雅思文章-剑4+文末PDF

Children’s ideas about the rainforests and the implications for course design  

Adults and children are frequently confronted with statements about the alarming rat of loss of tropical rainforests. For example, one graphic illustration to which children might readily relate is the estimate that rainforests are being destroyed at a rate equivalent to one thousand football fields every forty minutes – about the duration of a normal classroom period. In the face of the frequent and often vivid media coverage, it is likely that children will have formed ideas about rainforests – what and where they are, why they are important, what endangers them – independent of any formal tuition. It is also possible that some of these ideas will be mistaken.

      成人和儿童经常面临有关热带雨林消失的惊人的说法。例如，一个孩子们很容易联想到的图示是，热带雨林正以每40分钟相当于1000个足球场的速度被破坏，大约是正常课堂时间的长度。面对频繁而生动的媒体报道，孩子们很可能已经形成了关于雨林的概念，它们是什么，在哪里，为什么它们是重要的，不需要任何正式的教育，什么会危及它们。也有可能其中一些想法是错误的。

      Many studies have shown that children harbor misconceptions about ‘pure’, curriculum science. These misconceptions do not remain isolated but become incorporated into a multifaceted, but organized, conceptual framework, making it and the component ideas, some of which are erroneous, more robust but also accessible to modification. These ideas may be developed by children absorbing ideas through the popular media. Sometimes this information may be erroneous. It seems schools may not be providing an opportunity for children to re-express their ideas and so have them tested and refined by teachers and their peers.

      许多研究表明，孩子们对“纯”课程科学有误解。这些误解并不是孤立的，而是融入到一个多方面的、有组织的概念框架中，使之成为组件的思想，其中一些是错误的，更稳健，但也可以修改。这些想法可能是由儿童通过大众媒体吸收想法而形成的。有时这些信息可能是错误的。学校似乎没有给孩子们提供一个机会来重新表达他们的想法，因此老师和同龄人对他们进行了测试和改进。

      Despite the extensive coverage in the popular media of the destruction of rainforests, little formal information is available about children’s ideas in this area, the aim of the present study is to start to provide such information, to help teachers design their educational strategies to build upon correct ideas and to displace misconceptions and to plan programs in environmental studies in their schools.

      尽管大众媒体广泛报道了热带雨林的破坏，但关于这一地区儿童思想的正式信息却很少，本研究的目的是开始提供这些信息，帮助教师设计他们的教育策略，以建立在正确的观念和取代错误的观念，并在他们的学校规划环境研究项目。

      The study surveys children’s scientific knowledge and attitudes to rainforests. Secondary school children were asked to complete a questionnaire containing five open-form questions. The most frequent responses to the first question were descriptions which are self-evident from the term ‘rainforest’. Some children described them as damp, wet or hot. The second question concerned the geographical location of rainforests. The commonest responses were continents or countries: Africa (given by 43% of children), South America (30%), Brazil (25%). Some children also gave more general locations, such as being near the Equator.

      这项研究调查了儿童对雨林的科学知识和态度。中学生被要求填写一份包含五个开放式问题的问卷。对第一个问题最常见的回答是从“雨林”一词中不言而喻的描述。一些孩子形容他们潮湿、潮湿或炎热。第二个问题涉及雨林的地理位置。最常见的反应是大陆或国家：非洲（43%的儿童）、南美（30%）、巴西（25%）。一些孩子也给出了更一般的位置，比如靠近赤道。

      Responses to question three concerned the importance of rainforests. The dominant idea, raised by 64% of the pupils, was that rainforests provide animals with habitats. Fewer students responded that rainforests provide plant habitats, and even fewer (60%) raised the idea of rainforest as animal habitats.

      对问题3的答复涉及雨林的重要性。由64%的学生提出的主要观点是雨林为动物提供栖息地。很少有学生回答说雨林提供了植物栖息地，甚至更少（60%）的学生提出雨林是动物栖息地的想法。

      Similarly, but at a lower level, more girls (13%) than boys (5%) said that rainforests provided human habitats. These observations are generally consistent with our previous studied of pupils’ views about the use and conservation of rainforests, in which girls were shown to be more sympathetic to animals and expressed views which seem to place an intrinsic value on non-human animal life.

      同样，但在较低的水平上，更多的女孩（13%）比男孩（5%）说雨林提供了人类栖息地。这些观察结果大体上与我们之前对小学生关于雨林使用和保护的观点的研究一致，在这些研究中，女孩对动物表现出更多的同情，表达的观点似乎对非人类动物的生命具有内在的价值。

      The fourth question concerned the causes of the destruction of rainforests. Perhaps encouragingly, more than half of the pupil (59%) identified that it is human activities which are destroying rainforests, some personalizing the responsibility by the use of terms such as ‘we are’. About 18% of the pupils referred specifically to logging activity.

