5月17日托福考试落下帷幕，考情速递也已经出炉了！
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套 1
1.Forming the Building Blocks of Life
It is apparent that amino acids had an important role in the development of the larger and more complex molecules that were necessary for the development of early life on Earth. They are the chief components of proteins. Two environmental circumstances in the early years of Earth history may have been important in the natural synthesis of amino acids. Prior to the accumulation of the ozone layer in Earth's upper atmosphere, ultraviolet rays bathed Earth's surface. Ultraviolet radiation is capable of separating the atoms in mixtures of water, ammonia, and hydrocarbons and of recombining those atoms into amino acids. A second form of energy capable of accomplishing this feat is electrical discharge in the form of lightning. Either together or separately, lightning and ultraviolet radiation may have stimulated the production of amino acids at shallow depths in lakes or oceans.
Researchers have sought to test whether amino acids could be created from the chemicals of a primitive Earth. Scientists in the mid-nineteenth century had succeeded in manufacturing some relatively simple organic compounds in the laboratory. However. it was not until 1953 that the laboratory synthesis of amino acids and other molecules of roughly similar complexity was announced Stanley Miller, at the suggestion of Harold Urey. performed the now-famous experiment. He created an atmosphere in an apparatus that at that time was thought to be like Earth's earliest atmosphere. It was a methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and water vapor atmosphere As the mixture was circulated through the glass tubes, sparks of electricity (simulated lightning) were introduced into the mixture. At the end of only eight days, the condensed water in the apparatus had become turbid and deep red. Analysis of the crimson liquid showed that it contained a large quantity of amino acids as well as somewhat more complicated organic compounds that enter into the composition of all living things.
In additional experiments by other biochemists, it was shown that similar organic compounds could also be produced from gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor) of the preoxygenic atmosphere. The main requirement for the success of the experiments seemed to be the lack, or near absence, of free oxygen (oxygen not combined with any other element). To the experimenters, it now seemed almost inevitable that amino acids would have developed in Earth's pre-life environment. Because amino acids are relatively stable, they probably increased gradually to levels of abundance that would enhance their abilities to join together into more-complex molecules leading to proteins.
To come together and form protein-like molecules, amino acids must lose water. This loss can be accomplished by heating concentrations of amino acids to temperatures of at least 140°℃. Volcanic activity on the primitive crust would be capable of providing such temperatures. However, the biochemist S. W. Fox discovered that the reaction also occurred at temperatures as low as 70°C if phosphoric acid was present. Fox and his co-workers were able to produce protein-like chains from a mixture of eighteen common amino acids. They called these structures proteinoids and reasoned that billions of years ago, they were the transitional structures leading to true proteins. This was not a wild guess, for Fox was able to find proteinoids similar to those he created in his laboratory among the lavas and cinders adjacent to the vents of Hawaiian volcanoes. Apparently, amino acids formed in the volcanic vapors and were combined into proteinoids by the heat of escaping gases.
Hot, water-based solutions of proteinoids will, on cooling, form into tiny spheres that show many characteristics common to living cells. These proteinoid microspheres, as they are called, have a film-like outer wall through which liquids can move; exhibit budding as do yeast organisms; and can be observed to divide into "daughter" microspheres. They occasionally cluster together in lines to form filaments, as in some bacteria. and they exhibit a streaming movement of internal particles similar to that observed in living cells Although complete long-chain nucleic acids (e.q., DNA) have not been experimentally produced under pre-life conditions, short stretches of ordered sequences of nucleic acid components have now been produced in the laboratory. Some paleobiologists believe similar sequences could have been formed and accumulated on the surfaces of clay particles.
