11月22日的托福考试结束啦~
同学们考的怎么样呢？
本次考试口写基本是
「冷门老题」
阅读部分还是有些难度的！
老托福倒计时，同学们抓紧冲刺啦
快来看看本场托福考情回顾吧👇
01
阅读部分
R1
The Economics of Academic Tenure
In some countries, many universities use an employment system for teachers known as tenure. After a lengthy trial period, a faculty member whose performance meets with the approval of the senior members of the department and the administration of the institution may be awarded tenure. A tenured faculty member enjoys considerable job security for the rest of his or her working life and can only be fired for reasons of "moral turpitude" (bad or evil behavior) or "gross incompetence" or if the financial stability of the institution requires the elimination of an entire department or program. The high degree of job security enjoyed by tenured faculty members has been the source of complaints about the tenure system. One issue that has been raised by many, including legislators evaluating the finances and managerial practices of state universities in the United States, is that tenure shelters faculty from accountability for poor performance. Another argument is that tenure makes the university inefficient in responding to changing instructional demands. It is difficult to substitute computer engineering faculty for civil engineering faculty if most of the latter have tenure. In 1988, the Education Reform Act significantly softened" the tenure system in the United Kingdom, making it easier to fire individual faculty members for financial reasons. More recently, some universities in the United States have taken steps to give university administrators more control over tenured professors And, in general, American institutions of higher learning have ended to increase the use of part-time and nontenured instructors over time. In 1992, just 48 percent of all instructors had tenure on were in a position that was expected to lead to tenure The traditional argument in favor of tenure is based on academic freedom, the freedom to investigate and teach any area of knowledge without restriction or interference. In this view, tenure protects faculty members from retaliation for voicing unpopular views. For example, a labor economist might not present a complete examination of the costs and benefits of worker unions it he or she feared that a rabidly anti-union university leader might seek to have the economist fired for speaking of the positive aspects of unions. In fact, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), a group dedicated to protecting academic freedom, got its start in the wake of a 1901 decision by Stanford University to fire economics instructor Edward Ross at the insistence of the university's co-founder, Jane Stanford, who objected to his views on economics and other matters. Going beyond academic freedom, the economics literature has recently turned to an emphasis on tenure as a labor-market institution that may have a positive payoff to universities through the incentives (motivation) it provides. For example, economist Lorne Carmichael's model of an academic department treats tenure as the means of providing incentives for incumbent (current) faculty to participate in identifying the best candidates for new positions. If incumbent faculty had to worry that more-able new additions to the department might replace them one day, they would be less inclined to make hiring decisions that were in the best interests of the university. Incumbents are much better positioned to judge the talents of potential new hires than is the university administration. Moreover, the long-term job security they gain through tenure gives incumbents an incentive to hire new faculty who might be more productive than the existing faculty in a department. The economists Michael McPherson and Morton Shapiro have also emphasized the notion that tenure has a positive payoff for the university by aligning the self-interest of individual faculty members with the long-run interests of the institution. They see two valuable economic benefits from the tenure system beyond the incentive to hire and mentor more productive new faculty. First, job security allows tenured faculty the independence to perform credibly objective evaluations of students and other faculty. People outside the university who rely on the information provided by student grades or faculty reviews of papers or proposals can have greater confidence that these evaluations have not been colored by the faculty member's concern about job security. Second, tenure allows faculty to make long-run strategic decisions about educational policy and research even if these are in conflict with the short-run, career interests of administrators. The fact that tenured faculty often are viewed as obstacles to change by ambitious administrators looking to enhance their records for their next career move might well be a good thing for the long-run interests of the university
R2
Chimpanzee Communication
Do animals communicate deliberately, meaning do they communicate with a goal in mind? It would help if we could ask them what they intended to communicate and they could reply using communication signals that we could understand. To achieve such two-way communication, humans must either learn to use the communication signals of the species we wish to study or teach an animal to use some form of human language. Since we have not yet been successful in understanding more than rudimentary aspects of animal communication signals, the latter has presented itself as the best option. Apes have been taught to communicate with humans using American Sign Language or by pointing to symbols that represent words. They have not been taught verbal communication using spoken language because the vocal apparatus of apes is very different from that of humans and does not allow them to make the same vocalizations that we do. Allen and Beatrix Gardner trained several chimpanzees to communicate with humans using American Sign Language, beginning in 1966 with a chimpanzee called Washoe. The chimpanzees learned to use signs to refer to objects and individuals, and all of them acquired vocabularies that allowed them to express requests, such as "Ice cream hurry give me." By the chimpanzees' frustrated behavior when these requests were not honored, compared with when they were, it was clear that these were deliberate forms of communication. The chimpanzees also