英语专业八级Mini Lecture 8

[00:23.83]Test Eight [00:24.81]SECTION A MINI-LECTURE [00:26.67]In this section, [00:28.31]you will hear a mini-lecture. [00:30.06]You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. [00:32.47]While listening, take notes on the important points. [00:35.97]Your notes will not be marked, [00:38.04]but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. [00:42.31]When the lecture is over, [00:44.83]you’ll be given two minutes to check your notes, [00:46.91]and another 10 minutes to complete the gap-filling task. [00:49.86]Now listen to the mini-lecture. [00:52.48]Seven Types of Evidence [00:55.54]Good morning. [00:56.75]Today we will talk about how to use evidence in writing. [01:01.02]In much of your college writing, [01:03.42]you will try to persuade your readers to see things your way. [01:07.79]Without good evidence to support your ideas, [01:11.29]you will hardly persuade anyone of anything. [01:14.14]So today we’ll look at seven kinds of evidence [01:18.62]that are widely used in argumentative writing. [01:21.90]The first type of evidence is expert testimony. [01:26.38]An expert is someone who has special skill and knowledge [01:30.65]based on careful study and wide experience in a certain area. [01:35.47]More than that, an expert has tested his or her skill [01:40.06]and knowledge in a public forum. [01:41.92]Once your opinion is firm, [01:45.20]you can use expert testimony to support it. [01:48.05]To use expert testimony wisely, [01:50.56]you need to be both respectful and critical. [01:54.06]You will need to differentiate among three kinds of evidence [01:58.32]that experts provide: [01:59.96]facts, informed opinions, and speculations. [02:03.90]Generally, you can use facts and informed opinions, [02:07.95]but must be cautious with speculations. [02:11.23]This is because speculations are just what one person thinks is plausible, [02:17.47]so they should be treated as something that could be true. [02:21.18]The second type of evidence is statistics. [02:25.34]Statistics are numerical data gathered and tabulated to yield information. [02:31.03]Whether they are raw data [02:33.76]or translated into charts and figures, [02:36.39]numbers are powerful evidence. [02:38.79]If they are properly used, [02:40.76]data can prove a claim rapidly and conclusively. [02:44.92]When a survey shows that 95 per cent of senior students [02:49.95]are satisfied with the courses they have taken at a university, [02:54.21]we can persuade readers that the university is a good one. [02:58.04]But you must be careful with numbers. [03:01.11]Only when the data are valid, [03:03.62]accurate and up to date can they really support your point. [03:07.77]So when you want to use data, [03:10.29]examine carefully before putting them down in your article. [03:13.79]Next comes the third evidence, examples. [03:18.17]Every day you use examples as evidence for your claims. [03:22.65]You might write to your parents, [03:24.95]“Sorry I haven’t written much [03:26.92]but I’ve been very busy. [03:28.66]I spent last week in the library, [03:30.85]bent over the books studying for two midterms.” [03:34.24]In this case, you establish your claim and back it up with a specific example. [03:40.26]Examples serve three purposes. [03:43.98]First, they clarify meaning. [03:46.49]Your parents may not know exactly [03:48.90]what you mean by busy until you show them. [03:52.07]Second, examples demonstrate why, [03:55.46]at least in one instance, [03:57.10]you are justified in making your claim. [03:59.95]Studying for two midterms does sound like being busy. [04:04.65]Third, examples make for entertaining reading. [04:08.48]Abstractions are dry. [04:10.89]Claiming that you are busy isn’t very interesting. [04:14.16]But the image of you bent intently over a book probably pleases your parents, [04:20.62]who may now forgive you for not writing. [04:23.13]The fourth type of evidence is personal experience. [04:27.62]If we actually experience something directly, [04:31.01]we don’t need experts or statistics to back us up. [04:34.95]Although we know that our experience is not totally reliable, [04:39.65]we trust our senses and our ability to understand our personal experience. [04:44.90]And in some cases, [04:47.42]our own experience can persuade readers to accept our statement. [04:51.57]In complex matters, [04:53.98]however, be aware of jumping to conclusions based on limited personal experience. [04:59.77]Your experience may help to explain, [05:03.05]but it cannot prove a more general thesis. [05:06.56]Knowing someone who cheats on her income tax does not prove [05:11.04]that the problem with income tax cheaters is pervasive. [05:14.98]Even if you know five or ten or twenty cheaters, [05:19.24]all that proves is that you are unlucky in your acquaintances. [05:23.73]For such a complex subject, you need more than personal experience. [05:28.43]You need statistics and expert interpretation. [05:31.93]Analogy is the fifth type of evidence on our list. [05:36.63]An analogy is a comparison of apparently dissimilar things, [05:41.67]and its purpose is to illuminate one thing [05:44.95]by showing how it is like and not like the other. [05:48.55]If well used, [05:50.53]an analogy can make an abstract, unfamiliar topic easy to understand. [05:55.67]For example, if a writer wants to directly persuade readers [06:00.58]that it is our work that determines our social role, [06:04.08]he would face a tough task. [06:06.05]But analogy can help him out. [06:08.68]Here is his analogy: [06:10.43]Human beings in a society are like the bees in a hive. [06:15.35]Each