第一段：氨基酸在早期地球生命形成中扮演了重要角色。紫外线和闪电可能是促成氨基酸自然合成的两种环境因素，它们能够将水、氨和碳氢化合物中的原子重新组合为氨基酸。
第二段：1953年，斯坦利·米勒在哈罗德·尤里建议下，进行了著名的实验，模拟原始地球大气环境并引入电火花，成功合成了氨基酸和其他有机化合物，证明这些物质可能在原始地球条件下自然形成。
第三段：其他生化学家也用不同的气体组合成功合成有机物。实验显示，只要缺乏游离氧，氨基酸的生成几乎是必然的。氨基酸相对稳定，可能逐渐积累并形成更复杂的蛋白质分子。
第四段：氨基酸要形成类蛋白分子，需要在高温下失去水分。火山活动能提供这种高温。生化学家福克斯发现有磷酸存在时，即使温度较低（70°C），也能促成这一反应，并在火山周边发现类似实验室生成的类蛋白结构（蛋白质样体）。
第五段：蛋白质样体在热水中冷却后会形成类似细胞的微小球体（蛋白质样体微球），这些微球具有细胞膜样结构，会萌芽、分裂，甚至排列成丝状，并表现出类似细胞的内部物质流动。尽管目前还未合成完整的DNA链，但实验已能生成短链的核酸序列，科学家推测这类分子可能在黏土表面形成并积累。
2. Woodblock Prints
第一段：
版画是一种通过在物体表面雕刻、上墨后进行批量印刷的艺术形式，便于运输、管理和近距离观看。尽管很少有艺术家因版画成名，但它比传统雕塑更具创作自由。相比其他艺术形式，版画可能不够正式或宏大，但更易让观众产生亲近感。
第二段：几百年前，欧洲的纸张由碎布制成，使用托盘制模，留下独特的纹理痕迹。随着托盘金属丝的加密，纸张变得更光滑。造纸商还在金属板上刻上标志，形成纸张的水印，这些水印有助于辨别真伪。
第三段：尽管现代纸张丰富，人们仍偏爱手工纸。近年来，手工纸发展出可嵌入多种物体和图像的“混合艺术形式”，艺术家为实现美学效果，需考虑纸张与墨水的协调。西方使用的墨水多为特定的黑色，其制作与颜料、油漆比例密切相关，并需控制蒸煮时间与油漆粘度。不同版画工艺对墨水有不同要求：如石版画需油性墨水，丝网印刷则需流动性强的颜料。不同地区也有墨色差异，如意大利的灰色与北欧的黑色形成鲜明对比。
套 3
1. Chimpanzee Communication
第一段：动物是否具备有意识地进行交流的能力，一直是一个引发讨论的问题。由于人类尚未完全解读动物间的交流方式，研究者们转而尝试教动物使用人类的语言系统，如美式手语或代表词语的图形符号，以此探索它们的语言潜能。
第二段：1966年，大卫与贝特丽克斯·加德纳启动了一项研究，训练几只黑猩猩掌握美式手语与人类交流，首先尝试的对象是一只叫沃肖的黑猩猩。实验表明，这些黑猩猩能够用手语指代物体或个体，逐渐建立起表达需求的词汇体系，展现出其交流具有明确目的性。
第三段：黑猩猩还能表达对未来事件的预期，例如提前“预告”即将进行的日常活动，显示出它们拥有某种程度的未来意识。这种能力暗示它们的沟通不仅仅是即时反应，而是经过思考的行为。尽管它们也用手语传达情绪，但认知因素显然在其交流中占据主导地位。
第四段：为回应外界关于黑猩猩是否只是模仿人类提示的质疑，加德纳夫妇设计了严格控制的实验。在实验中，没有任何人类知晓屏幕上显示的物品，而黑猩猩仍能准确地通过手语识别物体，从而验证了它们的表达行为是自主的，而非受人类无意识提示影响。
第五段：研究还发现，黑猩猩能够主动使用手语传递人类原本不知道的信息。举例来说，年幼的沃肖曾把一个玩具掉入她居住的房车墙体中，后来在加德纳博士探望时，她用手语多次示意“打开”，试图引导人类注意这一情况，展现出真正的信息传递与有意识的互动。
2. Agriculture and the classic Maya collapse
