雅思阅读-3

Examples The Discovery That Spencer MadeAnswer B1. The Introduction of the Radarange2. The Conduction Process of Heating Food3. Basic Cooking Method of Microwave oven4. The Commercial Development of the Microwave5. Popularity of Microwaves Today6. Limitations of the MicrowaveQuestions 7 - 11Complete the summary below with the word taken from each blank. Write your answers in boxes 7 - 11 in your answer sheet. Use NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each blank.Before magnetrons were used for microwaves they were primarily used (7) systems. Microwaves have much (8) wavelength than electromagnetic waves. Why do microwaves cook so fast? The reason that regular ovens cook so slowly is because ovens heat air molecules first, while microwaves heat (9) molecules first. Microwave ovens cook food in any direction because when the microwaves hits the metal walls in a microwave they (10) off the metal walls. The process that allows microwaves to cook food from the outside to the inside may best be called "heat transfer by (11) ."Questions 12 - 15Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? Write your answers in boxes 12 - 15 on your answer sheet.YES if the statement agrees with the informationNO if the statement contradicts the informationNOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage12. Spencer invented magnetrons.13. Regular ovens are better at breaking down sugars because they heat them at a lower temperature.14. Raytheon couldn't make money out of microwave ovens at first.15. In the future, microwave sales are not likely to be as good as they were in the past.READING PASSAGE 2You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 16 - 28 which are based on Reading Passage 2.Play with mother is key to children's success (Mothers who did badly at school can still boost their young children's academic performance with stimulating activities at home). Mothers' (rather than fathers') own educational achievements have long been thought to be the key to children's progress at school. But government-funded research suggests that mothers can compensate for their lack of exam success if they offer their under-fives activities linked to literacy and numeracy.Researchers from Oxford, Cardiff and London universities, who measured the attainments of more than 2,000 children at the ages of three and five, found that their mothers' education is important in accounting for differences between children. But what the mother did with the child was even more important. Those who talked frequently to their children, who played games with numbers and letters, read to them, took them to the library and taught them songs and nursery rhymes had a significant effect on their attainment both at the ages of three and five. Professor Pam Sammons, of London University's Institute of Education, said:"Children's progress is not completely determined by social disadvantage. What parents do with children is critically important. Parents who have no educational qualifications can still do many things to help their children. We need to encourage parents, particularly younger ones, to play with children and to talk to them."Sammons said the findings emphasized the importance of policies for supporting families of under-threes, for example the government's Sure Start programme. MPs on the Select Committee for Education are investigating early years education. Ministers have provided a nursery, playgroup or school place for every four-year-old, but critics say that too many children are now in school reception classes, which are not equipped for them. There are more staff workers for each child in nurseries than in reception classes. The researchers, comparing children's achievements in math and literacy, found that playgroups and private day nurseries tended to do much less well than nursery schools, which combined education, day care and reception classes.This research is consistent with previous studies that show the benefit of mother play in other areas such as in a child's creativity and social development using other devices such as music and toys. Music helps children connect the outer world of movement and sound with the inner world of feelings and observations. Children learn music the same way they learn language — by listening and imitating. Finger play promotes language development, motor skills and coordination, as well as self-esteem. Young children are proud when they sing a song and can do the accompanying finger movements. Listening to music also teaches important pre-reading skills. As youngsters use small drums or other percussion instruments (homemade or store-bought), they can play the rhythmic pattern of words.Babies become social beings through watching their parents, and through interacting with them and the rest of the family and later with others. It is a crucial time to begin teaching by example how people should behave toward one another. Toys that help babies with social development are stuffed animals, animal mobiles and dolls. Even very small babies can socialize with them. The infant will often converse with animals prancing on the crib bumpers or revolving on mobile. Later, books and opportunities for make-believe and dress-up play also help children to develop social skills.In the beginning, babies' hand movements are totally random. But within a few months those tiny hands will move with more purpose and control. A mother has a particularly important role in the development of purposeful movement by giving her baby's hands plenty of freedom; rather than keeping them swaddled or tucked under a blanket (except outdoor in cold weather). researchers suggest providing a variety of objects that are easy for small hands to pick up and manipulate, and that don't require fine dexterity. And since young babies usually won't grasp objects that are directly in front of them, a mother should offer these objects from the side.Researchers suggest that mothers give babies ample of opportunity for "hands-on" experience with the following:* Rattles that fit small hands comfortably. Those with two handles or grasping surfaces allow a baby to pass them from hand to hand, an important skill, and those that baby can put their mouth on will help bring relief when teething begins.