announced when the next activity in the daily routine should occur. This announcement of a pending event is an aspect of awareness of the future that indicates deliberate communication. Emotion entered into the signing—more emotive events evoked more signing—but cognition was obviously a major aspect of their communication. To convince critics that the chimpanzees were expressing genuine requests and were coming up with answers to questions by use of their own powers of cognition, it was necessary for the Gardners to prove that the chimpanzees were not using subtle cues given inadvertently by the humans caring for them. By responding to cues produced by the humans in their presence, the apes could appear to be communicating intelligently and deliberately but would merely be performing some sort of clever mimicry. In other words, they might be similar to Clever Hans, the horse that was once thought to be able to read numbers written on a board and to count them out by tapping his foot on the ground. Later it was found that the horse used subtle cues that his owner supplied unknowingly, such as the blink of an eyelid when the horse tapped the required number of times. Clever Hans could not perform the task when his owner was not present. To test whether a similar use of cues might be occurring with the chimpanzees, the Gardners designed an experiment in which the chimpanzees had to name objects shown to them on a video monitor. Their responses were recorded by a human who could not see the screen and did not know what the chimpanzees were observing. In fact, there was no human who knew what was on the screen present in the room with the chimpanzees. In this controlled experiment, the chimpanzees were able to name objects accurately. Therefore, their use of sign language was self-generated and not some form of mimicry or associative learning. The chimpanzees also used the sign language they had learned to tell humans things they did not already know. For example, when very young, Washoe dropped one of her toys into a hole in the inside wall of the caravan in which she lived. That night, when Allen Gardner visited her, she attracted his attention to a part of the wall below the hole and signed "Open, open" many times over. From this communication Allen deduced what had happened and retrieved the toy. Washoe had used sign language to communicate something really new to a human. This shows genuine communication, communication made deliberately. Again, there was no question of the chimpanzee's having communicated merely by reading subtle cues given by a human.
R3
The Sistine Ceiling
The term fresco refers to a number of techniques for painting images on a room surface. In buon fresco, pigments (mineral colors) are mixed with water and then applied to a layer of wet, lime-based (alkaline)plaster. Because the pigments become embedded in the plaster as it dries, no glue or other binder is needed to hold them in place and buon frescoes are very durable. However, some pigments, especially shades of blue, cannot be used in combination with wet plaster, and since pigments can be applied only as long as the plaster remains damp, mistakes can be corrected only by replastering and then repainting the affected area. In contrast, a secco fresco is done on a dry surface, thus requiring a binder. Sometimes artists combined the two techniques, beginning a work in buon and then, once the plaster dried, using a secco to correct mistakes or add colors that could not be applied using buon. The biblical scenes created by Michelangelo for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City are among the world's most famous frescoes. Commissioned in 1508， Michelangelo began his work reluctantly, considering himself more of a sculptor than a painter, and spent four years perched on scaffolding, painting some 300 figures across about 5,000 square feet of ceiling. Despite his initial hesitation, Michelangelo followed the purest fresco tradition of the time, applying his pigments mixed in water directly to fresh lime plaster and choosing only those that are chemically compatible, avoiding azurite, vermilion, and lead-based colors, all of which deteriorate under the alkaline conditions of the lime. The incredible scale of the task required him to execute each scene in patchwork, with about five square meters worth of wet plaster applied per giornata, or "day's work." The use of plaster relatively low in lime, which dries more slowly, bought him some extra time, but it is clear that Michelangelo painted each giornata extremely quickly-rarely, if ever, resorting to finishing a section with touch-up paint containing binder. Over the years following their completion, the Vatican frescoes accumulated a coating of soot and dirt that dulled and darkened the images. In 1787 the German writer Goethe made the following observation: "On 2nd February we went to the Sistine Chapel to witness the ceremony of the blessing of the candles. I thought it is precisely these candles that over three centuries have blackened these splendid frescoes; this is the incense that has not only with its smoke covered over the sun itself of art, but with every year continues to dirty it and will finally engulf it in darkness." While Goethe's dire prediction did not come completely to pass, the slow darkening of the frescoes led to a characterization of Michelangelo as a relatively somber artist with little appreciation for color. Deposits of salt from rainwater let in by the leaking roof and from within the building materials themselves compounded the decline, leading to blistering of the paint. Eventually, a full-time restorer was appointed to maintain the frescoes. Salt crystals and dirt were removed by scrubbing with sponges dipped in wine, paints containing binder were used to touch up sections, and varnish was applied to "renew" the colors. The net effect of several hundred years of this cosmetic maintenance was a dark film consisting of layers of dust, soot, and varnish entirely covering the frescoes. In 1980 a massive effort began to restore Michelangelo's work to its original glory. Restorers painstakingly removed the layers of grime and varnish, the touch-up paint, and the salt deposits with solutions appropriate for each layer. A dilute solution of acrylic paint was applied only when absolutely necessary to reinforce the existing paint.