第一段：在今天的墨西哥南部以及中美洲低地地区，经典时期的玛雅文明曾持续繁荣约六个世纪，然而在公元800年左右却迅速衰败，这一突如其来的转变引起了考古学界的高度关注。由于该文明在灭亡前达到了极高的文化成就，其突然崩溃使得研究人员倍感困惑。学术界围绕崩溃原因提出了多种解释，包括外敌入侵、内部社会不稳、严重干旱、环境恶化以及贸易网络中断等因素。为了验证这些观点，学者们进行了大量深入研究，运用了模拟实验、贸易分析和对生态压力与人口动态的综合考察。
第二段：考古学家帕特里克·卡尔伯特发现，在玛雅南部低地晚期，人口密度异常高，达到每平方公里约200人，使得当地居民在面对生存危机时几乎无路可逃。他认为，社会秩序的崩坏本身不足以解释之后两百年内人口的剧烈减少，因此农业体系的瓦解必然是推动文明崩溃的重要因素之一。农业失效直接动摇了社会赖以生存的根基，成为灾难的关键驱动力量。
第三段：随着人口不断增长，玛雅人构建了广泛且集约的农业体系，包括修建梯田与高架田地，甚至不惜从数十公里之外运输粮食以满足需求。虽然这些农业措施在短时间内有效提高了粮食产量，但也因为缺乏持续的组织管理而埋下了危机。气候变化、病虫害、土壤侵蚀以及土地肥力下降始终构成潜在威胁。维护这些复杂农业系统需要高度协调的管理机制，尤其是在洪水或强降雨之后进行修复，但目前没有证据显示玛雅社会曾进行结构性改革来加强农业管理，相反，其资源可能更多投入到了公共工程或军事防御之中，尤其在面对来自北方的潜在威胁时。
第四段：卡尔伯特指出，玛雅文明在短期内通过农业集约化获得了更高的产出，但这一发展也加剧了生态系统的恶化。人口压力迫使人们缩短休耕时间，导致作物与杂草之间的竞争加剧，而控制杂草需要大量人工投入。由于土地养分未能有效恢复，导致农业产量不断下滑。与此同时，大量砍伐森林使得水土流失问题日益严重，而玛雅人未能及时修建梯田等保土设施来防止侵蚀。在这种基础上，当大规模干旱来袭时，依赖自然降水和已高度开发土地的农业系统难以维系，社会结构随之遭受严重冲击。
第五段：通过分析尤卡坦半岛奇昌卡纳布湖的沉积记录，研究人员发现干旱在该地区具有大约208年的周期性变化。公元800至1000年之间是整个中晚全新世中最为干旱的时期，其间出现了两个显著的干旱高峰，其中第一个正好与玛雅文明的崩溃时期相吻合。如此剧烈而持久的干旱，对依赖地表水资源和旱作农业为主的玛雅社会造成了严重打击，这种气候变化被认为是导致文明走向衰亡的关键自然因素之一。
套三
1. Early Iron Metallurgy
第一段：
冶金学是研究如何加工金属以获得特定性能的科学。最早的金属制品可追溯到公元前九千年，但因早期技术无法达到炼铁所需的高温，最初的冶金主要集中在金、银、铜、铅和锡上。这些金属尤其是锡稀有而昂贵，使青铜主要用于社会上层，并影响了贸易路线的发展。
第二段：
公元前约1200年，西亚开始炼铁。炼铁需要高温使矿渣熔化分离铁，并使用风箱提高燃烧效率。炼出的铁初含杂质，需通过加热锻打（锻造）制成较软但不可硬化的熟铁。通过使用木炭进行渗碳处理，可以制成更坚硬的低碳钢，其性能优于青铜。随后铁匠工艺日益精湛，能制造出锋利而有弹性的刀剑。
第三段：
炼铁和加工技术相对简单，普通人具备基本技能和设备即可进行。这使得铁匠行业得以普及，出现了如欧洲游走铁匠等小型个体经营者。由于铁矿资源丰富，各地都能相对便宜地获取铁，从而改变了贸易格局。青铜逐渐被用于奢侈品，铁制品则普及大众，大大提升了农业、工业、建筑和战争效率。铁的使用也促进了社会的民主化发展。
第四段：
中国的发展路径不同。中国不仅生产熟铁，还开发出高温炼出铸铁的技术，使用鼓风炉制造强风，在其他地区出现类似技术之前就实现了铸铁大规模生产。铁器由上层阶层的大型工厂制造，尽管普通人也能使用铁制工具，但铁器生产集中于精英阶层，因此未像其他地区那样带来显著的社会结构变化。
2.生态系统
