic climate. One hundred million years ago, when those dinosaurs were alive, the environment of the North Slope was already inhospitable,especially during the winter when it experienced several months of total darkness. How did the dinosaurs survive the wintertime? Paleontologists have proposed that one of the most common North Slope dinosaurs, the elephant-sized edmontosaur (Edmontosaurus), survived the winter by migrating south to more hospitable regions. Several arguments support the migration hypothesis. First, the edmontosaur's diet supports the migration hypothesis.Edmontosaurs fed exclusively on plants. Since there would have been no plants growing during the cold and dark North Slope winter, it appears that the edmontosaur must have left for at least part of the year and migrated to more temperate zones to find food. Second, many edmontosaur skeletons have been unearthed from the same site. This suggests that edmontosaurs lived in herd. Many modern-day migratory animals, such as caribou and buffalo, live and migrate in herds as well. Moving in herds helps animals coordinate their migration.The finding that edmonotsaurs lived in herds further supports the migration hypothesis. Finally, edmonosaurs were physically capable of migrating long distances. To reach more hospitable regions, the edmontosaur had to migrate about 1,600 kilometers southward. To make such a journey, the edmontosaur needed to move at about five kilometers per hour for several weeks, which is certainly could do. These animals could run very fast, reaching speeds up to 45 kilometers per hour. It could have easily used its locomotive power to move to warmer climate during the harsh arctic winters.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO29×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡ProfessorThe hypothesis that the Edmontosaur migrated every winter is not convincing.First, the Edmontosaur did not have to migrate to find food. Once hundred million years ago, the summer temperatures in the North Slope area were warmer than they are today. And remember, in arctic regions like the North Slope, the Sun shines 24 hours a day at the peak of the summer. The warm temperatures and extensive daylight created incredibly good growing conditions for plants, so much vegetation was produced during the summer that when the vegetation died as the winter came, there was a lot of nutritious dead vegetation around in the winter. The Edmontosaur could have easily lived on the dead plant matter during the winter.Second, just because Edmontosaurs lived in herds doesn't mean they migrated. Animals live in herds for many other reasons. Living in herds, for example, provides animals with extra protection from predators. Having extra protection is useful even for the animals that live in the same area the whole year around. A modern example of this is the Roosevelt elk¡ªa large plant-eater. Roosevelt elks live in the forests of the western United States. They live in herds but they do not migrate.Third, although adult Edmontosaurs were capable of migrating long distances, what about Edmontosaurs that were not yet adults? Juvenile Edmontosaurs were not physically capable of travelling the great distances required to reach warmer territories and would have slowed the herd so much that the herd never would have made it to its destination. The herd could not have left the juveniles behind because the juveniles would not have survived on their own. So the whole herd had to stay where they were and survive on the cold North Slope.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO29×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡In the reading passage, the writer claim that edmontosaurus had to migrate to hospitable places in the south, if they want to survive in the cold weather. The speaker, however, contradicts this view for the following three reasons. First of all, the reading materials points out that it is difficult that edmontosaurus to find food in cold winter because of they were fed on plants exclusively. But the speaker reputes that warm weather in summer supplied perfect condition for plants to grow. So edmontosaurus might found lots of nutritious dead vegetation around in the winter, which made migration unnecessary. Second, unearthed skeletons from the same site indicated that edmontosaurus lived in herds. Living in herds made migration much easy. But the lecture gave an example of Roosevelt elks to prove that group living might have various types of reasons. So edmontosaurus may live in herds in order to seek for extra protection. So living in herds could not provide evidence for migration claim. Lastly, edmontosaurus, in view of the writer, had the ability of long-distance movement. Although the lecturer admitted the locomotive capability of edmontosaurus, he points out that juvenile edmontosaurus were lack of such ability. So the herd would not leave juveniles behind in the North Slope, which strongly reputes the author¡¯s claim.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO29×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡In the reading passage, the writer proposes several arguments to support the hypothesis that in order to survive the winter, edmontosaur would migrate south to more hospitable regions. The speaker, however, contradicts this view for the following three reasons. First of all, the reading materials points out that since edmontosaurus fed exclusively on plants, it was difficult for edmontosaurus to find food in cold winter because no plants growing during the cold and dark North Slope winter. But the speaker reputes that the temperature in North Sloper were much warmer than they are today. So warm weather in summer supplied perfect condition for plants to grow, and edmontosaurus might found lots of nutritious dead vegetation around in the winter, which made migration unnecessary. Second, unearthed skeletons from the same site indicated that edmontosaurus lived in herds. Living in herds made migration much easier, which is a strong support for migration. But the lecture gives an example of Roosevelt elks to show that animals live in groups for various reasons,。
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO21×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO21×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Genetic modification, a process used to change an organism¡¯s genes and hence its characteristics, is now being used to improve trees through genetic modification. It is possible to create trees that produce more fruit, grow faster, or withstand adverse conditions. Planting genetically modified trees on a large scale promises to bring a number of benefits. First, genetically modified trees are designed to be hardier than nature trees; that is, they are more likely to survive than their unmodified counterparts. In Hawaii, for example, a new pest-resistant species of papaya trees has been developed in response to ring spot virus infections that have repeatedly damaged the native papaya tree population. Planting the genetically modified papayas has largely put an end to the ringspot problem. Moreover, genetically modified trees promise to bring a number of economic benefits to those who grow them. Genetically modified trees tend to grow faster, give greater yields of food, fruit, or other products and be hardier. This allows tree farmer to get faster and greater returns on their farming investment and save on pesticides as well. Finally, the use of genetically modified trees can prevent overexploitation of wild trees. Because of the growing demand for firewood and building timber, many forests around the world are being cut down faster than they can be replaced. Introducing genetically modified trees,designed for fast growth and high yield in given geographic conditions,would satisfy the demand for wood in many of those areas and save the endangered native trees, which often include unique or rare species.