* They also suggest mothers use cradle gyms (they fit across a carriage, playpen or crib) that have a variety of parts for baby to grab hold of, spin, pull and poke. Beware of those, however, with strings more than 6 inches long, and take any gym down once your baby is able to sit up.* Another useful play device is an activity board that requires a wide range of hand movements to operate, many of which your baby won't be able to intentionally maneuver for a while, but some of which even a young infant can set in motion accidentally with a swipe of a hand or foot. Besides the spinning, dialing, pushing, and pressing skills these toys encourage, they also teach the concept of cause and effect.Questions 16 - 19Complete the table below. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 16 - 19 on your answer sheet.A play device that helps children to understand the cause and effect of movement is the (16) .Babies learn how to develop social behaviour by playing with (17) .Research shows that learning music and a language are similar in that they both involve (18) .Make believe (19) .Questions 20 - 24Choose one phrase A - H from the list of phrases to complete each key point below. Write the appropriate letters A - H in boxes 20 - 24 on your answer sheet.NB There are more phrases A - H than sentences, so you will not use them all.List of PhrasesA. Offer it from the side of the babyB. Improve a child's imaginationC. Have strings more than six inches longD. Teach cause and effectE. Play and talk with your childF. Require fine dexterity skillsG. Build social skillsH. Build pre-reading skills20. Listening to music can help...21. Researchers suggest mothers provide objects that do not ...22. It is important that cradle gyms do not ...23. Even if you have no educational qualifications, you should ...24. If you give an object to a baby you should ...Questions 25 - 28Do the following statements reflect the claims in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 25 - 28 write:YES if the statement reflects the writer's claimsNO if the statement contradicts the writerNOT GIVEN if there is no in formation about this in the passage25. The research lends support to the benefit of private day nurseries.26. There is no shortage of nurseries, playgroup or school places.27. Young babies at all ages benefit from mothers who talk and play games with them.28. The text suggests one key problem with reception classes is lack of staff per child.PRACTICE READING PASSAGE FOURThere is a great concern in Europe and North America about declining standards of literacy in schools. In Britain, the fact that 20 per cent of 16 year olds have a reading age of 14 or less has helped to prompt massive educational changes. The development of literacy has far-reaching effects on general intellectual development and thus anything which impedes the development of literacy is a serious matter for us all. So the hunt is on for the cause of the decline in literacy. The search so far has focused on socioeconomic factors, or the effectiveness of "traditional" versus "modern" teaching techniques.The fruitless search for the cause of the increase in illiteracy is a tragic example of the saying "They can't see the wood for the trees". When teachers use picture books, they are simply continuing a long-established tradition that is accepted without question. And for the past two decades, illustrations in reading primers have become increasingly detailed and obtrusive, while language has become impoverished—sometimes to the point of extinction.Amazingly, there is virtually no empirical evidence to support the use of illustrations in teaching reading. On the contrary, a great deal of empirical evidence shows that pictures interfere in a damaging way with all aspects of learning to read. Despite this, from North America to the Antipodes, the first books that many school children receive are totally without text.A teacher's main concern is to help young beginner readers to develop not only the ability to recognize words, but the skills necessary to understand what these words mean. Even if a child is able to read aloud fluently, he or she may not be able to understand much of it: this is called "barking at text". The teacher's task of improving comprehension is made harder by influences outside the classroom. But the adverse effects of such things as television, video games, or limited language experiences at home, can be offset by experiencing "rich" language at school.Instead, it is not unusual for a book of 30 or more pages to have only one sentence full of repetitive phrases. The artwork is often marvelous, but the pictures make the language redundant, and the children have no need to imagine anything when they read such books. Looking at a picture actively prevents children younger than nine from creating a mental image, and can make it difficult for older children. In order to learn how to comprehend, they need to practise making their own meaning in response to text. They need to have their innate powers of imagination trained.As