Over the course of the next fourteen years, the bright colors that emerged were almost shocking to those accustomed to the dull earth tones that had been the status quo for centuries. Indeed, the work at the Sistine Chapel has led to vigorous debate about the role of restoration. Restorers often cast themselves in the role of interpreting the original artist's intent, using modern materials to override the effects of time. However, some critics believe that aging is part of the natural evolution of art and, therefore, new is not necessarily better.
R4
真菌污染
植物疾病伴随农耕史出现，由细菌、真菌和病毒引起。19世纪证实病原体理论，某些病害需通过中间宿主传播。历史上荷兰郁金香病毒与锡兰咖啡锈病曾引发经济文化剧变，防治手段包括化学处理与抗病育种，如波尔多液的发明。
R5
The Behavior of Magma
Why do some volcanoes explode violently while others erupt gently? Why do some kinds of magma (molten rock) solidify within Earth to form hard rocks, and others rise all the way to the surface to erupt from volcanoes as lava? To answer these questions, we must consider the properties and behavior of magma. Once magma forms, it rises toward Earth's surface because it is less dense than surrounding rock. As it rises, two changes 0ccur. First, it cools as enters shallower and cooler levels of Earth. Second, pressure drops because the weight of overlying rock decreases. Cooling and decreasing pressure have opposite effects on magma: Cooling tends to solidify it, but decreasing pressure tends to keep it liquid. Whether magma solidifies or remains liquid as it rises toward Earth's surface depends on the type of magma.Basaltic magma commonly rises to the surface to erupt from a volcano. In contrast, granitic magma usually solidifies within Earth's crust (outer layer). Granitic magma contains about 70 percent silica, whereas the silica content of basaltic magma is only about 50 percent. In addition, granitic magma generally contains up to 10 percent water, whereas basaltic magma contains only 1 to 2 percent water. As in silicate minerals, silicate tetrahedral (four-faced solids, similar to triangular pyramids) in magma link together to form chains, sheets, and framework structures. They form long chains if silica is abundant in the magma but shorter chains if less silica is present. Because of its higher silica content, granitic magma contains longer chains than does basaltic magma. In granitic magma, the long chains become tangled, making the magma stiff or viscous. It rises slowly because of its viscosity and has ample time to solidify within the crust before reaching the surface. In contrast, basaltic magma, with its shorter silicate chains, is less viscous and flows easily. Because of its fluidity. It rises rapidly to erupt at Earth's surface. A second difference is that granitic magma contains more water than basaltic magma. Water lowers the temperature at which magma solidifies. Thus, if dry granitic magma solidifies at 700C, the same .Magma with 10 percent water may remain liquid until its temperature drops below 600C. Water tends to escape as steam from hot magma, but deep in Earth's crust where granitic magma forms, high pressure prevents the water from escaping. As magma rises, pressure decreases and Water escapes. Because the magma loses water, its solidification temperature rises causing it to become hard rock. Thus, water loss causes rising granitic magma to Solidify within the crust. For this reason, most granitic magmas solidify at depths of 5 to 20 kilometers beneath Earth's surface. Because basaltic magmas have only 1 to 2 percent water to begin with, water loss is relatively unimportant. As a result of its comparatively low viscosity, rapidly rising basaltic magma remains liqudl1 the way to Earth's surface, and basal volcanoes are common. In most cases, granitic magma solidifies within Earth's crust to form a rocky mass called a pluton. Many granite plutons are large, measuring tens of kilometers in diameter. To form a large pluton, a huge volume of granitic magma must rise through continental crust. But how can such a large mass of magma rise through solid rock? If you place oil and water in a jar, screw the lid on, and shake the jar, oil droplets disperse throughout the water. When you set the jar down, the droplets coalesce to form larger bubbles, which rise toward the surface, easily displacing the water as they ascend. Granitic magma rises in similar way. It forms near the base of continental crust, where surrounding rock is soft and flexible and behaves plastically , it flows and deforms without fracturing, because it is hot.As the magma rises, it shoulders aside the hot, plastic rock, which then slowly flows back to fill in behind the rising bubble. After a pluton forms, forces in the crust may push it upward, and erosion may expose parts of it at Earth's surface.