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO21×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Sure, there are some benefits to plant genetically modified trees, but, are these trees as really great as they first sound? When you examine the subject firstly, there are some serious problems and costs associated with genetically modified trees.First, genetically modified trees may be resistant to one particular condition. But that doesn't necessarily ensure their survival. You see, a typical non modified trees' population is genetically diverse. That means that for most threatening conditions, or climate, insects and other pests, whatever, there will be at least some individual trees of any given species of tree that are resistant. So even if most of one kind of trees are killed, those few resistant trees will survive and ensure the survival of that species of tree. But genetically modified trees are genetically much more uniform. So if they're exposed to an environmental challenge they have not been designed for, they all die. So if the climate changes, the genetically modified trees will likely to be completely wiped out.Now as to the second point, they're hidden costs associated with genetically modified trees. You see, the company that genetically modifies the tree can charge tree farmers more for its seeds than un-genetically modified trees would cost. Also, as you've grown the tree, you can't justcollect the seeds and plant the new tree for free. By law, you have to pay the company every time you plant.And finally, genetically modified trees might actually cause even more damage to the local wild trees. You see, genetically modified trees often grow more aggressively than natural trees do. And, genetically modified trees are typically planted among natural trees. As a result, the genetically modified trees outcompete the native trees for resources, sunlight, soil, nutrients, and water, eventually crowding out the natural trees.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO21×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡In the lecture, the professor claims that although they may be some benefit, planting genetic modified trees will bring potential problems and costs. She totally opposes the three statements made in the reading passage. Firstly, the professor indicates that genetic modified trees may resistant, but this cannot guarantee their survival. She points out that in fact the unity of genes within genetic modified plantwill increase their likelihood to wipe out when there is some threatening situation.The professor counters the claim made by the reading passage. Secondly, the professor opposes the reading passage by pointing out there is hidden cost behind modification trees. Though genetic modification trees may provide more products or can save pesticide, their seeds are usually charged at a higher price. In addition, accordingto the law, a farmer has to pay for the seed each time they plant the trees. Thiswill not bring any economic benefit mentioned in the reading passage. Last but not least, the professor opposes the statement that genetic modification trees will prevent overexploit of wild trees. In fact, genetic modification trees tend to grow aggressively and can easily exhaust the resource of normal trees. This will bring disastrous result for the local vegetation.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO21×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡In the reading, the author claim that planting genetically modified trees can bring a number of benefits. However, in the lecture, the professor states that although there might be some benefits, planting genetic modified trees will bring serious problems and costs. Firstly, the professor indicates that genetic modified trees may be resistant to certain conditions as the reading states, but this cannot guarantee their survival. She points out that in fact the uniform genes of these genetically modified trees may lead them to be wiped out when facing unfavorable conditions suchas climate changes, while some of the ordinary trees might be able to survive. Secondly, the professor opposes the reading passage by pointing out there is hidden cost behind modification trees. Though genetic modification trees may have higher yields or need less pesticide, their seeds are usually charged at a higher price.In addition, according to the law, a farmer has to pay for the seed each time they plant the trees. L ast but not least, the professor opposes the statement that genetic modification trees will prevent overexploit of wild trees. In fact, genetic modification trees tend to grow aggressively and can easily exhaust the resource of。
为了帮助大家高效备考托福,为大家带来托福TPO36综合写作阅读原文综合写作阅读原文++听力原文听力原文++满分范文,希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO36综合写作阅读原文文本:Hail—pieces of ice that form and fall from clouds instead of snow or rain—has Hail—pieces of ice that form and fall from clouds instead of snow or rain—has always been a problem for farmers in some areas of the United States. Hail pellets can fall with great force and destroy crops in the field. Over the last few decades,a method of reducing hail, called "cloud seeding," has been tried. In cloud seeding,the chemical silver iodide is sprayed on storm clouds from an airplane. This makes the clouds produce harmless rain or snow instead of hail. Several pieces of evidencesuggest that cloud seeding has been effective in protecting crops from hail.Laboratory experiments Experiments in the laboratory support the idea that cloud seeding is effective. Hail usually forms water vapor that is close to the freezing point However, when experimenters added silver iodide to cold water vapor in the laboratory, they often observed light snow forming instead of hail pellets. Evidencefrom Asia There is evidence about the effectiveness of cloud seeding from several countries around the world. In some Asian countries, for example, cloud seeding hasbeen successfully used to control precipitation in urban areas. These positive results suggest that cloud seeding should also be effective in protecting fields andfarms in the United States. Local studies A few local studies also support the valueof cloud seeding. One study conducted in a farming region in the central United States,for example, directly monitored crop damage due to hail. The study found that in an area where cloud seeding was used there was reduced hail damage compared to previousyears.