每日一句

每日一句

标签(空格分隔): 考研英语


>2020/2/18 #DAY 1 Most researchers reported having pride in their institutions and passion for their work, but spoke of the high personal toll of their environment. Many accepted that pressure and long hours came with the territory. But researchers said that the situation was worsening and that the negative aspects were no longer offset by job security and the ability to work autonomously, flexibly and creatively.

PART 1

Most researchers reported having pride in their institutions and passion for their work, but spoke of the high personal toll of their environment.

词汇:toll: 损失,伤害

解析:
Most researchers 主语 reported(谓语动词) having pride in their institutions and passion for their work,(宾语) but spoke of(谓语动词) the high personal toll of their environment.(宾语)

参考译文:大多数研究人员表示对所属机构感到自豪,并对工作充满热情,但也谈及了所处环境造成的巨大个人伤害。

PART 2

Many accepted that pressure and long hours came with the territory.

词汇:

  • territory: 地盘, 领域, 范围
  • go with the territory成为必然的部分

解析:
Many(主语) accepted(谓语动词) that pressure and long hours came with the territory.(宾语从句)

参考译文:
许多人接受这个领域的压力和加班的工作时间。
所以 C.Most researchers have regular working hours.不对
long hours 就是指加班,所以不是规律的(regular)

PART 3

But researchers said that the situation was worsening and that the negative aspects were no longer offset by job security and the ability to work autonomously, flexibly and creatively.

词汇突破:
offset: 抵消,消解 = cancel out

解析:
But researchers said that (the situation was worsening宾语从句一 )and that (the negative aspects were no longer offset by job security and the ability 状语to work autonomously, flexibly and creatively定语修饰ability)宾语从句二).

参考译文:但他们说,情况正在恶化,而且这些消极面不再被职业稳定和自主、灵活及创造性工作的能力所抵消。

所以答案是:B.Job security cannot cancel out adverse aspects.
(职业的稳定不能抵消有害方面)
(你是不是不认识adverse有害的)

A.Most researchers are substantially underpaid. 
很多研究者收入非常低。(underpaid=收入不高)
文章没有提到,可以排除。

D.Scientists were no longer respected by the public.
科学家不再被公众尊敬。
文章没有提到,可以排除。

2020/2/19

Day 2

Consider how life-enhancing — and even life-saving — technologies have failed to be taken up. ‘Vaccine hesitancy’ is more a social phenomenon than a technical one, and the main cause of measles return. Solutions depend not on medical breakthroughs, but on insight from anthropologists, who have done much to understand people’s decisions about whether to vaccinate themselves and their children.

Part 1

Consider how life-enhancing — and even life-saving — technologies have failed to be taken up.

词汇:
take up 吸取, 接纳

解析:
Consider (动词)how life-enhancing — and even life-saving — technologies have failed to be taken up(宾语从句).
参考译文:
想想那些能改善生活甚至挽救生命的技术是怎样不被采用的。

Part 2

‘Vaccine hesitancy’ is more a social phenomenon than a technical one, and the main cause of measles return.

词汇:
measles n. 麻疹

解析:
‘Vaccine hesitancy’ is more a social phenomenon than a technical one(表语并列成分1和2), and the main cause of measles return(并列成分3).
more A than B ;是A,而不是B= 与其说是B,不如说是A

参考译文:
“疫苗犹豫”与其说是一种技术现象,不如说更是一种社会现象,也是麻疹死灰复燃的主要原因。

Part 3

Solutions depend not on medical breakthroughs, but on insight from anthropologists, who have done much to understand people’s decisions about whether to vaccinate themselves and their children.

词汇:

  • Anthropologists 人类学家 (不认识这个词吧,这是一个大纲词汇,他们就是社会而科学研究者=Social science researchers)
  • vaccinate (动词:接种疫苗)名词形式=vaccination
  • insight 洞见

解析:
Solutions depend not on medical breakthroughs,(宾语1) but on insight from anthropologists(宾语2), who have done much to understand people’s decisions about whether to vaccinate themselves and their children.(定语从句)

参考译文:
解决方案不取决于医学突破,而是人类学家们的洞见,他们为理解人们是否给自己和孩子接种疫苗的决定做了许多工作。

所以A. the efforts of social science researchers(社会科学研究者的努力)
这是正确选项,而且大家体会一下effort这个单词,非常模糊,一看就具备正确选项的气质。
出题人非常喜欢用这个词来替换原文中具体的词汇。
比如:I read three books= I make the efforts.
B. the novel medical achievements  
作者明确说了不靠医学突破,所以不对。
C. the insight and belief of the public 
民众的洞见和信仰。
文章没有提及,所以不对。
D. the effects of vaccination.  
作者不认为取决于医学的突破,所以不选这个和医学相关的选项。

2020/2/20

Day 3

In a 2018 survey by Internet Retailer, shipping charges were cited as the most common reason shoppers abandon their carts, topping the complaint list for nearly a third of respondents, ahead of things like not wanting to create an account and being unsure of the store’s return policy.

part 1

词汇:

  • charges n. 费用;手续费;运费
  • be cited as 被视为是
  • account n. 账, 账户

解析:
In a 2018 survey by Internet Retailer(状语), shipping charges were cited as the most common reason(主干) shoppers abandon their carts(定语), topping the complaint list for nearly a third of respondents, 定语做插入语/ahead of things like (not wanting to create an account列举1) and being unsure of the store’s return policy(列举2).(定语)

参考译文:
在《互联网零售指南》2018年的一项调查中,运费被视为购物者清空购物车的最常见原因,近三分之一的受访者将其列为最不受欢迎清单之首,排在不想创建账户和不确定商家的退货政策之前。

题目解析:
According to the text, the foremost reason for shoppers to abandon carts is ____
根据文章,购物者放弃购物车的首要原因是___
 (A) the uncertainty of store’s return policy
(A)店铺退货政策不确定
不是首要原因
 (B) the inconvenience of creating an account
(B)开设户口的不便
不是首要原因
 (C) the survey by the magazine of Internet Retailer 
(C)互联网零售商杂志的调查
不是原因
 (D) the policy of shipping charges
(D)运费政策
这篇文章排在首要原因,虽然前面修饰语是the most common,但确实比其他几个原因排行前。正确!
文章来源和背景:
Stopping Believing in Free Shipping
别再相信免运费

2020/2/21

Day 4

The recently published Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of Lego Play promises that getting hands-on can improve your cognitive skills and allow you to practise mindfulness. For many, it is a reaction to the stresses of modern adult life, a relief from the constant mediation of experience through a screen, and a rare opportunity to be in undisputed charge of things.

Part 1

The recently published Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of Lego Play promises that getting hands-on can improve your cognitive skills and allow you to practise mindfulness.

词汇:

  • cognitive adj. 认知的, 认识能力的

解析:
The recently published Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of Lego Play (主语)promises (动词)that getting hands-on can improve your cognitive skills and allow you to practise mindfulness.(宾语从句,动词并列)

参考译文:
最近出版的《构建快乐:乐高游戏的喜悦》中允诺,动手能提高认知能力,并让人练习专注力。

Part 2

For many, it is a reaction to the stresses of modern adult life, a relief from the constant mediation of experience through a screen, and a rare opportunity to be in undisputed charge of things.

词汇:

  • mediation n. 调停, 调解, 游离
  • undisputed adj. 无可置疑的;毫无疑问的
  • charge n. 费用;掌管;控告;负载;电荷;命令
  • indispensable adj. 必不可少的, 必需的;n. 不可缺少之物
  • dubious adj. 半信半疑的, 可疑的;不可靠的, 冒风险的
  • constant adj. 始终如一的, 恒久不变的 ;不断的, 连续发生的

解析:
For many, (状语)it is a reaction to the stresses of modern adult life,a relief from the constant mediation of experience through a screen, and a rare opportunity to be in undisputed charge of things(斜体的是并列表语,粗体的是定语).

参考译文:
对于许多人来说,这是对现代成人生活压力的一种应对,对于不断游离于屏幕之间的体验而言是一种解脱,是一种能无争议地把握所有的难得机会。

解析:stressful的意思是“紧张的,压力大的”,文中说成人玩乐高可解压,不选A,而且也不能说作者的态度是有压力的。indispensable意为“不可取代的”,文中并没有提到,且说乐高不可取代语气过重了,不选B。dubious意为“可疑的,暧昧的”,但文中显示对乐高持支持态度,故也不选D。supportive意为“支持的”,符合文意,正常答案是C。

Day 5

In theory, the U.S. patent system, which gives manufacturers sole rights to a drug formulation for 20 years, should eventually enable other drug producers to bring cheaper versions of the same medication to the market. But companies skirt this by “evergreening” their drugs—adjusting drug formulas slightly, often making gradual improvements, to renew the patent and prevent generics (仿制药) from entering the market.

Part 1

In theory, the U.S. patent system, which gives manufacturers sole rights to a drug formulation for 20 years, should eventually enable other drug producers to bring cheaper versions of the same medication to the market.

词汇突破:

  • Sole: 独自,独占
  • theory:n. 理论;原理;学说;推测
  • patent:vt. 取得…的专利权;授予专利;adj. 专利的;新奇的;显然的
  • manufacturers n. 制造商, 制造厂
  • sole adj. 唯一的;单独的;仅有的
  • formulation n. (药品、化妆品等的) 配方
  • inadequacy n. 不充分, 不足, 不胜任;毛病, 缺陷, 弱点

句子解析:
In theory(状语),the U.S. patent system(主语), which gives manufacturers sole rights to a drug formulation for 20 years(定语从句), should eventually enable(动词) other drug producers (宾语)to bring cheaper versions of the same medication to the market(宾补).

参考译文:从理论上讲,美国专利制度给予制造商对药物制剂的独占权利为20年;这将最终允许其他药商向市场推出低价的同类药物。

Part 2

But companies skirt this by “evergreening” their drugs—adjusting drug formulas slightly, often making gradual improvements, to renew the patent and prevent generics (仿制药) from entering the market.

词汇:
Skirt: 绕开,规避

句子解析:
But companies skirt this (主干)by “evergreening” their drugs(状语)—adjusting drug formulas slightly, often making gradual improvements, (解释什么叫“evergreening” their drugs)to renew the patent and prevent generics from ever entering the market.

参考译文:
但公司通过“专利常青树”的做法规避这一点——略微调整药物配方,频繁渐进式修改,从而更新专利,阻止仿制药进入市场。

思考题解析:
The practice of “evergreening” their drugs shows _____
专利常青树的做法表明了
A.the inadequacy of U.S. patent system. 
美国专利制度的不足
看句子解释,
正确答案!
B.the ineffectiveness of generics.
仿制药无效。
(当然不对)
C.the fierce competition of drug market.
(药品市场竞争激烈)
没说!文中没有依据!别加戏!
D.the lower price of patented drugs.
专利药更低的价格。
没说!而且应该是专利药价格会更贵。

Day 6

Much has been written about the trash problem created by the billions of disposable plastic drinking-water bottles sold each year in the U.S. Far less is understood about the contents of those bottles. Bottled water was an $18.5 billion (wholesale) industry in the U.S. in 2017, but under Presidents of both parties, FDA oversight has been lightly staffed.

思考题:
What is the most probable topic of this text?
A.Trash disposal problems.
B.Federal agency reform.
C.Safety of bottled water.
D.Infrastructure improvement.

Part 1

Much has been written about the trash problem created by the billions of disposable plastic drinking-water bottles sold each year in the U.S.

词汇突破:

  • disposable adj. 一次使用后即丢掉的, 一次性的

句子解析:
Much has been written(主干) about the trash problem(定语一修饰much)/ created by the billions of disposable plastic drinking-water bottles (定语修饰problem)/sold each year in the U.S(定语修饰bottles).

参考译文:美国每年销售数十亿个一次性塑料饮用水瓶,很多人都写过它们造成的垃圾问题。(翻译的时候注意切分和调序)

Part 2

Far less is understood about the contents of those bottles.

句子解析:
Far less is understood (主干)about the contents of those bottles(定语修饰far less ).

  • 注意:much 和less 都有名词词性
  • 比如:Much can been done. (很多事可以做)
    注意第一句和第二句之间虽然没有转折连词,
    但你对比一下两句的开头:
    Much has been written
    Far less is understood
    够成很强烈的转折对比,
    所以第一句是引入,第二句才是文章主题。
    The contents of those bottles= the water in those bottles
    这样最有可能谈论的就是:Safety of bottled water了.

参考译文:
但人们对瓶中水的了解却远远不够。

Part 3

Bottled water was an $18.5 billion (wholesale) industry in the U.S. in 2017, but under Presidents of both parties, FDA oversight has been lightly staffed.

词汇突破:

  • lightly staffed 人员配备不足
  • Over-staffed=overmanned 人员过剩
    (staff:员工,人员,动词就是配备员工,成为员工)
  • both parties:共和党还是民主党
  • FDA=美国食品和药物管理局
  • oversight 监督
  • Infrastructure n. 基础设施; 基础结构

句子解析:
Bottled water was an $18.5 billion (wholesale) industry in the U.S. in 2017, but under Presidents of both parties, FDA oversight has been lightly staffed.
(第三句是为了支撑第二句,说明瓶中水确实受关注不够)

参考译文:
2017年,美国瓶装水是一个总价185亿美元的行业,但不管是在共和党还是民主党总统的麾下,食品和药物管理局的监督,人员配备不足。

思考题解析:
A.Trash disposal problems.(垃圾处理问题)
虽然句子开始提到了瓶装水的塑料污染问题,但作者的意思是这个问题已经关注颇多,可另一个问题却忽略了,转折的重心在后一个问题——瓶中水的质量,所以不选。
B.Federal agency reform.(联邦机构改革)
句子是提到了监管人员不够的问题,但只是为了说明瓶中水的质量并不可靠,所以机构改革不是文章的中心议题,故不选。
C.Safety of bottled water.(瓶装水的安全)
作者主要关注的是contents of those bottles,即瓶中水的质量,和选项意思相近,故C为正确答案。(当然有同学会说,不一定是安全吧)不是安全那是什么呢?而且这个也是最接近的选项了,题干中有probable, 这就是出题的老江湖了。
D.Infrastructure improvement.(基础设施的完善)
文中没有提到,不选此项。

Day 7

While it makes sense to be worried about the climate emergency, becoming overwhelmed is counterproductive. The sound advice from psychologists that actions, however small, can help to alleviate feelings of distress and powerlessness echoes the experiences of activists, that “the minute you start doing something, the depression goes away”.

思考题:
According to the text,the experiences of activists show that __.
A.It is not productive to worry about climate.
B.It is important to seek professional advice.
C.It reduces emotional suffering to take actions.
D.It makes people feel better to ignore anxiety.

Part 1

While it makes sense to be worried about the climate emergency, becoming overwhelmed is counterproductive.

词汇突破:

  • becoming overwhelmed : 动名词做主语,不堪重负;过分
  • it makes sense to be/to do sth: 做什么/成为什么是有意义的。
  • while: 虽然
  • counterproductive: adj. 反生产的,使达不到预期目标的

参考译文:虽然担忧气候危机是有意义的,但不堪重负就适得其反了。

Part 2

The sound advice from psychologists that actions, however small, can help to alleviate feelings of distress and powerlessness echoes the experiences of activists, that “the minute you start doing something, the depression goes away”.

词汇突破:

  • sound advice 合理建议
  • however small 无论多么小
  • distress and powerlessness 痛苦和无力感
  • depression 抑郁
  • psychologists n. 心理学研究者;心理学家
  • alleviate vt. 减轻, 缓解, 缓和
  • echoes vt. 重复;反射; vi. 随声附和;发出回声; n. 回音;效仿

句子解析:
The sound advice from psychologists(定语修饰advice) that (actions, however small(定语做插入语修饰actions), can help to alleviate feelings of distress and powerlessness 粗体部分是advice的同位语从句主干) echoes the experiences(斜体连在一起是句子主干 echoes 是动词,你识别出来了吗?) of activists(定语修饰experiences), that (“the minute you start doing something(同位语从句中the minute引导的状语从句), the depression goes away粗体部分是experiences 的同位语从句主干”.

参考译文:
心理学家的合理忠告是,只要行动,无论多么小,都有助于缓解痛苦和无力感,这与活动家们的经历相呼应,“你一开始做事,抑郁就会消失”。

思考题解析:
A. It is not productive to worry about climate.(为气候忧愁无益。)
文中说忧虑有其意义,但过分忧虑适得其反,所以A错误。
B. It is important to seek professional advice.(寻求专业意见很重要。)
文中虽然提到了心理学家,但没有说过“专业意见”的事,故不选B。
C. It reduces emotional suffering to take actions.(行动可以减少情感痛苦。)
It是形式主语= to take actions 
文中说不管多小的行动都有助于缓解焦虑,所以C正确。
D. It makes people feel better to ignore anxiety.(忽略焦虑能让人们感觉更好。)
作者说忧虑有其意义,因为对其视而不见并不是文章所倡导的,也不是引入活动家经历的目的。所以不选D。

Day 8

Ironically, urbanization is good, even crucial, for the survival of a human-populated planet. Denser cities beat suburban sprawl insofar as they reduce individual carbon footprints. We humans may need exposure to nature, but nature sure as hell doesn’t need exposure to us. The better way forward is to keep living in densely packed places, but use tech and design to weave nature into our indoor world.

思考题:
According to the author, what can be said of urbanization?
A.It encourages human exposure to nature.
B.It creates wholesome conditions for residents.
C.It is a better way for protecting the environment.
D.It is primarily composed of sprawling suburbs.

Part 1

Ironically, urbanization is good, even crucial, for the survival of a human-populated planet.

词汇突破:

  • urbanization: 城市化
  • human-populated planet 人类居住的星球
  • crucial 关键
  • Ironically adv. 嘲讽地, 挖苦地

参考译文:
具有讽刺意味的是,城市化对于人类居住的星球的存续有好处,甚至至关重要。

Part 2

Denser cities beat suburban sprawl insofar as they reduce individual carbon footprints.

词汇突破:

  • insofar as= in so far as 在...方面,在...范围,就...而言
  • suburban sprawl 郊区的延伸
  • Denser adj. 浓厚的;稠密的;愚钝的

参考译文:
在减少个人碳足迹方面,人口密集的居住方式比城市延伸(郊区蔓延)的居住方式要好 。

Part 3

We humans may need exposure to nature, but nature sure as hell doesn’t need exposure to us.

词汇突破:

  • sure as hell =surely 当然;确定
  • exposure 接触,暴露

参考译文:
我们人类可能需要接触自然,但是自然绝对不需要接触我们。

Part 4

The better way forward is to keep living in densely packed places,(注意转折并列) but(to) use tech and design to weave nature into our indoor world.

词汇突破:

  • densely adv. 浓密地,稠密地;密集地
  • weave vt. & vi. 编, 织; 织成

参考译文:
更好的发展方法是继续住在人烟稠密的地方,但用技术和设计将自然织入我们的室内世界。

思考题解析:
A.It encourages human exposure to nature.
(鼓励人类接触自然)
城市化减少了人类与自然的接触,
并不鼓励人类亲近自然,
文中至少没有提及。
故A错误。
B.  It creates wholesome conditions for residents.
(为居民创造健康的条件)
城市化营造的生活环境并不利于人类的身心健康,与自然接触才有利于人类的健康。故B错误。
C.  It is a better way for protecting the environment.
(是一种更环保的方式)
根据第二句可以知道。
虽然高密度的城市化对人类并非理想的生活方式,但减少了人类对生态的总体破坏,所以是一种环保的方式。正确答案是C。没想到吧!这篇文章居然在肯定城市化!所以不要按自己的想法来!当然后面也说了,要在城市化的基础上进一步的改进。
D.  It is primarily composed of sprawling suburbs.
(主要由散落的郊区构成)
城市化以高密度的市区为标志特征,而非居住密度较小的郊区,不选D。

Day 9

Even the most benign forms of convenience afforded by our devices—like the ability to look something up while reading— can work against attention conservation. Finishing a book or a long article requires focusing for lengthy stretches of time. But according to one study, it takes us about 25 minutes to return to a task once we’ve been interrupted.

思考题:
What does the author mean by “benign forms of convenience”?
A. Useful functions.
B. Reading apps.
C. Reference tools.
D .Search features.