      第四个问题涉及破坏雨林的原因。也许令人鼓舞的是，超过一半的学生（59%）认为是人类活动破坏了雨林，有些人用“我们是”这样的字眼个人化了责任。大约18%的学生特别提到伐木活动。

      One misconception, expressed by some 10% of the pupils, was that acid rain is responsible for rainforest destruction; a similar proportion said that pollution is destroying rainforests. Here, children are confusing rainforest destruction with damage to the forests of Western Europe by these factors. While two fifths of the students provided the information that the rainforests provide oxygen, in some cases this response also embraced the misconception that rainforest destruction would reduce atmospheric oxygen, making the atmosphere incompatible with human life on Earth.

      大约10%的学生表达了一种误解，认为酸雨是破坏雨林的罪魁祸首；同样比例的学生表示，污染正在破坏雨林。在这里，孩子们把破坏雨林和这些因素对西欧森林的破坏。虽然五分之二的学生提供了雨林提供氧气的信息，但在某些情况下，这种反应也包含了一种误解，即雨林的破坏会减少大气中的氧气，使大气与地球上的人类生活不相容。

      In answer to the final question about the importance of rainforest conservation, the majority of children simply said that we need rainforests to survive. Only a few of the pupils (6%) mentioned that rainforest destruction may contribute to global warming. This is surprising considering the high level of media coverage on this issue. Some children expressed the idea that the conservation of rainforests is not important. The results of this study suggest that certain ideas predominate in the thinking of children about rainforests. Pupils’ responses indicate some misconceptions in basic scientific knowledge of rainforests’ ecosystems such as their ideas about rainforests as habitats for animals, plants and humans and the relationship between climatic change and destruction of rainforests.

      在回答关于雨林保护重要性的最后一个问题时，大多数孩子只是简单地说，我们需要雨林来生存。只有少数学生（6%）提到雨林的破坏可能导致全球变暖。考虑到媒体对这一问题的高度报道，这令人惊讶。一些孩子认为保护雨林并不重要。这项研究的结果表明，在孩子们对雨林的思考中，某些观念占主导地位。学生的回答表明，他们对雨林生态系统的基本科学知识存在一些误解，例如他们认为雨林是动物、植物和人类的栖息地，以及气候变化与雨林破坏之间的关系。

      Pupils did not volunteer ideas that suggested that they appreciated the complexity of causes of rainforest destruction. In other words, they gave no indication of an appreciation of either the rage of ways in which rainforests are important or the complex social, economic and political factors which drive the activities which are destroying the rainforests. One encouragement is that the results of similar studies about other environmental issues suggest that older children seem to acquire the ability to appreciate value and evaluate conflicting views. Environmental education offers an arena in which these sills can be developed, which is essential fore these children as future decision –makers.

      学生们没有自愿提出一些建议，表明他们认识到雨林破坏原因的复杂性。换言之，他们没有表示出对热带雨林的重要性或推动破坏雨林活动的复杂的社会、经济和政治因素。一个令人鼓舞的现象是，关于其他环境问题的类似研究结果表明，年龄较大的儿童似乎获得了欣赏价值和评价相互矛盾观点的能力。环境教育提供了一个舞台，在这个舞台上，这些智力可以发展，这对这些孩子作为未来的决策者是至关重要的。

Tips

confront 面对；遭遇；比较

The government found itself confronted by massive opposition. government发现自己遭到了强烈的反对。

Most people when confronted with a horse will pat it. 大多数人遇见马时都会轻轻地拍拍它。

She knew that she had to confront her fears. 她心里明白自己必须克服恐惧心理。

This was the first time he had confronted an armed robber. 这是他第一次面对一个武装劫匪。

I have been confront with a new problem. 我正面临一个新的问题。

They're looking to confront a more insidious threat, the rise of global temperatures.

他们希望应对一个更棘手的威胁——全球气温上升。

alarming rat 惊人的说法

tropical rainforest 热带雨林

graphic illustration 图示；图解说明

equivalent

n. 对等的人（或事物）；当量

adj. （在价值、数量等方面）相等的；等价的；等效的；等量的；同意义的

Eight kilometres is roughly equivalent to five miles. 八公里约等于五英里。

250 grams or an equivalent amount in ounces 250克或与之等量的盎司

in the face of 面对

media coverage 媒体报道

tuition 学费；讲授

She received private tuition in French. 她由私人教授法语。

Last month's assault on a tuition centre which killed 34 students was particularly shocking. (From BBC)

上个月针对教育中心的袭击造成34名学生死亡，此事件令人震惊。

This posed a challenge for the schools, which rely disproportionately on tuition for their operations. (From TIME)

由于这些学校的运作严重依赖于学生的学费，招生人数的下降便给它们带来了一个不小的难题。

harbor

n. 港，海港；避难所

v. 庇护；窝藏；怀有；为……提供庇护；入港停泊；居住，生存

attack on pearl harbor 偷袭珍珠港

Ryugu is believed by scientists to harbor relatively larger amount of water and organic matter.(From BBC)

一些科学家认为，龙宫上水和有机物的含量更高。

It's rich in natural resources. The Amazon also harbors countless species of plants and animals.(from CNN)