托福TPO36综合写作听力原文文本:It’s not clear that cloud seeding is all that effective and there are reasons It’s not clear that cloud seeding is all that effective and there are reasons to question each of the arguments you just read. First, it may be true that under laboratory conditions silver iodide creates snow instead of hail. However, in real life, silver iodide can actually prevent any precipitation at all from forming in the cloud, snow, rain or hail. This is a bad thing. Because if you seed all the cloudsin areas where it doesn’t rain very often, you ran the risk of causing a drought. In this case the crops simply get damaged for a different reason: lack of water.Second,it's not clear that positive result of cloud seeding in Asia can be repeated in the United States. The reason is that cloud seeding in Asia was tried in urban areas, in cities. And cities tend to have a high level of air pollution, from car, factory,etc. Surprisingly, pollution particles can create favorable conditions for cloud seeding because they interact with clouds and seeding chemicals. Such favorable conditions for cloud seeding may not occur in an unpolluted area. This means that the cloud seeding method that works in polluted cities may not work in unpolluted farming regions in the United States.Third, the local study mentioned in the passageisn’t very convincing either. That’s because the study found that hail damagedecreased not just in the area where the cloud seeding actually took place, but also in many of the neighboring areas to the east, south and north of the area. So the fact that the whole region was experiencing a reduce number of hail storms that particular year makes it more likely that this was a result of natural variation in local weather, and has nothing to do with cloud seeding.托福TPO36综合写作满分范文:The Theauthor discussed that although hail makes crops suffer a lot, there has always been a method called cloud seeding which can protect crops from this disaster. He listed three facts supporting this approach. However, the speaker holds acontradictory view that all these three ways are not reliable. First, the writer proposes that laboratory experiments has already proved that cloud seeding iseffective in eliminating hail. But the professor points out that although the hail can be turned into rain and snow in experimental movement, but it is also possible that hail, snow and rain can be all prevented by cloud seeding. Consequently, it willcause drought. Crops will still be damaged as a result of lack of water. The writer’sfirst argument is refuted. Second, the passage indicates that cloud seeding has an Asia evidence. To render this disproof, the lecturer reveals that this successful application in Asia probably will not get a similar outcome in America. High air pollution offers favorable conditions for cloud seeding process because thosepolluted air can interact with cloud and seeding chemicals. So this method which canbe used in cities area may not be effective in unpolluted farming area. The second idea in the passage is also retorted. Third, the essay says that local studies in central United States also attain a satisfying result. Nevertheless, the speaker rebuts this idea. He thinks it unconvincing because hail damage in whole America notonly decreases just in central of America, but also in the east, south and north partof country. So it is hard to say cloud seeding is the exact factor causes all those good things. Natural variation and local weather can also contribute to theelimination of hail disaster. This overturns the writer’s concept. (294 words) 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO36综合写作阅读原文综合写作阅读原文++听力原文听力原文++满分范文,希望对你有所帮助帮助!!。
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO18×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO18×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡In the 1950s Torreya taxifoha, a type of evergreen tree once very common in the state of Florida, started to die out. No one is sure exactly what caused the decline, but chances are good that if nothing is done, Torreya will soon become extinct. Experts are considering three ways to address the decline of Torreya. The first option is to reestablish Torreya in the same location in which it thrived for thousands of years. Torreya used to be found in abundance in the northern part of Florida, which has a specific microclimate. A microclimate exists when weather conditions inside a relatively small area differ from the region of which that area is a part. Northern Florida's microclimate is very favorable to Torreya's growth. This microclimate is wetter and cooler than the surrounding region's relatively dry, warm climate. Scientists have been working to plant Torreya seeds in the coolest, dampest areas of the microclimate. The second option is to move Torreya to an entirely different location, far from its Florida microclimate. Torreya seeds and saplings have been successfully planted and grown in forests further north, where the temperature is significantly cooler. Some scientists believe that Torreya probably thrived in areas much further north in the distant past, so by relocating it now, in a process known as assisted migration, humans would simply be helping Torreya return to an environment that is more suited to its survival. The third option is to preserve Torreya in research centers. Seeds and saplings can be moved from the wild and preserved in a closely monitored environment where it will be easier for scientists both to protect the species and conduct research on Torreya. This research can then be used to ensure the continued survival of the species.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO18×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡You've just read about three ways to save Torreya taxifolia. Unfortunately, none of these three options provides a satisfactory solution.About the first solution-reestablishing Torreya in the same location-that's unlikely to be successful, because of what's happening to the coolest dampest areas within torreya's micro-climate. These areas are being strongly affected by changes in the climate of the larger region. This could be because global warming has contributed to an increase in overall temperatures in the region or because wetlands throughout Florida have been drained. Either way, many areas across the region are becoming drier, so it's unlikely that Torreya would have the conditions it needs to survive anywhere within its original Florida micro-climate.Now about the second solution, relocating Torreya far from where it currently grows, well, let's look at what happened when humans helped another tree, the black locust tree, move north to a new environment. When they did this, the black locust tree spread so quickly that it killed off many plants and trees in the new environment, and some of these plants and trees were themselves already in dangerof becoming extinct. So assisted migration can have unpredicted outcomes for the new environment.Third, research centers are probably not a solution either. That's because the population of Torreya trees that can be kept in the centers will probably not be able to resist diseases. For a population of trees to survive a disease, it needs to be relatively large and it needs to be genetically diverse. Tree populations in the wild usually satisfy those criteria but research centers would simply not have enough capacity to keep a large and diverse population of Torreya trees, so trees in such centers will not be capable of surviving diseases in the long term.