they grow older, many children turn aside from books without pictures, and it is a situation made more serious as our culture becomes more visual. It is hard to wean children off picture books when pictures have played a major part throughout their formative reading experiences, and when there is competition for their attention from so many other sources of entertainment. The least intelligent are most vulnerable, but tests show that even intelligent children are being affected. The response of educators has been to extend the use of pictures in books and to simplify the language, even at senior levels. The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge recently held joint conferences to discuss the noticeably rapid decline in literacy among their undergraduates.Pictures are also used to help motivate children to read because they are beautiful and eye-catching. But motivation to read should be provided by listening to stories well read, where children imagine in response to the story. Then, as they start to read, they have this experience to help them understand the language. If we present pictures to save children the trouble of developing these creative skills, then I think we are making a great mistake.Academic journals ranging from educational research, psychology, language learning, psycholinguistics, and so on cite experiments which demonstrate how detrimental pictures are for beginner readers. Here is a brief selection:The research results of the Canadian educationalist Dale Willows were clear and consistent: pictures affected speed and accuracy and the closer the pictures were to the words, the slower and more inaccurate the child's reading became. She claims that when children come to a word they already know, then the pictures are unnecessary and distracting. If they do not know a word and look to the picture for a clue to its meaning, they may well be misled by aspects of the pictures which are not closely related to the meaning of the word they are trying to understand.Jay Samuels, an American psychologist, found that poor readers given no pictures learnt significantly more words than those learning to read with books with pictures. He examined the work of other researchers who had reported problems with the use of pictures and who found that a word without a picture was superior to a word plus a picture. When children were given words and pictures, those who seemed to ignore the pictures and pointed at the words learnt more words than the children who pointed at the pictures, but they still learnt fewer words than the children who had no illustrated stimuli at all.Questions 1 - 4Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage? In boxes 1 - 4 writeYES if the statement agrees with the information givenNO if the statement contradicts the information givenNOT GIVEN if there is no information about this1. It is traditionally accepted that children's books should contain few pictures.2. Teachers aim to teach both word recognition and word meaning.3. Older readers are having difficulty in adjusting to text without pictures.4. Literacy has improved as a result of recent academic conferences.In the above, the test takers are provided with the following four statements:1. It is traditionally accepted that children's books should contain few pictures.2. Teachers aim to teach both word recognition and word meaning.3. Older readers are having difficulty in adjusting to text without pictures.4. Literacy has improved as a result of recent academic conferences.Let us first look at Question #1. While reading the text, we come across the following statement, "When teachers use picture books, they are simple continuing a long-established tradition that is accepted without question." We now know that the use of picture books is part of a long teaching tradition. This is a refutation of the first statement that claims that teachers do not like to use picture books, or would prefer to use books with few pictures. The answer to Question #1 is therefore clearly "False". This example is fairly straightforward. Let us look at some more.Later in the same text, we read, "A teacher's main concern is to help young beginner readers to develop not only the ability to recognize words, but the skills necessary to understand what these words mean." Question #2 is simple a re-wording of this very sentence. The answers are indeed all right there in front of us. The answer is clearly "True"Both of these examples seem very simple. In fact, like most of the IELTS tests, this section is indeed simple. There are, however, some tricks to keep in mind. Not only must we ignore our background knowledge, we should also note one other principle particular to this section: the definition of "Not Given" is very strict. What does this mean? Let us illustrate this principle by way of example.In the reading passage we read that ,"The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge recently held joint conferences to discuss the noticeably rapid decline in literacy among their undergraduates." We can assume from this statement that the two universities probably came up with some good solutions and found ways to improve literacy rates among their undergraduates. Question #4 states. "Literacy has improved as a result of recent academic conferences." Based up on our logic, the answer to this question should be "True". But if we chose this answer we will be wrong. Why?Although we can assume that the conferences had a positive impact on literacy rates, this is not stated in the text. We cannot make assumptions when we answer True/False/Not Given (Yes/No/Not Given) questions. Remember, the definition of Not Given