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2007Text 2
For the past several years, the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade has featured a column called “Ask Marilyn.” People are invited to query Marilyn vos Savant, who at age 10 had tested at a mental level of someone about 23 years old; that gave her an IQ of 228 – the highest score ever recorded. IQ tests ask you to complete verbal and visual analogies, to envision paper after it has been folded and cut, and to deduce numerical sequences, among other similar tasks. So it is a bit confusing when vos Savant fields such queries from the average Joe (whose IQ is 100) as, What’s the difference between love and fondness? Or what is the nature of luck and coincidence? It’s not obvious how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns suits one to answer questions that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers.
Clearly, intelligence encompasses more than a score on a test. Just what does it mean to be smart? How much of intelligence can be specified, and how much can we learn about it from neurology, genetics, computer science and other fields?
The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ score, even though IQ tests are not given as often as they used to be. The test comes primarily in two forms: the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales (both come in adult and children’s version). Generally costing several hundred dollars, they are usually given only by psychologists, although variations of them populate bookstores and the World Wide Web. Superhigh scores like vos Savant’s are no longer possible, because scoring is now based on a statistical population distribution among age peers, rather than simply dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100. Other standardized tests, such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), capture the main aspects of IQ tests.
Such standardized tests may not assess all the important elements necessary to succeed in school and in life, argues Robert J. Sternberg. In his article “How Intelligent Is Intelligence Testing?”, Sternberg notes that traditional test best assess analytical and verbal skills but fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge, components also critical to problem solving and life success. Moreover, IQ tests do not necessarily predict so well once populations or situations change. Research has found that IQ predicted leadership skills when the tests were given under low-stress conditions, but under high-stress conditions, IQ was negatively correlated with leadership – that is, it predicted the opposite. Anyone who has toiled through SAT will testify that test-taking skill also matters, whether it’s knowing when to guess or what questions to skip. supplement （n）补充（物），补遗，增补（物）；增刊，副刊（v）增补，补充，增加 parade （n）（军队等的）检阅，阅兵场；（庆祝）游行；公共广场，在广场漫步的人群；陈列，展览，炫示，夸耀（v）在…游行，在…散布；使（军队等）集队行进（以受检阅或操练）；夸耀，标榜 column （n）柱，石柱，圆柱；柱状物；书页上狭长的直栏，栏；（报刊中的）专栏；[军纵队，小分队 invite （v）邀请；征求；招致 query （n）问题，质问，询问，提问；问号（v）询问，讯问，审问；表示怀疑 mental （a）精神的，思想的，内心的；脑力的，智力的；精神病的；治疗精神病的 verbal （a）词语的，言语的，字句的，关于词语的；口头的，非书面的；逐字的，照字面的；动词的，动词性质的，由动词形成的，用以构成动词的（n）动词的非谓语形式 verbally（ad） visual （a）看的，视觉的，视力的；看得见的 visually（ad） analogy （n）比喻，相似，类似 envision （v）想象，展望 deduce （v）演绎，推断 numerical （a）数字的，用断字表示的，数值的 numerically（ad） sequence （n）连续，继续，先后；次序，顺序；一连串 confuse （v）使混乱，使混淆，使糊涂；把…混同，混淆 confusedly（ad） fond （a）亲切的；珍爱的 fondly（ad） fondness（n） coincidence （n）巧合，巧合的事物；符合，一致 visualize （v）设想，想象 figure （n）外形，轮廓，体形；插图，图表；图案；人物，形象；数字；[复算数，计算；价格，价钱；舞步，（滑冰）花式；修辞格（v）算出，计算；[口估计，相信；用图案装饰；与…有关系 elude （v）（巧妙地）逃避，解释；使不理解，难道 intelligence （n）智力，理解力；消息，情报；秘密情报（机构） encompass （v）围绕，包围 specify （v）具体制定，详细说明；特别要求，指定要求 neurology （n）[医神经病学 neurologist（n）…学家 variation （n）变化，变动，变更；变量；变奏（曲） statistical （a）统计学的，统计的 statistically（ad） chronological （a）按时间顺序的，按年代先后的；年代学的 chronologically（ad） multiply （v）增加，增多；[数乘，使相乘 capture （v）捕获，俘获，赢得，引起注意（n）捕获，夺得；夺得，占领 assess （v）对财产进行估价（作为征税根据）；确定（税款，罚款等）的金额；征收（税款，罚款等） component （n）组成部分，成分（a）组成的，合成的 correlate （v）联系，连接 testify （v）证明，证实，[法（宣誓）作证；声明，表明 skip （v）跳，蹦；跳过；使（石片等）跳跃着擦过水面；略过，遗漏；故意略去，有意不出席；匆匆离开，悄悄离开（n）轻跳，边走边跳；跳过，漏过，略过 skipper（n） 2007Text 3
During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback – a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This “added-worker effect” could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen – and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent – and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance – have jumped eightfold in just one generation.
