1.Is it possible for a writer to start writing on impulse and then catch some good ideas flashing into his mind during the process of writing? Cite examples to illustrate your point.答案：The answer is yes. But the question is open to discussion. Impulse can not stay long without careful thinking. Writing is also an art and art is cultivated.2.How does a writer produce good stories? Do you believe that a genius is a person who is able to accomplish things without going through any hardship?答案：A writer needs creative power in producing good stories. He has to make painstaking efforts in writing. Creative power needs cultivation and genius alone may not work in creating original stories.3.Do you think it is true that a good story is not written but rewritten? Why or why not?答案：In most cases a good story is rewritten. But there are writers who think very carefully about the story to be written before they start writing. Careful thinking and rewriting are of the same nature here.1.What is the appropriate relationship between speed reading and effective reading?答案Speed reading and effective reading are mutually related. It is understandable to want to read faster, but it is unwise to want to read everything at top speed. The best reader can read very rapidly, but he or she adjusts the rate according to purpose to the kind of material. The English teacher is to help students to read at rates that are appropriate to the purpose for reading and to the demands of the materials.2. How are motivations important in reading well?答案Motivations are very important in reading well. The “best” students in school can also be reluctant readers. Only when one wants to read well can one hope to read well. But this is a complicated issue. The teacher should help students become highly motivated in reading. Sometimes a book is not taught in a challenging way, or a teacher's questions in class discussion or in individual conferences fail to go beyond simple recall, and a student may feel that the book has very limited value. Often too much is said about a book. And that which is said is sometimes so trivial that it wastes a student's time. So the issue involves both teaching and learning and affects the efficiency of reading.1.It's been often assumed that the world population is increasing beyond the earth's capacity, but the view in the article is just the opposite. Why does the writer make such a hypothesis? Are you persuaded to follow this view? Why?答案：The author's hypothesis is based on the following facts: the growth rate of the world population is now only one percent a year; 44 percent of the world's people live in countries where fertility has already fallen below the replacement rate, and fertility is falling almost everywhere else. The reason is that population changes depend on the values people hold. As long as the modern value of saving efforts and money by raising fewer children remains widespread, the world population will not stop declining.(Of these views, you may have your own judgment, discuss with your partners.)2.What do you think of the relation between human values and population?答案：The author suggests that human values is one of the determining factors of population fluctuation. Modern way of life has led to the declination in population in the modernized counties, and whether the world population will grow or dwindle depends on the values people hold in the future. You may agree, partly agree or disagree to the author's view. Still you may also put forward new views regarding the relation between human values and population.1.Do you think what Asimov says in the article is only a warning?答案What Asimov says in the article is not only a warning, but also the truth. As a futurist, Asimov is highly aware of what our planet might be and he shows great concern over the future of global, telling us what the whole might be if we don't take some measures to control the population. The significance of this piece of writing , I think, is to draw adequate attention from the public. If the population continues to increase at such a rate as Asimov describes, human beings would destroy themselves in the future.2.What can we do to limit the growth of population?答案Generally speaking, there is only one efficient and practical way to limit the growth of population. That is to practice the family planning program. China has been practicing this program all these years and it has achieved a good result. Another way of limiting the growth of population is to encourage people not to have children. Can you figure out some better ways? War, famine or epidemics? No, everyone hopes such disasters won't happen.1.What is “genetically modified food”? Are you in favor of consuming GM food? Why?答案：Genetically modified food is made from crops and vegetables genetically changed by scientists. GM food has aroused great dissentions among governments, scientists, farmers, and consumers. On one hand are the high quality crops due to the gene technique, on the other hand are the potential risks.（While giving your ideas, consider the interests of different peoples.）2.What's your comment on the last sentence of the article: “it's consumers who will have the final word”?答案：From the text we can see that the food fight between the U.S. and the E. U. comes as much from the concern for their own interests as from safety considerations. While the E. U. banned the non-proved GM food from the U.S., France is still churning out GM crops. Anyway, it shows that people are more alert to the potential dangers of the GM food. （Your comments can be positive or negative. Consider that while the consumers' attitudes determine the popularity of the GM food, the government, scientific research, media propaganda and other factors can influence the consumers' decisions1.Please illustrate briefly how Margaret arranged her feast. If you have had the experience of shopping through the Internet, please give an account of it.