英語口語期末考試內(nèi)容

Topicsfororaltest(/09---/01)

1.Pleasesharewithyourgroupmembersyourfavoriteathlete(athome/abroad).Nowadays,starathleteshavenotonlyacquiredfamebutalsomadealotofmoney.Doyouthinkstarathletesreallydeservewhattheyget?

Tomanypeople,MichaelJordanappearsasthoughhecanactuallytakeflight.Fromhisfamousbasketshotsthatearnedhimthenickname“Air”Jordan,tothemillionsoffanswhoemulatehim,MichaelJordantranscendedthesportofbasketballtobecomeoneofthe20thcentury’sgreatestglobalicons.

TheforcethatshapedMichael’sextraordinarytalentbeganatanearlyage.MichaelJordanbegantogrowmuchtallerthananyoneelseinhisfamilyandmostpeopleingeneralinhislatehighschoolyears.Hebegantoexcelatbasketball.Michaelhadtouseeveryounceofhistalentandpushhimselfharderthanevertowin.HecompletelyandquicklytookovertheBulls.Hisrisebroughtadmirationforhismovesoncourtandscoringability,butitwasn’tuntiltheBullsstartedtowin,andwinbig,thathisbasketballgeniuswastrulyappreciated.MichaelledtheBullstothreeWorldChampionshipsin1991,1992and1993beforeheannouncedhisfirstretirement.TheworldapplaudedwhenMichaelreturnedtotheNBAinMarch1995,itistimeforacomeback.Hewasnamedtheleague’sMVPforthe4thtimeandbroughttheteamtotheir4thWorldChampionshipsinsixyears.Hewasrewardedwiththelargestone-yearcontractinthehistoryofprofessionalsports.Hehadbecomeoneofthemosthighprofilecelebritiesontheplanet.

Whilesomeathletesplaybeyondtheirbestyearsforfinancialreasons,MichaelwasmovingfromonelucrativecareertoanotherasCEOofhisJORDANbrand.HeexpandedhisJORDANclothinglinefrombasketballgeartolifestylewear.ButMichael’sreallegacyisthatheshowedthattruegreatnesscomesfromwithin.Hewasawareofhissuccess,butheneverstoppedtryingtobebetter.AssuperstarMagicJohnsonsaid,“There’sMichael,thenthere’salltherestofus.”

2.What’syouropinionaboutadvertising?Canwelivewithoutads?Why?

Everyday,itiseasytoseeadvertisementsallaroundus.Lookaround.Howmanydifferentadvertisementscanyousee?

Withthedevelopmentofmaterialprosperity,advertisementshavebecomemoreandmoreimportantinourdailylife.Advertisementsgivelatestinformationaboutproducts.Iftherewerenoadvertising,consumerscouldnotknowaboutgoodsintheirlocalshops.Advertisinghelpsselltoabiggermarket.Therefore,asmoregoodsaresoldtheyarecheaper.Advertisementsalsoprovidemoneyfornewspapers,magazines,radiosandTVstations,etc..

However,wecannotbelittlethedisadvantagesoftheads.

①Tomanyadsdospoilourdailylifeandwasteourtime.TheyinterrupttheTVprograms,fillingourletterbox,andruinourappreciationofnatureinplaceofinterests.Peopleoftenfeelburdenedwiththeadsinsteadofsatisfyingwiththem.

②Ontheotherhand,someoftheadsareillegal,spreadingfalseinformationandplanningtotreatpeoplewhoareeagertosolvetheirproblems.

It’shightimewetookurgentandeffectivemeasurestocurbthisphenomenon.

①Firstly,weshouldintensifytheeffectstosupervisetheadsmarkets.②Secondly,whoevertakesadvantageofadstreatingconsumersshouldbepunishedorimprisoned.③Thirdly,weshouldeducatepeopletoabidebythelawandgiveprioritiestohonestyandcredit.Onlywhenputtingthesemeasuresintopractice,willoursocietybepurifiedintoaparadiseforustolivein。

3.What’sthepurposeofholidays?Andwhatdopeopledoonholidays?

Indeedalongtimebeforethesummer,peoplebegintothinkofholidays.Usuallyparentsschedulethreeorfourweeksleaveinsummertoenjoyitwiththefamily.HolidaysaresimplyindispensabletoEuropeans.Two-thirdsofallBritishpeoplehavetheirholidaysinJulyandAugust,whicharethemostpopularmonthsforholidays.EnglishschoolchildrenareonholidayfromtheendofJulytothebeginningofSeptember.ThetraditionalBritishholidayisaseasideholiday.ChildrenusedtowatchaPunchandJudyshowandridedonkeysalongabeach.ManyBritishpeoplespendmuchoftheirfreetimeduringthesummermonthsdownbythesea.Childrenenjoyswimmingintheseaandbuildingsandcastles.EuropeisthemostpopulardestinationforUKresidents,accountingfor80percentsofvisitsabroad.Spainhasbeenthemostpopularcountrytovisitsince1994,with13.8millionvisitsin.Francewassecondinpopularity,with11.1millionvisits.