套四
1. Egyptian Sculpture
古埃及雕塑以宗教功能为核心，常用于陵墓、神庙与祭祀场所。艺术家精细雕刻法老与神灵形象，体现其神圣地位。
2. Mahogany Furniture
位于中美洲附近加勒比海岛屿上的红木，由于其持久性和美观，从18世纪中叶开始受到人们的青睐。文章讲解了红木的生长及其伐木方式。
第一段：
红木，这种原产于中美洲加勒比海岛屿附近的红棕色木材，因其卓越的耐久性与美观特质，自18世纪中叶起便获得北美欧洲定居者的青睐。随着时间推移，其应用逐渐从精英阶层延伸至普通美国家庭，成为兼具实用价值与装饰性的重要材料。
第二段：
红木的伐木作业向来以高难度与劳动密集性著称，这与其生长特性密切相关 —— 它们在广袤森林中分散生长，且自然再生能力有限。树木种子的萌发，往往需要邻近树木倒伏等自然扰动事件的刺激，方能获得适宜的生长条件，这一特性进一步加剧了人工采伐与生态保护的矛盾。
第三段：
红木的树龄通常通过树干直径加以估算，一株直径达两米的树木，其树龄可能已跨越数个世纪。值得注意的是，其繁殖过程高度依赖飓风、火灾等灾难性事件：此类极端自然现象能够为种子提供破土萌发的有利环境，凸显了红木种群与生态系统之间独特的依存关系。
第四段：
在18世纪至19世纪初期，红木采伐主要采用清伐与选择性砍伐两种模式。清伐作业会导致整片森林被彻底移除，对生态系统造成毁灭性破坏；而选择性砍伐虽仅针对红木单一种群，但同样会干扰其赖以生存的生态环境，阻碍种群自然恢复，二者均对红木资源的可持续性构成严重威胁。
听力
第一套
C 1
学生想写一个生物学家，但是，教授真心不建议，因为教授自己找这个人的source都费劲儿，更何况学生呢？于是，教授推荐了另一个生物学家，但是其实他是个艺术家，因为这个人手绘了很多生物图片，且一开始没有什么生物学背景。教授希望学生侧重生物学层面内容，而不是他们整的艺术图片。
L 1
音乐史，TPO里面做到过，讲的是avant-garde music，说到20世纪初一些作曲家反对传统音乐形式，开创了前卫音乐。其中提到了一个代表人物叫做John Cage，他先是受到了前卫画家Robert Rauschenberg的“五彩斑斓的白”的画的影响，后来又去了哈佛大学的Anechoic Chamber（在绝对的无声环境听到了自己神经系统和血液流动的声音），于是创作出来了一首4’33”的空白曲子。这首曲子表演的时候没有任何音符，就是演奏者坐在钢琴前，以掀开和扣上钢琴盖为曲子的开头和结尾。观众和一些评论家都觉得这首曲子很离谱，但是Cage认为这首寂静的曲子虽然没有音符，但只要观众足够耐心和安静，就可以听到环境的声音，可谓无声就是音乐
L 2
植物学；有一个植物为了确保生存，其繁殖的方式很多很多。这个植物针对许多传粉者开放，让不同的传粉者传粉，因此它对自己的结构也进行了调整，不同的部分对应着不同的传粉者。如果这个方法有所闪失，那么它的根部的结构，也会产生种子并进行传播的，而且这个种子传播的距离非常远。植物还会产生某种油性物质，这个东西蚂蚁很喜欢，这样蚂蚁也不会把植物种子带到很远的距离。
C 2
学生要准备去海外交换，想问问上课的事情。学生想上某一个美国文学课程，不过，这个课程只能秋季提供，所以，时间上行不通。男的又给出另一个课程可以上，学生觉得oK，但是又没有位置了。因此，行政人员告诉学生，去法国上美国文学课，学生觉得很扯淡。行政小伙说，你还在美国上法国文学课呢！
L 3
考古学，讲美洲hunter-gatherer的生活方式。研究了一个遗址的土堆，发现是大概3000年前建造的，里面的土很多很多。通过分析土堆，发现这些土堆很短时间就建成了，需要几千人共同建造，这说明这个遗址的hunter-gatherer不同于常见的小而loose的群体，而是形成了复杂社会。另外，这个地方也发现了石头珠子，这表示trade的出现，这是因为这些珠子的石材和几百公里以外的石材一致。