答案Since Margaret had to get all she needed though the Internet, she first ordered a new salt shaker and a tablecloth through , and got coffee and beans respectively at and . After a lot of troubles, she finally got goose liver at for real food. She then got a cake at in California. To solve the problem of fresh vegetables she hit . And she got ham through / collection. She also ordered flowers through the Internet. She got wine, and a servant from the local stores which had a website, since she could not get them through the Internet on time or at a reasonable price. It turned out that some of her orders did not arrive on time and the dinner cost much more that it was worth. That's why Margaret called it a virtual success.2.What's your viewpoint about e-commerce?答案E-commerce is aimed to meet the customers' demands with greater efficiency. Despite its present defects, it is commonly believed to have a bright future. (Develop your own idea.)1.Why do advertisers try hard to market directly to children?答案：It doesn't take a genius to work out why advertisers try hard to market directly tochildren. British children aged four to fourteen spend an average of ￡2.49 each week. This makes the pocket money market worth more than ￡1.5 billion a year, according to a recent report from management consultancy Datamonitor. In the US the pocket money market is worth a massive $64 billion a year. Selling to children has become big business.2.How is child advertising made as scientific as possible?答案：Many measures have been taken to achieve this purpose. For example, Winthrop Publications in London has just launched the International Journal of Advertising and Marketing to Children. One article reports that 60 per cent of children aged two to eleven know by the end of October what they want for Christmas, and that for girls under seven the biggest deciding factor is what they see on television.Conferences and consultancies abound. Pay￡2000 and you can attend Kid Power 99 at any one of a string of European venues. The meetings offer workshops on "what works with kids and why", "peer group1 marketing" and how to "think like a kid". Consultancy firms will tell you how to build "a wall of communication" to influence "your core consumer lifestyle" from the moment said consumer is two years old.3. What can we learn from psychologists' experiments on children's response to ads?答案：From psychologist's experiments about children's response to ads, we can learn that children are not as gullible as they are thought to be. They become more cynical and sophisticated. Children are "brand literate" and they can see through "marketing hyperbole". Either children are getting wise to the advertising game, and at an earlier age than in the 1970s and 1980s, or in the past psychologists underestimated their young subjects' ability to work out other people's motivation.From article reports we know that 60 per cent of children aged two to eleven know by the end of October know what they want for Christmas, and that for girls under seven the biggest deciding factor is what they see on television. Children are notoriously fickle, and advertisers have a hard job keeping up with their capricious tastes. Children are aware of the purpose of ads, those aimed children are no more sinister than those aimed at adults.1. What factors account for the increasing killings by adolescents?答案Violence motion pictures and computer games are considered to be the major factor of adolescent killing. The Colorado Massacre is a good example given by the author. Even when researchers factor out other influences such as parental attention, many peer-reviewed studies have found causal links between viewing phony violence and engaging in actual violence. A 1971 surgeon general's report asserted a broad relationship between the two. Studies by Brandon Centerwall have shown that the postwar murder rise in the United States began roughly a decade after TV viewing became common. Centerwall also found that, in South Africa, where television was not generally available until 1975, national murder rates started rising about a decade later.Violent computer games have not existed long enough to be the subject of many controlled studies,but experts think playing such games in youth also correlates with destructive behavior. There's an eerie likelihood that violent movies and violent games amplify one another, the film and television images placing thoughts of carnage into the psyche while the games condition the trigger finger to act on those impulses.2. What can we do about violence films and television?答案Violent films and violent television programs are rampant in our daily life. Such productions have been eroding the outlook of the younger generation. Such bad effects have become a serious social problem. It is time for the public to bring these productions under control. Firstly, the government should stipulate strict rules of censorship and to wipe out all those films that may bring terrible consequences to the society. Secondly, we should establish an efficient educational system to purify the soul of the people. Finally, the government should encourage those film producers to fabricate more interesting and instructive films to attract the attention of those people who are always addicted to the violent productions.1.What are the advantages of using an online revision service?答案：Feedback shows that important student needs are being satisfied by the Internet. Websites provide information, support and encouragement when parents aren't around; students having difficulties in particular subjects can choose their own pace, away from the classroom, to study examples, tests and explanations on the web; students who are missing school through illness can keep up. Many students say that websites provide better resources and support in the lead-up to exams than their weaker teachers.2.Is it possible that the internet will take the place of schools?