is very strict. Just like we cannot answer based upon our background knowledge, we cannot assume things about the reading passage. If the text does not explicitly state something in the positive or negative, the answer must be "Not Given". The answer to this question is indeed "Not Given".In summation. while answering True/False/Not Given (Yes/No/Not Given) questions, make constant reference to the text. Use the basic principles you now know to do so quickly and efficiently. Do not answer these questions based upon your background knowledge. Also, do not make any assumptions based on the text for you will be wrong. The definition of "Not Given" is very strict. If it is not stated explicitly in the text, the answer must be "Not Given".It should be noted that this section of the examination is perhaps the most time consuming. Since that is so, the test maker should fully utilize the principles we have introduced to rapidly find the answers. Please note all dates, numbers, and symbols. These will aid you immensely as you answer these questions.E. SummaryThis section is a little similar to the word sentence completion section, for you will also be asked to here to complete a sentence that is missing words. In this section, however, you will be provided with an entire paragraph, not just a single sentence. The paragraph will be missing several key words and will be followed by a list of words. The student chooses the appropriate words from this list to complete the paragraph. Since the format has slightly changed, our approach to these questions must change as well.Unlike the sentence completion questions, the focus of the summary section is not on single words. The questions designed in the sentience completion section are all designed to test a particular word. In the summary section, however, you will be asked to examine a much larger sphere. Usually this will be indicated in the question. You might be asked a question about paragraphs four and five in particular. Also, these summary sections almost always concern the latter part of the reading passage. The section normally tests the second half to last third of the text.So how does one approach this section?First look for any hotspots you can find in the summary. Also look for grammar phrases or words that are themselves unchanging. Words, especially conjunctions, will stay the same and are easily found. Examples are like "and", "as wells as", and "moreover". These words might also suggest a list, and thus we can start looking for a list as we hunt for the answers.If there are these hotspots, use them. If there are none, look at the first and last sentences of the given paragraphs for an idea of its topic. This should help to indicate where the answer is found. You can possibly eliminate some paragraphs with this step. The look at examples, and finally, if needed, read the appropriate sections.F. Table CompletionThe IELTS examination will almost always include a table completion section. In this section, the test maker will be provided an incomplete graph. There may be several categories on this graph, including date, place name, etc. One or two pieces of this information will be missing for each item on the table. It is your job to fill that information in.Let's study the following test item:第八课时练习一It is almost impossible to write of the Arts in Australia without mentioning the building that first put Australia firmly on the world cultural map-the Sydney Opera House. Completed in 1973 after 14 years of much heated discussion and at a cost of over $85 million, it is not only the most well-known Australian building in the world but perhaps the most famous design of any modern building anywhere.Its distinctive and highly original shape has been likened to everything from the sails of a sailing ship to broken eggshells, but few would argue with the claim that the Opera House is a major contribution to world architecture. Set amidst the graceful splendour of Sydney Harbour, presiding like a queen over the bustle and brashness of a modern city striving to forge a financial reputation in a tough commercial world, it is a reminder to all Australians of their deep and abiding love of all things cultural.The Opera House was designed not by an Australian but by a celebrated Danish architect, Jorn Utzon, whose design won an international competition in the late 1950s. However, it was not, in fact, completed to his original specifications. Plans for much of the intended interior design of the building have only recently been discovered. Sadly, the State Government of the day interfered with Utzon's plans because of concerns about the escalating cost, though this was hardly surprising—the building was originally expected to cost only $8 million. Utzon left the country before completing the project and in a fit of anger vowed never to return. The project was eventually paid for by a State-run lottery.The size of the interior of the building was scaled down appreciably by a team of architects whose job was to finish construction within a restricted budget. Rehearsal rooms and other facilities for the various theatres within the complex were either made considerably smaller or cut out altogether, and some artists have complained bitterly about them ever since. But despite the controversy that surrounded its birth, the Opera House has risen above the petty squabbling and is now rightfully hailed as a modern architectural masterpiece. The Queen officially opened the building in 1975 and since then, within its curved and twisted walls, audiences of all nationalities have been quick to acclaim the many world-class performances of stars from the Australian