How can you watch TV if you can’t see? This is a question that I,as a blind person,often get from sighted individuals.

It is still possible to enjoy your favorite TV shows,movies and plays as a person with vision loss.1If you listen carefully to things like the dialogue,sound effects,etc.most of the time you can tell what is happening.For example,if I hear the roar of a car engine along with someone mentioning he is about to go somewhere,I can assume that he’s on his way.

2Details like a character’s facial expressions,clothes he or she is wearing,body language,etc.are impossible to appreciate simply by listening to the dialogue or other actions.3

Audio description is the narration(講述) of visual elements that would otherwise not be accessible to individuals with vision loss.4The visual elements that are narrated in these descriptions include costumes,facial expressions,physical actions,scene changes and settings.

Audio description is also available in movie theaters and live performances.5While audio description soundtracks for movies and TV shows are pre-recorded,live performances are described by live narrators who are watching the play in a separate booth.（文章來源：https://sandysview1.wordpress.com）

A.This is where audio description comes in handy!

B.Some blind persons may feel frustrated and refuse to go on enjoying the TV show.

C.When sighted individuals watch TV,they simply sit in the sofa and look at the screen.

D.A specially trained narrator announces what is happening when there is no dialogue taking place.

E.By paying close attention and using your imagination you can often tell what’s going on in a TV show.

F.Of course,it’s not always possible for me to follow a TV show simply by listening to what’s going on.

G.People who need the audio description at movie theaters simply request a special headset and receiver.

詞塊積累

1.be about to do sth 正要去做某事......

如：I was just about to ask you the same thing.我剛才正要問你同一件事情。

2.be on one’s way (to) 在（去某處的）路上

如：Don’t worry! I’m already on my way! 別擔(dān)心，我已經(jīng)在路上！

3.sth.be accessible to sb.某物對(duì)某人來說可獲得的

如：These documents are not accessible to the public.公眾無法看到這些文件。

4.come in handy 派得上用場(chǎng)

如：It was colder than I thought it would be,so your coat really came in handy! 天氣比我預(yù)計(jì)的冷，你的大衣真的派得上用場(chǎng)了！

長(zhǎng)難句分析

Audio description is the narration of visual elements that would otherwise not be accessible to individuals with vision loss.

此句中otherwise是副詞，可理解為“否則，不然，以其他方式”。accessible本意為“可獲得的”，在此可理解為引申義“看不到的、無法理解的”。句意為：語音描述是講解（電影中）視覺元素的旁白，否則這些元素盲人是看不到的、無法理解的。

Kids and quarantine fatigue(隔離疲勞)

After months of social distancing,people are starting to feel the effects of “quarantine fatigue”,and the restless desire to head back to normal life is impacting people of all ages,especially kids.

As social creatures,spending time with friends can be a lifeline for kids.1With weeks outside of the classroom,their lives have not been regular for a long time.

2New information continues to be released about the virus.People want to get back to their old routines and the uncertainty over when that will happen makes them anxious.

Parents can help their kids by being honest about what’s happening.By providing kids with facts about the pandemic(大流行病),they can understand the whole background of the quarantine.3

In addition,parents should implement(執(zhí)行) a careful timetable at home.4Since socialization is key,teens can rely on video calls and social media to connect with their peers.If parents notice their child is withdrawing from others,encourage them to reach out.Some schools may offer virtual groups,while community art centers may offer online classes.

If someone is experiencing significant changes in their mood or behavior,it might be a warning sign that they need additional help.While social distancing continues,it’s important for family and friends to check in on their loved ones.5Asking questions doesn’t make people think about suicide or make people think about self-harm but it does open up the conversation.（文章來源：www.ynhhs.org，2020-7）

A.Asking them questions about their mental health.

B.In addition,school provides a careful timetable to their day.

C.It’s hard for kids to understand what’s happening in the world.

D.Parents should pay close attention to the mental health of their kids.

E.Set normal meal times and make sure kids wake up and go to bed on time.

F.They will know it is just not their parents saying they can’t be around their friends.

G.Another factor contributing to quarantine fatigue is the sense of uncertainty over COVID-19.