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO18×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡The professor in the lecture totally disagrees with the three solutions mentioned in the reading passage. In fact, she believes that these solutions won¡¯t lead to satisfactory consequences at all. Firstly, the professor mentions that help the Torreya reestablish in its original habitat is unlikely to success. She claims that the coolest and dampest area of the microclimate is strongly influenced by many worldwide climate effects such as the global warming, thus it is impossible for Torreya to thrive again in the same place. This strongly opposes the first method in the reading passage. Secondly, the professor claims that moving Torreya to a totally different location is also unrealistic. She takes Black Locus as an example. Black Locus thrives quickly after entering a new habitat and endangers many scarce species. The professor points out the disastrous consequence and opposes the second method raised in the reading passage. Last but not least, the professor claims that keeping Terroya in research center won¡¯t be a good method either. Trees preserved in the center cannot resist diseases in the long run. The professor again opposes the last method in the reading passage.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO18×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡In the passage the author describes three ways to address the decline of Torreya. However, the professor doubts the passage by stating that none of the three ways will work. T o begin with, the professor points out that the first option mentioned in the passage, reestablishing Torreya, will not succeed. Why? Because many areas within Florida¡¯s microclimate region are turning drier for either global warming, or the disappearing wetlands. Consequently, this region fails to meet the condition Torreya needs to survive. Additionally, the professor claims that the second option, relocating Torreya, will definitely result in vain. To illustrate this argument the example of another tree, which was moved to a new environment and then quickly spread to kill off other plant species, including some already endangered ones, is introduced. F inally, the professor argues against the third option in the reading, preserving Torreya in research centers. The population of Torreya, she explains, has to be genetically diverse in order to resist diseases. Nevertheless, research centers, different from the wild, are not capable of maintaining such a size. For all the above analysis, the solutions in the reading lose their values.。
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁ˰ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO28×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO28×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Robert E. Peary was a well-known adventurer and arctic explorer who in 1909 set out to reach the North Pole. When he returned from the expedition, he claimed to have reached the pole on April 7, 1909. This report made him into an international celebrity. Though some historians have expressed doubts that Peary did in fact reach the North Pole, three arguments provide strong support for the truth of Peary's claim. First, the National Geographic Society put together a committee that was instructed to conduct a thorough investigation of Peary's records and equipment. At the end of the investigation, the committee concluded that Peary's accounts were consistent and persuasive and declared that he had indeed reached the North Pole. Second, a recent expedition provides support for Peary's claim that he reached the North Pole in only 37 days after setting out from Ellesmere Island off the coast of Greenland. Skeptics used to argue that Peary could not have traveled that fast, since even modern snowmobiles take longer to cover the same distance. However, a British explorer named Tom Avery recently made the same trek in less than 37 days. In fact, Avery used the same kind of dogsled and the same number and breed of dogs as Peary had. Thus, Peary's claims are not impossible, and he very well might have been telling the truth. Third, there are photographs taken by Peary that support his claim to have reached the North Pole. Measuring the shadows in Peary's photographs makes it possible to calculate the Surf s position in the sun. The Surf s position established from the photographs corresponds exactly to the Surf s position as it should have been at the North Pole on that day. This provides strong evidence that Peary reached the North Pole and took the photographs there.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO28×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Professor£ºThere's no solid evidence that Robert Peary reached the North Pole. The arguments cited in the reading selection are not convincing.First, it is true that the National Geographic Society committee declared that Peary had indeed reached the North Pole, but the committee was not completely objective. In fact, the committee was composed of Peary's close friends who had contributed large sums of money to fund Peary's trip. Moreover, the investigation lasted only two days. And according to Peary himself, the committee did not examine his records carefully. So the committee's conclusions seem biased and therefore are not trustworthy.Second, the speed issue. Tom Avery's journey was different from Peary's in important ways. For example, Avery's sled was similar to Peary's sled, but Avery carried much less weight than Peary did, because Avery did not transport his food on the sled. Avery's food was dropped along the way by airplane. Moreover, Avery encountered highly favorable weather conditions, unlike Peary who travelled in very unfavorable conditions. So Avery's speedy trip was too different from Peary's to provide support for Peary's claims.Third, thephotographs do not prove anything. The techniques scientists use to determine the Sun's position depend on measuring the shadows in the photographs very precisely. Without a precise measurement of the shadows, we cannot establish the Sun's exact position. Now, Peary's pictures were photographed a hundred years ago using a primitive camera that took fuzzy, slightly unfocused photographs. Moreover, the photos have become faded and worn over time. As a result, the shadows in Peary's photographs look blurred and faded. Those shadows cannot be used to calculate the position of the Sun with great accuracy. So we cannot be confident the photos were really taken at the North Pole.