R6
The Enlightenment
启蒙运动是18世纪以理性、科学和自由为核心的思潮，其兴起得益于印刷术的知识传播、科学革命的实证方法，以及大西洋贸易与商业革命催生的中产阶级。这些力量共同推动了沙龙文化兴盛与政治代表制等现代理念的形成。
R7
How Fossils Map the Past
化石形成需快速掩埋与硬体结构，极少数生物能保存。史密斯发现岩层与化石的对应关系，建立化石层序律，通过标准化石确定地层年代与全球生物演化序列，并藉此推断古环境特征。
R8
The Meaning of Upper Paleolithic Art
The period beginning 40,000 years ago (the Upper Paleolithic) witnessed a marked increase in human artistic and symbolic expression. At about this time, a large number of statues carved from bone or stone begin to appear in the archaeological record, as do magnificent paintings of animals that were hunted and animals that were not, as well as other images on Cave walls and ceilings. It is difficult for modern viewers to remain unmoved by these images, but what did these works mean to their creators and why did they create them? Some researchers regard Paleolithic artwork as part of a system of communication of ideas-a system that uses animals and geometric patterns as symbols, the specific meaning of which may be lost forever. Anthropologist Meg Conkey views the 1,200 bones engraved with abstract geometric patterns at Altamira Cave, Spain,as the identifying symbols-the "flags"-of different groups of people who came together at the cave during certain periods.Archaeologist Michael Joachim views the cave paintings of northern Spain and southern France (the so-called Franco-Cantabrian region) as symbols marking territory. Social stresses that accompanied the population influx into the region during the period beginning 25,000 years ago may have resulted in the need to mark territory with symbols of ownership.Painting animals-probably the most important resources of a territory-within a sacred place in the territory, like a cave, might have served to announce to intruders the rightful ownership of the surrounding lands. Archaeologist Clive Gamble views the small stone statues of female figures,known as Venus figurines, as a symbolic social glue, helping to maintain social connections between geographically distant groups through a common religion and art style. More recently, researchers Patricia Rice and Ann Paterson have returned to a more economic perspective. Their statistical analysis of the numbers and kinds of animals seen on cave walls in the European Upper Paleolithic shows interesting correlations with the collections of animal remains found at habitation sites in Spain and France. Small, non-aggressive animals such as reindeer and red deer were important in the diet of the cave painters and seem to have been depicted on cave walls in proportion to their economic importance. In addition, animals whose remains are found less often at archaeological sites, but that were impressive, dangerous, and produced large quantities of meat when they were successfully hunted,were commonly included in the artwork as well. So it would appear that cave