opera, ballet and theatre.TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVENa. The building is possibly the most famous of its type in the world. T F NGb. The Opera House drew world attention to the Arts in Australia. T F NGc. Utzon designed the roof to look like the sails of a sailing ship. T F NGd. A few people claim that it is a major architectural work. T F NGe. According to the author, Sydney is a quiet and graceful city. T F NGf. The cost of construction went more than $75 million over budget. T F NGg. Utzon never returned to Australia to see the completed building. T F NGh. There is only one theare within the complex. T F NGi. The Government was concerned about some artists complaints. T F NGj. Australian artists give better performances in the Opera House. T F NGREADING PASSAGE 2You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 13 - 27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.Doctors Divided Over Heart PillsA group of drugs now being marketed in the United States under a variety of brand names have been proved to reduce deaths among heart-attack survivors by more than 40% over five years. The drugs are collectively known as statins, and are currently being taken by over 10 million Americans. Doctors are currently wondering if statins will be just as effective in preventing heart attacks in people who do not necessarily fit the profile of a "high-risk" patient.The people the doctors are targeting for possible prescription of statins are those whose LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, is somewhat high, or their HDL, or "good" cholesterol is a little low. Again, maybe they have diabetes, which commonly leads to cardiovascular disease, but do not yet show symptoms of the latter. A study report in the British Medical Journal concluded that statins could reduce by 30% the risk of dying from a heart attack, even among people with normal cholesterol levels and no signs of cardiovascular disease.Leading pharmaceutical companies have gone so far as to petition the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow consumers to buy some low-dose statins without having to first obtain a physician's prescription, or "over the counter".Statins work by partly blocking an enzyme, known as HMG, found in the liver that turns some of the food that you eat into cholesterol. The body, in fact, needs some cholesterol to produce hormones and Vitamin D. Excess cholesterol builds up in the arteries, reducing the blood flow and increasing the danger of heart disease. By slowing down the function of the HMG enzyme, statins reduce the amount of cholesterol entering the blood stream, and force the body to draw on the cholesterol already in the arteries to make up the shortfall in its needs. Thus, there is a regular clearing out of cholesterol from the arteries. Doctors emphasize that statins work best when a person adopts a low-fat diet.There are, however, certain drawbacks to statins. Apart from the fact that they are expensive—about $3 per pill, and you would presumably have to take them for the rest of your life—they can cause liver damage or a breakdown of muscle tissue. Anyone taking statins needs to undergo periodic blood tests to check for signs of liver trouble. Most people on the pills report no complaints; those who do commonly list fatigue as the major side-effect.Companies manufacturing dietary supplements became interested in statins when it was discovered that Chinese red yeast fermented on rice contains small amount of the same active ingredient found in statins. They then made a dietary supplement containing this ingredient and publicized it as a wonder drug for preventing heart attacks. The FDA banned its sale over the counter, and the two sides are still locked in a lengthy court case.In the meantime, another intriguing possibility has convinced doctors that making statins more freely available may be a good thing. Research has shown that taking an aspirin a day can reduce a heart patient's risk of suffering a heart attack. Would combining aspirin with a statin have a powerful effect in preventing heart disease? Similarly, many cardiologists are impressed by the ability of a group of drugs called ACE inhibitors to normalize high blood pressure and reduce the strain on the heart. Do they work better alone, or would a combination of ACE inhibitors and statins enhance their efficacy?Questions 13 - 19The flow chart below outlines how statins work, as described in Reading Passage 2. Complete the flow chart. Choose your answers from the box at the bottom of page and write your answers in boxes 13 - 19 on your answer sheet.How Statins WorkExampleAnswerAn enzyme in the liver turns some of the food you eat intocholesterolThe body uses cholesterol to produce 13 and 14 .Excess cholesterol builds up in the 15 , posing a risk of 16 disease.Statins slow the action of 17 .The body 18 cholesterol from the blood to make up for the 19 .List of WordsFDA hormones "high-risk" cardiovascular LDL diet dying Vitamin D arteries fatigue heart HMG pills draw on doctors physicians shortfall HDLQuestions 20 - 23Choose one phrase (A - H) from the list of phrases to complete each key point below. Write the appropriate letters (A - H) in boxes 20 - 23 on your answer sheet. The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of points made by the writer.NB there are more phrases A - H than sentences, so you will not use them all. You may use any phrase more than once.20. Doctors are unsure whether statins can benefit ...21. Big pharmaceuticals companies want the US government to ...22. Chinese red yeast fermented on rice contains ...23. It is important for people using statins