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO28×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡Both the reading passage and the listening material discuss the authenticity of the story that Peary has been to the North Pole. Although the reading supports that claim, the lecturer refuses to believe it with three strong arguments. The reading passage presents the fact that the committee constituted by the National Geographic Society eventually proved the truth of Peary¡¯s claim through an investigation of the record as well as the facilities of that trip. However, the speaker casts doubt on the objectivity of that conclusion with the arguments that several friends of Peary who financed his trip to the North Pole were included in that committee and the investigation was only two-day period with the careless examination of his records. Moreover, the reading material displays the evidence that anther explorer, Tom Avery, succeeded to reach the North Pole with less time under the similar conditions experienced by Peary, which indicates the possibility of Peary¡¯s successful exploration. In contrast, the lecturer in the listening argues that the experience of Avery could not soundly support the probability of Peary¡¯s success due to the significant differences between the two journey that include the varied weather condition as well as the methods of food supply. Furthermore, the author of the reading states that the photographs taken by Peary at the North Pole could verify his story, since the position of the Sun estimated through evaluating the shadows in the pictures was in accordance with the natural rule. On the contrary, the listening rebuts that statement by pointing out that the quality of those pictures is in a poor condition due to the fact that they were taken by the primitive camera and seem to be unclear after nearly a hundred years, which means the measurement based on those photos could not be definitely accurate and the position of the Sun in them could not be determined without doubts.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO28×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡The reading passage proposes three arguments that provide strong support for the truth of Peary¡¯s claim¡ªhe had reached the pole. However, in the lecture, the professor shows strong doubt over all these arguments. The reading passage presents the fact that the committee constituted by the National Geographic Society eventually proved the truth of Peary¡¯s claim through an investigation of the record。
Exercise 1Soon there will be something new for the tourist who has been everywhere and seen everything on Earth. Spacecraft being developed by private commercial companies will soon enable private citizens to buy their own tickets to travel into space, thereby creating a space tourism industry. So far, space travel has been undertaken only by governments, but the new, privatized spaceflight industry will bring great benefits to both science and the public. First, private space travel will benefit serious space exploration by making spaceflight cheaper. Privatization of space technology will bring technological costs down very fast because it will allow competition—and competition is one of the strongest motivators to cut costs. Thus, lowering the cost of space travel will benefit not only space tourists but also scientists, who will be able to use private space flights for research purposes. Furthermore, privatization of space travel will accelerate the rate at which important scientific discoveries occur. The aerospace industry already sponsors a lot of groundbreaking scientific research, and adding private spaceflight companies to it will make the industry as a whole grow in size, thereby employing more scientists than it does now. That increased number of working scientists means not only that more discoveries are likely to be made but also that those discoveries are likely to be made more quickly than in the past. Finally, when governments are the sole providers of space travel, the costs are paid for by the whole taxpaying public, but with privatization, the expenses of space travel will be borne by the customers of the industry. The fact that private spaceflight operators will be able to raise funds through ticket sales means that the financial burden on taxpayers will be eased significantly.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the contents of the reading. You may refer to the passage as you write.1Exercise 2Educators have long recognized that high school can be a difficult experience for many students. Along with the stress of challenging academic work, high school can also be a source of social, emotional, and even financial stress. One effective way of decreasing these nonacademic kinds of stress is to require students to wear a school uniform so that all students wear basically the same clothing. One of the most obvious benefits of such a policy is that it makes high school more affordable for both students and their parents. Clothing, especially trendy, fashionable clothing, is very expensive, and teenagers usually want to have several different outfits in their wardrobes—for some, the more the better. When there is no possibility of dressing fashionably at school, a student’s clothing bill will go down drastically. Furthermore, wearing the same school uniform as everyone else eliminates a significant source of discomfort and self-consciousness for many teenagers: the uncertainty that what they are wearing is “right.” Such anxiety interferes with a student’s ability to act in ways that show his or her personality to advantage. Finally, a mandatory school-uniform policy will reduce the amount of teasing and bullying among students. Currently, many students are teased or put down simply because they dress differently from everyone else or because they can’t afford to dress like the majority. Once all students wear the same uniform, there will be much less opportunity for these kinds of intimidating behaviors.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the contents of the reading. You may refer to the passage as you write.2Exercises 3Donating part of one’s income to public causes, known as charitable giving, used to be a common practice. But, in the United States charitable giving has declined substantially in recent years, and, for several reasons, it is unlikely to increase in the future. One reason that charitable giving has fallen is simply that there is less need for charitable giving, because the United States government now provides most of the important public services. The government assumes much of the responsibility for feeding the poor, providing health care, and taking care of the victims of natural disasters—functions that charities used to perform. These government institutions of social welfare are permanent, and so the diminished need for private charitable giving will also be permanent. Another reason people are, and will be, giving less to charities is that in the past few years there have been highly publicized disclosures that the managers of some prominent national charities were receiving huge salaries and other benefits as large or larger than salaries of heads of major for-profit corporations. These salaries and expenses for travel, fancy offices, and advertising significantly reduce the percentage of donated money that went to charitable purposes. Naturally people have been turned off by these excesses and inefficiencies. Finally, beyond the shortcomings of legitimate charities, there has been an increasing number of fraudulent solicitations by organizations or individuals who merely pose as charities. As a result, people are now becoming skeptical even about what are in fact legitimate appeals for support. So potential donors are starting to give less and give less frequently. And since the incidence of charity fraud seems to be increasing, we can expect further declines in charitable giving as people become more concerned that they are being taken advantage of.