person’s identity is determined by his or her place in the overall system. [06:21.81]Like drones,no one has any identity but the work he or she does. [06:27.82]And if one doesn’t work, [06:29.68]he will be kicked out of the society just like a drone out of the hive. [06:34.60]However, analogies should be used with caution. [06:39.08]To the extent that analogies make a point easy to see, [06:43.02]they are evidence. [06:44.56]But they don’t prove the point [06:46.89]—they can never be sufficient evidence for a complex idea. [06:50.82]After analogy, let’s look at the next type of evidence, known facts. [06:57.17]When writing, you can safely assume [07:00.01]that you and your readers share a vast body of facts and beliefs. [07:04.72]You don’t need to point out Columbus arrived in America in 1492, [07:10.51]or that China has a history as long as 5,000 years. [07:14.78]But these facts can be used as evidence in your writing. [07:19.48]The last type of evidence we usually use is logic and reasoning. [07:24.08]In some cases, we use them because we can’t find any other factual evidence. [07:29.88]And in some cases where we can find factual evidence, [07:33.37]reasoning can make our argument more persuasive. [07:37.09]People in China believe [07:39.21]that good argument should appeal to both sense and sensibility, [07:43.80]which means that both factual evidence and reasoning are necessary. [07:48.29]OK, these are the seven types of evidence. [07:52.45]Before we end today’s lecture, [07:55.07]I would talk about three criteria for good evidence. [07:58.68]First, good evidence should be relevant. [08:01.52]It should speak directly to the point. [08:04.04]You should select particular evidence because it supports the point, [08:08.31]not because it is novel or comic. [08:11.48]Second, good evidence should be representative. [08:15.52]It should represent its source or the situation it describes. [08:19.79]Last, good evidence should be accurate. [08:23.29]It is the writer’s duty to ensure the accuracy of the evidence. [08:28.21]In order to do this, you must check the evidence carefully, [08:32.91]and present it in your writing carefully. [08:35.32]Well, with that, we will end today’s lecture. [08:39.04]We hope that you now understand evidence better, [08:42.10]and we look forward to seeing well-supported articles [08:45.39]from you in the future. [10:49.34]Section B INTERVIEW [10:51.20]In this section, [10:53.28]you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. [10:55.25]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. [10:58.97]Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. [11:01.92]At the end of the interview, [11:03.89]you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following 5 questions. [11:08.59]Now listen to the interview. [11:10.78]M: Welcome to our show. [11:15.05]Today we’re going to discuss some important questions [11:18.00]about women and inheritance. [11:19.97]For example, what happens to a woman when her husband dies, [11:24.12]and who becomes the rightful owner of his property? [11:27.62]Is there anything a woman can do to ensure that she receives the property? [11:32.00]To help us answer these and other questions, [11:35.17]we’ve invited a lawyer, Mrs. Elizabeth Mutwa, to join us. [11:39.18]Welcome to the show Mrs. Mutwa. [11:41.15]W: Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here. [11:43.56]M: Mrs. Mutwa, let me start by asking you this. [11:46.84]What are some of the concerns you have about women [11:50.13]and the inheritance laws that affect them? [11:52.86]W: Every day I meet women whose husbands are dying. [11:56.25]These women are afraid that they are going to lose everything [11:59.86]—their home, their land, their livestock... [12:03.14]and they believe there is nothing they can do about it. [12:06.09]That is a terrible, desperate feeling. [12:08.94]M: Yes, to feel that you are going to lose everything is terrifying. [12:12.71]W: Of course it is. [12:13.92]And I’m sorry to say that often a woman does lose everything [12:17.75]—because the property is taken by her husband’s relatives. [12:21.58]We call this property grabbing. [12:24.09]M: Is there any way to prevent property grabbing [12:27.37]and return property to the woman? [12:29.23]W: Yes. Women have legal rights to land and other properties. [12:34.26]But unfortunately, most women don’t know this. [12:37.11]So they don’t take any action. [12:39.40]M: You mean women think that the law is against them [12:42.68]—so they don’t challenge it? [12:44.32]W: That’s right. [12:45.20]But again, I want to make this very clear. [12:47.71]The law is not against women. [12:49.90]Women have rights to keep property [12:52.09]—they just don’t know it! [12:53.84]M: So, it’s important for women [12:55.81]to understand what rights they have, [12:57.89]and how the law works. [12:59.64]W: Exactly. Once they know the laws, [13:02.04]they can take steps to make sure [13:04.12]that they keep their home and their land. [13:06.31]M: Okay, so I guess that when women come to you for help, [13:10.24]this is one of the things you recommend [13:11.99]—learn about the local laws. [13:14.40]What else can a woman do? [13:15.82]W: I always recommend that a woman do three things. [13:19.54]First:Discuss the importance of making a will with your husband. [13:23.95]Encourage him to make a will in the presence of witnesses. [13:27.45]Number two: Find out if it is possible to register the home [13:32.04]where you live with your husband. [13:33.90]If you can, you will remain the owner of the land and house [13:38.17]after your husband’s