painters wanted to depict animals that were important food sources. However, the relatively recently discovered Chauvet Cave contradicts this pattern, with its stunning depictions of animals not known to have been exploited for food by Paleolithic Europeans, including carnivores like lions, bears, and panthers, as well as woolly rhinoceroses. A neuron-psychological approach has been applied by researchers J. D. Lewis-Williams and T. A. Dowson to explain at least some of the less naturalistic cave art. They note that there are six basic geometric forms that people who are placed into an altered state of consciousness (for example, through hypnosis) under experimental conditions report seeing: dots, wavy lines, zigzags, cross-hatching or grids, Concentric circles or U-shaped lines, and parallel lines. Interestingly, these geometric forms are precisely those seen in some ancient cave art dating to more than 30,000 years ago. Lewis-Williams and Dowson's approach is cross-cultural-in other words, they surveyed a wide variety of historical and archaeological cultures, finding common images in artwork all over the world. Lewis-Williams and Dowson point out ethnographic records of shamans (priests) who, in an attempt to communicate with spirits or see into other worlds, fall into a trance like state by fasting, dancing, hyperventilating, going into isolation in absolute darkness, undergoing sleep deprivation, or even ingesting natural hallucinogens.When these shamans produce an artistic representation of what they have seen in their trances, they often include geometric shapes that are also seen in Upper Paleolithic artwork. These images from trances are not culturally controlled but result, in part, from the structure of the optic system itself and are therefore universal.Perhaps through sleep deprivation, staring at a flickering fire or the ingestion of drugs, ancient shamans or priests produced these images in their own optic systems. They then translated these images to cave walls as part of religious rituals.
02
听力部分
C1
学生向历史教授请教本杰明・富兰克林论文的写作方法，纠结于全面概述生平还是深入探讨某一项成就。教授建议短论文聚焦其邮政总局长经历，提醒终期论文选题本周末截止，鼓励继续研究富兰克林多方面成就，学生接受建议并致谢。
C2
学生参加简历 workshop 后获得面试机会，又想上面试 workshop，但老师太忙。工作人员建议读相关面试书籍。
C3
学生要去参加一个毕业典礼的speech，想让professor给他点写speech的建议，但是professor说她是评委所以只能给他一部分帮助，后面就说推荐学生去一个workshop学习。
C4
动物摄影组织相关。
C5
学生举办活动超过了预算，向老师求助
C6
学生向教授要推荐信和实习机会
L1
教授讲解海洋生物聚集相关内容，该领域现有研究数量较少。讲座重点介绍对 jellyfish 的发现，这类生物存在聚集生存的特性，这种聚集状态可帮助它们避免被冲到 sand 上，同时提升躲避捕食者的能力。研究 jellyfish 聚集行为对人类具有实际意义，因其活动会对人类各类活动产生不利影响，深入研究可实现提前预警，降低负面影响程度。
L2
本讲座聚焦气象学领域的 N cloud 相关知识，这类云层主要出现在高纬度地区，通常在太阳升起前可被观测到。N cloud 的存在具有显著指示意义，其出现意味着区域内温室效应较为严重，且存在二氧化硫污染问题。讲座中提及一幅描绘相关景象的画作，画中记录了有人观测到类似 N cloud 的现象，教授推测创作这幅画的人当时应当并不了解 N cloud 这一气象现象的科学定义及相关知识。
L3
trumpet 最初是警示工具，用于夜间提醒，后来才变成乐器
L4
social change导致的根本是technological change，社会如果没有准备迎接technology change，那社会改变就不会发生。
L5