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the contents of the reading. You may refer to the passage as you write.3Exercises 4It used to be that parents took their children on vacation during the summer, when school was out of session. But today, much more often than in the past, many parents take their children on vacation during the school year. Although these children are away from school, sometimes for several weeks, traveling itself serves a valuable educational function. The most important educational benefit of taking children on vacation is that traveling exposes children to new places and cultures. It is good for children to read about distant countries, but it is even better to take them there. What students learn by meeting the people and absorbing the culture of these places is something they could not learn in their classrooms. Moreover, the benefits to the children who have been away from the classroom for several weeks traveling continue after they have returned to their classes. Students who are in school every day of the school year can easily lose enthusiasm for their studies. But students invigorated by time away return with heightened excitement. The trend of students taking vacations during the school year also has benefits for teachers. When these students return to school, their knowledge and enthusiasm contribute positively to the entire class. Teachers can ask the children to share stories of their travels with their peers and can incorporate what they have learned from traveling into writing and reading projects. This makes lesson development easier for teachers because the returning students’ experiences provide a ready basis for classroom discussions and projects.Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically explain how they oppose points made in the reading passage.4Exercises 5Easter Island, a small, remote island in the Pacific Ocean, was once home to a flourishing culture. But about 500 years ago (A. D. 1500), its society went into a steep decline. History teaches us that events like this are often caused by outside influences. So it is not unreasonable to consider whether there are facts about the decline of Easter Island’s society that would be explained by a hypothesis of an invasion. One such fact has to do with trees. Most Pacific island societies have managed to find an ecologically balanced way of living by using—but not overexploiting—natural resources such as trees. Most Pacific islands, therefore, remain lush—but not Easter Island. Although it was once densely forested, most of its trees had disappeared by about 500 years ago. Environmental destruction of this sort has often been caused by invaders who deplete an area’s natural resources without any concern for the future. Facts about the large stone statues on Easter Island could also support the idea of an invasion. There are about 900 of these statues on the island; the largest is over 20 meters tall. The native society clearly placed a great deal of importance on their production. Yet about the same time that the island became deforested, islanders stopped making these huge statues. An invasion would help explain why this traditional practice came to a sudden end. Furthermore, we know that around the time these other changes were taking place, a new religion developed on Easter Island: the “Birdman” worship. There is no convincing evidence that the Birdman religion existed before 1500, which suggests that this new religious practice may have been introduced by outsiders.Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically indicate how they challenge explanations offered in the reading passage.5Exercises 6When a company needs to hire someone for a managerial position, there is often a choice between promoting an employee who is already working inside the company or bringing in a person from outside. Hiring a qualified outsider is often to a company’s advantage for several reasons. An important reason for hiring outsiders as managers is that they bring a new perspective. This contributes to the diversity of ideas and allows company practices to be seen in a new light. Often, an outside hire will ask, “What’s the reason for doing things this way?” This question may lead to a reevaluation of practices that are actually inefficient but have become so much a part of the routine that it’s difficult for insiders to question them. Another major factor to be considered is the cost of on-the-job training. Hiring outsiders allows a company to look for people who already have the particular skills and experience required for the job. The company will not have to spend time and money training an internal employee for the new job—something that has to be done when, for example, an employee is promoted from a technical position to a managerial one. In such a case, usually the employee would be sent to classes to help learn needed managerial skills. Finally, managers hired from the outside will often have business contacts with suppliers, customers, and technicians that they have developed in their previous job. Clearly these contacts can be a valuable asset for the company that hires managers from the outside.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the contents of the reading. You may refer to the passage as you write.6Exercises 7Scant physical evidence remains of the first human domestication of grain. Still, there is enough to conclude that ancient peoples, motivated by the nutritional value of bread or cakes made of wild wheat, looked for controlled ways to grow it to provide a consistent food supply. Three related discoveries are likely to have led to the introduction of bread as the first grain-based food. The first discovery was that wheat could be prepared for use by grinding. People probably began consuming wheat by chewing it raw. Because wheat is very hard, they gradually discovered that it was less trouble to eat if crushed to paste between two stones—the result would have been the ancestor of the drier, more powdery wheat flour we use today. From there, it was a short step to the next breakthrough: baking the simplest bread, which requires no technology but fire. Loaves of wheat paste, when baked into bread, could be stored for long periods, certainly longer than raw seeds. This kept the food value of wheat available for an extended period after it had been harvested. Finally, ancient peoples found that, if the paste was allowed to sit in the open, yeast spores from the air settled on it and began fermenting the wheat. This natural process of fermentation caused bubbles to from in the wheat paste that suggested it would be lighter in texture and even easier to eat when baked.