Part 1

Even the most benign forms of convenience afforded by our devices—like the ability to look something up while reading— can work against attention conservation.

词汇突破:

  • benign 善良的,好的; 良性的
    Benign tumors 良性肿瘤
    反义词是:malignant/adverse
  • attention conservation 注意力保持/维持注意力
  • Conservation:保持,保护,维护
  • ability 这里可以翻译为功能;

句子解析:
Even the most benign forms of convenience afforded by our devices(红色表示定语)—like the ability to look something up while reading(同位语充当插入语)— can work against attention conservation.(黄色部分表示主干)
(再说一遍,任何成分都可以充当插入语。这个和“志愿者”的概念一样,是个大概念。任何人只要主动站出来为社会提供服务就叫志愿者。只要放在逗号之间,破折号之间的就叫插入语。当志愿者的常常是大学生,但是老太太站出来了也可以叫志愿者。当插入语的常常是同位语,但是主谓也可以充当插入语。)

参考译文:
即使是我们的设备所提供的最无害的便利(例如阅读中的查找功能),也可能会影响维持注意力。

Part 2

Finishing a book or a long article requires focusing for lengthy stretches of time.

词汇突破:

  • stretch:动词含义:拉升
    名词含义:一段(时间);= spell;
    (很多你以为你认识的单词,其实你并不认识;)
    lengthy stretches of time= lengthy stretches
    (两个表达是一个意思:长时间)
  • focusing:集中注意力

句子解析:
Finishing a book or a long article requires focusing(主干) for lengthy stretches of time.(状语)

参考译文:
读完一本书或一篇长文需要长期集中注意力。

Part 3

But according to one study, it takes us about 25 minutes to return to a task once we’ve been interrupted.

句子解析:
But according to one study, it takes us about 25 minutes (it是形式主语)(to return to a task动词不定式充当主语) once we’ve been interrupted.(状语)

参考译文:
但据一项研究,一旦被打扰,大约需要25分钟才能重返任务。

思考题解析:
A.	Useful functions.(有用的功能)
benign意为“良性的,无害的”,和“malignant”对立,如良性肿瘤就用这个词“benign tumor”。作者说“无害的便利”,是对比手机的其他有害功能来说的,这些功能主要目的是吸引流量以获得广告收入,给用户带来的好处很有限。“无害的便利”近似于“有用的功能”,所以A是正确答案。
B.	Reading apps. (阅读程序)
句中只是以阅读体验举例,并不是将其等同于“无害的便利”,以偏概全是错误的。不选B。
C.	Reference tools. (参考工具)
句中提到look sth up即查询字典之类的参考书,是“无害的便利”的一种实例,和B选项一样,也过于狭隘。C选项不正确。
D.  Search features. (搜索性能)
同上,D也不能选。

2020/2/23

Day 10

The truth, unfortunately, is that few of us really absorb the information we receive. We filter out what we don’t expect or want to hear, and this tendency doesn’t necessarily improve with age. As a result, leaders simply miss a great deal of the information that’s available—a weakness to which top performers are especially vulnerable because overconfidence so often comes with success.

思考题:
The reason that top performers are likely to miss available information is ____ ?
A. the lack of ability
B. being overconfident
C.the weak will
D. the misleading news

Part 1

The truth, unfortunately, is that few of us really absorb the information we receive.

句子解析:
The truth, unfortunately, is that(加粗是主语和系动词) few of us really absorb the information(表语从句)we receive.(省略了that 的定语从句)

参考译文:
不幸的是,事实上我们很少人能消化接收到的信息。

Part 2

We filter out what we don’t expect or want to hear, and this tendency doesn’t necessarily improve with age.

词汇突破:

  • filter out 过滤掉

句子解析:
We filter out what we don’t expect or want to hear(宾语从句), and 并列句this tendency doesn’t necessarily improve with age. (粗体是状语)

参考译文:我们会过滤掉不希望或不想听到的内容,并且这种倾向不一定会随着年龄的增长而改善。

Part 3

As a result, leaders simply miss a great deal of the information that’s available—a weakness to which top performers are especially vulnerable because overconfidence so often comes with success.

词汇突破:

  • simply 这个副词含义很多,根据语境来翻译,这里翻译为“轻易”
  • available 可获得的
  • top performers 优秀的人,高管,领导;
  • to which top performers are especially vulnerable
    which = weakness
    to是:be vulnerable to 中的to
    还原为一个句子:
    top performers are especially vulnerable to this weakness.  
  • A comes with B
    = With B comes A 伴随B ,常有A
    overconfidence so often comes with success.
    (success 是原因,overconfidence 是结果)所以答案是B
  • vulnerable adj. 易受伤的, 脆弱的, 敏感的
  • overconfidence n. 过分相信,自负

句子解析:
As a result, leaders simply miss a great deal of the information that’s available—a weakness(同位语指代前面这个句子:“错过信息”这件事) to which top performers are especially vulnerable(定语从句) because overconfidence so often comes with success(定语从句中的状语从句).

参考译文:
结果是,领导者轻易地错过了许多获得的信息。高管尤其易受这个弱点影响,因为成功通常会导致过分自信。(翻译的时候我只翻译了定语从句,没有再翻译同位语weakness,因为在定语从句中已经翻译了一次了,就可以不用再翻译了。)
比如:
The black women have been discriminated, a fact by which their academic performance is adversely affected.
(which指代fact ,fact 指代前面的句子)
黑人妇女受到歧视,她们的学业受到了这个事实了的不利影响。
=The black women have been discriminated, by which their academic performance is adversely affected.
(which指代前面的句子)
=黑人妇女受到歧视,因此她们的学业受到了不利影响。
(所以语言的表达形式是多样的,但意思是一样的。 )

思考题:
The reason that top performers are likely to miss available information is ____  ?
表现最好的人可能会错过可用信息的原因是什么?
A. the lack of ability 
缺乏能力
B. being overconfident 
过于自信
看句子解析!这就是正确答案!
C.the weak will   
薄弱的意志(没说他们意志薄弱)
D. the misleading news 
误导性消息

文章来源和背景:
The Elements of Good Judgment

2020/2/24

DAY 11

The danger of this wireless-driven revolution in convenience goes beyond hacking. Unlike the traditional “Internet of Computers,” which is confined to a digital “virtual” world, the Internet of Things has a direct connection to the physical one. That opens up a disturbing set of questions: What might happen if the computers inside ovens, security cameras or smart cities were turned against us?

思考题:

According to the text, what is the potential danger of the Internet of Things?

A. Manufacturers have priced the devices low.

B. The devices would make us too dependent.

C. It is close to us and has serious safety defects.

D. They may rise against us and stage a rebellion.

Part 1

The danger of this wireless-driven revolution in convenience (定语)goes beyond hacking.

词汇:
hacking 非法侵入(他人计算机系统);

参考译文:
这场由无线驱动的便利性革命的危险超出黑客入侵。

Part 2

Unlike the traditional “Internet of Computers,” which is confined to a digital “virtual” world, the Internet of Things has a direct connection to the physical one.

词汇:
confined vt. 限制;禁闭

参考译文:
传统的“计算机网络”局限在一个数字"虚拟"世界中,而物联网则不一样,它与物理世界有直接联系。

Part 3

That opens up a disturbing set of questions: What might happen if the computers inside ovens, security cameras or smart cities were turned against us?

词汇:

  • be turned against sb : 被操纵与...对立
  • disturbing adj. 烦扰的
  • ovens 烤箱

参考译文:
这就开启了一系列令人不安的问题:如果烤箱、安全摄像头或智能城市内的计算机被操纵的与我们对立,会发生什么?

思考题解析:

A. Manufacturers have priced the devices low.(制造商把价定得太低)

文中没有提到。虽然定价过低确实可能代表在安全性设计上的投入较少,产品具有严重的安全风险。A选项错误。

B. The devices would make us too dependent.(这些设备会让我们依赖性太强)

文中没有提到。任何的便捷都可能让我们产生依赖,但这并不是作者所说的物联网的潜在风险。B选项错误。

C. It is close to us and has serious safety defects.(物联网离我们太近且有严重的安全缺陷)

你可能不认识defect这个词,但是这个词真的就是大纲词汇啊!

Defect:缺陷

文中说物联网的危险超出了黑客入侵,因为它还“与物理世界有直接联系“。故C选项正确。

D. They may rise against us and stage a rebellion.(它们可能揭竿而起,举行一场叛乱)

虽然最后一句作者反问智能家电与我们对立的后果,但这句话说的是它们被动地敌对主人(如被黑客恶意入侵),而不是指科幻里的机器觉醒。D选项错误。

词汇突破

  • Defect:缺陷
  • dependent adj. 依靠的, 依赖的
  • rebellion n. 叛乱;反抗;谋反;不服从

2020/2/25

Day 12

Even within mainstream economics, the growth theory is being challenged, and not merely because of a heightened awareness of environmental crisis. In “Good Economics for Hard Times,” two winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, point out that a larger G.D.P. doesn’t necessarily mean a rise in human well-being—especially if it isn’t distributed equitably—and the pursuit of it can sometimes be counterproductive.

思考题:
The growth theory is being challenged because__.
A.it fails to ensure the people’s sense of happiness
B.economic growth was promoted inefficiently
C.economists fail to predict the right outcome
D.it is no longer popular among policy-makers

Part 1

Even within mainstream economics, the growth orthodoxy is being challenged, and not merely because of a heightened awareness of environmental crisis.

词汇:

  • mainstream n. (思想或行为的)主流
  • orthodoxy n. <正>正统观念;普遍接受的观点;正统的信仰〔做法〕
  • heightened vt. 提高;加强;增高;使更显著

参考译文:
即使在主流经济学中,增长论也正被挑战,不仅仅因为人们提高了对环境危机的认识。

Part 2

In “Good Economics for Hard Times,” two winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, point out that a larger G.D.P. doesn’t necessarily mean a rise in human well-being(宾语从句一)—especially if it isn’t distributed equitably—and the pursuit of it can sometimes be counterproductive(宾语从句二).

词汇:

  • equitably adv. 公正地
  • counterproductive adj. 反生产的,使达不到预期目标的

参考译文:
在《艰难时代的好经济学》一书中,2019年诺贝尔经济学奖得主阿比吉特·班纳吉和埃丝特·杜弗洛指出,GDP的增长并不总意味着人类福祉的提升——尤其是分配不公时——对GDP的追求有时可能会适得其反。

思考题解析:
A. it fails to ensure the people’s sense of happiness
没有能够保障人民的幸福感
作者说“不仅仅因为人们提高了对环境风险的认识“,
接着就到了后一句:
a larger G.D.P. doesn’t necessarily mean a rise in human well-being
GDP的增长并不总意味着人类福祉的提升
=没有能够保障人民的幸福感
 A选项正确。
B. economic growth was promoted inefficiently(经济增长未得到高效地提升)
文中没有提到。事实上,过去几十年最显著的特征就是经济高速增长。B选项错误。
C. economists fail to predict the right outcome(经济学家没能准确地预测结果)
文中没有提到。经济学家很少能准确地预测未来,但这不影响他们的理论成为主流政策。C选项错误。
D. it is no longer popular among policy-makers(它在政策制定者中间不再受欢迎)
文中没有提到。政策制定者还是钟爱极易量化和操作的GDP评价体系。D选项错误。

Day 13

The government removed the cap on student numbers, encouraging institutions to compete with each other for applicants: but admissions rose quicker than staff numbers, inevitably reducing the quality of education. There’s another consequence of marketisation: as debt-laden students head for degrees they think will maximize their earning potential, many vital courses suffer. The University of Sunderland is axing its history, politics and foreign language courses, for example, expressing a desire for a more “career-focused and professions-facing” approach.

思考题:
University of Sunderland has cut humanity courses because__.
A. the government makes the rule on it.
B. competent teachers are hard to find
C. they want to attract more applicants
D. these classes are of little significance

Part 1

The government removed the cap on student numbers, encouraging institutions to compete with each other for applicants: but admissions rose quicker than staff numbers, inevitably reducing the quality of education.

词汇

  • cap 上限

参考译文:(英国)政府取消学生人数上限,鼓励院校相互竞争,抢夺生源:但招录人数的增长率高于教职人数,不可避免地降低了教育质量。

Part 2

There’s another consequence of marketisation: as debt-laden students head for degrees they think will maximize their earning potential(定语从句省略了that), many vital courses suffer.

词汇突破:

  • debt-laden 负债累累

参考译文:
市场化的另一个后果是:负债累累的学生追求认为最能提升自己赚钱能力的学位,许多重要的课程都受到影响。

Part 3

The University of Sunderland is axing its history, politics and foreign language courses, for example, expressing a desire for a more “career-focused and professions-facing” approach.

词汇

  • axing(砍去,减少)

参考译文:
例如,桑德兰大学正在削减其历史、政治和外语课程,表示想采取“更注重职业和就业”的方法。

思考题解析:
A. the government makes the rule on it. (政府就此作出了规定)
政府并没有就此作出规定。A选项不对。
B. competent teachers are hard to find(很难找到称职的教师)
文中没有提到招聘教师的问题。B选项也不对。
C. they want to attract more applicants(他们希望吸引更多的申请者)
学校希望把课程改得更利于学生找工作,进而吸引更多的人申请。C选项是正确答案。
而且上一句说了,学生就是想实用的课程。
D. these classes are of little significance(这些课一点也不重要)
人文类课程虽然不是高就业的热门专业,但对个人对社会都非常重要。D选项错误。


2020/2/26

Day 14

On the surface, the answers to America’s housing crisis are simple: Build more housing and expand subsidies for people who can’t afford what the private market has to offer. But the lack of moderately priced housing is a decades-old problem—and a problem that has resisted numerous efforts to solve it.

思考题:
The author believes that solutions to the housing crisis __.
A. can be easily carried out
B. are hard to be applied
C. are proven to be outdated
D. are shown to be irresistible

Part 1

On the surface, the answers to America’s housing crisis are simple: Build more housing and expand subsidies for people who can’t afford what the private market has to offer.

tips:
what= something that (大家以后可以按这个思路来理解。)
People can’t afford (what the private market has to offer 宾语从句).
= People can’t afford something that the private market has to offer.
(that=something 充当offer(提供)的宾语)
人们没法负担私有市场提供的房产。
=人们没法负担私有市场的价格

参考译文:
从表面上看,解决美国住房危机的方法很简单:建造更多的住房,增加对负担不起私有市场价格的人群的补贴。

Part 2

But the lack of moderately priced housing is a decades-old problem—and a problem that has resisted numerous efforts to solve it.

词汇:

  • moderately adv. 适度地,有节制地
  • resisted vt. & vi. 使用武力阻止(某事)发生[取得成功]; 抵抗; 对抗

参考译文:
但缺少价格适中的住房是一个几十年的老问题,无数试图解决它的努力都失败了。

思考题解析:
A. can be easily carried out(能被轻易地实施)
文中说解决方法从表面上看很简单,但实际上各种努力都没有成功,即实际上实施真正有效的措施并不容易。A选项错误。
B. are hard to be applied(很难应用)
各种努力都被“resist“(抗拒)了,所以解决方法很难被应用。B选项正确。
C. are proven to be outdated(被证明过时了)
文中说问题是个老问题,但没说解决方案过不过时的事。C选项错误。
D. are shown to be irresistible(被显示是不可抵挡的)
若解决方法不可抵挡,就意味着非常有效。从上面的分析可以看出,还没有有效的尝试。D选项错误。
  • outdate vt. 使过时;使废弃;使陈旧
  • irresistible adj. 不可抵抗的;不能压制的;极为诱人的

Day 15

News of the laboratory fraud allegations comes at a time of growing fears among consumer and environmentalists that corporate-driven “science” is doing much to protect corporate profits but little to protect public health and safety. When corporations pay for the research, invariably the findings seem to support the safety of whatever products the corporations are trying to sell.

思考题:
Scientific studies sponsored by corporations tend to__.
A. produce unreliable results
B. protect interests of society
C. get published much harder
D. have limited access to data

Part 1

News of the laboratory fraud allegations comes at a time of growing fears among consumer and environmentalists that corporate-driven “science” is doing much to protect corporate profits but little to protect public health and safety.

词汇

  • allegations n. 陈述, 宣称, 辩解;陈词
  • corporate 公司的

句子解析:
News of the laboratory fraud allegations comes(主干)at a time of growing fears among consumer and environmentalists(定语) that corporate-driven “science” is doing much to protect corporate profits but little to protect public health and safety(fear的同位语从句).

参考译文:
实验室被指控欺诈的消息传来之际,消费者和环保人士正越来越担心,企业驱动的"科学"大力维护企业利益,但在保护公众健康和安全方面却无所作为。

Part 2

When corporations pay for the research, invariably the findings seem to support the safety of whatever products the corporations are trying to sell.

词汇:

  • invariably adv. 始终不变地

句子赏析:
When corporations pay for the research(状语从句), invariably the findings seem to support the safety(主干) of whatever products(定语) the corporations are trying to sell.(省略了that的定语从句)

参考译文:
当企业为研究付费时,研究结果似乎总是支持企业试图销售的任何产品的安全性。

思考题解析:
A. produce unreliable results(产生不可靠的结果)
文中说企业赞助的科研常常产生有利于企业的结果,换句话说,结果的可靠性存疑,即不可靠。A选项正确。
B. protect interests of society(保护社会的利益)
这和第一句说法的矛盾的,企业支持的研究维护的是企业的利益,企业的利益是不是社会利益我们不得而知。B选项错误。
C. get published much harder(更难被发表)
文中没有提发表文章的事。发文章的难易程度和第一作者的咖位及期刊的评级关系更大一些,当然企业支持的通常不缺APC(文章处理费)。C选项错误。
D. have limited access to data(数据访问更有限)
获取数据的能力和企业是否支持并不直接相关。这个还是和研究团队的资源更相关。D选项错误。

Day 16

Many colleges—often obscure ones of middling selectivity—have converted to universities in recent years, seemingly in the hopes of raising their profiles. But whether there’s a material distinction between a college and a university depends on whom you ask—and many people don’t know the difference. Yet even so, many people, if only subconsciously, do think of a university as somehow higher quality than a college.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that_________.
A.colleges are much cheaper than universities
B.most people prefer university to college
C.the British do not use the word “college”
D.it cost nothing to change school name

Part 1

Many colleges—often obscure ones of middling selectivity—have converted to universities in recent years, seemingly in the hopes of raising their profiles.

词汇:

  • obscure adj.无名的;鲜为人知的;费解的;难以理解的 v.使模糊;使隐晦;使费解
  • middling selectivity 选材标准位于中游的
  • selectivity n. 选择性
  • converted vt. & vi. (使)转变, (使)转化
  • profile n. 侧面,轮廓,外形,剖面

参考译文:
近年来,许多学院——往往是寂寂无名的普通学校——已经改成大学,似希望借此提高知名度。

Part 2

But whether there’s a material distinction between a college and a university depends on whom you ask—and many people don’t know the difference.

词汇:

  • distinction n. 区别, 明显差别, 特征

句子解析:
But whether there’s a material distinction between a college and a university (主语从句)depends on whom you ask(动词+宾语从句)—and many people don’t know the difference(并列句二).

参考译文:
但学院和大学之间是否有实质性差别取决于你发问的对象,很多人不知道两者的区别。

Part 3

Yet even so, many people, if only subconsciously, do think of a university as somehow higher quality than a college.

词汇:

  • subconsciously adv. 潜意识地
  • somehow adv. 莫明其妙地;以某种方法
  • caliber n.质量;规,量规,能力;才干;水准

句子解析:
Yet even so, many people, if only subconsciously, do(强调作用) think of a university as somehow higher caliber than a college.