DuetomyearlierlifeinChina,IfounditdifficulttounderstandEuropean’sattitudetoholidaysandtheimportanceofleave.Inmyeyes,holidaymeantwasteoftimeandlaziness.IfeltguiltyinapplyingforaholidayorifIaccomplishednotingduringanimposedholiday.Buthardworkenabledmetosurvivethemostdifficulttimeinmylifeabroad,duringmyfirstfewemployments.Holidaycanproduceromance.

NowadaysmyworkingcompatriotsinChinaenjoylongweekendsaswellasthreeweekspaidleave.NeverthelessmyfamilyexperienceinChinaandinEuropehasmademeunderstandnowworkisnotmywholelifeandthefamilyisalsoveryimportant.Itisimportantforallofustostrikeaproperbalancebetweenworkandleisure.

IlovetolearnaboutthecultureandtraditionsofthecountriesthatIvisit.Iliketovisitallthesitesbutalsogetofftheusualtouristtrail.IenjoycampingandhavecampedinSpainandItaly.IlikebeachesbutnottolieonalldayIwouldgetboredafterhalfanhour.Iliketoexploreandlearnnewthingsandmeetnewpeople.

4.Whatdoyouknowaboutcriticalperiodtheory?Doadultsandchildrenlearnalanguagedifferentlyorinthesameway?Trytoexplainwithexamplesthereisa(isn’tany)criticalperiodforlearningaskill.

Thecriticalperiodisatheorythatexplainswhyitiseasierforchildrentolearnlanguagesthanforadults.Theideaofacriticalperiodcomesfromthestudyofanimals.Wesaythatthere’sacriticalperiodwhentheanimalcanlearnanewthings.Takesongbirdsforexample.Asongbirdlearnstosingthefirstfewmonthsafterit’sbornbylisteningtoitsparent’ssongandrepeatingit.Thebirdcanonlylearntodothiswhenit’sababy.Anadultbirdcannotlearntosing.So,ifyouremovethebabybirdfromitsparentsthebirdjustwon’tlearntosingwhenit’solder.Sothereisaperfectexampleofacriticalperiod.

Onetheoryisthatthereisacriticalperiodforlanguagelearning.Thetheoryisthatpeople’sbrainschangewhenthey’readolescentsandthesechangesmakeitmoredifficultforadultstolearnanewlanguagethanforchildren.Thereisevidenceforlearningtospeakwithanativeaccent.Somehowchildrencanhearthedifferentsoundsbetter,andtheirmouthmusclescanmakethenewsounds.Butgenerally,adultswholearnanewlanguageafteradolescencespeakwithaforeignaccent.Theyneverlearntospeakwithanativeaccent,nomatterhowhardtheytry.Sowecanconcludethatthereiscriticalperiodwhenbothanimalsandhumanscanlearncertainthings.

5.IsTVanessentialpartinourdailylife?Why?DoyouagreethatTVbringssomeproblemstoourlife?ThenwhatproblemscouldwehavewithwatchingTV?

TVhasahugeimpactonchildren,kidstodaywatchalotofTV.IntheUSA,almostallfamilieshaveaTV,manyfamilieshavemorethanoneTV.It’saboutthreeorfourhoursofTVeverydayoralmostoftimethatkidsspendinschooleachyear,about900hours,andyoucanseethatTVmusthaveabigimpact.

ToassesshowmuchviolenceisonTV,researchhasfocusedoncountingthenumberofactsofviolenceonTVinanaverageday.Nowthisincludesanyactthatcouldhurtorkillpeopleinreallife.Surprisinglycartoonsforchildrenhavethemostviolencemorethanmanyshowsforadults.First,we’llfocusonsomeimmediateeffectsofwatchingTVviolence,whathappensimmediatelyafterachildwatchessomethingviolentonTV.AnotherwaytoassesstheeffectsofTVviolenceonchildrenistofocusonthelong-termeffects,whathappensmanyyearsachildwatchesviolentTV.TheresearchersfoundthatchildrenwhowatchedalotofviolentTVatageeightweremoreviolentatageeighteen.ChildrenwhowatchedlessviolentTVwerelessviolentTVatageeighteen.SothisstudysuggeststhatthereisalinkbetweenTVviolenceandrealviolencethatwatchingviolentTVhaslong-termimpactonthesekids.

6.Whatisgeneticallymodifiedfood?DoweneedGMfood?WhatdoyouthinkofGMfood?

Geneticallymodifiedfoodisfoodthathasbeenalteredinthelaboratorybyscientists.Thescientiststakesomethingfromoneplantoranimal;addittoadifferentplantoranimaltomakeitgrowinadifferentway.

Wewilllookatsomeofthebenefitsandthepossiblerisksofgeneticallymodifiedfood.Onebenefitisthatgeneticallymodifiedplantsmayneedfewerpesticidesthannormalplants.Sobyusingfewerpesticides,thecropsarecheaperandtheenvironmentsarecleaner.Anotherbenefitofgeneticallymodifiedplantsisthattheymaygrowbetterthannormalplants.Finally,athirdbenefitisthatmanygeneticallymodifiedplantsstayfreshlongeraftertheyareharvested.