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the contents of the reading. You may refer to the passage as you write.7Exercises 8Wilderness management has advanced greatly over the last century, due in part to such practices as the suppression of forest fired and limitations on the clear-cutting of trees. Monitoring forests for small brushfires is easier with aircraft, as is the use of large amounts of water and sophisticated chemical fire extinguishers to prevent fires from spreading. The goals decreasing the amount of destruction by fires and cutting are wide-ranging. One is simply the longer lives and improved health of trees. In some areas of hickory and oak forest on the Eastern Seaboard, fire suppression has allowed the maturation of so many trees that the treetops form a continuous canopy. There is evidence of the healthful effects of fire suppression closer to the ground as well. Vines and low bushes that would be burned out in a forest fire can flourish when fires are suppressed, of course, but there is a more indirect way fires harm plant life. Chemical tests on areas that have recently experienced forest fires demonstrate that burning decreases the overall amount of nutrients in the soil. Suppressing fires prevents such a decrease. Ferns, wildflowers and herbs grow without disturbance. Finally, wildlife can benefit. In the eastern hickory and oak forest, the suppression of fires has meant that forest animals---ranging from small insects and birds to large deer and bears—are not burned to death. Deer populations, in particular, have increased notably.Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they challenge specific plans made in the reading passage. You may refer to the passage as you write.8Listening Scripts Exercise 1Professor: Well, it looks as though we’ll soon see private spaceships carrying tourists into space. But will it really provide great benefits for serious science and for the public? I don’t think so. First, privatized space travel, which is extraordinarily expensive, is likely to stay that way. For one thing, commercial space travel will require an elaborate space traffic-control system to prevent collisions—and the development and operation of such a system won’t come cheap either. Another thing that’ll keep costs high is tested and retested—and that also tends to be a very expensive process. Both of those costs will be reflected in the prices of the spaceflight tickets, so no one should expect the cost of space flights to go down fast. Second, if commercial spaceflight has any effect at all on the rate of scientific discovery and innovation, it will be to delay or even prevent such discovery and innovation. If the best and the brightest engineers get lured away from government space programs by the high salaries offered by private, for-profit companies, they might end up working on commercial stuff that doesn't have much scientific value. And as a result, serious space research might actually suffer. And finally, will the taxpaying public get off the hook financially? No chance! The fact is that so-called private space tourism isn’t possible without huge public tax subsidies. It will take billions and billions of dollars to build space stations, space airports, and so on, and private investors simply cannot raise such huge amounts. So the burden on taxpayers won’t be significantly eased with the development of the private spaceflight industry. In fact, all taxpayers’ll be paying more to subsidize the vacations of the space tourists.Exercise 2Professor: What you’ve just read really is way too optimistic. It’s rather easy to poke holes in the reasoning. First off, school uniforms are themselves often quite costly—usually they are only available from certain select stores. Plus, what kind of clothes will students put on after school when they go meet their friends? Well, if you can’t dress trendy at school, it's even more likely you’ll want to do that after school. So kids will still demand a full wardrobe of fashionable after-school clothes in addition to their uniforms. To take up another point, doing away with differences in dress can affect some students quite negatively. Many students may feel very uncomfortable—might even feel self-conscious—about how they look when they are not allowed to select the clothes that they wear. For many, choosing clothing is not a matter of making a fashion statement; it is simply a way of presenting themselves in ways they feel will call attention to what they consider their attractive features—plus they feel they can also select clothing to de-emphasize other features they perhaps like less about themselves. So school uniforms can actually end up increasing self-consciousness and discomfort among students. Finally, students will always pick on other students. Dividing into groups, teasing and bullying other for being different—these are things teenagers everywhere do because they are at that particular stage of life. If students cannot pick on differences in dress, they will surely find other things to pick on—things like choice in music or the kind of backpack brought to school—any of these can easily take on as much importance as clothing.9Exercise 3Professor: There’s no doubt that giving to charities has declined in recent years, but there are good reasons to think it’ll soon begin to go up. Consider, for example, the fact that the number of elderly and retired people in our society keeps growing. Right now, elderly citizens who can’t afford health care often rely on government programs to pay for it. But as the elderly population grows, government programs probably won’t be able to cover the health assistance, Americans respond to that need. And since the need will be increasing, we should expect to see charitable giving rise accordingly. There’s another reason to be optimistic about the future of charitable giving. The disclosures of waste and bad management at major charities, and people’s anger at this waste, are producing significant reforms. Overpaid managers have been forced to resign by the bad publicity. Charities are reducing their expenses and are now subject to closer public scrutiny. As a result, people are regaining confidence that the money they donate will support the causes they care about. People’s reaction to charity fraud is also evolving. In the short run, people don’t want to donate because they’re concerned with whether charities are honest. But in the long run, such skepticism makes people careful, not stingy. For example, many people now refuse to give money when they’re asked to do so over the telephone. They insist on receiving proof and documentation before they donate. Just as people learn how to be careful consumers, most people are acquiring the skills needed to guard against charity fraud without stopping their support for worthwhile causes.Exercise 4Professor: Now, let’s consider how taking children on vacation when school is in session impacts their education. I believe the impact on children and their teachers can be quite negative. While students have been traveling, their fellow students have been working. What do you think happens when they return to school? Well, they have to spend a lot of time “playing catch-up,” you know, doing work that fellow students have already done. It’s one thing to miss a day or two of school, but many parents take their children on vacation for weeks on end, and it’s very difficult for any child to make up that much missed time. So, the missed learning has to be weighed against the benefits of traveling and learning about other cultures. On balance, what is lost is greater than what is gained. When children come back to class after a long trip, they’re excited about their recent adventures. Sounds good, but this enthusiasm can have a downside. Their excitement can make it difficult for them to fit back into the routine