第二套
C 1
一名学生因为被诊断出对大麦过敏而要取消学校的meal plan。他找到工作人员协商，却被告知由于两个原因无法取消：作为住校生，他必须保留餐饮计划；第二是现在已经过了取消计划的截止日期。工作人员随后提供了别的方法，指出食堂其实专门准备了不含大麦的食物，这些食品都标有醒目的red label，并建议学生以后在食堂入口处留意这些标识来选择合适的餐食。
L 1
通过地质来帮助考古；研究者认为这个狩猎采集群体（Hunter-gatherer group）的社会结构非常简单，人数也很少。然而，地质学研究发现了一个巨大的土堆（mound），并且由于它几乎没有风化侵蚀的痕迹，可以确定它是在较短时间内建造完成的。但问题在于，如果按照原先“人数少、结构简单”的假设，这么少的人手根本不可能在短时间内完成如此庞大的工程。因此，研究者推翻了最初的看法，认为这个群体可能比预想的更复杂，人数也更多。如何确定完工时间？万一当时有干旱期影响了建造进度？教授解释说，地质证据表明当时的干旱事件非常罕见，不太可能影响工程。此外，考古学家还发现了珠子（beads），通过分析材质发现它们并非本地出产，说明当时已存在贸易交流，同时这些手工制品的出现也表明人们有足够的空闲时间从事非生存必需的生产活动。
L 2
教授一开始提到探测器已经进入最后阶段，燃料快耗尽了，但实际运行时间却比预计的长。有学生猜测可能是另一种燃料（后来教授澄清是两种燃料，主要耗尽的是火箭燃料，但还有备用燃料在维持）。为什么不用太阳能板供电，教授解释说土星位于太阳系外层，阳光太弱，太阳能板效率很低。然后话题转到探测器燃料耗尽时的处理方式——科学家会控制它坠入土星，而不是任由它漂浮。如果不控制坠落地点，探测器可能撞上土星的卫星（比如可能存在生命的土卫二），导致地球微生物污染外星环境，影响未来的生命探测。学生又质疑：探测器发射前不是彻底消毒了吗？最初的任务只是拍摄土星，没考虑卫星生命探测，所以消毒并不彻底。土星大气层的高温会在探测器到达地表前就把它烧毁，因此污染风险极低。
C 2
教授要学生探讨天文学对其他学科的影响。学生提出想写天文学对望远镜（telescope）发展的影响，但教授起初反对这个选题，认为望远镜属于天文学的一部分，不能算作独立学科。教授还举例说明什么是真正独立的学科（虽然具体例子记不清了）。学生没有轻易放弃，转而提出可以论述望远镜镜片制作技术的革新——这个专门领域之前很少有人深入研究，应该可以算作一个独立学科方，教授最后认可了他的选题。
L 2
20240414 L2原题
这段托福听力篇章聚焦动物对环境的适应性，以恐龙为例展开探讨。首先提到鸟类喙的形状因食物类型进化，进而引入侏罗纪时期的蜥脚类恐龙 —— 它们体型庞大（可达 15 吨、60 米长），长脖子利于获取高处植被，庞大身躯容纳长消化系统以处理食物。但德国发现的成年蜥脚类化石仅 1 吨重，通过骨骼生长纹新技术确认其为成年个体，推测是 “岛屿侏儒化” 所致：当时海平面上升使欧洲变为岛屿，资源减少迫使恐龙缩小体型以生存。此外，篇章对比了暴龙祖先 “冠龙” 的进化：其体型仅为后代四分之一，但因猎物（植食性恐龙）变大，为维持食物链顶端地位，冠龙后代逐渐增大。结论是无论是体型缩小还是增大，均体现动物对食物供应变化的适应性策略。
口语
TASK 1 独立口语题
第一套
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Students should have a one-year vacation before they attend universities.