From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind. count⒈ （v）点，数，从一数到…；计算；算（入）；认为；重要的，有（考虑的）价值（n）计算，合计；[法]（被控告的一条）罪状 count⒉ （n）（某些西方国家的）伯爵 secure （a）安全的，可靠地；无忧虑的，无恐惧的，安心的；牢固的，牢靠的；有把握的，确定无疑的（v）使安全，掩护；关紧，把…弄牢；保证；为（借款）等作保；获得，替…弄到 securely（ad） diagnosis （n）[医]诊断；[法]调查分析，判断；判断分析后的决定，观点 diagnoses（复） disappear （v）不见，消失 disappearance（n） spouse （n）配偶（v）和…结婚 reduce （v）减少，减小；减肥；使降级，使降职；使化为，使变为；降服，攻陷 reducer（n） reducible（a） solid （a）固体的；实心的；立体的；坚固的，结实的，靠得住的，站得住脚的；严肃的，深入的；完整的，无缝隙的，整体的；纯质的，（颜色）同一的；团结一致的（n）固体，立体图形 solidly（ad） policy⒈ （n）政策，方针，规定；策（性），贤明（性），精明的行为，权谋 policy⒉ （n）保险单 stripe （n）条纹，条状物；（皮肤上的）鞭痕，伤痕，道子；（人的）类型（v）划上条纹，使有条纹 paycheck （n）付薪水的支票，新律 status （n）（重要）地位，身份；情况，状况，状态 parachute （n）降落伞（v）用降落伞投送，伞投 parachutist跳伞者，伞兵 setback （n）挫折，失败，倒退；（疾病的）复发；逆流，涡流；[建]外墙缩进，外墙逐层收进的高楼 effect （n）结果，影响；作用，效果，效应；印象，外观；[复]财物，动产（n）产生，引起 unemployment （n）失业，失业状态；失业人数 insurance （n）保险；保险单；保险费；保险额；保险业 weather （n）天气（v）度过；经受风吹雨打，经受日晒夜露（a）上风的，迎风的 disrupt （v）分裂，瓦解，使混乱，破坏 disruption（n） fortune （n）命运，运气；某人未来的命运；好运，成功；一大笔钱，财富 otherwise （ad）另外，别样；在其他方面；要不然，否则（a）另外的，不那样的 period （n）时期，时代，期间；学时，课时（比赛的）一节时间；句号，句点；结束，终止 absorb （v）吸；吞并，合并，同化；吸引（注意），使（精神）贯注；吸收；（无反冲地）承受 retire （v）退休，退职，退役；使隐退（或退休等）；退下，离开，去；[正式用语]就寝；（战斗中）退却，撤退；收回（纸币等），付清（证券等的本息） retirement（n） rate⒈ （n）比率，率；价格，费用；速度；等级（v）对…估价，对…评价；认为；[口]值得，应得 rate⒉ （v）挑剔，斥骂，斥责 fluctuate （v）起伏，波动，动摇 fluctuation（n） harsh （a）粗糙的，刺耳的；严厉的，苛刻的 harshly（ad） harshness（n） outlive （v）比…活得长，比（某物）经久；渡过…而存在，经受住 security （n）安全，安全感；使免遭危险的东西，保护物；抵押品，保证金；[复]证券，有价证券 retiree （n）退休人员 guarantee （n）担保；保证；担保物，抵押品；保证人，担保人（v）担保；许诺，保证 absolute （a）绝对的，完全的；纯粹的；无限制的，专制的；确实的；真实的 absolutely（ad） healthcare 保健 fashionable （a）流行的，时髦的 fashionable（ad） deductible （a）可扣除的，可减免的（n）（保险）扣除条款 demographic （a）人口统计学的 elderly （a）上了年纪的 attendant （a）在场的；护理的；伴随的，附随的（n）随从，服务员，侍者 assistance （n）帮助，援助 eightfold （a/ad）八倍的（地） perspective （n）远景，前景，展望，前途，景象；透视，透视画法，透视图；观点，看法；正确观察事物相互关系的能力，眼力；事物相互关系的外观，整体与各个部分的比例（或关系） responsibility （n）责任，负责状态；职责，任务，义务 acceleration （n）加速，促进；[物]加速度 wholesale （n）批发（a）批发的，成批售出的；大批的，大规模的（v）成批售出 wholesaler（n） overburden （v）使装载过多，使负担过重，使过劳，压垂 fallout （n）（发射性尘粒的）回降，沉降；放射性坠尘
好了 废话不说~之前的在我之前开的那个帖子上 因为发不了新的单词 更换到这个帖子来发 | 
发表于 2012-7-15 10:21
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