参考译文:
然而即便如此,许多人(即使只是下意识地)真的认为大学在某种程度上比学院高一档。

思考题解析:
A. colleges are much cheaper than universities(学院比大学便宜)
文中没有提到学费的问题。通常不管是学院还是大学,私立比公立贵。所以公立的大学常常或私立的学院贵。A选项错误。
B. most people prefer university to college(大多数人更青睐大学,而不是学院)
最后一句说虽然大多数人不知道学院和大学的区别,但都会觉得大学更好一些。B选项正确。
C. the British do not use the word “college”(英国人不用“学院”一词)
英国也有”学院“一词,但英国的大学建制中学院和大学的区别很清楚,大学是得到皇家特许可以发学位的教育机构,学院是大学内的住宿式学习社区(包含许多专业,和国内按学科领域分的学院也大不相同),例如大名鼎鼎的伦敦国王学院就是伦敦大学的创校学院之一。在美国,这两个词的区别就仁者见仁,智者见智了。C选项错误。
D. it cost nothing to change school name(改校名没什么成本)
文中没提到改校名的成本问题,而且实际上改校名涉及各方面的改头换面,市场宣传方面的成本是不菲的。D选项错误。

Day 17

The house of Windsor is perpetually said to be in “crisis.” Not because it is but because this is the language that headline writers prefer. For examples of monarchies that have been in crisis, we might remember the royal families of Russia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, among others. By comparison not just with these, but with almost every other institution on earth, the British royal family is an unparalleled success.

思考题:
According to the author, the British royal family is often said to be in crisis because__.
A.its members are involved in scandals
B.news media want to draw attention
C.it is the most successful royal house
D.it features frequently in the front page

Part 1

The house of Windsor is perpetually said to be in “crisis.”

词汇:

  • The house of Windsor(温莎王室)就指的是英国王室。
  • perpetually adv. 永恒地终身地,不断地
    参考译文:温莎王室一直被认为处在"危机"之中。

Part 2

Not because it is but because this is the language that headline writers prefer.

句子解析:
这句话其实是第一句的原因状语从句,单独大写另写一句了,目的是为了引人注意。这是很常见的新闻写作方式。
比如:
The findings show that the economy has recovered. That the stock market is booming. That the sense of happiness is promoted.
后面两个句子就是第一句的宾语从句,为了强调,单独写了。
他来了。不仅因为他想来而且因为他必须来。

参考译文:
并不因为果真如此,而是因为这是标题党喜欢用的词。

Part 3

For examples of monarchies that have been in crisis, we might remember the royal families of Russia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, among others.

词汇:

  • monarchies 君主政体,王室;
  • among others 等等

参考译文:
对于陷入危机的王室的例子,我们可能还记得俄国、德国、意大利和希腊等国的皇室家族。

Part 4

By comparison not just with these, but with almost every other institution on earth,the British royal family is an unparalleled success.

词汇:
unparalleled success:无法超越的成功

参考译文:
不仅与这些皇室,而且与世界上几乎所有其他机构相比,英国王室的成功都是无法超越的。

思考题解析:
A. its members are involved in scandals(其成员陷入丑闻)
作者认为,虽然媒体老说“皇室危机”,但实际上并不是真正的危机,确实是新闻,甚至有些是丑闻,但远比不上历史上真正的“皇室危机”。真正让皇室屡次被说陷入危机的是希望吸引读者的标题党们。A选项错误。
B. news media want to draw attention(媒体想要吸引注意力)
参考上面的翻译,尤其是第二句!可知B选项正确。
C. it is the most successful royal house(它是最成功的皇室)
虽然文中提到了这点,但作者只是用来反驳媒体的“陷入危机”之说,并不是皇室被说陷入危机的原因。C选项错误。
D. it features frequently in the front page(它经常出现在头版)
文中没有提到,虽然可能是个事实,但和题干不存在因果联系,D选项错误。

Day 18

Technology’s defenders claim that the traditional tools of macroeconomics can’t possibly capture the magic of a smartphone. Look up from your textbooks, they tell economists: Everything is getting better except our ability to measure how much better everything is getting. But no matter how aggressively you torture the numbers, the computer age has coincided with a decline in the rate of economic growth.

思考题:
The views of economists and author on economy of computer age are_____
A. identical
B. slightly conflicting
C. complimentary
D. opposite

Part 1

Technology’s defenders claim that the traditional tools of macroeconomics can’t possibly capture the magic of a smartphone.

词汇:

  • defenders n. 防御者;守卫者;保护者;辩护者
  • macroeconomics n. 宏观经济学

句子解析:
Technology’s defenders claim that 主谓 the traditional tools of macroeconomics can’t possibly capture the magic of a smartphone. (宾语从句)

参考译文:
科技的捍卫者声称,传统的宏观经济学工具没能捕捉智能手机的神奇力量。

Part 2

Look up from your textbooks, they tell economists: Everything is getting better except our ability to measure how much better everything is getting.

句子赏析:
Look up from your textbooks, (宾语从句的一部分)they tell economists(主谓充当插入语): Everything is getting better except our ability to measure how much better everything is getting(状语).(宾语从句)

参考译文:
他们告诉经济学家,别再看教科书了:一切都在变好,除了我们衡量一切改善的能力。

Part 3

But no matter how aggressively you torture the numbers, the computer age has coincided with a decline in the rate of economic growth.

词汇:

  • torture vt. 折磨;拷问;歪曲
  • age 时代, 时期
  • coincided vi. 一致,符合;同时发生
  • decline n. 下降, 减少, 衰退

句子解析:
But no matter how aggressively you torture the numbers, the computer age has coincided with a decline in the rate of economic growth.
But后面就是作者的观点!
记住:没有说是谁的观点,就是作者的观点!
(这句话是考研阅读的重要军规!)

参考译文:
但是无论你多使劲地摆弄数据,计算机时代都伴随着经济增长率的下降。

题目解析:
The views of economists and author on economy of computer age are_____
经济学家和作者对计算机时代经济的看法是:
这段话里其实有三方人物:
1.Technology’s defenders
2.economists 
3.author 
第一句科技的捍卫者在指责经济学不懂科技的神奇。
第二句科技的捍卫者继续指责经济学家不会衡量美好事物(也就是经济发展)。
第三句作者提出自己观点:计算机时代经济发展速度就是在减缓。
这就说明作者和经济学家的观点是一致identical的。
D. opposite   
这个肯定不对。
B. slightly conflicting 
我估计选这个的可能比较多,不要被slightly这个词给迷惑了。
关键在conflicting就不对,这就是方向性的错误。
比如原文说:凯文帅
选项说:凯文有一点点丑 (不对!!方向就不对!) 
C. complimentary  
互为补充
这个是文章中没有提到的。
  • identical adj. 同一的
  • complimentary adj. 表示敬意的,赞美的,恭维的
  • opposite adj. 相反的;对面的;对立的

2020/2/27

Day 19

Even if paper catalogues sent through the mail is an imperfect medium, it still might be the best way for independent businesses to avoid getting sucked into the Amazon-Google-Facebook vortex—and for internet-weary consumers to avoid seeing the whole world through the filters of the Big Three’s algorithms. “Something we talk about a lot is data-privacy issues,” Agle says,“Obviously electronic advertising is more sustainable, but it’s not necessarily better for society.”

思考题:
Agle believes that paper catalogues send by the mail is_____.
A.a much more efficient way to protect the environment
B.a wise business approach to avoid online competition
C.a good way to avoid manipulation by internet giants
D.a marketing method designed to protect consumer privacy

Part 1

Even if paper catalogues sent through the mail is an imperfect medium, it still might be the best way for independent businesses to avoid getting sucked into the Amazon-Google-Facebook vortex—and for internet-weary consumers to avoid seeing the whole world through the filters of the Big Three’s algorithms.

词汇:

  • catalogue n. 目录, 一览表;系列;vt. 为…编目录, 登记分类
  • imperfect adj. 有缺点的,有瑕疵的
  • medium n. 媒介, 手段, 方法, 工具
  • get sucked into 卷入
  • vortex 漩涡
  • Internet-weary 厌倦互联网
  • algorithm 算法
  • filters 过滤器

句子解析:
Even if paper catalogues sent through the mail(定语) is an imperfect medium,(状语从句)// it still might be the best way for independent businesses // to avoid getting sucked into the Amazon-Google-Facebook vortex—(这里的破折号相当于一个逗号,起个间隔作用) and for internet-weary consumers //to avoid seeing the whole world through the filters of the Big Three’s algorithms.

  • 参考译文:
    即便邮寄纸质目录这种媒介并不完美,然而对于想避免卷入亚马逊-谷歌-脸书漩涡的独立企业,对于厌倦了互联网、不想透过三巨头的算法过滤器看整个世界的消费者,它可能是最好的方法。

Part 2

“Something we talk about a lot is data-privacy issues,” Agle says,“Obviously electronic advertising is more sustainable, but it’s not necessarily better for society.”

词汇:

  • sustainable adj. (对自然资源和能源的利用)不破坏生态平衡的, 合理利用的

参考译文:
艾格尔说:"我们经常谈论数据隐私问题。很明显,电子广告更具可持续性(环保),但并不一定更有益于社会。"

Agle believes that paper catalogues send by the mail is_____.
Agle认为邮寄的纸质版的目录是
A. a much more efficient way to protect the environment
(更高效的保护环境的方式)
文中说了邮寄纸张并不完美,而电子广告可持续性更强。A选项错误。
B. a wise business approach to avoid online competition
(避免线上竞争的明智商业策略)
商品目录策略在网络时代仍有其意义,仍可以吸引一些消费者,但没法帮助企业避免线上竞争。来自线上的竞争是实体经济用什么策略都很难避免的。B选项错误。
C. a good way to avoid manipulation by internet giants
(是避免受制于互联网巨头的好办法)
文中说对于不想和亚马逊、谷歌和脸书打交道的企业和消费者,邮寄广告可能是最好的方法。即不想受制于互联网巨头,纸质产品目录是个好办法。C选项正确。
D. a marketing method designed to protect consumer privacy
(旨在保护消费者隐私的营销手段)
虽然纸质广告不会像网络算法一样跟踪你,但纸质广告也不是旨在保护消费者隐私的营销手段。“能够保护”和“旨在保护”是截然不同的两个概念。D选项错误。

  • manipulation n. (熟练的)操作;操纵;控制

文章来源背景和来源:
The Restoration Hardware Catalogs Won’t Die
RH的产品目录不会消失
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/why-restoration-hardware-sends-catalogs-the-size-of-a-toddler/605524/
背景:美国高端家居用品零食商RH(Restoration Hardware)通过积极布局新的“艺术馆战略”成功扭转逆境,很快成为网红店。同时RH仍保留了其商品目录策略,每年花费数百万美元向会员提供印刷精美的产品目录。2019年的产品目录厚达730页,用纸讲究,远观就像一期新的时尚杂志。邮寄产品目录的成功显得与智能手机时代格格不入,但数据显示,与电子广告相比,纸媒广告的转化率更高。许多消费者对互联网的定位广告感到厌倦,和无时不刻不在跟踪和分析自己的算法相比,纸媒广告反映了制作者的匠心和筛选建议,提供了完全独立的产品选购体验。另外,喜欢纸媒广告的人群不仅仅包含不信任网络的年长者,还有很多已经厌倦在技术浪潮中无力选择的中青年。和电视购物一样,邮寄产品目录还没有消亡。


2020/2/29

Day 20

The cooperative nature of science had been understood long before Edison built the world’s first factory of invention. When Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” he was acknowledging that invention is a team sport, even if Newton’s team was mostly dead people.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the passage that_______
A.Edison is a solitary genius of multiple inventions.
B.Newton is not good at teamwork with living scholars.
C.Edison understood the cooperative nature of science.
D.Newton proved that Edison has borrowed ideas.

Part 1

The cooperative nature of science had been understood long before Edison built the world’s first factory of invention.

词汇

  • long before: 早在…之前;before long= soon 很快
  • factory of invention 发明工厂 (爱迪生找了一群人在里面搞发明)
  • cooperative adj. 合作的, 协作的

参考译文:
早在爱迪生建立世界上第一座发明工厂之前,人们就意识到了科学协作的本质。

Part 2

When Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” he was acknowledging that invention is a team sport, even if Newton’s team was mostly dead people.

参考译文:
当牛顿写下“如果我比别人看得更远些,那是因为我站在巨人的肩膀上”之时,他就是在认可发明是个团队活,虽然牛顿的团队成员主要是已不在世的前辈。

思考题解析:
It can be inferred from the passage that_______
从文章中可以推出_____
A. Edison is a solitary genius of multiple inventions.
爱迪生是一个有着多项发明的孤独的天才
(文章没有任何线索说明爱迪生孤独)
B. Newton is not good at teamwork with living scholars.
牛顿不擅长和学者的协作。
虽然牛顿的团队成员主要是不在世的前辈,这也不能说明牛顿不擅长和在世的学者协作。
我最近早上都吃的包子,你不能说我不喜欢吃面条。
你只能说我可能喜欢吃包子。
C. Edison understood the cooperative nature of science.
爱迪生懂得科学协作的本质。
这是正确答案
两个线索:
        1.爱迪生创立了发明工厂
            当然很多人不知道什么是发明工厂那我们就从做题的逻辑入手:
          2.早在阿拉伯人____之前,中国人就在使用数字了。
            (A)使用数字。(B)吃包子。
如果是填空的话,你是填A还是B?这两句话之间是应该有一个话题的连贯和一致性,这就是解题的线索。
所以第一句话:
在爱迪生__________之前,人们就意识到了科学协作的本质。
这里就可以填上:懂得科学协协作的本质;
阅读的军规来了:
话题是有连贯和一致性的
D. Newton proved that Edison has borrowed ideas.
牛顿证明了爱迪生借鉴了创意。
这个在文章中没有提到。而且你要知道borrowed ideas通常是一个贬义的表达,所以就更加不选了。

文章的和来源和背景:
Thomas Edison’s Greatest Invention
爱迪生最伟大的发明
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/11/edmund-morris-edison/598357/
背景:爱迪生无疑是美国历史上最具争议的发明家和企业家。有人说他是天才,拥有超过2000项发明;有人说他是小偷,因为很多发明并不是他的独创,但抢注专利他总是第一;有人说他是英雄,因为他建立了世界上第一个交叉学科的发明工厂——“门罗公园“;有人说他是贪婪的资本家,因为他常常不愿给手下涨薪或发奖金。在互联网时代,他更是因为埃隆·马斯克(Elon Musk)对尼古拉·特斯拉(Nikola Tesla)的推崇而圈了一众黑粉(特斯拉是交流电的发明者,他曾为爱迪生效力,辞职后被爱迪生打压,最终在困厄中离世)。但爱迪生最伟大的贡献也许并不是那些发明,而是他对科学本质的深刻洞悉:团队协作才是出成果的不二法门。


2020/3/4

Day 21

The far more important reason we’ve engaged in these energy-intensive activities is our tendency to behave as our peers do. But here is the cause for hope: Where contagion creates a problem, it can also help solve it. Just as in the case of smoking, where peer effects aggravated and then reduced the prevalence of the practice, so too could contagion help us meet the climate challenge.

思考题:
The peer effects have caused people to______.
A.take up smoking
B.become contagious
C.be more innovative
D.consume wisely

Part 1

The far more important reason we’ve engaged in these energy-intensive activities is our tendency to behave as our peers do.

词汇

  • energy-intensive activities 所谓高能源消耗活动就是不环保的活动

参考译文:
我们进行这些高能源消耗活动更重要的原因是—我们希望像我们的同龄人一样行事的倾向(我们的从众倾向)

Part 2

But here is the cause for hope: Where contagion creates a problem, it can also help solve it.

词汇

  • contagion n. 传染,接触传染

参考译文:
但这也是希望所在:“传染”造成的问题也能靠它来解决。

Part 3

Just as in the case of smoking, where peer effects aggravated and then reduced the prevalence of the practice, so too could contagion help us meet the climate challenge.

词汇

  • aggravated :恶化,加剧
  • prevalence n. 流行,盛行;普遍,广泛

句子解析
主句是个倒装:so contagion could help us meet the climate challenge too.

参考译文:
正如在吸烟这件事上,同伴效应加剧了吸烟问题,后来又降低了吸烟率,“传染”也有助于我们应对气候挑战。

思考题解析:
The peer effects have caused people to______.
同龄人压力导致人们:
A. take up smoking(吸烟)
文中说从众心理一开始加剧了吸烟问题,后来又降低了吸烟率。所以说它引起了吸烟问题没错,说它解决了吸烟问题也没错。A选项正确。
B. become contagious(感染疾病/变得有感染力)
迷惑项。
文中说的contagion是指的一种社会性的影响和传播,不是指疾病的传染。
但若说一个人become contagious,一般则是指这个人患上疾病。
如果一定要翻译为:变得有感染力。那也不对,因为文中没有说同龄人压力会使人变得有感染力。属于没有提及选项。
B选项错误。
C. be more innovative(更有创新性)
根据作者的说法,从众心理可以帮助解决社会问题,但并不能让个人更具创新性这属于没有依据的选项,C选项错误。
D. consume wisely(理性消费)
文章只是希望可以,应该可以。
是否可以,还不知道。
而题干是现在完成时态。
D选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
In Praise of the Herd Mentality
点赞从众心理
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/climate-change-peer-pressure/605515/
背景:谈及地球的严峻生态问题,许多人认为政府和个人行动迟缓,情况不容乐观。也许希望正藏于人性之中。虽然现代人铺张浪费的真正根源是追求体面的从众心理,但同伴效应既是根源也是解法。以烟草的使用为例,1959年美国近一半的男性和30%的女性吸烟,而现在总共只有不到15%的烟民。烟草的重税开启了一个良性循环,青少年接触烟草的机会减少,美国人开始发现一起吐烟圈的同伴减少,从众的压力开始反向,进一步加速了去烟草化。同样地,和自然和谐相处,我们仍大有可为,诉诸从众心理,也许能在短时间内带来根本性改变。


Day 22

Americans are hungering to live in extended and forged families, in ways that are new and ancient at the same time. This is a significant opportunity, a chance to thicken and broaden family relationships, a chance to allow more adults and children to live and grow under the loving gaze of a dozen pairs of eyes, and be caught, when they fall, by a dozen pairs of arms.

思考题:
According to the author, the hunger for extended families is a chance to_______.
A.create more jobs in local markets
B.build much stronger family ties
C.improve the public education
D.allow us to pursue ambitions

Part 1

Americans are hungering to live in extended and forged families, in ways that are new and ancient at the same time.

词汇

  • extended and forged families 大家庭
  • forge 铸造,打造,建构,努力加强,稳步前进;伪造

参考译文:
美国人渴望生活在大家庭中,这是一种又崭新又古老的方式。

Part 2

This is a significant opportunity, a chance to thicken and broaden family relationships, a chance to allow more adults and children to live and grow under the loving gaze of a dozen pairs of eyes, and be caught, when they fall, by a dozen pairs of arms.

词汇

  • loving gaze 充满爱的注视

参考译文:
这是一个重要的机会,一个扩大和增强家庭关系的机会,一个让更多的成人和儿童在十几双眼睛的慈爱注视下生活和成长的机会,一个失足时可以被十几双手臂抓住的机会。

思考题解析:
A. create more jobs in local markets(在本地市场创造更多就业)
文中没提到家庭结构和就业市场的关系,不选。A选项错误。
B. build much stronger family ties(建立更坚实的家庭关系)
文中说这是一个“thicken”和“broaden”家庭关系的重要机会,相当于“build stronger ties”。B选项正确。
C. improve the public education(提振公立教育)
文中没提到家庭结构和公立教育的关系,不选。也许大家庭会更有利于孩子的教育,因为孩子可以获得更多的注意、关心和帮助。C选项错误。
D. allow us to pursue ambitions(允许我们追求抱负)
大家庭的缺点在于个人也需要贡献许多时间和精力去维护它,所以让个人的追求受限;核心家庭才是放飞了个人抱负的那种家庭结构。D选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake
核心家庭是个错误
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/
背景:你也许听说过这样的家庭传奇:众多家庭成员齐聚一堂,坐在临时拼凑的大桌旁,听老人说那些传来传去已经面目全非的陈年旧事。这就是美国历史上大多数时候的家庭结构,人们生活在数代同堂、结合紧密的大家庭中。自20世代60年代以来,美国进入一对父母两个孩子的核心家庭时代。新的家庭系统解放了富人,同时让工薪和贫困阶层备受摧残。大家庭的好处在于抗逆力强,不管出现什么样的家庭危机,都可能有其他的亲缘关系来缓冲和支持。例如母亲生病离世,姑姨、叔伯、祖父母、兄弟姐妹可以帮忙。和老爸闹僵,也还有亲戚能投靠。核心家庭的优点在于自由,有利于成年人实现个人抱负,但缺少亲缘关系网的缓冲,抗危机(比如夫妻离婚)能力极弱,不利于孩童的成长,对于那些没有金钱和资源的普通家庭来说更是如此。


2020/3/7

Day 23

As companies try to scale up their online experimentation capacity, they often find that the obstacles are not tools and technology but shared behaviors, beliefs, and values. For every experiment that succeeds, nearly 10 don’t—and in the eyes of many organizations that emphasize efficiency, predictability, and “winning,” those failures are wasteful. To successfully innovate, companies need to make experimentation an integral part of everyday life—even when budgets are tight.