重复2025.3.29
第二套
Some people prefer to purchase a product they like as soon as the product is available in the market. Others, however, prefer to wait until the price of the product becomes more accessible. Which way do you prefer?
重复2025.4.12
第三套
Some students prefer to review their notes regularly throughout the semester. Others prefer to wait until just before exams. Which do you prefer and why? Use details and examples to explain your opinion.
重复2024.10.16
TASK 2 校园题
第一套
The final assessment for this semester will change from an exam to a paper. The deadline for the paper is one week after the end of the course. The main focus of the paper is the economic theories covered in class. This change is intended to help students gain a deeper understanding of these theories, and the extended deadline will also significantly reduce the pressure of final exams.
However, students in the introductory economics class are not very fond of this idea. Since this is an introductory course, they need to become familiar with a variety of economic theories. Only for upper-year economics students, expanding their knowledge is meaningful, as they have already mastered the foundational concepts. Yet currently, students of this class would probably struggle with produce a paper containing deeper understanding.
Previously, students only needed to study the course materials and review the textbook. Now, however, they also have to go to the library to do research for the paper, which makes the workload feel significantly heavier.
第二套
Change to Funding Policy for Student Clubs
Reading:The school has canceled the option for student clubs to apply for additional funding. Instead, students are now required to manage their budgets independently and are encouraged to resolve financial issues through fundraising.
Listening:The girl agrees with this policy for two mainreasons:
It helps students develop financial planning skills.
She gives the example of an environmental club that successfully raised funds by selling T-shirts, which not only solved their budget issues but also promoted their environmental message.
TASK 3 学术讲座题
套题1
Conditional mutualism refers to a symbiotic relationship that only exists under specific environmental conditions. When those conditions change, the relationship may no longer be mutually beneficial and can even become harmful.
One example is the relationship between mycorrhizal fungus and pine trees. When there is sufficient sunlight, pine trees produce enough energy through photosynthesis to support the fungus. In return, the fungus helps the tree absorb more water and nutrients, and boosts its disease resistance. However, when sunlight is limited, the tree's photosynthesis weakens, and it cannot provide enough energy. The fungus may then take more resources from the tree for its own survival, potentially leading to the tree’s death. In such cases, the mutualistic relationship turns parasitic.
Another example involves a type of tree that grows well in the Americas, often found in shaded areas. These trees live in association with fungi that protect them from insects by producing chemicals with an unpleasant taste. The trees provide a favorable habitat for the fungi, forming a mutualistic relationship. However, in sunny environments, the fungi begin to produce an acid that harms or kills the young trees. Thus, what is beneficial in the shade becomes harmful in full sun.
套题2
Costly Signal
Animals often choose strong mates to ensure healthy offspring. This has led to the evolution of“costly signals,” which are high-cost physical traits that demonstrate an individual's strength or fitness.Example:The bright and heavy tail feathers of a male peacock are a classic example. Although the large tail makes it harder to escape predators, a male that can survive despite this burden demonstrates superior fitness and becomes more attractive to females. As a result, this trait has been preserved and strengthened through evolution.
TASK 4 学术讲座题
Task 4 -1
Tens of thousands of years ago, humans shifted from hunting to plant cultivation. However, historians have long debated what exactly caused ancient humans to turn to agriculture. This transformation spanned thousands of years and occurred in different parts of the world.
One group of anthropologists believes that population growth was the main driver. In early times, the population was small, so hunting and gathering could meet people's food needs. But as the population increased, foraged food was no longer sufficient to sustain them. For example, in the Middle East, people were initially able to survive by gathering wild plants, but as settlements expanded, they began to cultivate grains.
Other anthropologists argue that climate change played a key role. During that era, the Earth's climate gradually became colder, and living conditions grew harsher. The wild animals and plants that people had once relied on began to decline rapidly. As a result, humans had to find new ways to secure food. For instance, in what is now China, there was once a period of several hundred years of severe winters. Historians believe that this climate shift led people in ancient China to turn to farming.