death. [13:39.81]Number three: Get legal advice from a lawyer, [13:43.31]a paralegal or a local organization that offers this type of assistance. [13:48.45]They can help you understand your rights and the law. [13:51.51]M: Mrs. Mutwa, I think the advice that you’ve offered here [13:55.23]on the program will help many women. [13:57.42]Do you think that this kind of property grabbing [14:00.27]will definitely affect women’s lives after their husbands’ death? [14:04.53]W: Definitely. Some of the women hope [14:07.37]that the inheritance given by their husbands would help them out. [14:10.65]Well, as a matter of fact, however, [14:13.39]the fact proves that they always lose their things [14:17.11]left by their husbands as their husbands’ relatives [14:20.17]always ask her to divide the things with them. [14:23.13]The relatives put forward that property [14:25.97]and asset in her family are mostly produced by the husband. [14:29.90]And so the wife should not take all of them away. [14:33.18]The women have no idea about what she deserves, [14:36.90]some of them even take it for granted [14:39.42]that the property should be returned to the husband’s family. [14:42.59]This is the essence of the problem. [14:45.33]I hope that women should have this kind of awareness [14:48.72]that they should go to seek for help from some professional lawyers. [14:52.32]M: Thank you for joining us today. [14:54.62]W: You’re most welcome. [15:49.22]Section C NEWS BROADCAST [15:51.96]In this section, [15:53.49]you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. [15:55.79]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. [15:59.51]Question 6 is based on the following news. [16:03.55]At the end of the news item, [16:05.52]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. [16:09.02]Now listen to the news. [16:11.10]Up to yesterday, China had raised an estimated US $ 65.3 million [16:19.41]in government, charitable and public donations. [16:22.47]The number will rise as more organizations report figures. [16:27.18]Premier Wen Jiabao flew to Indonesia to attend a summit [16:32.34]organized by the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. [16:37.26]More than 20 heads of state or government [16:40.77]and representatives of international organizations [16:44.37]will also be in attendance to discuss the aid efforts [16:47.87]to help Asia’s quake-tsunami-hit countries. [17:02.32]Question 7 is based on the following news. [17:05.38]At the end of the news item, [17:06.92]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. [17:10.20]Now listen to the news. [17:12.61]A fire broke out in a Buenos Aires nightclub, [17:17.31]which packed with young revelers celebrating the New Year holidays. [17:21.35]It killed at least 175 people when a crowd was trapped by locked doors, [17:28.46]officials said on Friday. [17:30.21]At least 619 people were injured in the blaze, [17:34.48]after a flare fired into the club’s ceiling during a rock concert. [17:38.64]The blaze may have claimed more victims [17:41.59]because four of the club’s six doors were inexplicably tied shut with wire. [17:59.21]Questions 8 and 9 are based on the following news. [18:03.36]At the end of the news item, [18:05.44]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. [18:08.39]Now listen to the news. [18:10.47]An official from the Philippines’ Presidential palace says [18:16.59]the government is still functional [18:18.46]after the resignations of 10 cabinet ministers. [18:21.51]The official told reporters Saturday that President Gloria Arroyo [18:25.89]has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing [18:28.95]and will continue to run the government according to the constitution. [18:33.00]He said forcing her to step down before she is declared innocent or guilty [18:38.36]would be more damaging for the country than the current uncertainty. [18:42.62]The Philippines’ Army on Saturday lowered the high state of alert [18:47.55]to normal level in the capital Manila. [18:50.39]On Friday, ten out of 24 cabinet members resigned [18:54.99]from the government including the Finance Secretary, [18:58.16]asking Arroyo to step down. [19:00.34]The same day, the President reiterated that she wouldn’t resign, [19:04.83]adding that she would unveil a new cabinet in a couple of days. [19:08.44]Arroyo has been plunged into a political crisis by allegations [19:13.79]that she conspired with election officials [19:16.64]to fix last year’s presidential elections. [19:39.83]Question 10 is based on the following news. [19:42.89]At the end of the news item, [19:44.86]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. [19:49.13]Now listen to the news. [19:51.12]Luxembourg goes to the polls on Sunday in last referendum [19:57.21]on the draft of EU constitution of 2005. [20:01.04]Luxembourg’s Prime Minster Jean Claude Juncker vows to resign [20:06.18]if the country says “no” to the treaty, [20:08.92]which is aimed at streamlining decision-making in Europe [20:12.64]after the trading bloc enlarged from 15 to 25 member states. [20:17.78]French and Dutch voters have already sent [20:21.45]a resounding “no” to European leaders [20:24.52]that they do not want the 448-article treaty. [20:28.67]Opinion polls taken in July last month indicate [20:32.83]that the poll could go either way. [20:35.13]Opinion polls are banned during the month prior to the election. [20:39.17]Luxembourg’s parliament ratified the treaty [20:42.99]in its first reading on June 28th, [20:45.95]but a second reading will be axed if the voters say no.

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