思考题:
Many organizations that emphasize efficiency have failed to__.
A.realize the importance of innovation
B.access the experimentation technology
C.create an experimentation atmosphere
D.make a feasible company budget

Part 1

As companies try to scale up their online experimentation capacity, they often find that the obstacles are not tools and technology but shared behaviors, beliefs, and values.

词汇

  • scale up 按比例增加

参考译文:
公司在试图扩大在线试验能力时,常常发现障碍不是工具和技术,而是共同的行为模式、信念和价值观。

Part 2

For every experiment that succeeds, nearly 10 don’t—and in the eyes of many organizations that emphasize efficiency, predictability, and “winning,” those failures are wasteful.

词汇

  • emphasize vt. 强调; 加强语气; 重读

参考译文:
每个成功的实验背后都几乎有十个失败的实验,在许多强调效率、可预测性和“胜利”的组织眼中,这些失败太浪费。

Part 3

To successfully innovate, companies need to make experimentation an integral part of everyday life—even when budgets are tight.

词汇

  • integral adj. 构成整体所必需的
  • feasible adj. 可行的;可能的;可实行的
    参考译文:
    为了成功创新,公司应将试验作为日常工作不可或缺的一部分——即使当预算紧张之时。
思考题解析:
A. realize the importance of innovation(意识到创新的重要性)
这些公司只是觉得试验常态化需要给许多失败方案埋单,太浪费,并不是没有意识到创新重要。准确讲他们知道创新重要,但是不知道如何创新。
A选项错误。我知道很多人选了,这个答案,
你们先自己想想,我明天再来复盘。
B. access the experimentation technology(获取试验技术)
文中说试验常态化不能进行的原因不在于技术和工具,而在于文化。所以这些公司并不是没能获取试验技术。B选项错误。
C. create an experimentation atmosphere(营造试验的氛围)
试验文化的缺失才是这些公司不及的地方。C选项正确。
该不该点在看!
D. make a feasible company budget(制定可行的公司预算)
迷惑项。文中提到了预算,但是说即使预算紧张,也应给试验留空间,不是说这些公司的预算不可行。D选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
Building a Culture of Experimentation
建立试验文化
Source: https://hbr.org/2020/03/productive-innovation
背景:酒店预订网站缤客(Bookings)每年进行超过25000次在线测试,每个时间点都有成千亿个登陆页面在线,这意味着两个在同一地点的用户不太可能看到同一版页面。这种试验精神让这家荷兰的初创企业在不到20年的时间内成长为世界上最大的酒店预订网站。虽然许多人都知道创新的重要性,但实际上每年运行超过1000次在线测试的公司凤毛麟角。《哈佛商业评论》的这篇文章指出,大多数公司没能利用积极试验的原因是缺少鼓励创新鼓励犯错的企业文化,毕竟CEO们更强调的是效率最大化。

Day 24

What makes Google v. Oracle still more intriguing is that legal scholars are genuinely uncertain of the outcome. Unlike issues such as abortion and gun control, Supreme Court justices’ views on copyright are seldom scrutinized during the appointment process, making it harder to predict how they’ll rule.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that___
A. the copyright case is more complicated than the case of abortion or gun control.
B. the stance of Justices on the abortion is much harder than that on copyright.
C. the legal scholars are familiar with the justices’ views on abortion or gun control.
D. Google v. Oracle case makes it harder to predict justices’ ruling on copyright.

Part 1

What makes Google v. Oracle still more intriguing is that legal scholars are genuinely uncertain of the outcome.

词汇

  • Google v. Oracle 一看V这个符号就应该知道这是一个案件的名称。
    Kevin V. Coca-Cola (凯文诉讼可口可乐案)
    -intriguing 有意思,使人好奇,耐人寻味
  • genuinely 真的

句子解析
What makes Google v. Oracle still more intriguing (主语从句)is that legal scholars are genuinely uncertain of the outcome(表语从句).

参考译文:
使谷歌-甲骨文案更耐人寻味的是,法学专家真的不确定结果如何。

Part 2

Unlike issues such as abortion and gun control, Supreme Court justices’ views on copyright are seldom scrutinized during the appointment process, making it harder to predict how they’ll rule.

词汇

  • scrutinize 审查
  • appointment process 任命流程
  • stance n. 姿态;位置;立场;准备击球姿势

句子解析

  • Unlike Kevin,Tom have read this book.
    (说明Kevin没有读过这本书!)
  • It 是形式宾语= to predict how they’ll rule

参考译文
与堕胎和枪支管制等问题不同,最高法院大法官的任命过程中极少审查他们对版权的看法。这令预测他们如何裁决更加困难。

思考题解析:
It can be inferred from the text that___ 
从文中可以推断出___
A. the copyright case is more complicated than the case of abortion or gun control.
(版权案件比堕胎或枪支管制案件更复杂。)
文章没有说过这个案件更复杂,只是说不知道法官会怎么判决。
B. the stance of Justices on the abortion is much harder than that on copyright. 
(法官对堕胎的立场比对版权的立场要强硬的得多。)
法官的态度不得而知,所以根本说不上更强硬。
C. the legal scholars are familiar with the justices’ views on abortion or gun control. 
(法律学者熟悉大法官们对堕胎和控枪的看法。)
正确,对应第二句:“与堕胎和枪支管制等问题不同,最高法院大法官的任命过程中极少审查他们对版权的看法。”正话反说,说明大法官们对于堕胎和控枪的态度在任命的时候是受过总统审查的,而且一定会公布的。比如奥巴马作为左派的民主党总统,在任命大法官的时候就是确定这位法官是反对持枪支持堕胎的,所以只要任命一公布,学者们就知道这个法官对于这两件事的态度。我知道大家确实吃了没文化的亏,明天给大家复盘介绍美国的左派和右派!

D. Google v. Oracle case makes it harder to predict justices’ ruling on copyright. 
谷歌诉甲骨文案使得法官在版权问题上的裁决更加难以预测。
(这是一个典型的拼多多)
第二句是的:making it harder to predict how they’ll rule.
一定要知道是什么make!
“与堕胎和枪支管制等问题不同,最高法院大法官的任命过程中极少审查他们对版权的看法。这令预测他们如何裁决更加困难。”

文章来源背景和来源:
Tech’s Trial of the Century
科技之世纪审判
Source:https://fortune.com/2020/02/17/google-oracle-supreme-court-case-apis/
背景:本月24日,美国最高法院将开庭审理数十年来最重要的技术案件——谷歌和甲骨文的API版权诉讼案。其结果要么为未来的创新提供保障,要么给一家无法无天的科技巨头一记猛击;当然,对结果的解读取决于你的立场。甲骨文认为谷歌在未获得版权许可的情况下,在安卓开发中使用了37个Java API,侵犯了自己的知识产权。而谷歌则认为API——应用程序接口——不应受到版权保护。简单来说就是,甲骨文指责谷歌是小偷,谷歌反驳说“我造福社会,你是拦路的强盗”。两家公司近十年来在起诉-判决-不服-上诉的循环斗争中不断升级,终于来到最高法院的门前。但这次一锤定音的审判结果极难预测,一方面,程序代码的版权保护例来极具争议性,另一方面,大法官们年纪都比较大,对技术的了解相对不足,而且他们对版权保护的立场也从未被审视过。


2020/3/8

Day 25

On a deeper level, the gig economy is erasing what was for many the traditional goal of working: to buy free time. Instead we are being seduced and coerced into thinking that it is good to commercialize our leisure time and possessions.

思考题:
What is the author’s attitude towards the gig economy?
A.neutral
B.supportive
C.critical
D.amazing

Part 1

On a deeper level, the gig economy is erasing what was for many the traditional goal of working: to buy free time.

词汇:

  • erase 去除,抹去

句子解析
On a deeper level,the gig economy is erasing what was for many the traditional goal of working(宾语从句): to buy free time.

参考译文:
从更深的层次来看,零时经济抹去了许多人的传统工作目标:赚取空闲时间。

Part 2

Instead we are being seduced and coerced into thinking that it is good to commercialize our leisure time and possessions.

词汇

  • seduce v. 引诱;怂恿
  • coerce v.强制,强迫,胁迫,迫使
  • commercialize vt. (尤指不择手段地)利用…牟利;商业化
  • possessions n. 财产,所有物

句子解析
Instead we are being seduced and coerced into thinking that it is good to commercialise our leisure time and possessions.(宾语从句)

参考译文:
相反,我们被诱惑和挟持,陷入这样一种思维,即商品化闲暇和财产对我们有好处。

思考题解析:
A.neutral(中立的)
作者对零时经济的反对态度是鲜明的,
从“erase“”seduce“”coerce“这些带有贬义的词就能看出,所以A错。
你是吃了不认识单词感情色彩的亏!
B.supportive (支持的)
显然作者不支持
作者虽然观点明确,但并不情绪化,故不选B。
C.  critical(批判性的)
两个句子就深挖了零时经济的消极社会影响,带有批判性,故C对。
D. amazing (惊讶)
这个词是个正态度的词,即使你不知道是正态度的,这里也没有信息支持这个选项。所以不对!

文章来源背景和来源:
The Guardian view on the gig economy: stop making burnout a lifestyle
【卫报观点】零时经济:别把过劳当成生活方式
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/30/the-guardian-view-on-the-gig-economy-stop-making-burnout-a-lifestyle
背景:零工经济(Gig Economy) 什么是零工经济,零工经济指的是由工作量不多的自由职业者构成的经济领域,利用互联网和移动技术快速匹配供需方,主要包括群体工作和经应用程序接洽的按需工作两种方式。美国学者黛安娜·马尔卡希在《零工经济》一书中这样描述零工经济时代的工作方式:用时间短、灵活的工作形式,取代传统的朝九晚五工作形式,包括咨询顾问、承接协定、兼职工作、临时工作、自由职业、个体经营、副业,以及通过自由职业平台找到的短工。优步是零时经济的名片企业。它的商业模式是靠补助低价出行扫平所有竞争者,从而建立市场垄断地位。虽然从来没有营利过,但这家企业的创始人还是在优步上市后成为了亿万富翁。然而优步司机们却付出了沉重的代价,数据显示他们的平均每小时收入是5英镑,而政府规定的员工最低时薪是8.21英镑。社交网络的发展让调动劳动力变得容易,在一定程度上让失业率数字变得喜人,但劳动者的实际时薪不升反降,更让一种“时刻待工“”休息就是犯罪“的不良风气流行起来。要工作,也要有生活,别让零时经济抢走我们所有的时间。

Day 26

Instead, Harari predicts that the key skills they need to survive and thrive in the 21st century will be emotional intelligence (it is still difficult to imagine a computer caring for a sick person or a child), and the ability to deal with change. If we can predict nothing else about the future, we know that it is going to involve a rapidly accelerating pace of change, from the growth of AI to a warming climate. Coping with this level of uncertainty will require adaptability and psychological resilience.

思考题:
Harari believes that to be successful in the future one has to__.
A.have hands-on experience in the caring industry
B.command the ability to memorize tons of new facts
C.be highly skillful at a range of different professions
D.be able to persist in the face of unpleasant events

Part 1

Instead, Harari predicts that the key skills they need to survive and thrive in the 21st century will be emotional intelligence (it is still difficult to imagine a computer caring for a sick person or a child), and the ability to deal with change.

句子解析
Instead, Harari predicts that the key skills they need to survive and thrive in the 21st century 定语从句will be emotional intelligence宾语从句 (it is still difficult to imagine a computer caring for a sick person or a child顺便举个例), and the ability to deal with change宾语从句并列部分.

参考译文:
相反,赫拉利预测,在21世纪生存和发展所需的关键技能将是情商(仍然很难想象用电脑照顾病人或孩子)以及应变能力。

Part 2

If we can predict nothing else about the future, we know that it is going to involve a rapidly accelerating pace of change, from the growth of AI to a warming climate.

词汇

  • involve vt. 包含;牵涉;使陷于;潜心于
  • accelerating adj. 加速的,促进的;催化的
  • pace n. 步速; 计划进度

参考译文:
虽然我们无法预测未来,但我们知道未来的变化步伐将急剧加速,从人工智能的发展到气候变暖,不一而足。

Part 3

Coping with this level of uncertainty will require adaptability and psychological resilience.

词汇

  • psychological adj. 心理的; 精神的
  • resilience n. 弹回;弹性

参考译文:
应对这种程度的不确定性需要适应力和心理韧性。

思考题解析:
Harari believes that to be successful in the future one has to______.
(整段话都可以认为这是他的观点)
A. have hands-on experience in the caring industry
(在护理行业有实际经验)
A选项错误。这个太局限了吧,文中只是一个例子!
B. command the ability to memorize tons of new facts
(掌握记忆无数新事实的能力)
B选项错误,文中可没有这么说!
C. be highly skillful at a range of different professions(
在一系列不同的职业上都技艺高超)
C选项错误。文中也没有这么说。
D. be able to persist in the face of unpleasant events
(能面对不愉快的事件仍坚持不懈)
D选项正确。对应的就是最后一句!
以及这个段落的主题!都在说情商的问题!
只要这个选项和情商也关系!

文章来源背景和来源:
Instead of rote learning useless facts, children should be taught wellbeing
与其教孩子死背无用的事实,不如教他们幸福
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/02/instead-rote-learning-useless-facts-children-need-taught-wellbeing
背景:以色列历史学家、畅销书作家尤瓦尔·诺亚·赫拉利(Yuval Noah Harari)在《21世纪的21堂课》中预测,到2050年,所有基于信息的职业,不管是在新闻行业还是在医药行业,都会陷入“存亡”危机。新时代的年轻人傍以进身的本领将不再是传统的学术技能,比如解方程式或学习代码,这些技能将会被淘汰,因为未来的电脑在这些领域会比人类做得更快、更好。相反,真正硬核的未来能力不是智商,而是情商和应对变化的抗逆力。赫拉利认为,将来人类的工作将集中在那些看似缺少技术之光的地方,比如艺术、护理和儿童教育。另外,他也呼吁教育体系能朝培养批判性思维和创新力的方向改革;在一个被无用信息淹没的未来世界中,清晰就是力量(Clarity is power)。


Day 27

In November 2013, venture capitalist Aileen Lee published an article coining the term “unicorn” to describe a startup that’s less than a decade old and worth at least $1bn. She chose the word carefully, to convey a mix of rarity and magic power. What Lee seemingly didn’t anticipate was that just a few years later it would have become a misnomer: these days there’s nothing rare about unicorns.

思考题:
At present, the term “unicorn” ___.
A.aptly captures the traits of tech startup
B.has been too overused to be accurate
C.is known to be a chosen word by linguists
D.has been used wrongly by entrepreneurs

Part 1

In November 2013, venture capitalist Aileen Lee published an article coining the term “unicorn” to describe a startup that’s less than a decade old and worth at least $1bn.

词汇

  • capitalist n. 资本家 投资人
  • coining v. 创造(新词语)
  • term 术语

参考译文:
2013年11月,风险投资家艾琳·李(Aileen Lee)发表文章,首创“独角兽”一词来描述成立不到十年、市值超过10亿美元的初创企业。

Part 2

She chose the word carefully, to convey a mix of rarity and magic power.

词汇

  • a mix of 混合

参考译文:
她谨慎地选用了这个词,来同时表达稀有和“魔力”。

Part 3

What Lee seemingly didn’t anticipate was that just a few years later it would have become a misnomer: these days there’s nothing rare about unicorns.

词汇

  • anticipate 预感, 期望
  • misnomer n. 用词不当;写错姓名;误称

句子解析
What Lee seemingly didn’t anticipate (主语从句)was that// 表语从句来了:just a few years later(状语)it would have become a flagrant (臭名远扬的)misnomer(不恰当的说法):解释来了: these days there’s nothing rare about unicorns.

参考译文:
但李似乎没有预料到,仅仅几年后,“独角兽”就变成了一个极其不当的误称:现在独角兽已经一点都不罕见了。

思考题解析:
A. aptly captures the traits of tech startup 
(恰如其分地描述了科技初创公司的特点)
A选项错误。
刚好相反,已经不准确了。
B. has been too overused to be accurate (已经因过度使用而不准确)
B选项正确
对应的就是最后一句:
a misnomer: these days there’s nothing rare about unicorns. 
虽然你不认识misnomer
但你应该之后冒号后的内容!也就是不准确了!
虽然你可能觉得overuse 没有对应,但是这个就是最佳了!
C. is known to be a chosen word by linguist (被认为是语言学家选择的词)
C选项错误。文章也没有谈到
D. has been used wrongly by entrepreneurs (被企业家错误地使用)
D选项错误。文中没有谈到!

文章来源背景和来源:
For our overhyped, overvalued tech startups, soon the reckoning will come
对于炒作过度、过于高估的科技初创公司来说,清算很快就会到来
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/03/overhyped-overvalued-tech-startups
背景:“独角兽”一词最早由美国著名投资人艾琳·李用来分类估值10亿美元以上的初创企业。随后这个新概念迅速流行于硅谷,并席卷全球。虽然这个词刚开始带有“稀缺”的意思,但到了现在独角兽企业不再少见,2019年,就有142家新公司达到10亿美元估值的标准,令独角兽的总数膨胀至500家,总体估值2万亿美元。这让“独角兽”一词显得非常不恰当。初创企业的普遍高估值显著表明,目前国际经济又一次进入非理性繁荣。也许对于工资上涨停滞的普通人来说,这听起来有些不可思议。但商业界实际上现金泛滥。在超过一半未偿政府债券负利率的全球背景下,投资者轻而易举地就把钱投给了硅谷那些闪亮的新企业。所以,我们现在常常看到非常荒谬的高估值。


Day 28

Charles Darwin’s place in the scientific pantheon is deservedly secure, but he made his share of blunders. One of the gravest was maintaining that the effects of natural selection, the key link of evolution, could not be observed in a single human lifetime.

思考题:
According to the author, the effects of natural selection__.
A) were mistakes made by Charles Darwin
B) can be detected within decades years
C) have been condemned by researchers
D) were always invisible to the naked eye

Part 1

Charles Darwin’s place in the scientific pantheon is deservedly secure, but he made his share of blunders.

词汇

  • pantheon 万神殿; 名人堂
  • blunder n. (因无知、粗心等造成)的错误
  • deservedly adv. 应得地;当然地
  • secure adj. 牢固的; 可靠的

参考译文:
查尔斯·达尔文在科学万神殿中的地位当之无愧,但他也犯了一些错误。

Part 2

One of the gravest was maintaining that the effects of natural selection, the key link of evolution, could not be observed in a single human lifetime.

词汇

  • grave 严重
  • maintain 坚持; 主张

参考译文:
其中最严重的是:坚持自然选择的影响——进化的关键——不可能在个人短暂的一生中被观察到。

思考题解析:
According to the author, the effects of natural selection__.
作者认为,自然选择的效果(进化论):
A.were mistakes made by Charles Darwin
(达尔文犯的错)
文中说达尔文虽然已经封神且地位不容动摇,但他也犯了一些错,其中一个就是认为进化的影响不可能在人短暂的生命跨度中被观察到。
但不能说自然选择的效果是达尔文犯的错啊!
B.can be detected within decades of years. 
(能在几十年的时间中被识别)
“进化的影响不可能在人短暂的生命跨度中被观察到”既然是错的,那么也就是进化的影响可能在这个时间段中被观测到,人生一世,几十春秋,完成替换!所以正确答案是B。(A说B错。这是不对的。=B对)
C.have been condemned by researchers(已经被研究员批判)
文章不仅没有提到。记住题干主语是自然选择的效果。所以C错误。
D.were always invisible to the naked eye(会一直无法用肉眼识别)
文章没有提到。同时,达尔文是通过肉眼考察世界上许多地区的动植物特性后写出《物种起源》的。不要惯性思维地认为重大的科学发现一定依赖于高大上的仪器,说到底还是靠脑子。D选项也错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
How Cities Reshape the Evolutionary Path of Urban Wildlife
城市如何重塑城市野生动物的进化轨迹
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/urban-wildlife-evolution-climate-change/
背景:鸽子、老鼠、蜥蜴,这些城市动物的进化和它们的乡野同类越来越不同,也让它们快速地适应了不利的栖息环境。科学家近年来对“城市进化”这个领域的兴趣与日俱增,因为不管人类的行为怎样大幅地改变了某些生物的生存环境,它们都能存活,甚至旺盛生长。这些生物的进化速度之快不仅推翻了达尔文关于进化很难在一代人的时间内发生的假设,也为人类如何更好地适应气候变化提供了一个新的研究方向。


2020/3/10

Day 29

When it comes to building tools that help solve the world’s truly wicked problems, it’s the older visionaries who’ll get it done. Consider the recent findings of a group of academics from MIT who examined the success rates of startups. When they homed in on elite “high-growth” tech firms, they discovered the average age of the founders was 45.

