01
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托福研修计划
接着昨天的说:
华华托福研修中心,位于海淀黄庄地铁站B口附近的银网中心。研修中心将于10月22日(周日)开始投入使用。
托福研修计划以一百小时为单位,学习时间可以自由安排,这非常适合只能零散时间进行学习的考生(有时间的选大班)。
托福研修计划的方式,是做真题(真实机考界面),看报告(错误题目和统计),听讲解(华叔团队视频),能力提升(听写,精听,跟读,仿写,背诵词汇)。
托福研修计划的产品目录和定价,我们会在近几日发布。
另外,今天华叔刚在南京完成全程马拉松。这是他的第39场马拉松,我们一起祝贺一下。

(华叔是红帽子,不是飞起来的那一位)
02
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10.15综合写作解析
(重复2016-11-13真题)
阅读主要观点提取
总论点:俄罗斯东北部一个大海旁边的小岛上有14个圆形或螺旋形的迷宫(labyrinths),这些迷宫的用途是个谜,作者提出三种理论来解释这些迷宫的用途。
用途一:用作捕鱼器(fish traps)。此处海域的水位较高,所以当海水冲刷到labyrinth时,鱼会掉到labyrinth中间石头缝中,人们就可以抓到鱼。
用途二:有天文学的用途。古代人们经常会建造一些石头建筑用来记录天文学现象,比如一天中太阳不同的位置。
用途三:用在丧葬中(burial practices)。如,英国的巨石阵(Stonehenge)就是在丧葬仪式中起着重要作用。
听力主要观点提取
总论点:阅读中关于labyrinths用途的每一种解释都是有瑕疵的(flawed).
第一,世界上有一些相似的建筑是远离海岸的,那么这么在内陆的labyrinths不可能是用来捕鱼的。
第二,这14个labyrinths的入口的方向都不一样,如果是用来记录天文学现象的话,应该朝向一个特定的方向,如某颗星星的位置。
第三,古代确实有一些著名的建筑是用来祭奠死者的。并且,这些建筑附近往往会有一些工具、珠宝、武器等。但是,俄罗斯发现的迷宫附近并没有这些物品,所以这些建筑不太可能用作祭奠仪式。
学生满分范文
The reading comes up with three hypotheses about the purposes of the stone labyrinths in Russia. But the professor thinks that these are all flawed.
Firstly, the writer states that the labyrinths were built as fish traps. However, the speaker suggests that many similar structures around the world are located hundreds of kilometers in land. That means they were far away from coastal area where they could be served as fish trap. So, there must be other explanations for these labyrinths.
Additionally, the author demonstrates that the labyrinths were designed to record astronomical observations, such as the position of the Sun. As a matter of fact, the professor argues that the directions of labyrinths’ entrances show that they are unrelated with astronomical phenomena. The reason is that if a labyrinth is tended to line up with some astronomical phenomenon, all the entrances should point in the direction towards specific astronomical object rather than in many different directions. Therefore, the labyrinths didn’t have astronomical purpose.
Finally, the writer claims that the labyrinths were created as passages to the afterlife for deceased people. Nevertheless, the speaker indicates that the labyrinths doesn’t related to funeral rituals. There were many bones and possessions near the labyrinths which play a role in burial ceremonies, including the Stonehenge mentioned in reading. But the problem is no such remains have ever been found around Russian labyrinths. As a result, the fourteen labyrinths weren’t for burial practices. (239 words)
03
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一篇有趣的听力对话
(重复2014-04-19真题)
今天听力A卷里有一篇对话,讲的是教授邀请一个数学专业的学生来做数学之夜(math night)的工作。什么是数学之夜?就是家长和孩子一起做数学相关的活动,旁边会有一个教辅老师之类的站在旁边,随时解决难题。而且,这个难题也有可能是家长不会的。
(典型的数学之夜的场景)
顺便科普一下,数学之夜一般会有三个难度级别。最简单的是学一些数字(numbers),其次会学概率论(probability)和统计学(statistics)。这个对话里也提到了,其实和我们所说的概率论和统计学还是有区别的。
再难一些,就会学到几何(geometry)和测量(measurement)。而且,几何也分为平面几何(2-dimensional geometry)和立体几何(3-dimensional geometry)。
这些专业词要认识,要不然对话也会听不好。现在的托福考试,听力的对话难度是很大的。要么对话谈的话题很深入,基本在美国生活两年才了解的比较清楚;要么对话就像一个小讲座,学术的很,而且语速还比讲座要快。
至于这篇的题目,前四题比较简单,我给大家直接对一对。
What do the speakers mainly discuss?
Aspects of a job available for mathematics students
Why does the professor suggest that the woman take part in the math night problem?
Click on 2 answers.
The woman had expressed interest in getting more teaching practice.
The program supports the university’s goal of providing community service.
Why does the professor mention statistics?
To show how the instruction of mathematics has changed over time
What specific information about the math night program does the professor give the woman?
Click on 2 answers.
The number of students who will take part in the program
The woman’s responsibilities during math nights
当然,大家可能会发现,这篇双选还是挺多。这是ETS提高难度的一种方法,提高要细节广度的要求。
这篇最难的其实是最后一道重听,很多考生都会选干扰选项。就像昨天考试解析的一道题,干扰选项是极其厉害的。
04
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一篇超喜欢的艺术史讲座
(重复2014-06-28真题)

