全新版大学进阶英语：视听说教程3

全新版大学进阶英语《视听说教程》网络课程可用于课堂教学外的巩固与补充，也可作为学生独立学习的网络课程。该课程选用美国《国家地理》的素材，图片震撼、场景真实、语言地道。《视听说网络课程》注重听力技能和口语表达的训练，练习设计循序渐进，科学合理；为兼顾四级考试的需求，网络课程每单元均含四级听力与口语训练的练习。听力播放支持语速调节，口语训练实现了较好的人机交互功能，便于学生根据自身需求进行个性化学习。

全新版大学进阶英语：综合教程2（思政智慧版）

全新版大学英语视听说教程1

《全新版大学英语视听说教程》共四册，每册八单元，突出视听说技能、演讲技能和批判性思维能力的培养。该数字课程每单元包含Listening, Extended Listening, Speaking, TEDTalks, Presentation和Self-test六大部分。听力训练主题广泛、注重听力和记笔记技能的培养，素材包括电视或电台采访、新闻报道、专题讨论等，同时还有与单元主题相关的拓展听力兼顾学生应试需求。口语和语音训练通过人机对话、跟读评分，有效提升学生口语水平。以TED演讲为素材的视频练习，突出记笔记、作演讲能力的培养。数字课程特有的单元自测通过词汇和听力测试有效检验学生的学习效果。

猫薄荷为何让猫“疯狂”？

猫薄荷为何让猫“疯狂”？Why Does Catnip Make Cats Go Crazy?文本难度：考研刘立军供稿Of the many bewildering behaviors cats display, one of the strangest is their obsession with a specific species of plant. After just one whiff, even the most stoic cat can start pawing, drooling, biting, and wriggling in a state of pure feline euphoria. So, why do cats go crazy for catnip? This is the question cat behavior expert Masao Miyazaki and chemist Toshio Nishikawa set out to answer in 2013. Along with their research teams from Iwate and Nagoya University, they began by studying silvervine – a plant that sparks a similar response to catnip.猫咪有着许多令人费解的行为，其中最奇特的莫过于对某一特定植物的痴迷。即便是最冷静自持的猫，哪怕只是闻上一口，也会瞬间陷入抓挠、流口水、啃咬、翻滚的状态，沉浸在纯粹的猫咪欢愉中。那么，猫咪究竟为什么会为猫薄荷神魂颠倒？2013年，猫咪行为学家宫崎正夫与化学家西川俊夫便带着这一问题展开了研究。他们与来自岩手大学与名古屋大学的研究团队携手，先从木天蓼这种植物入手——这是一种同样能在猫身上引发和猫薄荷相似反应的植物。First, the researchers painstakingly extracted chemical compounds from the plant and dribbled various combinations of them onto filter paper. Then they brought in some cats and studied which compounds they were drawn to. Overwhelmingly, their feline testers pounced on the papers containing nepetalactol. And when Miyazaki and his student Reiko Uenoyama ran blood tests on the cats who’d interacted with nepetalactol, they found their systems were flooded with endorphins. These hormones block pain signals, relieve stress, and generally create a happy, calming effect. And catnip triggers the same endorphin rush with a similar chemical called nepetalactone, and it’s this flood of happy hormones that gives catnip and silvervine their signature drug-like response.研究人员先是费尽心力，从木天蓼中提取各类化合物，再把不同配比的提取物滴在滤纸上。随后，他们找来猫咪，观察哪些化学成分会吸引它们。结果显而易见，绝大多数受试猫咪都径直扑向含有荆芥内酯醇（nepetalactol）的滤纸。宫崎正夫和他的学生上野山怜子对接触过荆芥内酯醇的猫咪进行血液检测，发现它们体内会大量分泌内啡肽。这类激素能够阻断痛觉信号、缓解压力，带来愉悦、镇定的感受。而猫薄荷则是借助一种结构相近的物质——荆芥内酯，同样能刺激猫体内大量释放内啡肽。正是这种快乐激素的迸发，让猫薄荷和木天蓼产生了标志性的、类似药物带来的反应。These compounds don’t just trigger this effect in small cats. When the researchers brought nepetalactol-treated filter paper to a few zoos, leopards, lynxes, and jaguars all dove face-first into the compound. This was big news. If these different cat species reacted to nepetalactol the same way, the response was likely a shared evolutionary trait, potentially something important to cat survival that stretched back millions of years. When the silvervine researchers presented their work at a conference, one evolutionary biologist raised a compelling theory. In chemical terms, both nepetalactol and nepetalactone are classified as iridoids – a type of natural compound known to contain insect-repelling properties. So perhaps cats rubbing their faces in silvervine and catnip were applying an ancient form of bug spray.