It can be learned from the passage that_____
(A) people’s age plays the pivotal role in startups’ success.
(B) the old vision will help the sound growth of tech firms
(C) the wicked problems can be addressed without elites
(D) the success of startups is determined by research findings.

Part 1

When it comes to building tools that help solve the world’s truly wicked problems, it’s the older visionaries who’ll get it done.

句子解析:
When it comes to building tools that help solve the world’s truly wicked problems, it’s the older visionaries(这是一个强调句) who’ll get it done.

词汇

  • visionary 有远见的人
  • wicked adj. 棘手的

参考译文:
一旦到要构建工具来解决真正棘手的世界性难题时,能成事的是那些年纪稍大又有远见的人。

Part 2

Consider the recent findings of a group of academics from MIT who examined the success rates of startups.

参考译文:
思考一下麻省理工学院的学者最近一个调查的结果;这个调查研究了初创企业的成功率。

Part 3

When they homed in on elite “high-growth” tech firms, they discovered the average age of the founders was 45.

词汇

  • home in on 专注于…
  • elite n. 〈法〉精华,精锐,中坚分子

参考译文:
他们在关注“高增长”的精英科技公司时发现,创始人的平均年龄是45岁。

思考题解析:
It can be learned from the passage that_____ 
(A) people’s age plays the pivotal role in startups’ success. 
人的年纪在创业公司的成功中扮演的重要的角色。
“一旦到要构建工具来解决真正棘手的世界性难题时,能成事的是那些年纪稍大又有远见的人。” 还有最后一句:the average age of the founders was 45.  对了这个语境下高速成长的科技公司=startups; 这样的概念没有明确去区分就是同义改写。
所以可以知道A选项就是正确选项!
 (B) the old vision will help the sound growth of tech firms 
老的视野能帮助科技公司健康发展。
older visionaries不等于old vision 
年纪稍大又有远见的人他们有的不一定是old vision (老的视野),说不定视野很新!
(C) the wicked problems can be addressed without elites 
没有精英,这些棘手的问题也能解决。
文章没有提到,所以属于Not Given.所以不选!
(D) the success of startups is determined by research findings.  
创业公司的成功是由研究成果决定的。
文章没有提到,所以属于Not Given.所以不选!

文章来源背景和来源:
Old School
老派
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/most-successful-entrepreneurs-middle-aged/
背景:2007年,22岁的扎克伯格在Y Combinator创业公司学校的一次演讲中说:创业要趁早,技术行业里横着走的都20多。时间并没有证明他的话。我们一边看着山呼海啸的假消息席卷社交网络,一边想让这些傲慢而青涩的极客重塑公共空间是不是太不妥了。年轻人虽然在技术上思维敏捷,但缺少真实世界的经历,他们对网络暴力、流量注水和假新闻泛滥毫无准备。于是,有了我们现在的网络生态。MIT的一个研究发现,与市面上流传的创业神话不同,高增长初创企业创造人的平均年龄在45岁左右。他们拥有更强的人际交往能力,视野更加全面,不像年轻创业者那样有许多盲点。想想乔布斯,他20多岁的时候参与创办苹果公司,但直到他51岁执掌iPhone的设计后,苹果才真正发展成为一个影响世界的科技巨头。

Day 30

Many of today’s younger workers – who make up almost half of the US workforce – grew up in a world of diplomas for graduating fourth grade, likes for Facebook comments, rewards for behaving well at parties and even medals when their little league teams finished last. It is also a generation that wants to be heard and wants to work for bosses that respect their feedback.

思考题:
What can be said of the younger generation of workers?
A. They are at fault for making an unstable workforce.
B. They are not as competent as the older workers.
C. They are raised in an accommodating environment.
D. They have become bored of rewards and medals.

Part 1

Many of today’s younger workers – who make up almost half of the US workforce – grew up in a world of diplomas for graduating fourth grade, likes for Facebook comments, rewards for behaving well at parties and even medals when their little league teams finished last.

词汇

  • diplomas n. 毕业文凭;学位证书;执照
  • medals n. 奖章;勋章
  • league n. 联盟;社团;范畴

参考译文:
现在许多年轻工人(几乎占美国劳动力的一半)在这样一个世界中成长:四年级毕业就能拿到文凭,脸书上发表的评论会被点赞,即使在聚会上表现好也能得到奖励,甚至所在的球队在小联赛中拿最后一名也能获得奖杯。

Part 2

It is also a generation that wants to be heard and wants to work for bosses that respect their feedback.

句子解析
It(代词之前的一代人,) is also a generation that wants to be heard and wants to work for bosses (定语从句) that respect their feedback(定语从句).

参考译文:
这代人同时也希望被倾听,希望为尊重他们反馈的老板工作。

思考题解析:
A. They are at fault for making an unstable workforce.
(他们对劳动力不稳定负有责任)
没有提到!是不是不知道be at fault for sth=对...负有责任
A选项错误。
B. They are not as competent as the older workers.
(他们没有老一辈的工人称职)
文中没有提到B选项错误。
C. They are raised in an accommodating environment.
(他们成长在一个友好的环境中)
作者说年轻一代在成长过程中总能获利各种奖励和赞美,与成长在“友好的环境中”意见相近,C选项正确。
D. They have become bored of rewards and medals.
(他们已经厌倦了奖励和奖章)
虽然有可能,但是文中没有提到,也没法通过任何表述推理出来,D选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
Take the time to talk to your employees – or they may not stick around
花点时间和员工交流——不然他们也许不会留下来
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/16/employees-feedback-leave-job-small-business
背景:对于一家小企业来说,失去一位关键员工可能是毁灭性的打击。那么想想更可怕的情况:失去三分之二的员工。北美一项年度调查发现,只有三分之一的受访者表示会留在当前的岗位,他们认为雇佣者要么“很糟糕”要么“一般般”。企业管理者若想吸引新一代工人,必须改变老式的互动模式,即平时缺少交流,只在年度考核时才让员工提意见。这一代年轻人在成长过程中一直备受关注和鼓励。这是件好事,他们因而更加自信,更有勇气,也更具创新能力。但需要同时升级的是企业主的管理理念,在工作环境中更多地鼓励和认可,平时多方面与员工交流,倾听和采纳意见都是值得一试的做法。


2020/3/11

Day 31

Nurses are often put on a pedestal when things go right, and blamed when things go wrong, but too often they are simply not part of the conversation. The longstanding view that care is a naturally feminine skill or characteristic overlooks and devalues the high levels of skill and professionalism nurses have.

思考题:
The author implies in the text that nurses are often__.
A.the ones accountable for mistakes
B.promoted for professional expertise
C.the scapegoats when accidents occur
D.treated as someone with good career

Part 1

Nurses are often put on a pedestal when things go right, and blamed when things go wrong, but too often they are simply not part of the conversation.

词汇

  • pedestal n. 基架,基座;基础
  • put sb on a pedestal 把某人当偶像崇拜
  • conversation n. 交谈, 谈话, 会话

句子解析
Nurses are often put on a pedestal (固定搭配,被崇拜) )when things go right, and blamed when things go wrong, but too often they are simply not part of the conversation.

参考译文:一切顺利的时候,护士常常被当成偶像膜拜;一出差子,他们就会被责备。但他们往往完全没有发言权。

Part 2

The longstanding view that care is a naturally feminine skill or characteristic overlooks and devalues the high levels of skill and professionalism nurses have.

词汇

  • longstanding adj. 长时间的;长期存在的
  • devalues vt. 使贬值;降低…的价值

参考译文:
长期以来,护理被认为是一种天然的女性技能或特征。这种看法忽视和低估了护士的高水平技能和专业精神。

思考题解析:
A. the ones accountable for mistakes(对错误负有责任)
文中说一有问题,护士就会被责备,但不能说护士们是对错误负有责任的人。A选项错误。
B. promoted for professional expertise(因为专业能力被提拔)
文中说护士的专业能力常常被忽视,因此可知她们也很难因为专业能力被提拔。B选项错误。
C. the scapegoats when accidents occur(事故发生后的替罪羊)
从选项A的解析可得出,护士常常是替罪羊。C选项正确。
D. treated as someone with good career(被当作拥有远大前程的人对待)
文中说护士常常被忽视和低估,所以其实大部分人并不是太把护士当成有潜力的职业的。D选项错误。

词汇

  • accountable adj. 负有责任的, 应对自己的行为做出说明的
  • promoted for 晋升为
  • scapegoats n. 代人受过的人;替罪羊

文章来源背景和来源:
Nurses have been invisible and undervalued for far too long
护士们被无视和低估太久了
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/29/nurses-invisible-devalued-women-inequality-change
背景:护士无疑是当代社会最被低估的职业之一。平日无事时,人们从不吝啬赞美,被捧成偶像被视为天使,但治疗一出现问题就会被多方责难。然而实际上,护士通常没有什么话语权,虽然护士实际上是一个自主、对安全至关重要的纯技术性岗位,但却摆脱不了医生的女性帮手这一刻板印象。同时女护士的晋升空间非常有限,虽然90%的护士都是女性,但是在管理岗位只有少于三分之一是女性。不管护士岗位的缺口有多大,也不管供需多么失衡,若结构性歧视不能在根本上被改变,护士在工作量、收入和事业发展机会上都仍将忍受显著的不公。

Day 32

Last October, the University of Nottingham advertised a £9.65-an-hour role for a temporary worker to monitor the overflow live stream for first-year law students. Overflow rooms typically accommodate large audiences when well-known figures give public lectures. All the named universities said that overflow classes were a short-term arrangement to cover busy periods at the beginning of the academic year.

思考题:
Why did the University of Nottingham advertise for a temporary position?
A.To teach temporarily first-year law students.
B.To serve the large audiences in overflow rooms.
C.To escort and assist the well-known figures.
D.To promote online courses for the law school.

Part 1

Last October, the University of Nottingham advertised a £9.65-an-hour role for a temporary worker to monitor the overflow live stream for first-year law students.

词汇

  • overflow : 超员的, 多的
  • live stream 现场直播

参考译文:
去年10月,诺丁汉大学发布了一个每小时9.65英镑的临时工职位,负责监控大法律系大一学生的“超员”直播课。

Part 2

Overflow rooms typically accommodate large audiences when well-known figures give public lectures.

词汇

  • accommodate vt. 容纳

参考译文:
名人进行公开演讲时,通常用超员教室来容纳大量听众。

Part 3

All the named universities said that overflow classes were a short-term arrangement to cover busy periods at the beginning of the academic year.

参考译文:
所有提及的大学都表示,超员教室只是短期安排,以应付学年初的繁忙时段。

思考题解析:
A. To teach temporarily first-year law students(临时教大一的法学学生)
诺丁汉大学招临时工,是为了有人管理超员直播课。A选项错误。
B. To serve the large audiences in overflow rooms(为超员教室的众多观众服务)
管理直播课也能说为超员课堂的学生服务。B选项正确。(monitor在这里替换为serve没毛病!)
C. To escort and assist the well-known figures(陪同和服务名人)
干扰项。文中解释了超员课堂通常的用途是名人演讲,但没说这个临时岗和名人的关系。C选项错误。
D. To promote online courses for the law school(为法学院的线上课程宣传)
文中没有说临时空缺的职责是宣传线上课程。D选项错误。

词汇

  • escort n. 陪同;护送者;护航舰;护卫队

文章来源背景和来源:
No room for you in lectures, top universities tell first-year students
顶尖大学告诉大一学生,“讲座里没有你的位置。“
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/feb/15/students-in-top-universities-told-no-room-for-you-in-lectures
背景:英国多所顶尖大学近来出现了劝学生看直播课的怪现象。曼彻斯特大学的学生在600人课堂上数学课时被告知可以去咖啡馆或者旁边的大礼堂看YouTube直播课,不用抢座挤位。很多学生表示,学校这种唯利是图的做法严重损害了学生的利益,好不容易挤进课堂的学生面对攒动的人头无法集中注意力,而看视频的学生则无法和老师有效地互动。大学则解释,直播课只是忙碌时期的特别应对措施,并不是常态。


2020/3/12

Day 33

These crises, industry insiders say, spring from a culture that consistently put short-term rewards to shareholders ahead of engineering-driven decisions and long-term strategy. For all of Boeing’s business coups and innovation, one stark statistic has come to symbolize the company’s priorities: Over the past six years, Boeing spent $43.4 billion on stock buybacks, compared with $15.7 billion on research and development for commercial airplanes.

思考题:
According to industry insiders, Boeing_______.
A.has an existing culture of corruption and fraud.
B.has given priority to engineering-driven decisions.
C.has put stock price before engineering research.
D.has given small rewards to shareholder and strategy.

Part 1

These crises, industry insiders say, spring from a culture that consistently put short-term rewards to shareholders ahead of engineering-driven decisions and long-term strategy.

词汇

  • insiders n. 局内人;内部人员
  • consistently adv. 一贯地;坚持地;固守地
  • put A ahead of B 把A放在B前面
  • spring 泉, 源泉
  • shareholders n. 股东

句子解析
These crises, industry insiders say(主谓充当插入语), spring from a culture that consistently put short-term rewards to shareholders ahead of engineering-driven decisions and long-term strategy(定语从句).

参考译文:
业内人士表示,这些危机源于一种始终将短期股东利益放在工程决策和长期战略之前的文化。

Part 2

For all of Boeing’s business coups and innovation, one stark statistic has come to symbolize the company’s priorities:

词汇

  • coup n. 政变,努力办到难办的事;
  • stark adj. 僵硬的, 光秃秃的, 荒凉的
  • symbolize vt. 象征;作为…的象征
  • n. 优先;优先权;优先次序;优先考虑的事

参考译文:
对于波音所有的业务变革和创新,统计数字已经鲜明地代表了其优先事项:

Part 3

Over the past six years, Boeing spent $43.4 billion on stock buybacks, compared with $15.7 billion on research and development for commercial airplanes.

词汇

  • buybacks 回购
  • commercial adj. 商业的, 商务的

参考译文:在过去的六年中,波音公司花费434亿美元进行股票回购,而在商用飞机上的研发支出是157亿美元。

思考题解析:
According to industry insiders, Boeing_______.
据业内人士称,波音公司。
A. has an existing culture of corruption and fraud.
存在腐败和欺诈的文化。
这倒没有提到,虽然这家公司确实很烂。不选。
B. has given priority to engineering-driven decisions. 
优先考虑工程驱动的决策。
这个原文是矛盾的,就再去看看我的句子分析,你切分错了!
C. has put stock price before engineering research. 
(将股票价格放在工程研究之前)
重股价,轻研发!轻长期战略!这就是波音公司的罪!
曾经的美帝荣光!今日的伤!正确答案就是这个!
D. has given small rewards to shareholder and strategy. 
给股东的回报是短期回报,至于多少就不知道了。
给战略的回报多少也没有说。
其实这个选项就是一个拼多多,就是我把这些词拼起来的,但意思和原文无关或相反。属于视觉干扰你的。

文章来源背景和来源:
Boeing’s Long Descent
波音的长期下行
Source:https://fortune.com/longform/boeing-737-max-crisis-shareholder-first-culture/
背景:在一年前开启的波音737Max危机中,软件故障导致两架飞机坠毁,346人丧生。在随后的多次检查中,737Max被发现油箱内有异物碎片,安装不合格零部件,因此两次被美国政府开出罚单,总金额超过900万美元。至令波音公司仍未走出自已一手造就的危机,737Max还处于全球停飞的状态。业界人士普遍认为,波音的困境出自于企业文化的堕落,而其平庸化则源自1997年对麦道公司的收购。这场并购让麦道的管理层实质上接管了波音(这是个经典的“引狼入室”并购案),使公司的重点从工程技术转向以金融手段博取短期利益。近年来波音不断通过股票回购推高股价,成为华尔街的宠儿,但在研发上的支出却相形见绌,过去20多年只推出了一款全新飞机787。波音已经不是当初那家不计成本研发飞机的制造企业,它是否能重新找回工程之心,走出当下的困境?


Day 34

Companies are delegating considerable HR responsibility to machines, and the list of personnel tasks in which A.I. plays a role is likely only to grow. Low unemployment and tight labor markets are putting employers under pressure to take any technological advantage they can get in the war for talent.

思考题:
We can learn from the passage that______
A.companies will recruit more HR staff in the war for talent.
B.A.I. will make labor employment much cheaper.
C.machines will replace personnel in the war for talent.
D.employers will use more A.I. help in the war for talent.

Part 1

Companies are delegating HR considerable responsibility to machines, and the list of personnel tasks in which A.I. plays a role is likely only to grow.

词汇解析:

  • delegate :委派,分配
  • personnel :人事的
  • considerable adj. 相当大(或多)的

参考译文:
企业将大量人力资源责任派给机器,人工智能参与的人事任务清单可能只会越来越长。

Part 2

Low unemployment and tight labor markets are putting employers under pressure to take any technological advantage they can get in the war for talent.

词汇

  • unemployment n. 失业
  • employers n. 雇主,老板
  • Put sb under pressure 给某人带来压力
  • the war for talent 人才大战

参考译文:
低失业率和紧俏的劳动力市场给雇主带来压力,要求他们在人才之战中利用任何他们能用到的技术优势。

思考题解析:
We can learn from the passage that______
A. companies will recruit more HR staff in the war for talent. 
企业将在人才争夺战中招聘更多的人力资源人员。
这个和第二句矛盾,不是使用更多的员工,而是使用更多的技术。
B. A.I. will make labor employment much cheaper. 
A.I.将使劳动力更便宜。
这个文章中没有说到。排除!
C. machines will replace personnel in the war for talent. 
在争夺人才的战争中,机器将取代人员。
这个也没有说到。排除!
D. employers will use more A.I. help in the war for talent. 
雇主将在人才争夺战中使用更多的人工智能帮助。
第二句中的:take any technological advantage= use more A.I. help 在这个语境中AI就等于技术优势;“利用任何”就等于使用更多。正确!

文章来源背景和来源:
Siri, Did I Ace the Interview?
Siri,我通过面试了么?
Source: https://fortune.com/longform/hr-technology-ai-hiring-recruitment/
背景:世界许多大公司正在使用人工智能技术来帮助构建更强大的人力资源。一位卡夫食品的招聘主管说,自己负责的40到50个职位总共能收到12000份申请,所以不得不借力于线上游戏来助力筛选。候选人需要花半个小时完成Pymetrics开发的认知和行为测试游戏。一些人事专家认为,智能招聘算法可以避免一些人类易犯的偏见,更客观全面地评价求职者。但一些实际的例子警示我们,机器学习系统的客观程度和训练它们的数据相关,算法延续现实世界偏见的风险极高。亚马逊曾耗时数年建设一种简历分析算法,但最后却因结果显著歧视女性而从未投入使用。由于大多数用来训练算法的真实简历都是男性的,所以算法最终形成了男性更优秀的错误逻辑。


2020/3/14

Day 35

For decades the holy grail of AI for education has been the creation of an autonomous tutor: an algorithm that can monitor students’ progress, understand what they know and what motivates them, and provide an optimal, adaptive learning experience. However, autonomous tutors of 2020 look quite different from this ideal. Education with auto-tutors usually engages students with problems designed to be easy for the algorithm to interpret—as opposed to joyful for the learner.