答案：No. Revision sites can't totally replace traditional school functions. For example, schools do more than just inform and train. Traditional schools do quite a bit in shaping the sound character of the students. (Open to discussion.)1.Why can the online world make a tremendous difference in helping people to lear?答案The internet proves to be a good tutor, or rather, tutors. The online world can provide more information for learners, and help them embrace learning in really exciting and innovative ways.2.How are online ideas being pursued to support career development?答案Equally innovative online ideas are being pursued to support career development. Organizations use modern technologies to suit the needs of learners, develop free, online help covering issues such as customer care, team building, IT and basic finance. Ivy League universities in America are pioneering the most ambitious forms of online learning, aimed at students anywhere in the world. Virtual courses, one-to-one teaching and interactive care studies are available over the internet.Students will have far more flexibility in the options they can study. They will not be tied to a campus and they will be able to study with more than one institution.3.In what way(s) does the internet prove its worth as a tutor, not only of children, but also of adults?答案The internet has become a good tutor not only of children, but also of adults. For the children, the internet can further their education. They can use the internet not only for schoolwork but to pursue hobbies. For the adults, the most popular reason for using the net is research for either work or education. Pursuing personal interests comes next. The largest numbers of people want to study computers, languages, history, the arts and science as a personal goal. And they can succeed with the help of internet which is more convenient, flexible, accessible and less expensive.1.How does Faith Fitzgerald analyze the cause of Mozart's death? What means does she resort to? What conclusion does she come at?答案Without modern technology, Faith Fitzgerald analyzes the cause of Mozart's death mainly by means of deductive reasoning. She attributes the symptom of anasarca to three causes：liver disease, kidney disease, and congestive heart failure. When the former two causes are ruled off, she considers an epidemic fever that rampaged Vienna at the time of Mozart's death. She concludes that Mozart died of congestive heart failure brought on by rheumatic fever.2.What do you think of the historical clinical pathology conference?答案The conference has resolved the mysteries of many great people's deaths such as Mozart, Edgar Allen Poe, and Alexander the Great. From the text we can see that the conference is not only interesting but useful for the doctors-in-training. The conference lecturers do not resort to modern lab technologies, but use the traditional way of deduction and pay attention to all symptoms. The scientific methods involved in the analysis help the doctors-in-training keep alert to all the possibilities and make the right diagnosis.1.What role can drug-detector dogs play in neurobiology?答案Drug-detector dogs can help neurobiologists to understand the brain mechanisms called "attention processing", which determines what a person pays attention to and for how long. They could even help to identify some of the many genes that underlie attentional processing. At the same time, they help them to understand and deal with the problems such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in human beings.2. What's the significance of the prefrontal cortex to an animal's ability to focus its attention?答案Investigations show that several areas in the brain's prefrontal cortex are especially important for attention processing. The prefrontal cortex alone functions as an "executive", which makes strategic planning and allocates cognitive resources. Besides, the prefrontal cortex may be able to increase the supply of stimulatory chemicals needed for prolonged concentration. It is in a position to regulate the activity of the cortex. So the prefrontal cortex is able to determine what an animal pays attention to and for how long.1.What is so important about the discovery of Pylos?答案：The discovery of Pylos revealed more than 1000 tablets, which recorded in the early Greek script almost everything from bath attendants, bronze-shod chariot wheels, perfumed oil to postings of shepherds and coastguards. The script shows that the Bronze Age Greeks, or Mycenaeans, created the first highly centralized civilization in Europe.2.What is the special way that PRAP works?答案：PARP avoids the traditional method of archaeology such as digging or excavation. It works through a new archaeological practice called survey. PARP surveys by walking. Groups of students walk out in teams in all directions around the old palace. At intervals they pace off precise quadrants, collecting surface artifacts and environmental data. Through analysis, the collected sherds will show peaks of human activity and population.3.Describe the four waves of dramatic environmental change?答案：The first wave shows the explosion of both the human population and the number of grazing livestock between 3000 B. C. and 2000 B. C. The second wave indicates the rise of Mycenaean culture around 1400 B. C. The third wave results from the new intensive agricultural practices of the Classic Period around 500 B. C. The last wave corresponds with the ongoing human activity in modern time.1. What do historians study? What are the main divisions of history?