这类化合物并非只对小型猫科动物生效。当研究人员把滴有荆芥内酯醇的滤纸带到几家动物园时，豹子、猞猁和美洲豹全都一头埋上去嗅闻。这是一项重大发现。既然这么多不同种类的猫科动物都对荆芥内酯醇产生相同反应，说明该行为极有可能是共有的进化特征，或许关乎猫科动物生存的重要本能，其根源可追溯至数百万年前。当木天蓼研究团队在学术会议上展示成果时，一位进化生物学家提出了一个极具说服力的假说：从化学分类来看，荆芥内酯醇与荆芥内酯都属于环烯醚萜类化合物，这类天然物质具备驱虫特性。所以，猫咪把脸在木天蓼和猫薄荷上蹭来蹭去的行为，或许正是在涂抹一种古老的驱虫剂。To test this, researchers set up cages of mosquitoes that cats could stick their heads into. And sure enough, the cats that had been treated with nepetalactol got fewer mosquito bites than the cats in the control group. The same effect was true for the scientists who’d volunteered their arms in solidarity with their feline subjects. These mosquito-repelling properties are currently our best explanation for why cats love silvervine and catnip. But researchers still had one more question: in their state of euphoria, cats tend to vigorously bite, lick, and rub against these plants. But do cats really need to go this crazy to get their bug-repelling effects?为验证这一猜想，研究人员搭建了放有蚊子的笼子，猫咪可以把头伸进笼内。结果证实，体表接触过荆芥内酯醇的猫咪，被蚊子叮咬的次数少于对照组。就连主动挽起袖子、甘愿和猫咪一同参与实验的科研人员，手臂上的叮咬次数也同样大幅减少。目前，这种驱蚊特性是我们解释猫咪喜爱木天蓼与猫薄荷最合理的假说。但研究者还有一个疑问：当猫咪在亢奋状态下，往往会使劲啃咬、舔舐并用力蹭擦这类植物。可它们真的需要表现得如此“上头”，才能真正发挥驱虫功效吗？To investigate rubbing, they provided cats with filter papers treated with microscopic amounts of nepetalactol. And sure enough, even these tiny doses made the papers irresistible, suggesting that microscopic amounts of bug repellent can be transferred by rubbing alone. As for biting and licking, the researchers found that when cats damage the plant, the leaves actually produce more mosquito-repellent chemicals. So your cat isn’t just ripping open their bags of catnip to be annoying; their evolutionary instincts are just trying to get even more of that bug protection.为研究摩擦行为，研究人员向猫咪提供了只沾有微量荆芥内酯醇的滤纸。不出所料，即便剂量微乎其微，这些滤纸依旧对猫咪有着极强吸引力。这说明，仅靠蹭一蹭，就能沾上微量的驱虫物质。至于啃咬和舔舐，研究人员发现，当猫咪啃破植物组织时，叶片反而会生成更多驱蚊化学成分。所以，你的猫咪扒开猫薄荷袋子并不是故意捣乱，而是在进化本能驱使下，想要获取更多驱虫保护。Cats are far from the only animal to use natural plants for purposes like this. Apes swallow scratchy and hairy leaves to dislodge parasites from their guts. Sheep munch on tannin-rich plants to kill intestinal worms, and monarch butterflies use toxic milkweed to kill parasites that normally impair their flight. Just like cats’ ability to find mosquito repellent, these behaviors can help humans identify useful plants and ingredients in the natural world. So, the next time you see your feline friend on a catnip binge, don’t worry – it’s only medicinal.并非只有猫咪会利用天然植物达成这类目的。猿类会直接吞下粗糙多毛的叶片，借此刮擦并排出肠道寄生虫；绵羊会食用富含单宁的植物来杀灭肠道蠕虫；帝王蝶则会采食有毒的马利筋，清除会削弱自身飞行能力的体内寄生虫。和猫咪寻找天然驱蚊植物的本能一样，这类动物行为，也能帮助人类发掘自然界里有价值的植物与成分。所以，下次看到你的猫主子沉迷猫薄荷，不必担心——这只是它在“用药”而已。【词汇】1.stoic adj. 坚忍的；沉着的2.whiff n. 一闻；一股气味3.drool v. 流口水4.wriggle v. 扭动；蠕动5.feline adj. 猫科的；猫的6.euphoria n. 欣快；极度愉悦7.catnip n. 猫薄荷8.painstaking adj. 煞费苦心的；极其仔细的9.dribble v. 使滴下；滴落10.pounce v. 猛扑；突然袭击11.endorphin n. 内啡肽12.lynx n. 猞猁13.jaguar n. 美洲豹14.dislodge v. 驱逐；移开15.munch v. 大声咀嚼16.intestinal adj. 肠的17.milkweed n. 马利筋（一种植物）18.binge n. 狂欢；放纵行为 （本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