詞塊積累

1.reach out 與別人交流、溝通

如：I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs.我能與別人交流，并彌合我所說的語言和所處的文化與他們的語言和文化之間的鴻溝。

2.the uncertainty over sth.某事的不確定性

如：But investment has been held back because of uncertainty over the economy’s future prospects.但是不管怎樣，由于未來經(jīng)濟(jì)前景的不確定性，投資已經(jīng)受到了抑制。

長(zhǎng)難句分析

People want to get back to their old routines and the uncertainty over when that will happen makes them anxious.

此句中routine可理解為“正常秩序”；when that will happen中的“that”正是指“get back to their old routines”一事，the uncertainty（對(duì)這件事何時(shí)發(fā)生的不確定）是and后面這句話的主語。句意為：人們希望生活回到往日的正常秩序，但并不確定這何時(shí)才能實(shí)現(xiàn)，這讓人們焦慮。

Is fresh air really good for you?

We all grew up hearing people tell us to “go out and get some fresh air.”1According to recent studies,the answer is a big YES,if the air quality in your camping area is good.

2If the air you’re breathing is clean—which it would be if you’re away from the smog of cities—then the air is filled with life-giving,energizing oxygen.If you exercise out of doors,your body will learn to breathe more deeply,allowing even more oxygen to get to your muscles(肌肉) and your brain.

Recently,people have begun studying the connection between the natural world and healing(治愈).3In these places patients can go near to nature during their recovery.It turns out that just looking at green,growing things can reduce stress,lower blood pressure,and put people into a better mood(情緒).Greenery is good for us.Hospital patients who see tree branches out their window are likely to recover at a faster rate than patients who see buildings or sky instead.4It gives us a great feeling of peace.

5While the sun’s rays can age and harm our skin,they also give us beneficial Vitamin D.To make sure you get enough Vitamin D—but still protect your skin—put on sunscreen right as you head outside.It takes sunscreen about fifteen minutes to start working,and that’s plenty of time for your skin to absorb a day’s worth of Vitamin D.（2019全國Ⅰ卷）

A.Fresh air cleans our lungs.

B.So what are you waiting for?

C.Being in nature refreshes us.

D.Another side benefit of getting fresh air is sunlight.

E.But is fresh air really as good for you as your mother always said?

F.Just as importantly,we tend to associate air with health care.

G.All across the country,recovery centers have begun building Healing Gardens.

詞塊積累

1.It turns out that...結(jié)果是，證明是

如：It turns out that her aunt and my cousin are one and the same.原來她姑媽就是我表姐。

2.put sb.into a better mood 讓某人有更好的心情

如：If you want to quickly put yourself in a better mood,these 10 simple tips will help reduce stress.如果你想快速擁有更好的心情，這10個(gè)小建議能幫你減輕壓力。

3.That’s plenty of time for sb.to do sth.這時(shí)間足夠某人做某事了

如：Don’t worry.There’s plenty of time for you to prepare for the exam.別擔(dān)心，你有足夠的時(shí)間為考試作準(zhǔn)備。

長(zhǎng)難句分析

If the air you’re breathing is clean—which it would be if you’re away from the smog of cities—then the air is filled with life-giving,energizing oxygen.

此句中which指代“the air you’re breathing is clean”。句意為：假如你呼吸的空氣是潔凈的——只要你遠(yuǎn)離城市的霧霾就能做到（呼吸的空氣是潔凈的）——那么這種空氣里是充滿著提神的、讓人充滿活力的氧氣的。

Imagine you enter a car with no steering wheel,no brake or accelerator pedals(踏板).Under a voice-activated command,you say an address.“The fastest route will take us 15.3 minutes.Should I take it?” You say “yes” and you are on your way.1All you have to do is sit back and relax.

How weird would it be if,one day in the future,everyone had such a car? No crazy driving or cutting in.2Driving would be much safer.On the other hand,imagine the cost savings for local government without all those speeding and parking tickets.

A new technology has the potential to change modern society in radical(激進(jìn)的) ways.There’s no question that self-driving vehicles could be a huge benefit.The potential for safer cars means fewer accidents.Older drivers and visually- or physically-impaired people would gain a new level of freedom.Being electric,self-driving cars would greatly reduce air and sound pollution levels.3

4People who now depend on driving for their livelihoods may lose their jobs.According to the U.S.Department of Labor,in May 2015 there were 505,560 registered school bus drivers.The American Trucking Association lists approximately 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the U.S.