to ...List of PhrasesA. a variety of brand namesB. people with low levels of cholesterolC. breakdown of muscle tissueD. reduce the amount of cholesterol entering the blood streamE. a statin ingredientF. allow statins to be sold over the counterG. normalize high blood pressureH. receive regular blood tests to check for signs of liver trouble.Questions 24 - 27Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 24 - 27 writeYES if the statement agrees with the information givenNO if the statement contradicts the information givenNOT GIVEN if there is no information about this24. Statins have no side effects.25. A low-fat diet optimizes the function of statins.26. Statins work better in combination with other drugs.27. Statins are available in the US without a doctor's prescription.READING PASSAGE 3You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28 - 41 which are based on the Reading Passage 3 below.Volunteer VacationersA A growing number of Americans are using their holiday time not to laze on the beach or to frequent casinos but to restore old railways, snorkel for science and band rare birds. They are a group of individuals known as "volunteer vacationers," and many of them are professional people. "We've seen a huge increase in interest from professionals as well as others who want short-term meaningful vacations," said Christine Victorino of the International Volunteer Programs Association. Her group was formed to organize the non-profit bodies which arrange working vacations.B And these organizations want money as well as time: volunteers' contributions typically top US$1,500 for one week, and the air fare is extra. Altruism doesn't come cheap, but these vacations are partially tax-deductible, provided the volunteers put in five eight-hour days.C "If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd pay to pick weeds on a tropical island, I would have told them they were crazy," said Leonard Stone, a retired dentist from Chicago. Yet Stone and his wife each paid to go on a week-long Oceanic Society expedition to Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean. They worked on a tiny island helping ornithologists look after albatross nesting areas and counting chicks. Like most sites where volunteers work, the conditions were spartan; the volunteers lived in an army barracks dating from World War II. But Stone, who is an enthusiastic bird watcher, found it a worthwhile experience. He thoroughly enjoyed his daily access to the rare birds, and the lectures and films about wildlife arranged by the Society.D Some volunteers are motivated by a desire to lend a helping hand to the developing world. In the 16 years it's been in business, Global Volunteers has sent thousands of people all over the world on projects ranging from constructing a children's home in India to looking after orphans in Romania. Like other such organizations, Global Volunteers has trimmed the longer trips to accommodate professionals' busy schedules, and added less-strenuous options for retirees, who now make up one-third of its clients. Steve Rosenthal of Cross-cultural Solutions places vacationers on 21-day projects. Volunteers help women in India start small businesses or teach English to children in Ghana.E Rosenthal said that the number of students, professionals and retirees signing up for his trips has consistently doubled over the past five years. Many people agree that this seems to indicate a rising tide of disillusionment among Americans with their materialistic way of life. Once he explains that most of program fee funds community-based organizations in the host countries, the volunteers are quite happy to pay for a working holiday. "I'd rather be paying my vacation money to a non-profit company which is helping poor people than to a hotel corporation," said Ron Cooke, who is a veteran volunteer vacationer. He and his wife have counted birds in Costa Rica and trapped ocelots in Mexico. Cooke's last trip was an eight-day vacation helping the environmental group Earthwatch in the Caribbean. "We spent part of each day snorkeling and counting shellfish". They also interviewed fishermen and made a survey of seashells, while camping on a Dominican Republic beach.F Not all the vacationers consider the vacations work; some of the programs are designed for hobbyists, or for people who want to learn a new skill. For example, each summer railway enthusiasts join in the ongoing restoration of a historic narrow-gauge railway in the southwest US. A special group of volunteer vacationers work on organic farms. In return, they learn about organic farming and get to eat a lot of healthy food.Questions 28 - 32Reading Passage 3 has six paragraphs (A - F). Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i - ix) in boxes 28 - 32 on your answer sheet. Paragraph D has been done for you as an example.NB There are more headings than paragraphs so you will not use all of them. You may use any heading more than once.List of Headingsi. The psychology of volunteer vacationers.ii. Paying to workiii. Benefits for volunteersiv. Helping poor countriesv. Environmental tourismvi. Vacations to learnvii. The cost of volunteeringviii. The attraction of non-profit bodiesix. Holidays with a difference28. Paragraph A29. Paragraph B30. Paragraph CExample AnswerParagraph D iv31. Paragraph E32. Paragraph FQuestions 33 - 37Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3? In boxes 33-37 writeYES if the statement agrees with the writerNO if the statement contradicts the writerNOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about thisExample AnswerMany professional people are attracted to volunteer vacations. YES33. All