思考题:
The author holds that AI for education _______.
A. missed its original purpose
B. makes students sad and down
C. is no longer the holy grail of AI
D. is not suitable for the algorithm

Part 1

For decades the holy grail of AI for education has been the creation of an autonomous tutor: an algorithm that can monitor students’ progress, understand what they know and what motivates them, and provide an optimal, adaptive learning experience.

词汇

  • holy adj. 神圣的, 圣洁的
  • grail n. 杯;大盘;圣杯((比喻某个领域最高的成就)
  • tutor n. 导师
  • optimal 最佳的
  • adaptive 自适应的
  • algorithm 算法

句子解析
For decades (状语) the holy grail of AI for education (定语)has been the creation of an autonomous tutor: an algorithm(同位语指代前面的autonomous tutor) that can monitor students’ progress, understand what they know and what motivates them, and provide an optimal, adaptive learning experience.(定语从句)

参考译文:
几十年来,造出自主型私教一直是教育人工智能的“圣杯”——一种能监控学生的学习进度,了解他们的知识水平及什么能激励他们,并提供最佳的自适应学习体验。

Part 2

However, autonomous tutors of 2020 look quite different from this ideal.

参考译文:
但是,2020年的自主型私教看起来与这一理想大相径庭。

Part 3

Education with auto-tutors usually engages students with problems designed to be easy for the algorithm to interpret—as opposed to joyful for the learner.

词汇

  • engages 吸引
  • interpret 解释
  • as opposed to 而不是
  • engage sb with/in sth: 使某人从事,参加或做…

句子解析
Education with auto-tutors usually engages students with problems designed to be easy for the algorithm to interpret—as opposed to(而不是) joyful (problems 补全 ) for the learner.

参考译文:
用自主型私教的教育通常让学生处理一些算法容易解释的问题(designed to就不翻译了,这样更通顺,意思也没变。),而不是那些给学习者带来乐趣的问题。

思考题解析:
作者认为教育中的人工智能。
A. missed its original purpose
A.没达到最初的目的
结合第一句和第二句就知道教育中的人工智能没有达到最初的目的。
第三句就在解释和说明,其实可以不看第三句了。
出题人想法就是用第三句出干扰选项了。
B. makes students sad and down
B.让学生伤心失望
没有设计带给学生欢乐的问题,也不能说是让学生伤心失望吧。
还有一种可能就是学生没有情绪的变化呢。所以不对。
C. is no longer the holy grail of AI 
C.不再是人工智能的圣杯
本来没说这是人工智能的圣杯
也就更谈不上说不再是人工智能的圣杯了。
D. is not suitable for the algorithm 
D.不适合算法
这就是拼凑了。错!

文章来源背景和来源:
A Vision of AI for Joyful Education
对人工智能的快乐教育愿景
Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/a-vision-of-ai-for-joyful-education/
背景:许多人将人工智能工具视作提升教育质量的法宝。当然他们许多充分的理由。我们看到线上教育内容激增,智能技术的兴起似乎让大规模的个性化教育服务触手可及。但在解决社会问题方面,技术有着糟糕的记录,常常带来意外的伤害。因此在为教育AI大唱赞歌之前,我们必须谨慎地考量潜在的消极影响,一方面让工程师在更全面的视角下构建技术,一方面预先制定相应的行为规范。教育并不只是灌输知识那么简单。学生去学校的目的,不仅仅是掌握死的知识,还包括学习思维方式,发展社会情感能力,建立师生和同窗情谊。虽然传统的教育系统和人类教师有很多缺陷和不足,但若贸然取代现有的结构,我们将付出不小的代价。教育这个领域和医疗一样,是基本的社会民生事业,同样应以希波克拉底氏誓言(Hippocratic oath)为指南:首先,请勿造成伤害。


Day 36

Unhappy shareholders made their voices heard this year too. Most notably, WeWork’s board pressured Adam Neumann to step down in an effort to salvage a troubled IPO. But the fact that more CEOs are leaving because of bad behavior doesn’t necessarily mean leadership is declining.

思考题:
According to the text, the increase of CEO turnover originates from __.
A. the loose board scrutiny
B. their poor performance
C. the declining leadership
D. the failure of IPO plan

Part 1

Unhappy shareholders made their voices heard this year too.

参考译文:
今年不满的股东也让人们听到了自己的声音。

Part 2

Most notably, WeWork’s board pressured Adam Neumann to step down in an effort to salvage a troubled IPO.

词汇

  • Salvage: 拯救
  • pressure:这里是动词:敦促,迫使
  • in an effort to (短语)目的是为了…=in order to
  • troubled IPO 陷入困境的IPO (股票首次公开发行,考试的时候不会考这样的缩写。)
  • notably:值得注意的是
  • board 委员会, 董事会
  • step down 辞职

参考译文:
最值得注意的是,WeWork的董事会迫使亚当·诺伊曼辞职,以挽救陷入困境的IPO。

Part 3

But the fact that more CEOs are leaving because of bad behavior doesn’t necessarily mean leadership is declining.

参考译文:但事实是,越来越多的高管因不良行为而离职,并不一定意味着领导力正在下降。

思考题解析:
According to the text, the increase of CEO turnover originates from __.
根据原文,CEO离职的增加源于_____
A. the loose board scrutiny 
松散的董事会监管。

- loose: adj. 不牢固的;不精确的;宽松的;散漫的
- scrutiny:监管,监察
原文董事会的监管是加强了的。

B. their poor performance 
他们糟糕的表现
对应:bad behavior
所以正确!对,就这么明显!
考研很多时候也有这样的答案!

C. the declining leadership 
领导力的下降
不构成原因。
在文章中已经说了领导力没有衰退。

D. the failure of IPO plan 
上市计划的失败。
这里只是一个例子,不能作为大家的原因。而且也没说失败。

文章来源背景和来源:
The Year of CEO Exodus
高管出走的一年
Source: https://fortune.com/2019/12/23/ceo-exodus-adam-neumann-steph-korey-larry-page/
背景:根据劳务中介公司Challenger Gray & Christmas的数据,去年12月离职的高管同比增加12%,达到1480位。比经济危机下动荡不安的2008年相比,只少了4位。虑及近期向好的企业表现,这个趋势与历史数据背离,令分析人士感到吃惊。这意味着高管们的就业前景没有以往乐观。消费者和股东们越来越仔细地审视他们的表现,通过多种方式表达不满,逼迫表现欠佳的高管离任,并引入外部的新鲜血液。但相关并不意味着因果(correlation is not causation),更多高管的出局不代表当下领导力正在下降,而是我们看待高管的眼光更加严苛了。


2020/3/16

Day 37

In recent years, GPS has become so reliable and so ubiquitous that you can forget it’s even there—much less that it can fail. But it’s surprisingly easy, it turns out, to knock the system into disarray. The shipping industry, meanwhile, appears underprepared to cope with breakdowns and unwilling to invest in self-defense in the absence of a frightening disaster it has so far been fortunate to avoid.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that the GPS system is__.
A.particularly susceptible to the attack
B.not trustworthy in terms of positioning
C.not as widely used now as in the past
D.developed by the shipping industry

Part 1

In recent years, GPS has become so reliable and so ubiquitous that you can forget it’s even there—much less that it can fail.

词汇

  • reliable adj. 可靠的, 可信赖的
  • ubiquitous adj. <正>普遍存在的;无处不在的
  • much less 更不必说,何况,更少

句子解析
In recent years, GPS has become so reliable and so ubiquitous 广泛存在 )(句子主干that +状语从句(so... that)you can forget (that) it’s even there—(破折号相当于and)much less(更) //that (forget 的宾语从句)it can fail.

参考译文:
近年来,全球定位系统(GPS)发展得如此可靠,应用如此广泛,以至于你甚至忘了它的存在——更不会想到,它也会失灵

Part 2

But it’s surprisingly easy, it turns out, to knock the system into disarray.

词汇

  • it turns out 事实证明
  • disarray n. 无秩序;杂乱;衣冠不整

参考译文:
但事实证明,让这个系统陷入混乱容易得令人吃惊。

Part 3

The shipping industry, meanwhile, appears underprepared to cope with breakdowns and unwilling to invest in self-defense in the absence of a frightening disaster it has so far been fortunate to avoid.

词汇

  • shipping n. 海运;运送;船舶,船舶吨数
  • underprepared adj. 准备不足的,准备不充分的
  • invest vt. 投资;耗费;授予;覆盖;包围
  • absence n. 缺席, 离开, 不在场

参考译文:同时,航运业似乎在应对(系统)崩溃上准备不足,也不愿在没有可怕灾难的情况下在,在自我保护上进行投入,但迄今为止,航运业只是幸运才避免了这些可怕的灾难。
但是把in the absence of翻译为原因状语,会更加的简洁通顺,请看:参考译文:同时,航运业似乎在应对(系统)崩溃上准备不足,也不愿在自我保护上进行投入,因为迄今为止,航运业走运地避免了可怕的灾难。

思考题解析:
(A) particularly susceptible to the attack 
(特别容易受到攻击的伤害)
来自原文的第二句:
It’s surprisingly easy, it turns out, to knock the system into disarray. 
事实证明,让系统陷入混乱是惊人的简单。
正确!
我估计你是不认识susceptible这个词。
- susceptible adj. 易受影响的; 易动感情的

(B) not trustworthy in terms of positioning
(就定位而言,不可靠)
文章没有说到定位不可靠。错!
(C) not as widely used now as in the past
现在不像过去那样广泛使用
文章没有提到。错!
(D) developed by the shipping industry
由航运业开发
文章没有提到,只说了GPS的漏洞会让航运业风险增加。错!

文章来源背景和来源:
When GPS Gets Lost
当GPS信号丢失
Source: https://fortune.com/longform/gps-outages-maritime-shipping-industry/
背景:近两年来,塞浦路斯海域上全球定位系统(GPS)的信号时常变得不稳定,给轮船的夜间导航造成极大不便。专家们一致表示,全球出现越来越多的GPS信号干扰事件,如在黑海的港口附近,数百船只报告GPS信号突然间转移到数十英里的内陆;这些信号消失和错乱的事件警示人们,GPS导航系统虽然定位技术可靠,但其实非常脆弱,极易被干扰和破坏。GPS的通用程度更让失去信号的相关风险不容小觑。但航海业和各国政府都没有采取相应举措加强防护,毕竟真正的大海难发生之前,所有人都会心存侥幸;反而,只要开始应对就得投入真金白银。希望所有的船只都能一直幸运下去。


2020/3/17

Day 38

The worsening outlook on sea-level rise is prompting a change in how people think about flooding and plan for it. “People realize that it’s just not possible to prevent all floods, so you have to learn to live with the water and accept that it will sometimes have an impact,” says Hallegatte. “We cannot live behind taller and taller walls, because at one point, the consequences of one of those walls failing becomes too big.”

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that____.
A.not all floods can be avoided
B.coastal cities will disappear
C.high walls will bring us hope
D.swim skills are now mandatory

Part 1

The worsening outlook on sea-level rise is prompting a change in how people think about flooding and plan for it.

参考译文:海平面上升不断恶化的前景促使人们思考洪水和计划防洪的方式发生了变化。

Part 2

“People realize that it’s just not possible to prevent all floods, //so you have to learn to live with the water and accept that it will sometimes have an impact,” says Hallegatte.

参考译文:
哈勒加特说:“人们意识到,不可能防止所有洪水,因此必须学会与水共生,并接纳它有时会带来冲击这个事实。”

Part 3

“We cannot live behind taller and taller walls, because at one point, the consequences of one of those walls failing becomes too big.”

参考译文:
“我们不能住在越来越高的墙后面,因为总有一个时刻,任何一堵墙失灵的后果都不堪设想。”

思考题解析:
A. not all floods can be avoided
不是所有洪水都能避免
A选项正确。
B. coastal cities will disappear
沿海城市将消失
没有提及,选项错误。
C. high walls will bring us hope
高墙会带给我们希望
带来的是灾难,选项错误。
D. swim skills are now mandatory
游泳技能现在已经是必须的了
没有提及,选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源:
Five Cities That Are Vulnerable to Rising Seas
五个易受海平面上升影响的城市
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/these-five-cities-are-vulnerable-rising-seas-including-miami-new-york-1486575
背景:南极的思韦茨冰川(Thwaites Glacier)面积与美国佛罗里达州相当,若全部融化,将导致全球海平面上升3.5米。这一可怕前景让它获得了“末日冰川”的称号。还有更可怕的,思韦茨冰川保护着西南极冰盖(West Antarctica Ice Sheet)免受温暖海水的侵蚀,西南极冰盖全部融化能让海平面上升61米。未来的一个世纪沿海城市面临严峻挑战,这已经是不争的事实。我们急需改变对洪水的看法和应对措施。因为“堵”的作用非常有限,海水堤坝越高其倒塌的风险也越大,而“顺”水以及和学会与水共存才是长久之道。荷兰在这方面走在世界前列,采取了基于自然的解决方案,一方面在城市的低人口密度区域建立蓄洪空间,另一方面在高人口密度区域建立防护机制。

Day 39

In the years since Earth Day, something weird and wonderful has happened: we ingenious humans figured out how to tread more lightly on our planet, even as we become more numerous and prosperous over time. This happy phenomenon is most advanced in the richest countries, but it’s spreading around the world. Almost nobody anticipated that it would happen, and even today very few people are aware that the apparently unchallenged trade-off between human prosperity and the state of nature has been eased.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that____.
(A) there is disjunction between the real picture and our anticipation.
(B) the existence of trade-off is beyond most people’s anticipation.
(C) the environmental crisis is worse than we have expected.
(D) happy phenomenon cannot prevail in developing countries.

Part 1

In the years since Earth Day, something weird and wonderful has happened: we ingenious humans figured out how to tread more lightly on our planet, even as we become more numerous and prosperous over time.

词汇

  • tread vt. 踏;踩;践踏;跳;踩出
  • figured out 弄明白

句子解析
In the years since Earth Day, something weird and wonderful has happened: /we ingenious humans figured out how to tread more lightly on our planet(宾语从句), even as(即使) we become more numerous and prosperous over time.

参考译文:自(第一个)地球日以来的数年里,发生了一些奇妙的事:机智的人类弄明白了怎么在自己的星球上放轻脚步(比喻保护环境),即便随着时间的推移,我们人数变得更多,也发展得更繁荣。

Part 2

This happy phenomenon is most advanced in the richest countries, but it’s spreading around the world.

词汇

  • advanced 成熟的

参考译文:
这种令人欣喜的现象在富裕国家进展最为成熟,但也同时在世界各地传播。

Part 3

Almost nobody anticipated that it would happen, and even today very few people are aware that the apparently unchallenged trade-off between human prosperity and the state of nature has been eased.

词汇

  • anticipate 预感, 期望
  • trade-off 权衡
  • the state of nature 大自然的状态

参考译文:
几乎没人预料到它会发生,即使在今天,也很少有人意识到,人类繁荣与大自然的状态之间看似不可挑战的权衡已经被缓和。

思考题解析:
It can be inferred from the text that____.
可以从文中推断出___。
(A) there is disjunction between the real picture and our anticipation. 
(A)真实的情况和我们的预期之间存在脱节。
这是正确选项;
根据最后一句,确实真实情况和人们的预期之间存在不符,也就是存在脱节。

- disjunction n. 分离

(B) the existence of trade-off is beyond most people’s anticipation. 
(B)权衡的存在超出了大多数人的预期。
不是权衡的存在超越了预期,而是权衡的缓解超出预期。

(C) the environmental crisis is worse than we have expected. 
(C)环境危机比我们预期的更严重。
比我们预计的要轻。所以你选这个选项就是没有读懂文章。别挣扎!

(D) happy phenomenon cannot prevail in developing countries. 
(D)快乐现象不能在发展中国家盛行。
已经在开始扩散(spreading)了,所以不能生活不能盛行。排除!

文章来源背景和来源:
Growth Can Be Green
增长可以是绿色的
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/how-we-can-have-green-growth-increasing-human-population-prosperity-while-taking-better-care-1486342
背景:1970年,美国超过2万人走上街头,参加了历史上首次“地球日“活动。我们现在回首看50年前,很容易理解当时的人们为何如此关注环境问题。二十世纪(尤其是战后的几十年)见证了人类历史上最快速的增长,全球人口比以往任何时候增长都要快,人们生活水平不断提高,经济也突飞猛进。这种史无前例的增长带来了严重的环境问题,人们一度认为,若要与自然和谐共存,只能反方向走“去增长”的路线。当然没有政府采纳“去增长”的政策。可是现状如何?虽然我们仍面临严峻的环境问题,但事实却没有当初预想得那么糟糕。重要的生活和生产资源并没有耗竭,反而变得越来越便宜。先进的技术和激烈的市场竞争使得今天的人类能从等量的自然资源中制造更多的产品。人类和自然的关系并不是打不破的零和博弈。也许我们能够放轻脚步,更有智慧地和自然一起繁荣。

Day 40

Sure, both Visa and MasterCard have zero-liability policies that say you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized card charges as long as you report the fraud promptly. But wording in the fine print adds a warning: to qualify, the cardholder must use care to protect the card. Could a password that’s easy to crack violate those rules?

思考题:
The zero-liability policies of Visa and MasterCard_A_.
A. arouse the concern of its interpretation
B. are to protect the authorized card use
C. intends to safeguard the cybersecurity
D. guarantee the safety and interest of users.

Part 1

Sure, both Visa and MasterCard have zero-liability policies that say you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized card charges as long as you report the fraud promptly.

词汇

  • liability n. 责任, 义务; 倾向
  • unauthorized adj. 未经授权的;未经许可的;未经批准的
  • promptly adv. 敏捷地;迅速地;立即地

参考译文:
当然,维萨和万事达都有免责政策,即你只要及时举报诈骗,就不用为未经授权的支出负责。

Part 2

But wording in the fine print adds a warning: to qualify, the cardholder must use care to protect the card.

词汇

  • fine print 小字体印刷的内容
  • wording n. 表述;语法;用语;措辞

参考译文:
但小号的细则的表述还加了一条警告:要满足条件,持卡人须谨慎保护卡。

Part 3

Could a password that’s easy to crack violate those rules?

词汇

  • crack vt. & vi. 破解,(使…)开裂, 破裂
  • violate vt. 违反, 违背

参考译文:
容易被破解的密码是否违反这些规则?

文章来源背景和来源:
How to Create a Hack-Proof Password You Can Actually Remember
如何创建既能防黑客,又能真正记住的密码
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/7-tips-create-hack-proof-password-youll-actually-remember-1486319
背景:网络安全事件屡见不鲜。每年约有1400百美国人身份被盗窃。但众多消费者仍保持一些让行骗者有可乘之机的线上习惯,比如,特别好猜的密码。虽然银行和信用卡组织有针对被盗卡用户的免责政策,但也用小字规定了免责的前提——用户要尽到合理谨慎的义务。这个前提看似无比正确,却既含糊又狡猾。用简单的密码算不算不谨慎?加拿大一家银行今年就判定一位女学生需要为6800美元的盗刷买账,因为她的密码是电话号码后四位。怎么创建安全又好记的密码?首先,当然是避免那些不用一秒就被破解的密码,比如“qwerty”和“iloveyou123”。其次,虽然用大小写混杂和特殊符号可以让密码更安全,但如果你总是首字母大写,隔两个字母插一个数字,或是在字母和数字中间加个&或下滑线,其实也没有太大意义,黑客程序在模式识别上比你要高明得多。不如把几个毫无关联的词联在一起,要知道”Tr0ub4dor&3“这种密码不到三天就可被破解,而“correct horse battery staple”这样的——需要550年。


2020/3/20

Day 41

Despite all the deep-learning promotion, AI struggles with the messiness of reality. Background noise, cross talk, non-Western accents all tend to confuse transcription AI. By contrast, humans interpret bad audio by understanding the context of the conversation, by deploying common sense.

思考题:
The author holds that transcription AI______
A. actually adds to humans’ workload
B. eliminate the role of humans
C. has room for further improvement
D. is to fail in the foreseeable future

Part 1

Despite all the deep-learning hype=promotion, AI struggles with the messiness of reality.

词汇

  • Despite prep. 不管, 尽管
  • promotion 推广,宣传
  • messy 糟糕的(adj);messiness 混乱的情况(n)

参考译文:
尽管关于深度学习的宣传颇多,人工智能仍在现实的混乱中挣扎。

Part 2

Background noise, cross talk, non-Western accents all tend to confuse transcription AI.