New technologies will,and should,be developed.5However,progress can’t be onesided.It is necessary for the companies and state agencies involved to consider the ethical(倫理道德的) consequences of these potential changes to build a better future for all.（2018年12月英語四級(jí)考試真題）

A.Traffic laws would be respected.

B.Roads would be quieter,people safer.

C.This is how society moves forward.

D.The car responds and starts moving all by itself.

E.But human errors may still be the major cause of accidents.

F.But we must also consider the negative effect of the new technology.

G.The companies developing self-driving vehicles should work with the government.

詞塊積累

1.the potential to do sth.做某事的潛力、可能性

如：He has the potential to become a world-class musician.他有潛力成為世界級(jí)的音樂家。

2.There’s no question that...毫無疑問

如：There’s no question that a great teacher can make a huge difference in a student’s achievement.毫無疑問，一個(gè)好老師會(huì)對(duì)一個(gè)學(xué)生的成就產(chǎn)生巨大的影響。

3.build a better future for all 為所有人創(chuàng)造更好的未來

如：China is ready to work with all other countries to build a better future for all.中國已準(zhǔn)備好和其他所有國家合作來為所有人筑造更好的未來。

長(zhǎng)難句分析

It is necessary for the companies and state agencies involved to consider the ethical consequences of these potential changes to build a better future for all.

此句中involved作后置定語，修飾限定state agencies，指所有相關(guān)的政府機(jī)關(guān)。后面to consider...changes為動(dòng)詞不定式作真正主語，再后面的to build...for all則是動(dòng)詞不定式作目的狀語。句意為：自動(dòng)駕駛汽車公司和相關(guān)的政府機(jī)關(guān)有必要考慮到這些可能的變化會(huì)帶來的倫理道德上的后果，來為所有人創(chuàng)造一個(gè)更好的未來。

Surfing the Internet during class doesn’t just steal focus from the educator.1A new study from Michigan State University,though,argues that all students—including high achievers—see a decline in performance when they browse the Internet during class for non-academic purposes.

To measure the effects of Internet-based distractions(注意力分散) during class,researchers evaluated 500 students taking a psychology class at Michigan State University.Researchers used ACT scores as a measure of intellectual aptitude(能力).Because previous research has shown that people with high intellectual abilities are better at filtering(過濾) out distractions,researchers believed students with high ACT scores would not show a signifciant decrease in performance due to their use of digital devices.2This result suggested that even the academically smartest students are harmed when they’re distracted in class.

College professors are increasingly raising alarm bells about the effects smartphones,laptops,and tablets have on academic performance.3A quarter of students report that their use of digital devices during class causes their grades to suffer.

4Some instructors even confiscate(沒收) tablets and phones.In a world where people are increasingly dependent on their phones,though,such strategies often fail.One international study found that 84% of people say they couldn’t go a day without their smartphones.5（2018年12月英語六級(jí)真題）

A.It will result in the decline of students’ ACT scores.

B.It also hurts students who’re already struggling to grasp the material.

C.Students with high ACT scores are better at focusing on psychology classes.

D.Professors sometimes set strict rules to minimize students’ use of digital devices.

E.But students who surfed the web during class did worse on their exams regardless of their ACT scores.

F.One 2013 study of college students found that 80% of students use their phones or laptops during class.

G.Until students are able to stop endlessly surfing the web,they may continue to struggle in their classes.

詞塊積累

1.steal focus from 分散對(duì)……的注意力

如：Don’t let games steal focus from your studies.別讓游戲分散了你對(duì)學(xué)習(xí)的注意力。

2.raise alarm bells 敲響警鐘

如：Economists have raised the alarm bells about a possible recession.經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家警告人們可能會(huì)有經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退。

3.be dependent on sth.依賴某物

如：You can’t be dependent on your parents all your life.你不可能一輩子靠父母生活。

4.couldn’t go (a day) without 沒有……（一天）都不行

如：She couldn’t go a day without food delivery.沒有外賣，她一天也過不下去。

長(zhǎng)難句分析

In a world where people are increasingly dependent on their phones,though,such strategies often fail.

此句中though表示與上文讓步轉(zhuǎn)折，意為“不過，可是，然而”。where引導(dǎo)的定語從句修飾先行詞a world，表示如今的世界是一個(gè)人們愈發(fā)依賴手機(jī)的世界。句意為：然而，在這個(gè)人們?cè)絹碓揭蕾囀謾C(jī)的世界，這些措施經(jīng)常失敗。