volunteers enjoy their vacations.34. There is a trend to keep volunteer vacations short.35. People do not save money by volunteering.36. The only attraction of volunteering is the chance to help others.37. Non-profit associations are undermining regular tourism companies.Questions 38 - 41Choose one phrase (A - H) from the list of phrases to complete each key point below. Write the appropriate letters (A - H) in boxes 38 - 41 on your answer sheet. The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of points made by the writer.NB There are more phrases A - H than sentences so you will not use them all. You may use any phrase more than once.38. Spending one's vacation helping others ...39. Volunteers do not expect ...40. Volunteers are looking for ...41. Volunteer vacations are a sign of ...List of PhrasesA. doesn't come cheapB. to eat a lot of healthy foodC. luxury conditionsD. growing awareness of the importance of the environmentE. to learn new skillsF. growing disillusion with America's material cultureG. to restore old railwaysH. short but meaningful vacations第九课时练习二When was the last time you saw a frog? Chances are, if you live in a city, you have not seen one for some time. Even in wet areas once teeming with frogs and toads, it is becoming less and less easy to find those slimy, hopping and sometimes poisonous members of the animal kingdom. All over the world, and even in remote parts of Australia, frogs are losing the ecological battle for survival, and biologists are at a loss to explain their demise. Are amphibians simply over-sensitive to changes in the ecosystem? Could it be that their rapid decline in numbers is signalling some coming environmental disaster for us all?This frightening scenario is in part the consequence of a dramatic increase over the last quarter century in the development of once natural areas of wet marshland; home not only to frogs but to all manner of wildlife. However, as yet, there are no obvious reasons why certain frog species are disappearing from rainforests in Australia that have barely been touched by human hand. The mystery is unsettling to say the least, for it is known that amphibian species are extremely sensitive to environmental variations in temperature and moisture levels. The danger is that planet Earth might not only lose a vital link in the ecological food chain (frogs keep populations of otherwise pestilent insects at manageable levels), but we might be increasing our output of air pollutants to levels that may have already become irrversible. Frogs could be inadvertently warning us of a catastrophe.An example of a species of frog that, as far as is known, has become extinct, is the platypus frog. Like the well-known Australian mammal it was named after, it exhibited some very strange behaviour; instead of giving birth to tadpoles in the water, it raised its young within its stomach. The baby frogs were actually born from out of their mother's mouth. Discovered in 1981, less than ten years later the frog had completely vanished from the crystal clear waters of Booloumba Creek near Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Unfortunately, this freak of nature is not the only frog species to have been lost in Australia. Since the 1970s, no less than eight others have suffered the same fate.One theory that seems to fit the facts concerns the depletion of the ozone layer, a well-documented phenomenon which has led to a sharp increase in ultraviolet radiation levels. The ozone layer is meant to shield the Earth from UV rays, but increased radiation may be having a greater effect upon frog populations than previously believed. Another theory is that worldwide temperature increases are upsetting the breeding cycles of frogs.TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVENa. Frogs are disappearing only from city areas. T F NGb. Frogs and toads are usually poisonous. T F NGc. Biologists are unable to explain why frogs are dying. T F NGd. The frogs' natural habitat is becoming more and more developed. T F NGe. Attempts are being made to halt the development of wet marshland. T F NGf. Frogs are important in the ecosystem because they control pests. T F NGg. The platypus frog became extinct by 1991. T F NGh. Frogs usually give birth to their young in an underwater nest. T F NGi. Eight frog species have become extinct so far in Australia. T F NGj. There is convincing evidence that the ozone layer is being depleted. T F NGk. It is a fact that frogs' breeding cycles are upset by worldwide T F NGincreases in temperature.READING PASSAGE 1You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 - 13 which are based on Reading Passage 1.Hypnosis: Medical Tool or Illusion?A The image most people have of the mysterious art of hypnotism is of a stage trick. But hypnotists are much more likely nowadays to be scientists seeking ways to probe the subconscious mind, or find a new way to relieve pain. But is hypnosis a real phenomenon? If so, what is it useful for? Over the past few years, researchers have found that hypnotized individuals actively respond to suggestions even though they sometimes perceive the dramatic changes in thought and behavior they experience as happening "by themselves." During hypnosis, it is as though the brain temporarily suspends its attempts to authenticate incoming sensory information. Some people are more hypnotizable than others, although scientists still don't know why. To study any phenomenon properly, researchers must first have a way to measure it. In the case of hypnosis, that yardstick is the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales. The Stanford scales, as they are often called, were