简略回顾一下。这篇讲座说,上次课我们讲人物肖像,今天讲风景画。风景画始于TC。1825年,他去了一趟哈德逊河,就迷上了。但是,那是风景画家不受尊重。
但是,自从一位裱框工匠把TC的一幅风景画放在橱窗展示,就有一位德高望重的艺术家爱上了。他自己买,也带动了其它的富人买,而且又出现了其他的风景画家。1827,TC就成了美国最著名画家之一。
并且,TC被认为是哈德逊河流派运动的创始人。哈德逊河流派,持续了50年,共有50位著名的画家。

后来画家的画都有很多TC的元素。TC最著名的一幅画,叫《牛轭湖》。我们来仔细看看。

(The Oxbow, Thomas Cole)
你们注意到没有?第一,它非常巨大,2米宽,这是为了展示自然的壮观与美丽。第二,它画的很真实,看那些树,天上的云,还有河流。第三,它又不失浪漫,这能够给观众传递情感。最著名的,恐怕就是左下角的这棵形状怪异的树,还有暴风雨来临前的天空,还有被闪电击打的树桩,这是后期风景画里的一个象征。
What does the professor mainly discuss?
The role of one artist in founding the Hudson River School in the United States
What does the professor say about portrait paintings in the early 1800s?
Most people who purchased art in the United States commissioned portraits.
Why does the professor mention the landscape painters Thomas Doughty and Thomas Birch?
To give examples of artists who had some commercial success as landscape painters
Why does the professor mention the shop of a picture framer?
Cole’s early paintings were displayed there.
What do the eerily shaped trees, stormy sky, and tree stump in Thomas Cole’s painting The Oxbow illustrate?
Images that create an emotional response in the viewer
What can be inferred about the professor when he says this:
“Tell me parts of this painting don't look like a photograph.”
He expects the students will agree with him that elements in the painting are realistic.
05
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重复规律
今天的阅读组卷非常有趣,不论ABCD卷,几乎都为一种模式,即
每一套重复1篇2016-2017年度新题
每一套重复1篇2013-2015较早老题
每一套首考1篇2017年大陆新题
每一套如有加试,均为新题
郑重提醒
2016-17年间的考试新题重复概率大,这一现象反复出现,值得关注。
2016-17年出现的加试新题可转变为测试题,如今天D卷的Nitrogen in Crops,本是2017.04.15的加试新题。
虽然今天重复了2013-2015相对较早的题目,整体阅读难度不大,一篇除外,即Ocean Currents,只考过2次,题材偏僻,因果关系复杂,语言难度较高,阅读起来困难,这也许是今天被选中测试的原因;其他13-15年老题阅读难度较低,但题目设置复杂,选项干扰性大,不易选出正确答案。
提醒所有考生:考试测试学中的难度系数设置有三个参数,一是文章本身,二是题干设置,三是选项干扰系数。这三者辩证存在,处于动态平衡,共同决定了考生最终的分数。所以极有可能出现考生感觉文章简单,但错题数目反而增多的现象,所以考生切不可以为文章简单就做题大意了。
A卷
The Beginning of Planet Formation重复17.07.15上午场,2017.01.07(17年年度新题)
The Emergence of Civilization重复2014.07.12,2015.03.14
Body Temperature in Fish(17年大陆新题)
加试:北美一种特别挑剔的鸟和松树的演变
B卷
Cretaceous Extinctoins重复2016.03.11(16年年度新题)
Costs and Benefits of Dispersal重复2014.05.11,2015.05.16
美洲土著和欧洲殖民者的差异(社会财富的认知、女性地位、商业贸易的重要性不同)(17年大陆新题)
加试:鸟类迁徙(不同纬度、不同季节、不同目的)
C卷
Sauropod Teeth and Nostrils重复2016.06.04(16年年度新题)
Ocean Currents重复2014.12.14,2015.10.10
Jomon Pottery(17年大陆新题)
加试:鸟类迁徙(不同纬度、不同季节、不同目的)
D卷
Nitrogen in Crops重复2017.04.15加试新题,现转为测试题
Comets重复2013.07.14,2014.03.16
Crops and Transaction Routes(17年大陆新题)