双语阅读 | 为什么大型AI实验室正在大量招聘哲学家？

为什么大型AI实验室正在大量招聘哲学家？Why big AI labs are hiring so many philosophers?文本难度：CET-6刘立军供稿Ten years ago, as the AI revolution was gathering pace, arts and humanities students were told that, if they wanted to make themselves employable, they should “learn to code”. That may have been bad advice. These days, it is programmers who are nervous about AI taking their jobs.十年前，随着人工智能革命加速推进，文科生曾被告知，如果想让自己更具就业竞争力，就应该“学点编程”。但如今看来，这或许是个糟糕的建议。现在感到焦虑的已换成了程序员——他们担心自己的岗位会被AI取代。They might consider learning to philosophize. Earlier this year the Federal Reserve Bank of New York published figures showing that American philosophy graduates are more likely to have jobs than their peers who studied computer science. In 2024, the most recent year for which numbers are available, 7% of those who had studied computer science were unemployed, against just 5.1% of philosophers.他们或许才该考虑去学学哲学。今年早些时候，纽约联邦储备银行公布的数据显示，美国哲学专业毕业生比计算机科学专业的同龄人更容易找到工作。在数据可查的最近年份——2024年，计算机专业毕业生的失业率达7%，而哲学专业毕业生仅为5.1%。Many are being snapped up by AI firms themselves. Students get job offers before they have graduated, says Luciano Floridi, a philosopher at Yale University. Academics are moving, too. Dr Floridi describes the scale of departures from philosophy departments as a “hemorrhaging”.许多哲学专业毕业生正被AI公司直接抢走。耶鲁大学哲学家卢西亚诺·弗洛里迪表示，很多学生还没毕业就收到了工作录用通知。高校学者也在纷纷出走。弗洛里迪博士将哲学系人才流失的态势形容为一场“大出血”。Some of the lessons that philosophy can offer AI researchers are ancient. The Socratic method—as described by Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher—uses feigned ignorance and sequential questioning to clarify meanings, spot contradictions and reveal ramifications. Many current AI systems tend towards sycophancy. Models trained in the Socratic method, says Jörg Noller, an expert on philosophy and AI at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, are less keen on people-pleasing and more willing to pursue the truth.哲学能为AI研究者提供的某些洞见，其实古已有之。古希腊哲学家柏拉图所描述的苏格拉底诘问法，通过“假装无知”和循序渐进的提问，来厘清概念、发现矛盾并推演深层影响。然而，当前许多AI系统都存在一味迎合用户的倾向。慕尼黑大学哲学与AI交叉领域专家约尔格·诺勒表示，若用苏格拉底式方法来训练模型，它们会减少讨好用户的冲动，转而更坚定地追求真相。Philosophical training can also affect a model’s outlook in more specific ways. Feed an AI legal assistant the writings of John Locke, says Thomas Powers, a philosopher of technology at the University of Delaware, and it will favor robust property rights as an underpinning of political liberty. And if you don’t like those principles, the model-makers have others. The “Granite” series of models from IBM, an American computing giant, come with dials that let business customers better align outputs with their own corporate philosophies. Francesca Rossi, IBM’s head of responsible AI, says these can let users choose where to strike the balance between philosophical trade-offs, such as individual agency versus social harmony.哲学训练还能以更具体的方式，塑造模型的价值取向。特拉华大学技术哲学家托马斯·鲍尔斯指出，如果让AI法律助手研读约翰·洛克的著作，它就会倾向于将坚实的财产权视为政治自由的基石。如果你不喜欢这些原则，模型开发者还有其他选择。美国计算巨头IBM推出的“Granite”系列模型配备了调节旋钮，让企业客户能够更好地使输出结果与自身的企业理念相契合。IBM“负责任AI”负责人弗朗西斯卡·罗西表示，这些旋钮可以让用户在各种哲学层面的取舍间把握平衡，例如在“个人自主性”与“社会和谐”之间找到恰当的权衡点。Philosophy can help with safety, too. Researchers have documented all sorts of ominous behavior in AI models, including attempts to evade oversight and even blackmail their users. One way model-makers try to discourage this sort of misbehavior is called AI constitutionalism. This involves building a model around a scaffolding of rules and principles culled from philosophical writings with legal or moral authority.哲学也能在安全领域发挥作用。研究人员记录了AI模型中出现的各种令人担忧的行为，包括试图规避监管甚至勒索用户的行为。为遏制此类不当行为，模型开发者引入一种被称为“AI宪政主义”的机制。该机制要求以一套规则和原则作为底层支撑框架，而这些规范均是从具有法律或道德权威的哲学著作中遴选提炼而成。