传统观点认为维米尔受作品少、经济衰退和私人收藏限制，影响有限。惠洛克通过作品比较认为，他的构图与日常场景描绘实际影响了同代甚至年长画家，说明作品虽未公开流通，仍被同行看到。
L6
植物学，光合作用，叶子秋天有green island效应，和cytokinesis（细胞质）以及一种细菌的寄生关系有关。
L7
农业和水产养殖综合模式存在的问题
L8
水资源的过滤和清洗技术（沙漠和非干旱地区的对比）
03
口语部分
TASK 1
（套1）
有些学生喜欢在整个学期中定期复习他们的课堂笔记，而另一些则喜欢等到考试前才复习。你认为哪种方式更好？
（套2）
学生是否应该获得在课堂上录制教授讲课内容以便课后聆听的许可？
TASK 2
（套1）
Reading：
学校计划将部分课程调整至夏季学期，使学生能够在三年内完成本科学位，以帮助学生提早开始职业生涯并节省开支。
Listening （反对）：
压缩学制会导致教育质量下降。许多顶尖教授只在秋季和春季学期授课，夏季学期师资有限，学生将无法接受到最专业的教学。学生并不能真正节省费用。虽然学制缩短一年，但所需修读的总课程数量不变，学费总额并未减少。此外，夏季学期仍需支付住宿与生活开销，而夏季的租房费用通常较高，整体花费并不更低。
（套2）
Reading:
有学生提议学校购置一台3D打印机，供建筑与工程专业学生制作模型，并建议将设备放置于图书馆，以便所有学生方便使用。
Listening (混合态度):
对话中的女生部分同意、部分反对该提议：同意方面：她支持购置3D打印机，认为其比手工制作模型更高效，并指出掌握该技术有助于就业。她以自身实习经历为例，说明许多公司已普遍使用3D打印技术。反对方面：她不认同将打印机置于图书馆，因图书馆人流量大，非专业学生可能因好奇随意使用，导致建筑与工程学生长时间排队，影响专业需求。她建议将设备放置在建筑系大楼内，更方便相关专业学生使用。
TASK 3
（套1）
“用户生成广告”是指企业邀请消费者使用产品并录制视频分享使用感受，从中选取真实反馈用于广告宣传。这种广告方式因内容真实、贴近用户，更容易获得消费者信任。
Lecture: 一家运动品公司采用此策略，邀请用户试穿新款运动鞋并拍摄视频，讲述产机构点。随后公司将视频用于电视广告。其中一位女孩在视频中自然、真实地表达了对产品的喜爱，广告播出后产品销量大幅上升，消费者反馈广告令人感到亲切可信。
（套2）
“先用低价吸引顾客，再推销高价产品”是一种商业策略，即通过低价产品或服务吸引顾客关注，进而向其推荐更昂贵、利润更高的商品。
例如，一家打印机公司以极低价格销售打印机，吸引顾客购买后，再向其推销该打印机专用的高价墨盒。由于墨盒为持续消耗品，公司可通过这一方式实现长期盈利。
TASK 4
（套1）
部分海洋动物会在相对较早的年龄停止繁殖，这种行为具有两个进化优势：
优势一：减少资源竞争
早期停止繁殖可减少后代数量，从而降低群体内对有限食物资源的竞争，确保现有后代获得充足营养。
优势二：提升后代生存技能
年长个体可将更多精力用于传授生存经验给年轻后代。例如，某些海洋中的长者能引导幼体前往鲑鱼聚集的区域觅食。若持续繁殖，母体可能因生育消耗过大而早逝，无法完成经验传递；提早结束繁殖期则有助于后代掌握关键觅食技巧，提高生存几率
（套2）
动物的体表覆盖物可帮助它们抵御攻击，文中提到两种常见防御机制：
类型一：尖刺或硬刺结构
例如刺猬体表的硬刺，使捕食者难以直接攻击或吞食。
类型二：视觉膨胀效应
某些动物在受威胁时会使身体部分膨胀，显得体型更大，以吓退天敌，例如河豚充气膨胀或猫科动物炸毛。
04
写作部分
综合写作
上午场套1：
The reading passage proposes three methods to protect ash trees from fungal infections, while the lecture challenges the feasibility of each approach.
First, the reading suggests removing infected ash trees to prevent the spread of fungus. However, the lecture refutes this by pointing out the impracticality of complete removal. Dead leaves, which carry the fungus, are too abundant to eliminate entirely. Moreover, these leaves contribute essential nutrients to the ecosystem; removing them would harm the environment by disrupting natural nutrient cycles.
Second, while the reading advocates using fungicides to kill the fungus on ash trees, the lecture highlights the harmful consequences of this method. The speaker explains that fungicides contain toxic copper, which can be ingested by animals and accumulate in their bodies over time. Since the substance does not break down easily, it poses a long-term threat to wildlife.
Third, the reading proposes developing genetically modified ash trees that are resistant to fungal infections. The lecture counters this by emphasizing the diversity of fungal species. Even if certain genes can protect trees against specific fungi, no single gene can provide resistance to all types. Consequently, other fungi would continue to spread, undermining the genetic solution.