这一雨林不仅富含资源，还是无数动植物物种的家园。

misconception 误解；错觉；错误想法

frequently held misconceptions about the disease 对这种疾病常见的误解

a popular misconception (= one that a lot of people have) 很多人都有的错误观念

Let me deal with some common misconceptions . 我来谈谈一些常见的错误认识。

views based on misconception and prejudice 由误解和偏见而形成的观点

incorporate

vt. 包含，吸收；体现；把……合并

adj. 合并的；一体化的；组成公司的

vi. 合并；混合；组成公司

Many of your suggestions have been incorporated in the plan. 你的很多建议已纳入计划中。

The new car design incorporates all the latest safety features. 新的汽车设计包括了所有最新的安全配备。

We have incorporated all the latest safety features into the design. 我们在设计中纳入了所有最新的安全装置。

The company was incorporated in 2002. 这家公司成立于2002年。

the incorporation of foreign words into the language 这一语言对外来词汇的吸收

the articles of incorporation of the company 有关创建公司的条款

China and Russia are also aggressively working to incorporate anti-satellite attacks into their warfighting doctrines.(From VOA) 此外，中俄两国还在努力将反卫星攻击纳入战事领域。

The convention is incorporated into devolution legislation and the Good Friday agreements in Northern Ireland. (From The Economist) 公约被纳入授权立法和北爱和平协议。

conceptual framework 概念框架；基本概念

erroneous 错误的；不正确的

robust 强健的；健康的；粗野的；粗鲁的

The debate among constitutional experts over what constitutes an impeachable offense is robust. (From TIME)

宪法专家之间关于什么构成可**罪行的争论非常激烈。

He's a robust critic of Brexit and will play a central role in future talks. (From BBC)

他是坚定的英国脱欧批评者， 且将在未来的谈判中发挥核心作用。

The president has said there’ll be a robust debate with the Congress. It looks like one he’s going to relish. (From BBC) 总统称国会将会进行激烈的辩论，而且似乎他很期待这样的辩论。”

accessible 易接近的；可进入的；可理解的

readily accessible 易接近的；易达到的；可存取的

be accessible to 容易接近的，容易进入的

These documents are not accessible to the public. 公众无法看到这些文件。

The Forbidden City was once only accessible to the emperor, his family and senior officials.

紫禁城在过去只有皇帝，皇帝的家人以及高级官员们才能进入。

The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that playgrounds in the U.S. be accessible to children with disabilities.《美国残疾人法》规定，美国的游乐场必须对残疾儿童开放。

extensive coverage 广泛报道

build upon correct ideas and to displace misconceptions 建立正确的观念和取代错误的观念

self-evident 不言而喻的；不证自明的；显而易见的；明摆着的

The dangers of such action are self-evident. 这样的行动，其危险是明摆着的。

a self-evident truth 不证自明的真理

Intrinsic 本质的，固有的

the intrinsic value of education 教育的固有价值

These tasks were repetitive, lengthy and lacking any intrinsic interest. 这些作业重复冗长，没有什么意义。

Small local shops are intrinsic to the town's character. 本地的一些小店铺是这个镇的基本特点。

Perhaps encouragingly 也许令人鼓舞的是

logging activity 伐木活动

embrace拥抱；信奉，皈依；包含

warm embrace 温暖的拥抱

She's led the way academically, and embraced the regimented approach.

她的学习成绩遥遥领先，并且可以接受严格的教学方式。

I think they are embracing this moment, those that opposed Maduro. (From NPR音讯)

我认为他们在享受这一时刻，这些**者都是反对马杜罗的人。

In Selma, residents are embracing this increase in civil rights tourism. (From VOA)

塞尔玛的居民也欢迎此类旅游业的继续发展。

incompatible

n. 互不相容的人或事物

adj. 不相容的；矛盾的；不能同时成立的

be incompatible with 与…不相容

And because there is no real selection criteria, the current system is totally incompatible with national security.

因为没有真正的选择标准，当前系统与****格格不入。

in answer to 回答；应…要求

It is used in answer to inquiries about health.

这个词常用以回答有关健康的询问。

He just shrugged his shoulders in answer to our request for help.

对我们的求援他只是无奈地一耸肩来回答。

Antibodies are special proteins that the body's natural defense system produces in answer to a threat.

抗体，是人自身的防御系统为防止(病毒)感染而产生的一种特殊的蛋白质。

In direct answer to your question, can you do this? Yes. Is it a valid approach? Almost certainly not.

直接回答你的问题，你能做到吗？是的。这是一个有效的方法？几乎不可能。

predominate

vt. 支配，主宰；在…中占优势

vi. 占主导（或支配）地位；占优势

predominate over 统治，支配；占优势

But in the ten years to 2014, on average, buy-backs have predominated.

但是截止到2014年的这十年中，平均来说，回购已经占据了主导地位。

I hovered in that painful state that predominates during the period of anticipation before some frightful explosion.

我在一种痛苦的状态中徘徊着，这种状态在某种可怕的爆炸发生前的等待中占了上风。

Private interest was not allowed to predominate over the public good. 私人利益不得置于公众利益之上。

One encouragement is that 一个令人鼓舞的现象是

arena 舞台；竞技场

a concert at Wembley Arena 在温布利体育馆举行的音乐会

the political/international arena 政治╱国际舞台