本文摘要：1、If you were to examine the birth certificates of every soccer player in 2006’s World Cup tournament, you would most likely find a noteworthy quirk: elite soccer players are more likely to have been born in the earlier months of the year than in the later months.焦點詞匯詳解：certify [?s?:t?fa?]v.證明、證實；發證書(或執照)擴展：certificate [s??t?f?k?t] n.證(明)書、執照tournament [?t??n?m?nt]n. 聯賽、錦標賽noteworthy [?n??tw?:ei]a. 值得注意的、顯著的elite [e??li:t]n. 精英句子剖析：if引導的虛擬語氣，當表現與現在事實相反的假設時，從句謂語用動詞已往式（be動詞用were），主句用should/would/could/might do的形式。

1、If you were to examine the birth certificates of every soccer player in 2006’s World Cup tournament, you would most likely find a noteworthy quirk: elite soccer players are more likely to have been born in the earlier months of the year than in the later months.焦點詞匯詳解：certify [?s?:t?fa?]v.證明、證實；發證書(或執照)擴展：certificate [s??t?f?k?t] n.證(明)書、執照tournament [?t??n?m?nt]n. 聯賽、錦標賽noteworthy [?n??tw?:ei]a. 值得注意的、顯著的elite [e??li:t]n. 精英句子剖析：if引導的虛擬語氣，當表現與現在事實相反的假設時，從句謂語用動詞已往式（be動詞用were），主句用should/would/could/might do的形式。主句中冒號后是同位語從句，對quirk的內容舉行說明。在該從句中，elite soccer player為主語，are more likely to have been born為謂語，in the earlier months of the year為時間狀語，than in the later months為比力狀語。參考譯文：如果你檢查到場2006年世界杯足球錦標賽每個參賽運發動的出生證明，很可能會發現一個值得注意的怪現象：優秀的足球運發動更可能出生于上半年，而不是下半年。

2、In other words, whatever inborn differences two people may exhibit in their abilities to memorize, those differences are swamped by how well each person “encodes” the information.焦點詞匯詳解：inborn [??n?b?:n]a. 天生的、固有的exhibit [?g?z?b?t]v./n. 展覽、陳列memorize [?mem?ra?z]v. 熟記、默記swamp [sw?mp]n. 沼澤、濕地v. 淹沒、淹沒encode [?n?k??d]v. 編碼短語：in other words 換句話說句子剖析：主句前的讓步狀語從句是一個倒裝句，將whatever inborn difference提前形成倒裝，正常語序應為：two people may exhibit whatever inborn differences in their abilities to memorize，在whatever，however引導的讓步狀語從句中，常把形容詞、名詞、或副詞與whatever，however一起放在句首，組成一種形式上的倒裝。參考譯文：換句話說，不管兩小我私家的影象力有什么先天性的差異，那些差異都市被小我私家信息的“編碼”的能力所淹沒。

3、This success, coupled with later research showing that memory itself is not genetically determined, led Ericsson to conclude that the act of memorizing is more of a cognitive exercise than an intuitive one.焦點詞匯詳解：couple [?k?pl]n. 對、雙、配偶、伉儷 v. 毗連、成雙genetical [d??'net?kl]a. 基因的、遺傳的determine [d??t?:m?n]v. 決議、刻意擴展：determination（determine的名詞形式）→n. 決議、刻意conclude [k?n'klu:d]v. 終止、竣事；做總結、結論memory [?mem?ri]n. 影象、影象力； [計]存儲器，內存memorize [?mem?ra?z]v. 熟記、默記cognitive ['k?ɡn?t?v]a. 認知的、認識的intuitive [?n?tju:?t?v]a. 直覺的擴展：intuition [??ntju???n] n. 直覺短語：lead to 引起、導致more of A that B 是A而不是B句子剖析：在插入語中，coupled with later research是已往分詞做后置定語修飾success，而現在分詞showing that又做later research的后置定語。末端的that the act of ...one是that引導的賓語從句，做動詞conclude的賓語，在該賓語從句中，the act of memorizing是主語，謂語是is，more of a cognitive one做表語，than an intuitive one做比力狀語。

參考譯文：這次樂成，陪同著厥后那些證明影象力不是由遺傳（或基因）決議的實驗（或研究），導致E得出結論：影象行為更是一種認知訓練而非直覺運動。4、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.焦點詞匯詳解：parachute [?p?r??u:t]n.降落傘、掩護傘v.跳傘setback [?setb?k]n. 挫折、阻礙earn [??n]v. 賺、掙得primary [?pra?m?ri]a. 主要的、首要的；最早的、最初的短語：as a result 因此（表達“效果”關系）lay off 開除back up句子剖析：賓語parachute之后的they once... setback是省略了關系代詞which/that的定語從句；在該從句中，they是主語，had是謂語，關系代詞指代的先行詞parachute在從句中做賓語。破折號后引出了同位語，其后由who引導的定語從句又對先行詞earner做進一步解釋說明，該定語從句中又包羅一個由if引導的條件狀語從句。參考譯文：因此，他們失去了已往財政難題時有過的掩護傘—如果家中主要掙錢者（頂梁柱）失業或生病的話，作為后備氣力的賺錢者（通常是媽媽）可以出去打工賺錢。