The biggest question, though, is what sorts of rules should be put in those constitutions in the first place. Philosophers have zeroed in on two main ethical frameworks. One is deontology. Popular with Kant, among others, this imposes strict rules that prohibit things like lying, coercion and treating people as a means rather than an end, even if it is for a greater good. Anthropic’s constitution incorporates many deontological strictures. These can make AI behavior more consistent, says Dr Powers—a plus for deploying robots in homes and public spaces.然而，最大的问题是：这些“宪法”中究竟应该纳入什么样的规则？哲学家们聚焦于两大核心伦理框架。其一是义务论。以康德等学者为代表，该理论强调设定严格的规则，禁止说谎、胁迫或将他人视为手段而非目的等行为，即使此举可能带来所谓的更大福祉。Anthropic公司的“宪法”便纳入了许多义务论式的刚性约束。鲍尔斯博士表示，这类规范可以使AI行为更加一致——这正是在家庭和公共场所部署机器人的重要优势。The other approach to ethics of interest to philosophers of AI is called consequentialism. It weighs costs against benefits to decide what to do. Models more sympathetic to consequentialism include OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. Google’s AI models are designed to produce “likely overall benefits [that] substantially outweigh the foreseeable risks”, a classic consequentialist goal.AI哲学研究者关注的另一种伦理方法被称为结果主义。它通过权衡成本与收益来决定该做什么。更倾向于结果主义的模型有OpenAI的ChatGPT和谷歌的Gemini。谷歌的AI模型在设计时明确以“可能带来的整体收益远远超过可预见的风险”为目标——这是一个典型的结果论目标。Consequentialist algorithms are also crucial in software for autonomous vehicles: if an accident is unavoidable, a decision must be made on the least tragic way to crash. Chris Gerdes, a senior engineer at Waymo, which makes self-driving cars, says the trend is to make driving software more consequentialist. Consequentialism is also central to AI weapon systems. Military objectives must be weighed against possible civilian deaths, says Jack Shanahan, a former head of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Centre, which studies AI for America’s armed forces.结果主义算法在自动驾驶汽车的软件中也至关重要：如果事故不可避免，就必须做出决策，以损失最小的方式发生碰撞。自动驾驶汽车制造商Waymo的资深工程师克里斯·格德斯表示，目前的趋势是让驾驶软件更深度地融入结果主义逻辑。结果主义也是AI武器系统的核心原则。曾负责为美军开展人工智能研究的“联合人工智能中心”前主任杰克·沙纳汉表示，必须在军事目标的达成与可能造成的平民伤亡风险之间进行权衡。Thorny problems abound—a philosopher’s favorite sort. Are there cases when deontological rules should be overridden? How do you make decisions when the consequences are unclear? Should AI systems take into account animal welfare, or the state of the environment? Would it be morally acceptable to prioritize young pedestrians over old ones? 棘手的问题层出不穷——正是哲学家最热衷探讨的那类问题。是否存在义务论规则应该被推翻的情况？当后果不明确时，该如何做出决策？AI系统是否应该考虑动物福利或环境状况？优先保护年轻行人而非年长行人，在道德上是否可以接受？Critics fret about “moral deskilling”: if computers increasingly make ethical calls, might people become less willing to make their own judgments? Roman Yampolskiy, an AI theoretician at the University of Louisville, argues that morality “is historically unstable, culturally variable, strategically manipulable, and often only retrospectively legible”. Unemployed coders take note: there seems to be no shortage of work for philosophers of AI.批评者担忧“道德能力退化”：如果计算机越来越多地做出伦理判断，人们是否会逐渐丧失自己做判断的意愿？路易斯维尔大学的AI理论家罗曼·扬波尔斯基认为，道德“具有历史的不稳定性、文化的可变性与策略的可操纵性，而且往往只能事后追溯其意义”。失业的程序员们请注意：AI哲学家的饭碗恐怕永远不缺。【词汇】1. humanities n. 人文学科；人文科学2. hemorrhage n. 大量流失（文中喻指人才流失）3. Socratic adj. 苏格拉底的；苏格拉底式的4. feign v. 佯装；假装5. ramification n. 衍生含义；复杂影响6. sycophant n. 谄媚者；阿谀奉承的人7. underpin v. 支撑；作为……的基石8. ominous adj. 不祥的；令人担忧的9. scaffolding n. 脚手架；支撑结构（文中喻指框架）10. cull v. 挑选；选取11. coercion n. 胁迫；强迫12. deontological adj. 义务论的13. stricture n. 戒律；严格限制14. ethics n. 伦理学；伦理15. outweigh v. 超过；比……更重要16. algorithm n. 算法17. tragic adj. 悲剧性的；可悲的18. fret v. 担忧；焦虑19. deskill v. 使技能退化；去技能化20. legible adj. 可读的；可理解的（本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