上午场套2
The reading passage casts doubt on the defensive purpose of the walls at the Andes hilltop sites, presenting three specific arguments. However, the lecturer effectively refutes each of these points, asserting that the walls were indeed constructed for defense.
First, the reading claims that the structures were not fully enclosed walls, making them vulnerable to attacks. The lecturer counters this by explaining that the partial construction of the walls was actually strategic. There was no need to build walls in areas with natural defenses, such as steep cliffs. Conversely, walls were intentionally built on more accessible areas, like gentle slopes, where attacks were most likely to occur.
Second, the author points out the numerous gateways as evidence against a defensive function, noting that typical fortresses have only one entrance. The speaker refutes this by arguing that the multiple gateways did not compromise security. Each gateway had a clear field of view, allowing defenders to spot approaching enemies early and seal the gates in time. Furthermore, the gateways were narrow, which made them easy to block quickly.
Third, the reading contends that a lack of water sources on the hilltop would have made sustained defense impossible during a siege. The lecturer challenges this by stating that water scarcity was not a disadvantage for the defenders. He explains that the arid climate of the region meant that attackers also had limited water supplies. Consequently, they could not engage in a prolonged siege and would be forced to retreat quickly if their initial assault failed.
下午场套1
The reading passage explores several theories to explain why the Vikings eventually abandoned their colonies in Greenland. However, the lecturer challenges the validity of each of these theories, arguing that they are not convincing upon closer examination.
First, the reading suggests that the departure was due to the violent conflict with the local native people, whom the Vikings called "Skraelings." The lecture counter this argument by pointing out a significant chronological inconsistency. Evidence indicates that the Vikings had already begun to leave their settlements before the Skraelings arrived in the area. Since the natives were not present at the time the Vikings started abandoning their homes, they could not have been the primary cause for the exodus.
Second, the author proposes that climate change, specifically a period of severe cooling known as the Little Ice Age, made agriculture impossible, leading to food shortages. The speaker refutes this by stating that the temperature drop was actually very gradual, occurring over centuries. The Vikings were experienced and adaptable farmers who could have adjusted to the slowly changing conditions. Therefore, a sudden agricultural collapse due to climate is unlikely to be the main reason.
Third, the reading puts forward the theory that the Vikings may have left for Europe because of black plague, which drastically reduced the European labor force and created new opportunities back home. The lecturer dismisses this theory by highlighting a key historical fact: the timeline does not match. The great plague swept through Europe in the 14th century, but historical records show that the Viking colonies in Greenland were already in a state of decline and population loss well before this period, making the plague an implausible pull factor.
下午场套2
The reading passage outlines three proposed methods to control the spread of the invasive snakehead fish in North America. However, the lecturer casts doubt on the effectiveness and practicality of each solution, arguing that they are either unworkable or will cause significant collateral damage.
First, the reading suggests that a national law could be passed to prohibit the import and transportation of snakehead fish across the United States. The lecturer refutes this by pointing out that such a law would fail to address the current problem. The snakehead population is already established and reproducing in the wild. Therefore, stopping future imports would do nothing to control the existing, self-sustaining population that is already threatening the ecosystem.
Second, while the author proposes educating and encouraging the public, especially fishermen, to catch and kill snakehead fish to reduce their numbers, the speaker finds this approach insufficient. She argues that the snakehead's high reproductive rate—a single female can lay thousands of eggs at a time—makes this strategy ineffective. The number of fish removed by fishermen would be negligible compared to the vast number of new offspring produced each year, rendering public efforts futile for population control.
Third, the reading recommends using targeted poisons that are proven to be deadly to snakehead fish. The lecturer challenges this method by highlighting its devastating side effects. These poisons are not species-specific; they would also kill all the native fish species in the treated waters. Since the goal is to protect the native ecosystem, eliminating all local fish life would defeat the very purpose of the conservation effort and cause more harm than good.
下午场套3
The reading passage proposes three hypotheses to explain the decline in the population of Southern Resident killer whales. However, the lecturer finds each of these explanations unconvincing and refutes them one by one.