词汇

  • transcription 把声音转录为文字;文稿
  • cross adj. 交叉的,相反的;乖戾的

参考译文:
背景噪音、串音、非西方口音都容易让转录人工智能感到困惑。

Part 3

By contrast, humans decipher=interpret bad audio by understanding the context of the conversation, by deploying common sense.

词汇

  • decipher vt. 破译(密码), 辨认(潦草字迹)
  • interpret 解读,翻译
  • deploying vt. (尤指军事行动)使展开; 施展; 部署

参考译文:
相比之下,人类通过理解对话的上下文,并诉诸常识,来破译质量不佳的音频。

思考题解析:
The author holds that transcription AI______
A. actually adds to humans’ workload 
(实际上增加了人类的工作负担)
没有提到。虽然人工智能的转录工作还不完美,但也没有说增加了人类工作负担啊。
Add to 是短语,增加的意思。
B. eliminate the role of humans 
(消除了人类的作用)
也没有提到消除,eliminate这个词你是不是不认识啊?

- eliminate vt. 消除, 排除

C. has room for further improvement
(还有提升空间)
这种选项难道不应该是一看就觉得对的选项吗?
人工智能做还不够好,还不能识别一些口音,还不如人类,
那不就是还有提升空间吗?
只要有缺点我们就可以说还有提升空间。没有任何问题。
又是一个模糊而正确的选项!
拿出小本本赶快记下来!
D. is to fail in the foreseeable future
(将在可见的未来失败)
文章没有提到,直接排除。

文章来源背景和来源:
Word’s Worth
言语的价值
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/ai-transcription-economy-future-of-work/
背景:转录员曾经是美国一个典型的中产职业,2000年左右为企业转录会议记录的时薪大概在40美元左右。但在过去十年,这个行当陷入低谷。随着音频的数字化和宽带速度的突飞猛进,越来越多的企业选择将转录业务外包到印度或菲律宾;初创企业又进一步把转录变成了按需接活的零工模式,令转录员的时薪降到了6-12美元。变化比想象的要模糊和古怪得多。因为多媒体技术的进步实际上令转录的需求大幅膨胀,有更多的会议录音、警务录音、电话录音等需要被转录。但需求并没有推高收入。因为惧怕人工智能的挑战,转录公司竞相调低价格,让转录员现在的收入已经不如星巴克的服务生。可实际上人工智能虽然已经能让我们对手机发出指令,但自然语言识别的准确率仍然显著不及人工,仍无法解决录音质量、背景干扰、复杂情境和非标准发音等诸多问题。

Day 42

Even with careful wording on the packaging, it’s easy to miss important limitations on a genetic test’s scope, or to misunderstand critical differences in the results. For some users, the desire for insights leads them to believe some information is better than none. And that is the danger: consumer-grade products are easily misinterpreted as appropriate medical tests and create false reassurances in patients.

思考题:

The author believes that consumer-grade genetic tests__.

A.serve no value to consumers in desire of information.

B.has not print proper guidelines on the package

C.will be misunderstood as the reliable medical indicator

D.may misguide patients with its package wording.

Part 1

Even with careful wording on the packaging, it’s easy to miss important limitations on a genetic test’s scope, or to misunderstand critical differences in the results.

词汇

  • Even with 即使
  • packaging n. 包装材料;包装材料的设计和生产
  • limitations 局限
  • genetic adj. 遗传的;起源的;基因的

参考译文:即使包装上措辞谨慎,也很容易忽视测试范围的重要局限,或误解结果中关键的细微差别。

Part 2

For some users, the desire for insights leads them to believe some information is better than none.

参考译文:
对于某些用户来说,对洞察的渴望让他们相信有信息总比没信息好。

Part 3

And that is the danger: consumer-grade products are easily misconstrued as appropriate medical tests and create false reassurances in patients

词汇

  • consumer-grade:不是专业级别的;
  • misconstrued vt. 误解
  • reassurance 保证

参考译文:这正是危险所在:消费者级产品很容易被误解成恰当的医学测试,并会给予患者虚假的保证。

思考题解析:

The author believes that consumer-grade genetic tests__.

作者认为,消费者级别的基因测试。

A. serve no value to consumers in desire of information. 

在信息需求方面,对消费者没有任何价值。

不能说没有价值,直接排除!

B. has not print proper guidelines on the package

没有在包装上打印正确的指南

第一句就说了包装上的措施是恰当的。所以 排除。

C. will be misunderstood as the reliable medical indicator

会被误解为这就是医学保证,也就是可靠的医学指标。

其实这个这种级别的产品是不能替代医学产品的。

正确答案,在最后一句有个单词:misinterpreted= misunderstood

危险就在于,病人容易误以为这就可以信赖的医学测试。

D. may misguide patients with its package wording.

可能会用包装措辞误导患者。

还是第一句,包装措辞没有问题。也没有用包装措辞误导消费者。

加了may也不对!因为完全没有依据

原文:刘一男是中国人。

选项:刘一男可能是个日本人。(不对!)

文章来源背景和来源:
The Problem with Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests
直接面向消费者的基因检测的问题
Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-problem-with-direct-to-consumer-genetic-tests/
背景:技术创新让我们能比以往更了解自己。我们可以迅速使用众多消费级设备和程序来跟踪频数、监控心率和检查血糖水平。但若涉及到疾病风险,快速和便捷也可能意味着不足和潜在危险。基因检测是精密医疗的一部分,它使用基因和分子表达谱技术优化对病人的治疗方案。但不是所有的检测都“生来平等”。直接面对消费者的基因检测并不能算是真正的医学检测,它们不能取代医生建议或筛查。虽然根据法规,这些产品都会在包装上有相应的警示,说明检测范围的有限性,但人们常常不能充分理解,并以此为据作出错误的决策。我们常常认为,知道一点总比不知道强,孰不知,对于健康,片面的信息带来的伤害极大。

Day 43

Macleod argues that learning how to say goodbye responsibly can actually help a company stay healthy. No business keeps all of its customers forever, and holding on to them too tightly may backfire: People seem to like that companies offer an easy way out of subscriptions and services, he says. Customer loss, of course, is not the final farewell. A company that sees its own death clearly also has a better chance of seeing its next boom.

思考题:
It can be inferred from the text that _____.

A.a responsible company can live forever

B.businessmen are not well-mannered

C.customer loss means the end of business

D.crisis-aware companies often fare better

Part 1

Macleod argues that learning how to say goodbye responsibly can actually help a company stay healthy.

参考译文:
麦克劳德认为,学习如何负责任地告别实际上可以帮助企业保持健康。

Part 2

No business keeps all of its customers forever, and holding on to them too tightly may backfire: People seem to like that companies offer an easy way out of subscriptions and services, he says.

词汇

  • backfire 发生意外, 产生事与愿违的后果
  • subscriptions 订阅

参考译文:
他说,没有一家公司能永远保留所有客户,抓客户抓得太紧可能会适得其反:人们似乎喜欢公司能提供简单的取消订阅和服务的方法。

Part 3

Customer loss, of course, is not the final farewell.

词汇

  • farewell n. 告别, 欢送

参考译文:
当然,损失客户不是最后的再见。

思考题解析:

A. a responsible company can live forever

(一家负责任的公司能一直存在)

文中没有提到

B. businessman are not well-mannered

(商人没有礼貌)

文中没有提到

B选项错误。

C. customer loss means the end of business

(客户流失意味着生意的终结)

第三句说了,不是最后的再见。

C选项错误。

D. crisis-aware companies often fare better

(有危机意识的公司往往表现得更好)

一家清楚看到自己末日的公司=有危机意识的公司

也更有可能看到自己的下一次繁荣=fare better 表现得更好

fare better 这个词是大纲词汇,而且很宽泛,没有说,什么表现好

总之就是表现好呗。在东山再起这件事上表现好也叫表现好!

D选项正确。

文章来源背景和来源:
End Games
终场赛
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/startups-prepare-for-downfall/
背景:2018年,全球智能家庭社交机器人鼻祖Jibo开始失去理智。它不再灵活地转动头部,而是对着墙面发呆。最后,Jibo给出了自己的临终诊断:“服务器很快将关闭。我和你的互动将变得相当有限。”因为Jibo公司已经停业。对于购买过Jibo的消费者来说,他们关切的是机器人收集的个人数据会如何处理?被公司售卖还是删除?怎么删除?机器人的外壳如果处理?一家公司生气正旺时,很少会制定退出策略,而末路之时,更无瑕顾及怎么给消费者一个圆满的交待。能够好好收场是一家优秀企业的表现。没有一家技术公司能够永远不死(想想柯达,想想路边的小黄车),它们会慢慢褪色,总有一天来到谢幕的那一刻。对于能够认真给出简单易行的退货或退订政策的企业,人们往往更有好感。与其死活抓着顾客不放,不如利落友好地分手,别留下一地鸡毛。毕竟客户流失并不是最后的再见,失去市场信任才是。

Day 44

Rather than wait for students to apply, Idaho admits those meeting a combination of requirements to all of its public universities and community colleges, before they fill out a single form. The idea is not only to encourage these students to pursue degrees but to get them to stay in Idaho, which has experienced a brain drain of high school graduates leaving for college elsewhere and never coming back.

思考题:
The purpose of Idaho’s admission policy is _____
(A) to combine the requirements of public university and other colleges.
(B) to prevent the adverse tendency affecting its human resource strategy.
(C) to impose the stricter standards so as to prevent the brain drain trend.
(D) to attract those students who left for high education in other states.

Part 1

Rather than wait for students to apply, Idaho admits those meeting a combination of requirements to all of its public universities and community colleges, before they fill out a single form.

词汇

  • admits 录取
  • meeting 符合

参考译文:
爱达荷州没有等待学生申请,而是在他们填写任何表格之前,就录取那些符合其所有公立和社区大学的一系列要求的学生。

Part 2

The idea is not only to encourage these students to pursue degrees but to get them to stay in Idaho, which has experienced a brain drain of high school graduates leaving for college elsewhere and never coming back.

词汇

  • a brain drain 人才流失

参考译文:这个想法不仅意在鼓励学生攻读学位,也为了让他们留在爱达荷州。爱达荷州面临人才流失,高中毕业生们到州外上大学且不再回来。

思考题解析:
The purpose of Idaho’s admission policy is _____
爱达荷州入学政策的目的是 
(A) to combine the requirements of public university and other colleges. 
(A)结合公立大学和其他学院的要求。

(B) to prevent the adverse tendency affecting its human resource strategy.
(B)防止影响其人力资源战略的不利趋势。
虽然文章中没有明确提到州的人力资源战略,但是人才流失(brain drain)就是会影响一个地方的人力资源战略的。这是同义替换。不是推理,而且其他三个选项错成那样了,你必须接受这个替换。

- Adverse:不利的,有害的。


(C) to impose the stricter standards so as to prevent the brain drain trend.
(C) 订定更严格的标准,以防止人才流失的趋势。
后半部分对了,但是前半部分错了,不是制定更严格的标准。
(D) to attract those students who left for high education in other states.  
(D) 吸引往已经去其他州接受高等教育的学生。
吸引的是即将读大学的学生,而不是已经去了的。
所以错误!

文章来源背景和来源:
Congratulations! You got into college without even applying
祝贺!你不用申请就被大学录取了
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/congratulations-you-got-into-college-without-even-applying/2020/03/14/588dabec-63f0-11ea-845d-e35b0234b136_story.html
背景:对于美国的高中生来说,申请大学是一件让人崩溃的事,即复杂又耗时(这也是教育不公的一环,有资源的父母会自己或雇人指导孩子,而有些学生则可能会畏难而退)。爱荷华大学的前校长Chuck Staben为了解这个流程的真实情况,曾尝试填写本校的申请表。他说,“申请流程真是糟糕透了,又慢又笨重又重复。”为此,他大力推动爱荷华州对公立大学申请流程进行改革。现在爱荷华州的高中生只要达到州内公立大学的一些标准就会自动收到多所大学的录取信,即使他们并没有申请。此举不仅鼓励了许多高中生继续上大学,还有效地缓解了该州的人才流失问题。目前,南达科塔州也采取了相似的做法,而伊利诺伊州、夏威夷州和德克萨斯州正在讨论是否效仿。

Day 45

The fossil fuel industry faces a classic business problem: Someone else has come up with a better technology. Even the car, which has helped define our culture and consumes vast quantities of fossil fuel, is changing fast. No honest person who has driven a Tesla will dispute that it’s a superior machine: fast, with few moving parts, and a quiet elegance that makes a rumbling muscle car seem more than a little old-fashioned.

思考题:
The author mentions Tesla to show that__.
A.fossil fuel is the classic solution
B.car consumes a lot of energy
C.fossil fuel is being challenged
D.it run fast and is well-designed

Part 1

The fossil fuel industry faces a classic business problem: Someone else has come up with a better technology.

词汇

  • fossil adj. 化石的

参考译文:
化石燃料行业面临着一个典型的商业问题:其他人提出了更好的技术。

Part 2

Even the car, which has helped define our culture and consumes vast quantities of fossil fuel, is changing fast.

词汇

  • consumes vt. 消耗, 消费, 耗尽
  • quantities n. 量,数量;总量;大量
  • define vt. 定义;使明确;规定

参考译文:
即使是帮助定义我们文化并消耗大量化石燃料的汽车也正在迅速转变。

Part 3

No honest person who has driven a Tesla will dispute that it’s a superior machine: fast, with few moving parts, and a quiet elegance that makes a rumbling muscle car seem more than a little old-fashioned.

词汇

  • elegance n. 典雅;高雅
  • rumbling n. 隆隆声;辘辘声

参考译文:
特斯拉是架出众的机器,没有一个开过它的诚实人会质疑:特斯拉很少活动部件,快捷、安静、优雅,让隆隆的力量型车看起来不止是有点过时。

思考题解析:
The author mentions Tesla to show that______.
作者提到特斯拉是为了表现_______
A, fossil fuel is the classic solution
A.化石燃料是经典的解决方法
B. car consumes a lot of energy
B.汽车消耗了大量的能量
C. fossil fuel is being challenged
C.化石燃料正受到挑战
D. it is superior to traditional cars
D.它优于传统的汽车(换一下,迷惑性会更大。)
这个题的关键不在于选项而在题干,大家看昨天复盘的时候,也看到了我说题干也是有难度设置的,这个题干是一个例证题,例证题就只能找例子对应的观点,这里对应的观点就是第一句:The fossil fuel industry faces a classic business problem: Someone else has come up with a better technology.所以只能是C. fossil fuel is being challenged 为正确选项。A选项原文完全没有谈到;其他B和D选项都属于定位错误!就是本身表述没有问题,但是和题干不匹配。不是我们要找的观点或者结论。如果大家有问题就看明天的复盘吧。

文章背景和来源:
Putting the Money Squeeze on Fossil Fuels
让化石燃料资金紧张
Source: https://fortune.com/longform/wall-street-fossil-fuels-divest-climate-change/
背景:2019年冬天,摩根大通公司的经济学家团队为高端客户撰写了一份报告,详细地解释了目前的环境危机并分析了相关政府政策,其中写道“我们无法排除灾难性后果,我们所知的人类生命正受到威胁”。换言之,世界如何应对化石燃料行业的问题,将决定人类的未来。要及时迅速地作出应对,政府的作用至关重要已是共识,但银行、保险公司和资产管理人的影响力也不容忽视。金融界需要意识到,新能源技术不仅更环保也更出众,持有过多化石能源资产存在极大风险,在商业上并不明智。金融界若能及时行动起来,那么钱荒也许能迅速倒逼能源业的绿色改革。

Day 46

Women weren’t held back because of trouble balancing the competing demands of work and family—men, too, suffered from the balance problem and nevertheless advanced. Women were held back because, unlike men, they were encouraged to take accommodations, such as going part-time and shifting to internally facing roles, which derailed their careers. The real reason was a general culture of overwork that hurt both men and women and locked gender inequality in place.

思考题:
According to the passage, women were hindered by _____
(A) the balance problem of work and family
(B) the general culture of overwork
(C) the stress and inequality caused by men
(D) the competing demands of career and work

Part 1

Women weren’t held back because of trouble balancing the competing demands of work and family—men, too, suffered from the balance problem and nevertheless advanced.

词汇

  • held back 退缩;隐瞒;抑制;阻止

参考译文:
女性不是因为难以平衡工作和家庭互不相容的需求而止步不前——男性也面临同样的平衡问题,但他们还是晋升了。

Part 2

Women were held back because, unlike men, they were encouraged to take accommodations, such as going part-time and shifting to internally facing roles, which derailed their careers.

词汇

  • accommodations 妥协
  • internally adv. 内地;内部地
  • derailed v. 出轨

参考译文:
女性止步不前的原因是因为,和男性不同,她们被鼓励做出妥协,比如转成兼职或者面向内部的岗位;这些都让她们的职业偏轨。

Part 3

The real culprit was a general culture of overwork that hurt both men and women and locked gender inequality in place.

词汇

  • culprit n. 犯人,罪犯;被控犯罪的人

参考译文:
真正的罪魁祸首是一种普遍过度工作的文化,这种文化同时伤害了男性和女性,并锁定了性别歧视。

思考题解析:
According to the passage, women were hindered  by _____
根据文章,妇女受到了不利的影响。
(A) the balance problem of work and family
(A)工作与家庭的平衡问题
(B) the general culture of overwork 
(B)普遍的加班文化 不用怀疑就是这个选项!来自最后一句!读懂了,就是这么豪横!一样的内容也敢选!正确!
(C) the stress and inequality caused by men 
(C)由男性引起的压力和不平等
(D) the competing demands of career and work
(D)职业和工作的相互竞争的需求
```

>文章来源背景和来源:
What’s Really Holding Women Back
真正阻碍女性前行的是什么?
Source: https://hbr.org/2020/03/whats-really-holding-women-back
背景:哈佛商学院的Robin J. Ely和弗罗里达州立大学的Irene Padavic在研究工作场所中的性别歧视问题时发现,许多受访者,不论男女,都认为企业高层男女比例极度不均衡的原因是因为女性无法平衡事业和家庭。但他们通过长期的调研发现,数据并不支持这种流行的论断。在表示因无法平衡事业和家庭而受感压力的受访者中,高达三分之二为男性,但只有一位男性受访者实际作出了妥协。而几乎所有作出职业妥协(比如减少出差频率)的人(其中大多数为女性)则会被当下的企业文化污名化,同事或上级会下意识认为他们不求上进,工作上靠不住,从而失去晋升机会。这两位研究者的结论是,职场上要达到真正的两性平等,我们需要致力于改革过度工作的企业文化,这样每个员工,不管男女,都能平衡好自己不同的社会角色。


#Day 47
But despite the large number of players seeking help with a hobby that has them hooked—and in extreme cases is ruining their lives—there is little agreement about what video game addiction is, or even if it is a genuine addiction. The World Health Organization added gaming disorder to its International Classification of Diseases, a diagnostic guide for clinicians. The hope is that by giving a label to a set of problematic behaviors, medical professionals—from doctors to insurance providers—can more readily identify and treat them.

思考题:
The gaming disorder was recognized by WHO so as to__.
A.give game players prompt warning
B.discourage playing video games
C.give effective guidance to doctors 
D.properly label various syndromes 


##Part 1
But despite the large number of players seeking help with a hobby that has them hooked—and in extreme cases is ruining their lives—there is little agreement about what video game addiction is, or even if it is a genuine addiction.

>词汇
- despite prep. 不管, 尽管
- hooked adj. 钩状的;吸毒成瘾的;入迷的
- genuine adj. 真实的,真正的;诚恳的

>参考译文:
但是,尽管大量玩家正在就让他们上瘾的一种爱好(这种爱好在一些极端情况下正在毁坏他们的生活)寻求帮助,但对于什么是电子游戏成瘾,或甚至它算不算真正的成瘾,人们几乎没有达成一致。


##Part 2
The World Health Organization added gaming disorder to its International Classification of Diseases, a diagnostic guide for clinicians.

>词汇
- disorder n. 混乱;骚乱
- diagnostic adj. 诊断的, 判断的
- guide 引路; 指导
- clinicians n. 临床医生,临床教师

>参考译文:
世界卫生组织在其临床医生的诊断指南——国际疾病分类中增加了“游戏障碍”。


##Part 3
The hope is that by giving a label to a set of problematic behaviors, medical professionals—from doctors to insurance providers—can more readily identify and treat them.

参考译文:
此举希望通过标明一系列问题行为,让医疗专业人员——从医生到保险供应商——能够更容易识别和治疗它们。