of the school day. School seems a little boring to them, so they’re not attentive to their studies, and their restlessness can distract other students. When a student is distracted or has to catch up on missed work, there’s a negative effect on the teacher too. Teachers have lesson plans that detail, day by day, what they are going to teach. When a student is absent from the classroom, this interferes with a teacher’s plan for that student. And if teachers spend time helping a few students catch up, they have less time for other students… so they suffer too.10Exercise 5Professor: The idea considered in the reading is not unreasonable in the abstract, but all the concrete evidence points to internal causes for the decline of Easter Island’s culture 500 years ago. It’s a sad story of a native culture that did not have the foresight to sustain itself. In the centuries before 1500, the inhabitants of Easter Island were prosperous… so prosperous that they were able to invest extra time and energy in building giant statues, which became important signs of status. Different island communities began competing as to who could erect the most statues. Now here’s where the problem for trees comes in: archaeological evidence shows that the islanders used tree logs to move the statues into position. So, as the number of statues increased, more and more trees had to be cut, until finally, 500 years ago, there were no more left. Of course, once the trees were gone, the islander could no longer build rafts to fish at sea, and so they could no longer catch big fish. As the necessities of life became harder and harder to get, the islanders no longer had the time and energy to create big statues. Without logs, of course, they couldn't move the statues anyway, so naturally the interest in making the statues declined. Finally, it would not be surprising if the islanders lost confidence in their old gods when life on the island became a struggle for survival. I mean, the old gods wouldn’t seem to be protecting them any more. So it would be natural for the islanders to have developed a different religious idea, hoping that the new god would ensure them a better life.Exercise 6Professor: For some of the reasons presented in the reading, many companies have a policy of hiring outsiders to fill managerial positions. However, a closer examination will show that the policy is misguided. First of all, the new perspective an outsider brings into the company’s corporate structure often leads to conflict in the managerial team. Companies often have specific corporate philosophies… (for example, about how decisions are to be reached and how work is to be organized). So when outsiders bring with them a significantly different philosophy, this can create serious disagreement and conflict… and make it difficult for the managerial team as a whole to function smoothly and efficiently. An internal employee, by contrast, is more likely to know company tradition. Another point to note is that hiring outsiders may entail an additional cost that perhaps isn’t obvious. It’s true that outside hires may come with required managerial skills and experience. But to become effective as managers in a new company, they also have to establish personal relationships with their new colleagues—get to know them and win their trust. This can often take more time than one would expect, and an uncomfortable settling-in period between a new boss and workers can also be more costly in lost productivity than on-the-job training for an internal employee. Finally, suppose a company makes a point of hiring outsiders as managers instead of promoting insiders. Well, that company will soon find that its own best employees will have not choice but to look to advance their own careers outside the company. And when these key employees leave, they will also take their valuable business contacts away with them to their new employer.11Exercise 7Conventional wisdom says that a very primitive kind of bread was the first grain food that human societies ate. But, you know, for the last few decades, there’s been an alternative hypothesis that quite a few anthropologists are starting to give a closer look. That hypotheses says that is was, in fact, beer—not bread—that was the first again food. Sound strange? Consider a couple of things. For one thing, you don’t have to grind wheat to make it easier to eat. If you keep it in a moist environment, it naturally starts sprouting, with a new baby plant splitting the hard seed case in half. Sprouted wheat is sweeter, softer, and actually more nutritious than whole wheat seeds—and it would have developed without human bright idea of crushing it. In order to discover the usefulness of ground wheat, someone gad to get the bright idea of crushing it. To discover the usefulness of sprouted wheat, people just had to do nothing and let it sit. Which do you think happened first? Another thing: what turns grain into beer is fermentation, and wheat begins to ferment almost as soon as it’s stored—from water and yeasts in the air. After the wheat sprouted, it would have started to ferment. The process would have been obvious because of the bubbles and foam that formed. People could have experimented by tasting it and discovering the first beer. And even if you assume that people were already grinding wheat to paste, think about it. The paste ferments and bubbles. Is it likely that early peoples would have thought to fire it before eating? We’re used to cooking our food, but in prehistoric times, the idea that you would take fire to food to improve it for eating was not obvious.Exercise 8For years, forest fires were regarded as uniformly destructive, and forest managers put alout of effort into preventing them. But it turns out that fire suppression may have destructive long-term effects on the forests it’s supposed to protect. For instance, mature oaks have grown so thickly in some places that little light reaches the forest floor. But young oak trees need light in order to grow properly. The lack of light has meant that new oaks aren’t maturing rapidly enough to replace the older oaks. It also means that other tree species that don’t need so much light, such as maples, are invading oak and hickory forests and competing for resource. There are competition problems at ground level too. What forest fires, both natural and artificial, used to do is burn off some of the plants on the forest floor before they could grow into huge thickets. Now they run wild over the ground—and again, that means it’s hard for young trees and other native plants to grow. Then there’s the increase in the deer population—this partially results from the lack of forest fires and partially from limitations on hunting—but the thing is, deer like to eat the leaves off oak saplings. So if one of those oak seedlings somehow does manage to get a good start, despite the shade and all the other plants competing for nutrients, it’s likely to be killed by having its leaves eaten. Oh, and one other thing: Scientists are now finding that forest fires release nutrients from the plants and animals that are burned. That means that, even though the total amount of nutrients is decreased, there can actually be more nutrients available on the soil surface for plants that are trying to grow back afterward.12。