First, the reading suggests that the decline might be caused by a decreased population of king salmon, the orcas' primary food source. The lecturer counters this point by stating that other orca populations that also rely on king salmon have remained stable or even increased. If the king salmon shortage were the primary cause, all these dependent orca groups should be declining, which is not the case. Therefore, the food scarcity hypothesis is inadequate.
Second, the author attributes the population decline to pollution from boats and industrial activities, which could weaken the orcas' immune systems. The speaker refutes this by pointing out a lack of direct evidence. He states that no dead orcas from this specific population have been found with high levels of toxins in their bodies. Without this physical proof, the pollution theory remains speculative and unproven.
Third, the reading proposes that boat traffic, especially from whale-watching tours, disturbs the orcas by creating noise that interferes with their echolocation and hunting. The lecturer challenges this by arguing that the orcas have already adapted to the underwater noise. He explains that the Southern Resident orcas have changed their hunting patterns, primarily feeding at night when boat traffic is significantly reduced. This successful adaptation suggests that boat disturbance is not a critical factor threatening their survival.
学术讨论
上午场 第一套：
Doctor Achebe:Let's discuss the skills most needed by people who want to start and run their own business. Some experts propose that future business people should focus on improving their sales techniques—after all, if you cannot sell your product, you will soon be out of business. Others believe that these future business people would benefit most from learning management skills, such as how to lead teams and motivate employees. Which view do you agree with? Why?
Andrew:I think that management skills are most important. Sales tasks are something that a businessperson can delegate to a team of salespeople once the business gets going, so it is really important that the future businessperson develops skills to manage teams of people. Without that, it is not very likely that the business will grow.
Kelly:Learning how to sell your product is the most essential task. I've read about people who had ideas about exciting new products to build a business around. They borrowed capital and started their business, but they could not explain to the public what made the products exciting. Since they could not sell enough products, their business failed.
上午场 第二套：
Doctor Gupta:In the past, progress in science and technology was generally slow. However, in recent decades, the pace of technological progress has dramatically accelerated, with new discoveries and inventions almost every day. Some argue that the rapid advancement of science and technology is beneficial for society as a whole and should be encouraged. Others believe that this progress is happening too quickly and may lead to serious issues. Which viewpoint do you agree with?
Claire:The faster the discoveries, the better. For example, due to advancements in medicine, our lives are much better than those of our great-grandparents. Back then, life expectancy was significantly shorter due to a lack of medication, whereas today drugs are affordable and accessible. Anyone with a severe illness hopes for rapid scientific progress.
Andrew:Most people don't have a say in the implementation of these new inventions, and that fact worries me. Just think about the widespread unemployment caused by the automation of many jobs: in this era of rapid technological change, it has become commonplace. People who lose their jobs may not believe that this progress is beneficial.
下午场 第一套
暂缺
下午场 第二套
Dr. Achebe:We've been discussing business strategies and the attitudes of business people toward risk and growth. Some argue that aggressive expansion and product diversification are essential for business success. Others believe this approach carries significant risks. What is your perspective?
Paul:I think this strategy can easily backfire on a businessperson. I've seen companies conduct endless cycles of product enhancements in an effort to capture some other market share. But in reality, they just damage their own brand by sacrificing too much of the original content that made the product popular in the first place.
Claire:I disagree with Paul. Most profitable businesses have used this strategy or they would have never made it to the top. If you plan to grow a business aggressively, some mistakes along the way are inevitable. Too much caution or too much emphasis on avoiding mistakes can really prevent growth.
下午场 第三套
Professor:
This week, we'll examine issues in education reform. For example, some educators think that by focusing mainly on foundational knowledge in subjects like reading, math, and science, schools are not fully preparing students for success in the workplace. These educators argue that soft skills—nonacademic skills such as being empathetic or having a strong work ethic—should be part of the curriculum, with classroom time dedicated to developing these skills. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Paul:
While students need a strong foundation in academic subjects, soft skills are important because they affect how well students do their work. If classroom time is set aside for these skills, students will take them seriously and their academic work will benefit. Teachers could design lessons so that students learn about a skill and then do role-playing activities with classmates.
Claire:
Soft skills are important, but I don't agree with using classroom time to work on them. I'm not sure how teachers would measure students' progress in developing these skills. If students' progress can't be measured on something taught, I'm not sure if there's any point to teaching it.
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