Oneriskisthatgeneticallymodifiedplantsmaystarttodominatetheotherwildplantsintheenvironment.Anotherriskisthatgeneticallymodifiedplantswillhurtwildanimalsandinsectsintheenvironment.Themostimportantriskisthatgeneticallymodifiedfoodmaybeharmfultothepeoplewhoconsumethefood.

Soit’sclearthattherearesomeimportantbenefitstogeneticallymodifiedfoodbutalsosomerisks.Thereforelet’sstophereanddiscussanyquestionsyouhaveatthispoint.

7.Howimportantisnegotiationinourlifeandwork?Canyoutalkaboutanyofyournegotiatingexperience?Whattechniquesdidyouusetonegotiate?Whatwastheresult?

Oneofthemostdifficultissuesinnegotiationiswhenonesideblamestheotherforsomething.Whenonesidefeelsthattheotherdidsomethingwrongorcausedtheconflictinsomeway.Let’sstartwithanexample.Let’ssaythatyouarehavingaconflictwithaco-worker.Nowmyco-workerJoeandIareworkingonaprojecttogether.ButJoedidn’tfinishhisworkontime.Andbecauseofthis,Icouldn’tfinishmyworkontimeeither.Weneedtogivetheprojecttoourboss,butit’snotready.Thebossisangry,IblameJoeforthisproblem.Joeisangry,theproblemwillbeworse.

SonowIwillintroduceatechniqueyoucanusetoavoidblamingsomeone.Thistechniqueiscalled“using‘I’statements.”Whatyoudois,youstartsentenceswiththeword“I.”Saysomethinglike“Iamupsetaboutthisproblem.”Withthis“I”statement,youavoidblamingtheotherperson.Youareexplaininghowyoufeel,howtheproblemaffectyou.

Whenanegotiationdoesn’twork,theproblemisnottheissuesinthenegotiation,mostproblemscanbesolvedwithenoughtimeandcommunication.Problemsarecausedbythewaythepeopleonbothsidesfeelaboutthenegotiation.Soyouneedtoavoidanythingthatwillmakepeoplefeelangryorupset.Andusing“I”statementsisonewaytodevelopthat.

8.Whatdoyouknowaboutsleepdisorder?Whatisinsomnia?Whatareitssymptoms?Howcanweimproveoursleeping?

Let’sstartwiththeproblemofsleepdeprivation.Manypeopledon’trecognizethatthisisaserioushealthproblem.However,todaymoreandmoredoctorsarebecomingworriedaboutit.

Whatarethecausesofsleepdeprivation?Youmaybesurprisedtolearnthatourmodernlifestyleandmoderntechnology.Everyoneneedsacertainamountofsleep,ourbodiesrequireacertainamountofsleeptofunctionwell.Nowmostpeoplerequireaminimumof8hoursofsleepeachnight.

Whataretheeffectsofsleepdeprivation?Themostcommoneffectissleeplessduringtheday.Ifyougetallthesleepyouneed,youwon’tfeelsleepyduringthosetimes.Oneconsequenceofthisismistakesatwork.Withoutenoughsleep,wedon’tfunctionwell,wedon’thaveenoughenergyandwecan’talwaysthinkveryclearly.Anotherconsequenceofsleepdeprivationiscaraccidents.Soweneedtorecognizethatsleepdeprivationisaseriousproblem.Weneedtofindoutwhatcreatestheproblemandfigureoutawaytochangeoursleephabits,toeducatepeopleaboutgettingmoresleep,atleast8hours.

9.Howdoyoudecidewhatisrightandwrong?Doyouthinkpersonalfeelings,religiousteachings,thelaw;ethicalstandardscontributetoourdecision?

Ethicsaretheruleswefollowtodecidewhatisrightandwhatiswrong.We’llusetheseethnicalprinciplestoanalyzeasituationandjustifyourdecisionaboutwhattodo.We’lllookatitfromtheprincipleof“individualrights”andtheprincipleof“commongood.”

ThesourceofindividualrightsisthewritingofKant,hebelievedthatourmostimportantrightashumanisourabilitytothinkandmakedecisions.Sothat’showwecandefinetheprincipleofindividualrights—torespectotherpeople’srighttothinkandmakedecisions.Commongoodbasicallymeanschoosingwhateverisgoodformostpeople.ThisprinciplesaysthatitisOKtohurtsomepeoplesometimebutonlyifthesameactionhelpsmorepeople.Sobasically,theprincipleofcommongoodmeansthat,tobeethnical,weshouldchoosetheactionthathelpsthemostpeopleandhurtsthefewestpeople.

Sofollowingtheprincipleofindividualrights,thelieisnotethical.Followingtheprincipleofcommongood,thefriendcanjustifythelietothedyingwoman.Onepersonwillbehurt,butmanypeoplewillbehelped.

10.Talkaboutnames,naming,good/badnames(Dopeoplecareabouttheirnames?Howdopeopletendtonametheirchildren?Doyoulikeyourname?)

Namesareaculturaluniversal,thismeanseve