新闻听力 | 演奏音乐有益大脑吗？

演奏音乐有益大脑吗？Is playing music good for the brain?常速 | 四级 | 605词 | 4min20s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. Why is making music considered a mental workout?A. It strengthens emotional control.B. It improves social communication skills.C. It requires the brain to coordinate several abilities. D. It mainly trains long-term memory.Q2. What benefit did studies find among professional musicians?A. They have more grey matter in some brain regions. B. They seldom have memory problems as they age. C. They can compose music much faster than others. D. They have larger brains overall.Q3. What is one possible advantage for children who begin instrument lessons young? A. They are more likely to speak a second language without an accent. B. The communication between their brain’s two hemispheres can be better. C. They will get higher scores in all school subjects. D. They can remember new words much faster than peers.Q4. What can we infer about music activities and cognitive abilities? A. Brass players usually outperform piano players in problem-solving tasks. B. Different kinds of music activities may lead to different cognitive strengths. C. Singers are generally weaker at planning tasks than woodwind players. D. Learning more instruments will bring greater improvements to memory.Q5. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Musical ability depends largely on genetics.B. Listening to music is better than playing instruments.C. Only professional musicians gain cognitive advantages.D. Music practice may benefit the brain in many ways.Part II. TRANSCRIPTIs Playing Music Good for Your Brain?Can playing music make your brain work better? Research suggests that it can, and you don’t have to be a professional musician to enjoy the benefits.(Q1) Playing a musical instrument is like a workout for the brain. When you play music, your brain has to do several things at the same time. You need to listen carefully, read notes, control your fingers, and keep your attention on what you are doing. You may also need to remember a piece of music and express your feelings through it. All these activities give your brain a lot of practice.(Q2) Studies have found that professional musicians have more grey matter in certain parts of the brain than people who do not play music. Grey matter is important for thinking, movement, and memory. Other research suggests that musicians may also have better memory and be better at planning and solving problems. However, scientists are still studying these effects, so more research is needed to understand them fully.gray matter （脑的）灰质，中枢神经系统的重要组成部分Music may be especially helpful for children. (Q3) Studies suggest that children who start learning an instrument at an early age may develop stronger connections between the two sides of their brains. Learning music may also help children learn a second language and improve their ability to understand information without using words. These skills can be useful both in school and in everyday life.But what about people who start learning music when they are older? The good news is that it may still be beneficial. As people age, their memory and thinking skills can become weaker. However, some studies have found that older adults who continue to learn and practice an instrument may experience less decline in certain mental abilities. Other research has linked regular music practice with a lower risk of developing dementia, a condition that affects memory and thinking. Scientists do not yet know whether playing music directly protects the brain or whether people with better brain health are simply more likely to continue playing.(Q4) The type of music activity may also make a difference. One study of older adults found that people who played the piano or brass instruments tended to have better working memory. Working memory helps us keep information in mind while using it. People who played woodwind instruments performed better on some tasks involving planning and problem-solving, while singers did better on tests of verbal reasoning. However, playing several instruments did not necessarily bring extra benefits.Music can also improve how we feel. When we play an instrument, the brain’s reward system becomes active, helping us feel pleasure. The body may also release chemicals called endorphins, which can help reduce pain and make us feel good. In addition, playing music with other people, such as in a band or choir, can reduce stress and help people build friendships.endorphin n. 内啡肽（一种体内生成的化学物质，能止痛并让人产生快感）What if you cannot play an instrument? Simply listening to music may also be good for your brain. A recent study found that older adults who regularly listened to music had a lower risk of cognitive decline than those who did not listen regularly. Cognitive decline means a gradual loss of memory and other thinking abilities. However, this study could not prove that listening to music was the reason for the difference.(Q5) Overall, research suggests that music can benefit the brain in several ways. It may help us improve our memory, develop thinking skills, manage stress, and stay mentally active as we grow older. You do not need to become a musical genius to enjoy these benefits. The key is to make music a regular part of your life, whether you play an instrument, sing, or simply listen.Part III. KEYQ1. C.【解析】细节题。题目出处为：“When you play music, your brain has to do several things at the same time. You need to listen carefully, read notes, control your fingers, ... All these activities give your brain a lot of practice.” 意为：“演奏音乐时，大脑必须同时进行多项活动，需要我们认真听，看谱，控制手指……所有这些活动会使我们的大脑得到大量训练。”因此，演奏音乐是一种脑力活动。正确答案为C。Q2. A.【解析】细节题。题目出处为：“Studies have found that professional musicians have more grey matter in certain parts of the brain than people who do not play music. Grey matter is important for thinking, movement, and memory. ” 意为：“研究发现，职业音乐家大脑某些区域的灰质比不演奏音乐的人更多。灰质对于控制思维、运动、和记忆十分重要。”因此正确答案为A。Q3. B.【解析】推理题。题目出处为：“Studies suggest that children who start learning an instrument at an early age may develop stronger connections between the two sides of their brains.” 意为：“研究表明，早早开始学习乐器的孩子，大脑左右半球之间会形成更强的联结。”因此正确答案为B，意为这些孩子大脑左右半球之间的联结会更佳，为同义表述。Q4. B.【解析】推断题。题目出处：“The type of music activity may also make a difference. One study of older adults found that people who played the piano or brass instruments tended to have better working memory. … People who played woodwind instruments performed better on some tasks involving planning and problem-solving, while singers did better on tests of verbal reasoning.” 意为：“不同类型的音乐活动，带来的益处也会有所差异。一项针对老年人的研究发现，常演奏钢琴或铜管乐器的长者，其工作记忆能力往往更强……演奏木管乐器的人在涉及规划与问题解决的任务中表现更优，而歌手则在言语推理测试中更具优势。”由此可推断，不同类型的音乐活动可能带来不同的认知优势。因此正确答案为 B。Q5. D.【解析】主旨题。题目出处为：“Overall, research suggests that music can benefit the brain in several ways. It may help us improve our memory, develop thinking skills, manage stress, and stay mentally active as we grow older.” 意为：“总体而言，研究表明音乐能从多个方面为大脑带来益处。它可能有助于我们改善记忆力，锻炼思维能力，调节压力，并在年岁渐长时保持思维活跃。”该句概括了全文的核心观点，因此正确答案为D。（本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