```
思考题解析:
The gaming disorder was recognized by WHO so as to__.
世卫组织确认了这种游戏障碍,目的是为了_____。
(A) give game players prompt warning
给游戏玩家及时警告
没有提到;排除!
(B) discourage playing video games
不鼓励玩电子游戏
没有提到;排除!
(C) give effective guidance to doctors 
给医生有效的指导
正确答案
来自最后一句:
The hope is that by giving a label to a set of problematic behaviors, medical professionals—from doctors to insurance providers—can more readily identify and treat them.
此举希望通过标明一系列问题行为,让医疗专业人员——从医生到保险供应商——能够更容易识别和治疗它们。
也就是给,医生有效的指导
(D) properly label various syndromes 
适当地标注各种症状
这个选项就是答非所问,适当的标注各种症状不是世卫组织确认“游戏障碍”的目的,这就是确认“游戏障碍”的内容。


```


>文章来源背景和来源:
Video game addiction is now being recognized—what happens next?
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614747/video-game-addiction-is-now-being-recognizedwhat-happens-next/
背景:为什么有人会对游戏上瘾?游戏成瘾会不会只是其它深层次问题的表征?比如抑郁?2019年5月,世界卫生组织正式将“游戏成瘾”列为一种疾病,期望借此引起人们重视失控的游戏行为,及时寻求帮助和治疗。但是,一些权威专家对此心存顾虑。他们认为病态化电子游戏这种世界上最流行的消遣为时过早。虽然游戏成瘾的存在已无争议,但对于其具体表现和流行程度还尚无定论。说游戏令人上瘾,和说吃让人胖一样意义不大。因为魔鬼藏在细节里(Devil lies in the details),关键在于吃的什么,吃了多少;所以对于种类繁多的游戏来说也是如此,玩的什么,玩了多少非常重要。对抗游戏成瘾这个问题的下一步应是细化评判标准,虽然要让心理医生、专家们达成一致将十分困难。不管怎样,提出问题是解决问题的第一步。

#Day 48
We tend to take it for granted that new technologies work better than old ones— safer, faster, more accurate, more efficient, more convenient. Purists may extol the virtues of vinyl records, but nobody can dispute that a digital music collection is easier to carry and sounds almost exactly as good. Cash is a paradox—a technology thousands of years old that may just prove impossible to recreate in a more advanced form.

思考题:
The word “extol” is closest in meaning to_________.
(A) propel
(B) acclaim
(C) declare 
(D) denounce 

##Part 1
We tend to take it for granted that new technologies work better than old ones— safer, faster, more accurate, more efficient, more convenient. 

>参考译文:我们倾向于理所当然地认为,新技术比旧技术更好——更安全、更快、更准确、更有效、更方便。

##Part 2
Purists may extol the virtues of vinyl records, but nobody can dispute that a digital music collection is easier to carry and sounds almost exactly as good. 

>词汇
- Purists 纯粹主义者
- extol vt. 颂扬;赞美;赞颂
- vinyl records 黑胶唱片

>参考译文:
纯粹主义者可能会赞美黑胶唱片的优点,但没有人能反驳数字音乐库更易携带,而且听起来差不了多少。


##Part 3
Cash is a paradox—a technology thousands of years old that may just prove impossible to recreate in a more advanced form.

>参考译文:
现金是一个悖论——这种千年前的技术可能被印证无法以更先进的形式再造。

```
(A)推动 (B)称赞(C)宣布(D)谴责
答案选B,是不是就一目了然了啊!利用转折关系,我知道你可能连选项的单词都不认识。
```

>文章来源背景和来源:
Elegy for Cash
现金的挽歌
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614998/an-elegy-for-cash-the-technology-we-might-never-replace/
背景:想想你上次用现金是什么时候。花了多少钱?在哪儿花的?偶发的消费,还是经常性的?合法么?如果这些问题的答案你不想让别人知道,那么恭喜你,只要你自己不说,就基本不会有人知道这笔交易和你有关。这就是银行卡和APP没法拥有的一种特性:自由。现金被称为“无记名票据”,谁持有谁就是所有者。企业不能从现金交易中获得我们的数据,发送定向广告或给我们建立信用等级;政府也不能从中得知我们的行踪。这种习以为常的自由也许有一天会消失。虽然目前现金仍在美国、日本和德国等地广泛使用,在其他一些国家现金已经濒临淘汰,想想Apple Pay和Alipay。现金的消失还会引发技术上的难题。没有纸钞之后,国家政府必须发行数字货币,否则银行账户的钱就会变成没有价值支撑的数字。但目前掌握数字货币技术的却并非是各国的中央银行,而是黑客和技术企业。


#Day 49
There is a concern, especially in social sciences and medicine, about the mass of studies that have proved impossible to reproduce. If the original errors do not get corrected when scientists try to take the work further, then science’s capacity to remedy itself will be called into question. There are questions here about the value system in academic publishing and the funding mechanisms that have led to too many researchers thinking it is fine to move on from mistakes without publicly acknowledging them.

判断题一:
Many researches are hampered by the current value system in academic publishing.
(Ture or False)

判断题二:
There are still many concerns which have been illustrated impossible to regenerate.  
(Ture or False) 

##Part 1
There is a concern, especially in social sciences and medicine, about the mass of studies that have proved impossible to reproduce.

>词汇
-  concern n. 关心;关系;关心的事

>参考译文:
尤其是在社会科学和医学领域,大量无法重复的研究引起人们的关切。

>题目:
There are still many concerns// which have been illustrated impossible to regenerate.  
仍然有许多担心,这些担心已经被证明是不可能再生的。
仔细看!不是担心不能复制再生,而是研究!偷换!错!
用后面的替换来勾引你!然后用偷换来干掉你!你要仔细!

##Part 2
If the original errors do not get corrected when scientists try to take the work further, then science’s capacity to remedy itself will be called into question.

>词汇
- capacity n. 能力
- remedy 补救办法, 纠正办法

>参考译文:
如果科学家进一步尝试推进研究时,没有纠正原始错误,那么科学的自我修复能力将受到质疑。

##Part 3
There are questions here about the value system in academic publishing and the funding mechanisms that have led to too many researchers thinking it is fine to move on from mistakes without publicly acknowledging them.

>词汇
- mechanisms 机制

>参考译文:
这里有关于学术出版价值体系和资助机制的问题,它们令太多的研究人员认为,在不公开承认错误的情况下继续前进没什么关系。

>题目
Many researches are hampered by the current value system in academic publishing.
第二句:如果科学家进一步尝试推进研究时,没有纠正原始错误,那么科学的自我修复能力将受到质疑。第三句:现有的学术价值体系有问题
=现有的学术价值体系,阻碍了研究。(正确!)

---

>文章来源背景和来源:
The Guardian view on scientific progress: it’s important to get things wrong
卫报观点——科学进步:犯错很重要
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/08/the-guardian-view-on-scientific-progress-its-important-to-get-things-wrong
背景:科学进步更多来自于思考者所犯的错。科学必须能够自我纠错,也必须允许甚至是最伟大的科学实践者犯错。历史上散布着许多伟人犯错的例子:查尔斯·达尔文因自然选择和进化论闻名,但关于遗传为什么是随机的,他却提出了一种奇怪且错误的理论。遗传学之父格雷戈尔·孟德尔的遗传法则后来纠正了达尔文的错误。每个世纪,每个学科,都记录有辉煌的错误。诀窍是从中学习。进步总是意味着犯错和认错,因为我们都在努力。如果一位科学家因为错误的假设而走偏,人们不会严厉地批判他;但如果他们工作草率,研究过程经不起推敲,那就会一夜之间失去声望。当下众多无法被复制的科研论文就是如此,它们既不能证实一个理论的正确性,也不能告诉其他研究者此路不通,它们只是畸形评价机制的产物而已。


#Day 50
Among these women who made History are those whose contributions are infinitely more recognizable than they themselves ever were. To this day, educators struggle to close the confidence gap that discourages girls from going into science. Would it be any easier if more people knew the stories, grasped the possibilities represented by women like Rosalind Franklin, whose role in the identification of the DNA double helix was eclipsed by Watson and Crick? 

思考题:
The word “eclipsed” is closest in meaning to_________.
(A) affirmed 
(B) overshadowed 
(C) deprived 
(D) exaggerated 


##Part 1
Among these women who made History are those whose contributions are infinitely more recognizable than they themselves ever were.

>句子解析
Among these women(表语) /who made history (定语)are those (主语)whose contributions are infinitely more recognizable than they themselves ever were.(定语)


>参考译文:
在这些创造历史的女性中,有些人的贡献比她们个人的知名度要高出太多


##Part 2
To this day, educators struggle to close the confidence gap that discourages girls from going into science.

>参考译文:
直到现在,教育工作者都在努力缩小阻止女孩进入科学领域的信心差距。


##Part 3
Would it be any easier if more people knew the stories, grasped the possibilities represented by women like Rosalind Franklin, whose role in the identification of the DNA double helix was eclipsed by Watson and Crick? 

>词汇
- identification n. 鉴定, 验明, 认出
- eclipsed v. 引起日蚀;遮暗;使…失色

>参考译文:
如果更多人知道这些故事,领悟到罗莎琳德·富兰克林这样的女性所代表的可能性——她对识别DNA双螺旋结构中的贡献被掩盖在沃森和克里克之下,这种努力会更容易么? 

```
答案公布:
The word “eclipsed” is closest in meaning to_________.
(A) affirmed 
(B) overshadowed 
(C) deprived 
(D) exaggerated 
(A)确认
(B)遮盖,夺去光芒
(C)剥夺
(D)夸大的
正确答案B!
```

>文章来源背景和来源:
Why TIME Revisited 100 Women Who Made History
为什么《时代》回顾创造历史的100位女性?
Source: https://time.com/5793734/time-100-women-of-the-year-issue/
背景:如果力量是推动进步的肌肉,那么影响就是磁极,引导人们走向原本无从想象的可能性。在美国女性获得参政权100周年纪念之际,《时代》周刊挑选了1920起至今的100位影响超越时代的女性,希望通过发现和重新发现这些非凡女性,启发读者探索更多的可能性。这些女性中既有发出时代先声的政治家(如中共创始人之一的向警予),也有默默耕耘的科学家(如发现青蒿素的屠呦呦)。她们摆脱了常规和束缚,拓宽了自己的人生,也照亮了周围的世界。她们是不一样的时代鼓手,一个世纪隆隆过去却没有听见她们的节奏。重新讲述她们的故事,也许会让我们对共同的历史感到自豪,也激励我们去创造自己的历史。


#Day 51
Unfortunately, we’re not likely to move forward on major infrastructure initiatives without broader shifts in governance and a public perception that addressing climate dangers is an urgent need. 

思考题:
The public awareness is critical to the progress of infrastructure projects. (True or False)

>词汇
- infrastructure n. 基础设施; 基础结构
- initiativesn. 主动性, 首创精神
- broader 广的
- governance 治理
- critical to :对...很关键/很重要
- critical of :  批判,挑剔

```
思考题解析:
The public awareness is critical to the progress of infrastructure projects. 
公众意识对基础设施项目的进展至关重要。
这是典型的模糊替换:不用具体说明用大概念包含小概念!
相信我,你以后做真题就会发现这样的答案很多!
正确!
```

>文章来源背景和来源:
Climate change means the US must start building big things again
气候变化意味着美国必须重新开始大建设
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615045/climate-change-green-infrastructure-us-public-works-building-boom/
背景:美国曾是大基建的象征。但今天,几乎每一个大型基建项目如果没有关停的话,就都遭遇了重度延迟和成本超支。美国已经变得不擅长造大工程,甚至在维护现有基建上也疏忽大意:大部分高速、桥梁、水管、港口、铁路和输电线都是半个世纪以前修建的,而目前修理经费的缺口已达1.4万亿美元,预计到2040年这个数字将达到5万亿美元。这一切对于美国应对气候变化极为不利,因为应对气候变化需要大力建设清洁能源技术能力,如清洁电网。从根本上讲,这就是个基建问题,。


#Day 52
It has been clear for some time that tech giants seem to pay less tax than might be expected given their revenues. It is smart business and entirely legal for multinational companies to funnel profits through low-tax countries, but many argue that it robs nations of vital income. French is leading the charge by levying an additional 3 per cent rate of tax on about 30 tech firms worldwide.

思考题:
French has imposed additional tax on tech companies because__.
A.they pay less tax than their expected revenue. 
B.they deprive local companies of critical profit
C.they pay less tax than many local companies 
D.their tax is out of proportion to the revenue


##Part 1
It has been clear for some time that tech giants seem to pay less tax than might be expected given their revenues.

>词汇
- given 考虑到
- revenues 税收

>参考译文:相比于科技巨头们的收入,它们缴纳的税款少于预期早已显而易见。

##Part 2
It is smart business and entirely legal for multinational companies to funnel profits through low-tax countries, but many argue that it robs nations of vital income.

>词汇
- funnel 转移
- multinational adj. 多国的

>参考译文:
跨国公司通过低税国家转移利润是精明之举,而且完全合法,但许多人认为这种做法剥夺了许多国家的重要收入。


##Part 3
French is leading the charge by levying an additional 3 per cent rate of tax on about 30 tech firms worldwide.

>词汇
- levy vt. 征收(税收等)
- charge :攻击

>参考译文:
法国率先发起进攻,对全球约30家科技公司加征3%的税率。


```
思考题解析:
French has imposed additional tax on tech companies because__.
法国对科技公司征收附加税是因为。
A.they pay less tax than their expected revenue. 
他们交的税比预计少。
这个选项挺唬人的,但仔细一想就不对啊:
如果交的税比预期的收入多,那才有问题吧。是比预计税收少!
错!第一句:考虑到他们的收入,他们的税比预期(该交的税)少。
这属于偷换比较对象!
B,they deprive local companies of critical profit
他们剥夺了很多当地公司的重要利润。
剥夺的不是当地公司的重要利润,而是当地政府的重要收入。
C.they pay less tax than local companies 
他们比很当地公司少交税
这个没有比较过!属于没有提及!当然就更不是原因了。
D.their tax is out of proportion to revenue
他们的税收与收入不成比例
对应第一句:考虑到他们的收入,他们的税比预期(该交的税)少。

- proportion 比例

这是完美的同义替换!正确!
```


#Day 54
Plastic recycling enjoys ever-wider support among consumers: Putting yogurt containers and juice bottles in a blue bin is an eco-friendly act of faith in millions of households. But faith goes only so far. The tidal wave of plastic items that enters the recycling stream each year is increasingly likely to fall right back out again, casualties of a broken market.

思考题:
The failed market renders plastic recycling fall short of the expectation.

##Part 1
Plastic recycling enjoys ever-wider support among consumers: Putting yogurt containers and juice bottles in a blue bin is an eco-friendly act of faith in millions of households.

>词汇
- yogurt n. 酸奶酪,酸乳
- eco-friendly  adj. 对生态环境友好的,不妨害生态环境的
- households n. 同住在一所房子里的人, 一家人, 户

>参考译文:
塑料回收获得了消费者越来越广泛的支持:将酸奶盒子和果汁瓶放进蓝色垃圾箱是数百万家庭的环保信仰。


##Part 2
The tidal wave of plastic items that enters the recycling stream each year is increasingly likely to fall right back out again, casualties of a broken market.

>词汇
- tidal adj. 潮水的
- casualties n. 意外事故;伤亡人员;急诊室

>参考译文:
每年进入回收流的一浪又一浪的塑料制品越来越有可能回到环境中——这就是市场失灵的牺牲品。


```
思考题解析:
The failed market renders plastic recycling fall short of the expectation. 
市场的失败导致塑料回收没有达到预期。
(正确!)

Fall short of 是固定搭配,表示“没有达到”。

Render:导致,使

你们应该是没有读懂第三句。尤其是最后的同位语:casualties of a broken market 这个部分指代的是前面的这个句子。

```

>文章来源背景和来源:
Plastic that travels 8,000 miles: the global crisis in recycling
行程八千英里的塑料:全球回收危机
Source: https://fortune.com/longform/plastics-global-recycling-problem/
背景:地球正在被塑料淹没,回收的需求比以往任何时候都要急迫,但垃圾回收产业目前却正徘徊在崩溃的边缘。许多消费者相信、生产者声称可回收的产品实际并不会被再利用,原因是赤裸裸的经济学。压裂技术的发展令石油和天然气的价格降到近二十年的最低水平,新塑料的价格也随之下降,远低于回收材料的成本。这个突然的变化让原本能够正常运转的垃圾处理业濒临破产。低油价催生了更多的塑料生产和消费,却没有充分的废物处理厂来进行回收。我们希望情况会好转,但怎样才能有转变?


#Day 54
While Americans still prefer pickup trucks and large SUVs over small gas-saving cars, government policies that encourage electrification, such as ever higher miles per gallon requirements for new vehicles and allowance for buyers of electric or hybrid vehicles, remain in place. More would-be buyers are also noticing the lower operating costs of EVs, such as no oil changes. These advantages add up.

思考题:
It can be learned from the passage that________
(A) Car buyers may change their attitude for various benefits of EVs
(B) Government policies may add advantages to the pickup trucks 
(C) Buyers of electric car may face lower miles per gallon requirements
(D) The owners of SUVs may have the advantage of no oil changes. 


##Part 1
While Americans still prefer pickup trucks and large SUVs over small gas-saving cars, government policies that encourage electrification, such as ever higher miles per gallon requirements for new vehicles and allowance for buyers of electric or hybrid vehicles, remain in place. 

>词汇
- Prefer A over B : 偏爱A而非B
- government policies remain in place. 政府政策仍在执行
- hybrid  adj. 杂种的;混合的
- allowance n. 津贴, 补助, 零用钱

>参考译文:
虽然美国人仍偏爱皮卡和大型SUV,而非小型节能汽车,但鼓励电气化的政府政策仍在执行,如提高新车的单位里程油耗要求,以及购买电动或混合动力汽车可获得补贴。


##Part 2
More would-be buyers are also noticing the lower operating costs of EVs, such as no oil changes.These advantages add up.

>参考译文:更多潜在买家也注意到,电动汽车的运营成本较低,比如不用更换机油。这些优势积少成多。



```
思考题解析:
It can be learned from the passage that________
(A) Car buyers may change their attitude for various benefits of EVs
(B) Government policies may add advantages to the pickup trucks 
(C) Buyers of electric car may face lower miles per gallon requirements
(D) The owners of SUVs may have the advantage of no oil changes. 
从文章中我们可以了解到________ 
四个选项都有may ,
(A)汽车购买者可能因为电动汽车的各种好处,而改变他们的态度。(正确答案) (文章是有依据的,而且加了may)
(B)政府政策可能会增加皮卡车的优势
文章没有依据,增加的应该是电动车的优势,所以偷换了宾语,
加了may 也不对!
(C)电动汽车的购买者可能面临更低的单位里程油耗要求。
(拼多多!错!)
(D)越野车的车主可能有不换机油的优势。(拼多多!错!)
只要读懂了句子了,这些都很容易排除!好好看句子,然后一一比对!
```

>文章来源背景和来源:
Electric-car sales will zoom over latest bumps
电动汽车销售将在近期的起伏中急速提升
Source: https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2020/0320/Electric-car-sales-will-zoom-over-latest-bumps
背景:汽油价格正在下跌,不是因为人们不得不呆在家里,而是因为沙特决定压低油价。对于家有油车的消费者来说,这无疑是个好消息,但是这对于电动汽车的未来又意味着什么呢?《基督教科学箴言报》的这篇文章认为,虽然过去几年油价的下跌都直接影响了混合动力车的销售,比如丰田普锐斯,但随着技术的不断完善,电动汽车不仅将渡过当前的低谷,还会因为更卓越的性能和流畅的用户体验而占领市场。毕竟,电动汽车的优势不单单只是环保而已。
posted @ 2020-02-26 19:16  loading_hlb  阅读(2742)  评论(0编辑  收藏  举报