答案The study of historians encompasses political, economical, social, cultural and all other aspects of human past. The historians not only determine what happened in the past, but also try to draw lessons from the past. History study has three divisions based mainly on period, nation and topic. For example, historians divide western history into ancient, medieval and modern periods. Some historians study the history of a nation such as United States of America or China. The third division concentrates on one topic of history, such as the history of art, of religion, or of ethics.2. How do historians work? Outline the development of historical writing.答案The study of history involves many processes and techniques, but most historians follow a few basic steps in their work. First, they select for study an issue or person from some period of the past. Next, they try to read a variety of source materials－－everything written by or about the subject. Then they interpret the information obtained from these sources. Finally, they write a narrative history or a biography.1.Why are scientists reluctant to conclude that the weather has gone wild? Has the weather gone extreme in your area?答案：Despite of the increased disasters brought about by bad weather, scientists are hesitant to say the weather is getting worse for lack of strong data to prove the statement. As harsh weather happens infrequently, it is difficult for scientists to come up with enough scientifically sound statistics. Besides, even if they had good numbers, the present computer resolution is still too coarse to be able to make definite predictions.2.Is global warming to blame for harsh weather?答案：Although the hypothesis that global warming is to blame for harsh weather arouses wide attention among scientists, no one can provide enough evidence to prove it. For example, Trenberth, whose findings about global warming and El Niňo caused a stir in the field of meteorology, is aware of the weakness of his hypothesis.3.What is El Niňo? And what is its influence on the climate?答案：El Niňo is the periodic warming of the equatorial Pacific that induces storms and other climatic events, historically occurs once every three or seven years and lasts for up to two years. It can cause storms, floods, droughts, and secondary effects like fires. For example, in the early 1990's, the dryness in Indonesia and other tropical pacific area, the blister in southern Africa and the storm in California were all due to El Niňo.1. Why do people use mental shortcuts?答案One reason is that we have inherited ways of thinking from those of our ancestors whose mental tools were best adapted for survival and reproduction. As they had no time for careful thinking and had to make quick decisions - a cogitating ancestor would have risked losing a dinner, a mate or even its life - so, our mental tools are fast and frugal. The mental shortcuts allow us to make decisions based on very little information and using simple tools. Moreover, in some cases the success rate of mental shortcuts is similar to that of calculated reasoning. And sometimes people have no time to make calculated reasoning and have to resort to mental shortcuts.2.What is the recognition heuristic? What is take the Best heuristic?答案Recognition heuristic means when one is forced to make a choice among many alternatives, he tends to choose "the familiar" as the only cue worth considering. Take The Best, on the other hand, uses the cues in order of importance, stopping the search as soon as one cue distinguishes between the possible choices. Take The Best works well in situations where experience leads us to believe that we know which cues are most important1.In what area of naming have Americans been creative?答案：Americans have been more creative in the area of given names. As family names are inherited, they usually have little wish to change them, but always try to find a particular given name for their children. And the name pattern has been changing along with the fashions and fads.2.What tradition of naming was followed in the southern colonies? In New England? Among women?答案：The name pattern in the southern colonies follows the English tradition. In New England, however, due to the religious influence, names from the Bible, especially from the Old Testament, are more welcomed. Besides, about 15 percent of women names in the Puritan area are "meaningful" names of abstract qualities, such as Mercy, Patience, Thankful, etc1.Why does the writer say that the preference for whiskey in the diet was more than a matter of diet?答案The preference for whisky in the early nineteenth century by Americans was not only a matter of diet, but related to larger social problems: the shortage of other beverages, the prejudice against water due to the limited scientific knowledge of the drink at the time, the bias against tea for patriotic reasons, the price problems, the concern for quality and health, etc. While being part of the eating and drinking habit, it reflected the popular attitudes of the society and the social structure at the time.2. Compare the extent of popularity of tea, coffee and wine in the American life in the early nineteenth century and give the reason.答案The popularity of tea remained low at the time partly due to its high price. But more importantly, it was because most Americans considered tea to be an alien "foreign luxury" and to drink it was unpatriotic. As a result, tea was only popular in anglophilic New England, but rejected in other parts of the country.The popularity of coffee depended more on its price. As the price of coffee was brought down it soon became one of the necessaries of American life.Wine was more popular in the upper society. It was favored because it was once believed to contain no alcohol. Although annual per capita consumption of wine was limited due to its high price, preference by the wealthy and their attempts to promote its use gave it a social importance out of proportion to its small sales.1.In what ways is the author justified in saying, "Work is more than a necessity for most human beings; it is the focus of their lives, the source of their identity"?