新闻听力 | 疫苗：科学与恐慌之争

Vaccines: Science vs. Scare疫苗：科学与恐慌之争常速 | 五级（难）| 784词 | 5min22s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the interview and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. What is the only disease that humanity has eradicated? A. Polio. B. Smallpox. C. Measles. D. Malaria. Q2. What does Dr. Kate O’Brien suggest about the concept of “natural immunity”? A. It is more effective than vaccination. B. It is a safer way to develop immunity. C. It involves the immune system responding to germs. D. It is recommended for children by most scientists. Q3. What can be inferred about the immune system from the discussion? A. It is constantly exposed to microbes. B. It is overwhelmed by multiple vaccines. C. It cannot mature without vaccination. D. It is weaker in children than in adults. Q4. What is the main purpose of timing the vaccination schedule? A. To ensure vaccines are given at the lowest cost. B. To align with WHO global recommendations. C. To provide protection when children are most at risk. D. To avoid interference between different vaccines. Q5. What is the main idea of the passage? A. To introduce the global smallpox eradication campaign and its achievements.B. To answer parents’ common worries and misunderstandings about vaccination.C. To explain the complete standards of WHO’s official vaccine schedule.D. To compare natural immunity and vaccine immunity in detail.Part II. TRANSCRIPTVaccines: Science vs. ScareVGS: We’re standing here in front of the statue commemorating the smallpox eradication campaign. (Q1) Smallpox being the only disease that the world, humanity, has eradicated. This WHO-led campaign was the first mass vaccination campaign that brought together countries, experts and communities. Today, we have 30 vaccines that can prevent many many diseases. And 154 million lives have been saved, in the last 50 years, by just 14 of those vaccines. So if you’re a new parent, you may have questions about vaccines. We have Doctor Kate O'Brien here with us to answer your questions. Kate, let’s start with — parents may have heard what if we let our child get sick and develop immunity rather than vaccinate them? What is your advice regarding that?smallpox n. 天花 vaccinate v. 接种疫苗 KOB: The first thing I want to say is that the vaccines that have been developed that are in our program, are vaccines against serious diseases. Sometimes we hear the term natural immunity. And I really want to address this question. (Q2) Some people think that getting infected is somehow more natural than it is to develop your immunity from a vaccination. And I really want to disavow this. It’s the immune system in either circumstance is responding to either a germ or the vaccine itself. What’s most important is that exposing children to infections and risking the consequences of serious disease, and in the worst circumstances, death, is not what any parent would want to do.disavow v. 否认，拒绝承认 VGS: Another question that young parents may have is if you give a child many vaccines at the same time, you might overwhelm their immune system. What would you say to that?KOB: (Q3) Children are exposed to, in fact, millions of different microbes in the natural environment around us, in their foods, in the environment, by touching things, in their own bodies. We all have, in fact, more microbes in our body than we do human cells. This is an important way that children’s immune systems develop. The issue is, how to allow children to develop immunity against those germs that are consequential, that are serious, that cause disease. So the point around the vaccines is, children’s immune systems are more than able to respond to multiple vaccines, given at the same time, and multiple doses that are given over the course of their lifetime. Although we perceive that they’re being given “a lot of vaccines” in fact, on a daily basis, children are being exposed and sampling that outside world of those microbes all the time. The immune system is an incredibly powerful system. It’s amazing the way that it matures and identifies which is friend and which is foe in the environment. And vaccines are the safest way to actually derive protection for children, adolescents and adults against the consequential germs.consequential adj. 重要的，意义重大的 VGS: Can parents maybe stagger the schedule? Give a little space? Would that still have the same impact that you are seeking in protecting the child?KOB: Yeah. So this seems like a common sense, logical thing to do. We have studies that tell us in what sequence the vaccines should be given, how many doses should be given and how far apart they should be. Now, when you mess around with that schedule, there are consequences of doing that. First, it means that children may miss the doses that they should get. Second, it means that they may not get the vaccines at the time when they most need them. (Q4) We time the schedule so that the protection is developed before the period of time when children are most at risk of the particular disease that the vaccine is protecting against. And third, there are some vaccines that need to be timed relative to other vaccines that are in the schedule. They don’t work as well if they’re timed incorrectly. So that’s the reason why we have pediatricians, scientists, epidemiologists who make the recommendations within each country for what the schedule should be.VGS: So WHO makes a recommendation, right? But who is deciding on what vaccinations a citizen receives?KOB: Countries are the ones who decide on their schedule. What WHO does is, because we’re a global recommending body, we pull together experts from around the world. We ask them to look at all of the evidence that is available and we provide recommendations to countries. They can rely on the aggregated evidence that we’ve put together, so they can also deliberate on what makes most sense for their particular circumstance.VGS: Thank you Kate. I have additional questions. I’m sure our viewers have additional questions. So we will take this in part two where we will answer some of your questions on vaccines. Until next time then, stay safe, stay healthy and stick with science.Part III. KEYQ1. B.【解析】细节题。根据“Smallpox being the only disease that the world, humanity, has eradicated.”， 此句明确指出天花是人类唯一消灭的疾病，因此正确答案为B。 Q2. C.【解析】细节题。根据“Some people think that getting infected is somehow more natural than it is to develop your immunity from a vaccination… It’s the immune system in either circumstance is responding to either a germ or the vaccine itself.”，该句说明无论是自然感染还是接种疫苗，免疫系统都会对外来病菌产生反应，因此正确答案为C。 Q3. A.【解析】推理题。根据“Children are exposed to, in fact, millions of different microbes in the natural environment around us, in their foods, in the environment, by touching things, in their own bodies.”，此处说明孩子在日常环境、食物、身体中时刻接触数百万微生物，免疫系统长期接触各类细菌，因此可以推断正确答案为A。 Q4. C.【解析】细节题。根据“We time the schedule so that the protection is developed before the period of time when children are most at risk of the particular disease that the vaccine is protecting against”，该句明确指出安排疫苗接种时间是为了在儿童高危阶段前建立防护，因此正确答案为C。 Q5. B.【解析】主旨题。文章主要围绕疫苗对儿童的重要性以及父母对疫苗的常见顾虑展开，专家逐一破除误区、解答疑惑，因此正确答案为B。 （本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