重复2025.3.29原题
Task 4 -2
【强化B组第三套】
Using points and examples from the lecture, explain two advantages of being in a business network.
重复2025.4.12原题
写作
第一套
综合写作
The reading passage proposes three methods to control the spread of false bamboo, an invasive plant species, while the listening challenges each approach as impractical or ineffective.
First, the reading suggests that physically pulling out false bamboo is a viable solution. However, the lecture argues that this method is unrealistic due to the plant’s resilience. The speaker explains that even tiny fragments of roots or residual plant material left in the soil can regenerate into full-grown plants. This means the removal process must be meticulously thorough, which is nearly impossible on a large scale. A single oversight could undo all efforts, rendering the method both labor-intensive and unreliable. Thus, the reading’s optimism about manual removal overlooks the plant’s biological tenacity.
Second, the reading advocates for chemical herbicides, claiming they can effectively kill false bamboo by disrupting its growth mechanisms. The lecture counters this by highlighting practical drawbacks. The speaker states that herbicides must be applied three to four times per year, requiring up to one pound of chemicals per square meter. Such repeated, intensive use would be prohibitively expensive, especially for local governments managing vast infested areas. Thus, the financial burden and logistical complexity would make large-scale chemical treatment unsustainable.
Finally, the reading proposes introducing a natural predator—an insect from Asia—to control false bamboo populations, asserting that it would not harm other species. The lecture dismisses this as ecologically risky and ineffective. The speaker points out that the insect’s native Asian habitat differs drastically from the UK’s colder climate. During harsh UK winters, the insect population would decline sharply, leaving it unable to suppress false bamboo growth consistently. Furthermore, introducing non-native species often triggers unintended ecological consequences, a risk the reading downplays. The listening thus critiques the proposal as both biologically unsound and environmentally hazardous.
学术讨论
Professor:
One traditional method of classroom instruction is lecturing. Lecturing involves the teacher talking about a topic for an extended period of time and expecting students to learn by listening attentively. Today, some educators believe that teachers should limit how much time they spend lecturing and instead teach by encouraging in-class discussions and having students work in groups. However, some teachers still teach primarily by lecturing. Do you believe lecturing is an effective teaching method? Why or why not?
Paul:In my opinion, lecturing is mainly ineffective because a teacher who only gives lectures can't know what's going on in students' minds. When a teacher lectures and students are just required to sit there, the teacher can't really check if students understand the lecture. Students have to contribute somehow to show whether or not they are learning.
Clairel:I think lecturing can be effective. Some teachers can explain even complex concepts by telling interesting stories and by providing memorable examples. When teachers lecture in an entertaining way, students enjoy attending class and feel motivated to learn. Whether a teacher's lectures are effective depends on the teacher.
第二套
综合写作
暂缺
学术讨论
Doctor Achebe:As of this semester, I have embarked on a study to explore the various factors influencing children's cognition. It's becoming increasingly evident that a child's surroundings can significantly impact their development. In light of this, the question arises: should parents allow their children to watch online videos, whether for entertainment or educational purposes? Please share your insights on this matter considering the potential effects on a child's cognitive growth.
Paul:We should not allow young children, especially those under two years old, to watch videos. It's crucial for their development to engage in real-life communication with others during this critical period. Watching videos doesn't provide the opportunity for meaningful interaction. Even for older children, it's essential to prioritize physical activity over extended screen time. Instead of sitting still in front of screens, they should be encouraged to stay active to support their overall well-being.
Kelly:I agree that very young children shouldn't be exposed to videos. However, I believe that older children can benefit from watching certain videos, especially those that showcase animals or provide unique insights not easily encountered in everyday life. These videos can be educational and expand their horizons by offering a window into experiences they might not otherwise have access to.
第三套
综合写作
暂缺
学术讨论
Doctor Achebe:Today, we will examine what economists call incentives — the motivations that lead people to make certain choices. Cost is a major category of economic incentives. People tend to change their behavior when a particular choice gets more expensive. Let's discuss an example. Some economists argue that a good way to reduce air pollution is for governments to raise the cost (through taxes or other means) of fuel for cars. Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint? Why?
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