devised in the late 1950s by Stanford University psychologists. One version of the Stanford scales consists of a series of 12 activities—such as holding one's arm outstretched or sniffing the contents of a bottle—that test the depth of the hypnotic state. In the first instance, individuals are told that they are holding a very heavy ball, and they are scored as "passing" that suggestion if their arm sags under the imagined weight. In the second case, subjects are told that they have no sense of smell, and then a vial of ammonia is waved under their nose. If they have no reaction, they are deemed very responsive to hypnosis; if they grimace and recoil, they are not.B Researchers with very different theoretical perspectives now agree on several fundamental principles of hypnosis. The first is that a person's ability to respond to hypnosis is remarkably stable during adulthood. In addition, a person's responsiveness to hypnosis also remains fairly consistent regardless of the characteristics of the hypnotist: the practitioner's gender, age and experience have little or no effect on a subject's ability to be hypnotized. Similarly, the success of hypnosis does not depend on whether a subject is highly motivated or especially willing. A very responsive subject will become hypnotized under a variety of experimental conditions and therapeutic settings, whereas a less susceptible person will not, despite his or her sincere efforts. (Negative attitudes and expectations can, however, interfere with hypnosis.)C Under hypnosis, subjects do not behave as passive automatons but instead are active problem solvers who incorporate their moral and cultural ideas into their behavior while remaining exquisitely responsive to the expectations expressed by the experimenter. Nevertheless, the subject does not experience hypnotically suggested behavior as something that is actively achieved. To the contrary, it is typically deemed as effortless—as something that just happens. People who have been hypnotized often say things like "My hand became heavy and moved down by itself" or "Suddenly I found myself feeling no pain." Many researchers now believe that these types of disconnections are at the heart of hypnosis. In response to suggestion, subjects make movements without conscious intent, fail to detect exceedingly painful stimulation or temporarily forget a familiar fact. Of course, these kinds of things also happen outside hypnosis—occasionally in day-to-day life and more dramatically in certain psychiatric and neurological disorders.D Scientists think that hypnosis may relieve pain by decreasing the activity of brain areas involved in the experience of suffering. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans of horizontal and vertical brain sections were taken while the hands of hypnotized volunteers were dunked into painfully hot water. The activity of the somatosensory cortex, which processes physical stimuli, did not differ whether a subject was given the hypnotic suggestion that the sensation would be painfully hot or that it would be minimally unpleasant. In contrast, a part of the brain known to be involved in the suffering aspect of pain, the anterior cingulate cortex, was much less active when subjects were told that the pain would be minimally unpleasant.E Perhaps nowhere has hypnosis engendered more controversy than over the issue of "recovered" memory. Cognitive science has established that people are fairly adept at discerning whether an event actually occurred or whether they only imagined it. But under some circumstances, we falter. We can come to believe (or can be led to believe) that something happened to us when, in fact, it did not. One of the key cues humans appear to use in making the distinction between reality and imagination is the experience of effort. Apparently, at the time of encoding a memory, a "tag" cues us as to the amount of effort we expended: if the event is tagged as having involved a good deal of mental effort on our part, we tend to interpret it as something we imagined. If it is tagged as having involved relatively little mental effort, we tend to interpret it as something that actually happened to us. Given that the calling card of hypnosis is precisely the feeling of effortlessness, we can see why hypnotized people can so easily mistake an imagined past event for something that happened long ago. Hence, something that is merely imagined can become ingrained as an episode in our life story.F So what are the medical benefits of hypnosis? A 1996 National Institutes of Health technology assessment panel judged hypnosis to be an effective intervention for alleviating pain from cancer and other chronic conditions. Voluminous clinical studies also indicate that hypnosis can reduce the acute pain experienced by patients undergoing burn-wound debridement, children enduring bone marrow aspirations and women in labor. The pain-relieving effect of hypnosis is often substantial, and in a few cases the degree of relief matches or exceeds that provided by morphine. Hypnosis can boost the effectiveness of psychotherapy for disorders such as obesity, insomnia, anxiety and hypertension.Questions 1 - 5Reading passage 1 has six paragraphs (A - F). Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i - x) in boxes 1 - 5 on your answer sheet. Paragraph A has been done for you as an example.NB There are more headings than paragraphs so you will not use all of them. You may use any heading more than once.Example AnswerParagraph A vList of Headingsi. Effect on the Brainii.What Hypnosis can't doiii.Hypnotism for Alliv.Potential for Healingv.Scientists' Findingsvi.Experiments with Hypnosis