新闻听力 | 疫苗安全真相

The truth about vaccine safety疫苗安全真相常速 | 五级（中等）| 856词 | 5min41s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the interview and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. What is the main function of antigens in vaccines?A. To enhance the immune system’s response. B. To ensure the vaccine remains effective after opening. C. To preserve the vaccine during transport. D. To help the body recognize foreign germs. Q2. What is the main purpose of stabilizers in vaccines?A. To ensure vaccines remain effective during storage and transport. B. To boost the immune system’s response to germs. C. To allow vaccines to be administered in multiple doses. D. To enhance the body’s recognition of foreign invaders. Q3. What does the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety do?A. It develops new vaccines for global use. B. It monitors vaccine safety throughout their lifetime. C. It ensures vaccines meet all clinical trial standards. D. It issues reports on vaccine development progress. Q4. What can be inferred about the vaccine safety monitoring system?A. It relies solely on clinical trial data for safety evaluation. B. It prevents people from reporting unrelated issues. C. It identifies patterns from millions of submitted reports. D. It stops monitoring once vaccines are approved. Part II. TRANSCRIPTThe truth about vaccine safetyVGS: We are talking about vaccine today. This is part two of the vaccine series of Science in 5. In the first part, we spoke about some concerns that parents may have. (Q1) And in this video we are going to talk to our expert, Dr Kate O’Brien, about the ingredients of the vaccine. How do we make sure that vaccines are safe? Let’s start with the ingredients of the vaccine. There’s a lot of information and even misinformation out there. So please unpack this for us.KOB: So I want to just go through a couple of them because they have, you know, words and names that are pretty unfamiliar in our kind of day to day lives. And I think for a lot of people it can be concerning. For some it might sound a bit scary in some way. Many of the ingredients are actually components that we have in our environment, or in our foods. Not all the components of vaccines are foreign to our bodies or our exposure. So some of the ingredients include antigens. (Q2) Antigens are the part of a germ that is the actual part we want the body to develop its immunity to. It helps the immune system to actually recognize that foreign invader, that foreign germ that’s going to potentially cause disease. Second, are adjuvants. And adjuvants are the part of the vaccine that help boost the immune system. Not all vaccines will result in an adequate immune response without an adjuvant. The third part that’s added to a vaccine are maybe we can call them stabilizers. (Q3) And these are things that make sure that the vaccine is safe during transport and during all of the moving of the vaccine around. We also have, components of the vaccine that allow for some vaccines to be used after the vaccine vial is opened. If that’s made with multiple doses in a vial, it needs to be safe to keep that vaccine for multiple days in the refrigerator so that the next child who comes in can receive an additional dose in the vaccine.adjuvant n. 佐剂，助剂 vial n. 小瓶，药瓶 VGS: So let’s talk about the safety of the vaccine. That’s a concern a lot of parents may have. There is certainly a lot of information and misinformation about it outside. Talk to us about how we ensure that vaccines are safe. What is that process that vaccines are put through before they come to market?KOB: The very first thing that happens is that when a vaccine is being developed in the clinical trials, safety is monitored extremely carefully on a day to day basis, among those who have received the vaccine. There are phone calls made, logs filled out by parents about exactly what’s happening to this child. In order for a vaccine to go from a clinical trial to actually being an approved vaccine all of that safety information is rigorously evaluated, and it is assessed by experts who determine whether or not it needs safety standards. After a vaccine has been approved by a health authority the safety monitoring does not stop. In fact, safety monitoring goes out for the whole lifetime of use of a vaccine. It never actually stops. So health authorities are monitoring whether any reports are being given about potential problems with a vaccine. (Q4) Now at WHO, we have a safety committee. It’s an external committee of experts. And they get together and they review the reports that are submitted to the Global Monitoring Center. This is called the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety. And if a new safety issue comes up, we will issue a report around that safety issue.rigorously adv. 严厉地；严密地 VGS: So let’s talk about it when, there are concerns about the safety or there are concerns about a vaccine. What happens next?KOB: So what’s really important for people to understand is how this system works. It doesn’t mean anything to actually be telling the world how many reports came in, because you could submit a report about something that has absolutely nothing to do with the vaccine. That’s why the system is completely open, we don’t want to put any barriers up to people being able to report. What’s done with all of those reports is a careful review of them, especially in relation to which vaccines the report says were received and to see if there are any patterns that start to emerge in the reports. (Q5) If there starts to be a signal that comes up from those many, many, in fact, millions of reports that are sent in, we look into that signal specifically with the kinds of studies that will determine, is this something that is actually related to the vaccine or not related to the vaccine?VGS: Thank you Kate for explaining that. Those were some of the questions that we knew people had about vaccines. If you have more questions, put that on our timelines and tell us if you want us to continue explaining, clarifying any of your concerns about vaccines. Until next time then, stay safe, stay healthy and stick with science.Part III. KEYQ1. D.【解析】细节题。根据“Antigens are the part of a germ that is the actual part we want the body to develop its immunity to. It helps the immune system to actually recognize that foreign invader, that foreign germ that’s going to potentially cause disease.”，可知抗原的功能是帮助免疫系统识别外来病原体，因此正确答案是D。 Q2. A.【解析】细节题。根据“And these are things that make sure that the vaccine is safe during transport and during all of the moving of the vaccine around.”，可知稳定剂的主要功能是确保疫苗在运输和移动过程中保持安全有效。因此正确答案是A。 Q3. B.【解析】细节题。根据“And they get together and they review the reports that are submitted to the Global Monitoring Center. This is called the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety. And if a new safety issue comes up, we will issue a report around that safety issue.”，可知世卫组织的全球疫苗安全咨询委员会负责监控疫苗的安全性，并在发现新的安全问题时发布相关报告，也就是说该委员会的职责是全程监控疫苗的安全性，因此正确答案是B。 Q4. C.【解析】推理题。根据“If there starts to be a signal that comes up from those many, many, in fact, millions of reports that are sent in, we look into that signal specifically with the kinds of studies that will determine, is this something that is actually related to the vaccine or not related to the vaccine.”，可知如果从那些实际上提交的数百万份报告中开始出现一个信号，监控系统会专门通过研究来分析该信号，以确定它是否与疫苗相关。这表明监控系统通过分析大量报告来识别潜在问题，因此正确答案是C。 （本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