答案：According to the author, work provides a significant source for human satisfaction. It is from work that a human being draws a pride in accomplishment, realizes his potential, and establishes his unique personality. Moreover, being a member of a successful group also gives a human being pride and self-confidence.2.Do you agree that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"? Give reasons to support your answer.答案：(You can agree, partly agree or disagree to the statement. Consider the following questions:What's the relation between work and play? Is play contributive to Work? In what way? What's the harm of only work without play? In what condition is all work and no play acceptable? Why?In either case, however, you have to justify your answers with supportive reasons. You may defend yourself by citing your own or other people's experience, using some recent findings in psychology and physiology. Anyway, make your answer convincing and logical1. What makes Secoli proud of her work? What makes her unhappy at work?答案Secoli does an excellent job in the supermarket. She remembers the prices of almost every item in the store, identifies the shoplifters easily, and does her work with great efficiency and accuracy. Her boss praises her, the customers trust her. She feels she is making an honest living. It is this sense of accomplishment that makes her proud of her work. Secoli, however, feels unhappy when she is looked down upon and distrusted by the customers.2. Terkel's Working does not use standard English and his style is ungrammatical and rambling. Does it bother you? Why?答案No. Working, Terkel's most popular book, provides a powerful and original perspective on one of the most basic components of human experience: work. The farmer, receptionist, college professor, mail carrier, stockbroker, athlete, checker and many others share their daily routines and dreams in their own words.1.From what motive does the traveling mender take an interest in Elisa’s chrysanthemums? What immediate effect does his interest have on Elisa?答案：The traveling mender takes an interest in Elisa's chrysanthemums for the purpose of gaining a favor from Elisa. He tries to establish a closer relationship with the farm hostess in the hope of being offered some work to do. By taking an interest in the chrysanthemums, the man succeeds in dissolving Elisa's hostility and resistance. He then gains her sympathy and earns fifty cents from her.2.The contents of the flower pot are discarded in the road and when her husband's car overtake the covered wagon, Elisa averts her eyes. "In a moment it was over. The thing was done. She did not look back". Explain.答案：On seeing the discarded chrysanthemum sprouts on the road Elisa realizes she is deceived by the traveling mender. The man takes advantage of her love of chrysanthemums and genuine feeling about human communication only to gain commercial benefits. It hurts Elisa, so she avoids seeing the discarded sprouts and does not look back.More importantly, the incident with the traveling mender exposes Elisa, the woman leading a repressive life on a secluded farm, to the outside world and presents her the potentiality of a life of freedom. The chrysanthemum sprouts Elisa asks the mender to send out imply her aspiration for the life of freedom and vitality and her tentative effort to establish communication with the outside world. That the sprouts are discarded not far from her house symbolizes the disillusionment of her aspiration. That's why it is for Elisa such a critical moment and she averts her eyes and "did not look back".(Open to discussion.)3.Why are Elisa Allen’s chrysanthemums so centrally important to this story? What do they mean?答案：The chrysanthemums in the story take on many meanings. At the beginning of the story when Elisa works in her garden the chrysanthemums help to bring out the strength and strong will in her personality. As she asks the traveling mender to send out the chrysanthemum sprouts they then show her belief in the communication and affection between human beings and symbolize her desire for communication with the outside world and the life of freedom. As she sees the discarded sprouts on the road, the chrysanthemums turn to symbolize the betrayal in human affection and more importantly, the disillusionment of her hope and aspiration.In the story Steinbeck does not peg the symbol to any single idea or thing. It may symbolize her desire for freedom, for sex, her will, her strength, but it surely means more1. Do you think Miss Bartlett was justified in thinking that she had been treated as a pet plaything?答案Miss Bartlett felt annoyed and ashamed that she had been treated like a pet plaything. It was Miss Roscommon who took care of the business in the shop, made sure that she was well fed and looked after. It was true that Miss Roscommon had made her look like a child unable to look after herself and dependent on her. Miss Bartlett thought Miss Roscommon took care of her just because she needed her company and to have someone to look after. And she was stifled by Miss Roscommon's care. Miss Bartlett, however, failed to understand that she herself needed Miss Roscommon's company and love as much. She was much more than a pet child for Miss Roscommon, but the central part of Miss Roscommon's life on which she pinned all her life meaning.Actually the two were mutually dependent on each other. Miss Roscommon needed Miss Bartlett as well as Miss Bartlett needed Miss Roscommon. Miss Bartlett could not live without Miss Roscommon, nor could the latter.。