新闻听力 | 演奏音乐有益大脑吗？

演奏音乐有益大脑吗？Is playing music good for the brain?常速 | 四级 | 605词 | 4min20s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. Why is making music considered a mental workout?A. It strengthens emotional control.B. It improves social communication skills.C. It requires the brain to coordinate several abilities. D. It mainly trains long-term memory.Q2. What benefit did studies find among professional musicians?A. They have more grey matter in some brain regions. B. They seldom have memory problems as they age. C. They can compose music much faster than others. D. They have larger brains overall.Q3. What is one possible advantage for children who begin instrument lessons young? A. They are more likely to speak a second language without an accent. B. The communication between their brain’s two hemispheres can be better. C. They will get higher scores in all school subjects. D. They can remember new words much faster than peers.Q4. What can we infer about music activities and cognitive abilities? A. Brass players usually outperform piano players in problem-solving tasks. B. Different kinds of music activities may lead to different cognitive strengths. C. Singers are generally weaker at planning tasks than woodwind players. D. Learning more instruments will bring greater improvements to memory.Q5. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Musical ability depends largely on genetics.B. Listening to music is better than playing instruments.C. Only professional musicians gain cognitive advantages.D. Music practice may benefit the brain in many ways.Part II. TRANSCRIPTIs Playing Music Good for Your Brain?Can playing music make your brain work better? Research suggests that it can, and you don’t have to be a professional musician to enjoy the benefits.(Q1) Playing a musical instrument is like a workout for the brain. When you play music, your brain has to do several things at the same time. You need to listen carefully, read notes, control your fingers, and keep your attention on what you are doing. You may also need to remember a piece of music and express your feelings through it. All these activities give your brain a lot of practice.(Q2) Studies have found that professional musicians have more grey matter in certain parts of the brain than people who do not play music. Grey matter is important for thinking, movement, and memory. Other research suggests that musicians may also have better memory and be better at planning and solving problems. However, scientists are still studying these effects, so more research is needed to understand them fully.gray matter （脑的）灰质，中枢神经系统的重要组成部分Music may be especially helpful for children. (Q3) Studies suggest that children who start learning an instrument at an early age may develop stronger connections between the two sides of their brains. Learning music may also help children learn a second language and improve their ability to understand information without using words. These skills can be useful both in school and in everyday life.But what about people who start learning music when they are older? The good news is that it may still be beneficial. As people age, their memory and thinking skills can become weaker. However, some studies have found that older adults who continue to learn and practice an instrument may experience less decline in certain mental abilities. Other research has linked regular music practice with a lower risk of developing dementia, a condition that affects memory and thinking. Scientists do not yet know whether playing music directly protects the brain or whether people with better brain health are simply more likely to continue playing.(Q4) The type of music activity may also make a difference. One study of older adults found that people who played the piano or brass instruments tended to have better working memory. Working memory helps us keep information in mind while using it. People who played woodwind instruments performed better on some tasks involving planning and problem-solving, while singers did better on tests of verbal reasoning. However, playing several instruments did not necessarily bring extra benefits.Music can also improve how we feel. When we play an instrument, the brain’s reward system becomes active, helping us feel pleasure. The body may also release chemicals called endorphins, which can help reduce pain and make us feel good. In addition, playing music with other people, such as in a band or choir, can reduce stress and help people build friendships.endorphin n. 内啡肽（一种体内生成的化学物质，能止痛并让人产生快感）What if you cannot play an instrument? Simply listening to music may also be good for your brain. A recent study found that older adults who regularly listened to music had a lower risk of cognitive decline than those who did not listen regularly. Cognitive decline means a gradual loss of memory and other thinking abilities. However, this study could not prove that listening to music was the reason for the difference.(Q5) Overall, research suggests that music can benefit the brain in several ways. It may help us improve our memory, develop thinking skills, manage stress, and stay mentally active as we grow older. You do not need to become a musical genius to enjoy these benefits. The key is to make music a regular part of your life, whether you play an instrument, sing, or simply listen.Part III. KEYQ1. C.【解析】细节题。题目出处为：“When you play music, your brain has to do several things at the same time. You need to listen carefully, read notes, control your fingers, ... All these activities give your brain a lot of practice.” 意为：“演奏音乐时，大脑必须同时进行多项活动，需要我们认真听，看谱，控制手指……所有这些活动会使我们的大脑得到大量训练。”因此，演奏音乐是一种脑力活动。正确答案为C。Q2. A.【解析】细节题。题目出处为：“Studies have found that professional musicians have more grey matter in certain parts of the brain than people who do not play music. Grey matter is important for thinking, movement, and memory. ” 意为：“研究发现，职业音乐家大脑某些区域的灰质比不演奏音乐的人更多。灰质对于控制思维、运动、和记忆十分重要。”因此正确答案为A。Q3. B.【解析】推理题。题目出处为：“Studies suggest that children who start learning an instrument at an early age may develop stronger connections between the two sides of their brains.” 意为：“研究表明，早早开始学习乐器的孩子，大脑左右半球之间会形成更强的联结。”因此正确答案为B，意为这些孩子大脑左右半球之间的联结会更佳，为同义表述。Q4. B.【解析】推断题。题目出处：“The type of music activity may also make a difference. One study of older adults found that people who played the piano or brass instruments tended to have better working memory. … People who played woodwind instruments performed better on some tasks involving planning and problem-solving, while singers did better on tests of verbal reasoning.” 意为：“不同类型的音乐活动，带来的益处也会有所差异。一项针对老年人的研究发现，常演奏钢琴或铜管乐器的长者，其工作记忆能力往往更强……演奏木管乐器的人在涉及规划与问题解决的任务中表现更优，而歌手则在言语推理测试中更具优势。”由此可推断，不同类型的音乐活动可能带来不同的认知优势。因此正确答案为 B。Q5. D.【解析】主旨题。题目出处为：“Overall, research suggests that music can benefit the brain in several ways. It may help us improve our memory, develop thinking skills, manage stress, and stay mentally active as we grow older.” 意为：“总体而言，研究表明音乐能从多个方面为大脑带来益处。它可能有助于我们改善记忆力，锻炼思维能力，调节压力，并在年岁渐长时保持思维活跃。”该句概括了全文的核心观点，因此正确答案为D。（本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有)

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