5、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.焦點詞匯詳解：generation [d?en?'re??(?)n]n. 代記法：generate v. 繁殖、生殖；發生、出生generate出來的一批人就是generation，就是一代人finance [fa?'n?ns] n. 財政、金融、金融學financial [fa?'n?n?(?)l]a. 財政的、金融的secure [s?'kj??]a. 寧靜的v. 掩護、確保transform [tr?ns?f?:m]v. 改變、變形reality [ri??l?ti]n. 現實、真實性、實體短語：middle-class 中產階級count on 依靠、依賴fair play 公正競爭句子剖析：在that引導的定語從句中，that指代先行詞美國中產階級家庭，謂語動詞是count on，賓語是hard work and fair play，不定式to keep itself financially secure做目的狀語。句尾由介詞by引出主句行動的施動者。參考譯文：在上一代人中，曾經依靠努力事情和公正競爭就能保持穩定的經濟狀況的美國中產階級家庭已經被經濟風險和新的現實狀況改變了。

6、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.焦點詞匯詳解：toil [t??l]vi.長時間或辛苦地事情；艱難緩慢地移動 n. 酬勞很低的苦活，苦工短語：toil through 辛苦地履歷testify [?test?fa?]v. 證明、證實skip [sk?p]v. 跳、跳過、略過；悄悄溜走句子剖析：主語anyone后有who引導的定語從句，對主語anyone舉行修飾說明。testify后有that引導的賓語從句，在該從句中，test-taking是主語，matter做謂語動詞，表現“要緊、有關系”。

whether...or...引導讓步狀語從句，該從句為主系表結構，主語it指代test-taking，表語部門為動名詞短語knowing，其中knowing的賓語部門“when+不定式”結構及“what+不定式”結構充當。參考譯文：辛苦地履歷過SAT的人都能證實，應試技巧（無論是明白何時應該推測，還是什么題目可以略過）也很重要。7、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.焦點詞匯詳解：research [r??s?:t?]v.n. 觀察、研究擴展：researcher n. 研究員、觀察者predict [pr?'d?kt]v. 預報、預測stress [stres]n. 壓力 v. 強調negative ['neg?t?v]a. 否認的、消極的correlate [?k?r?le?t]v. 使相互關聯、聯系 a. 相關的oppose [??p??z]v. 阻擋、反抗opposite [??p?z?t] a. 相對的、相反的句子剖析：在that引導的賓語從句中，包羅由but毗連的兩個分句：but前的分句中主干結構為IQ predicted leadership skills，后面是when引導的時間狀語從句；but后的分句中，under high-stress conditions做狀語，該狀語可以明白為when the tests were given under high-stress conditions的簡化版本；破折號之后的部門是對but之后的部門舉行解釋說明，that is在內里做插入語，it指代前文的IQ。

參考譯文：研究發現，當測試在壓力小的情況下舉行，智商能夠預測出向導能力；可是在壓力大的情況下，智商與向導能力呈負向關系，也就是說，預測的是相反的。8、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.焦點詞匯詳解：note [n??t]n. 條記v. 記載；注意；表現、表達助記：notebook n. 條記本tradition [tr?'d??(?)n]n. 傳統、老例擴展：traditional=tradition（n. 傳統）+al（a.）；上詞tradition的形容詞→a. 傳統的asset ['?set]n. 資產，產業記法：“a set，一套屋子”→n. 資產、產業assess [?'ses]v. (為征稅)評估(產業、收入)記法：上詞asset的動詞→“對于asset的assess”→對于“資產、產業”的“評估”analytical [??n??l?t?kl]a. 分析的、善于分析的記法：analy=analysis（n. 分析）+ic（a.）+al（a.）→a. 分析的、善于分析的verbal ['v?:b(?)l]a. 口頭的、言語的記法：verb=word（v與w交換，e與o交換，b與d交換）+al（a.）→→a. 口頭的、言語的creative [kri?e?t?v]a. 有締造性的、有締造力的記法：creat+ive（a.）；上詞create的形容詞形式→a. 有締造性的、有締造力的creativity [?kri:e?'t?v?t?] n. 締造性、締造力記法：creat+ive（a.）+ity（n.）；上詞creative的名詞形式→n. 締造性、締造力compose [k?m?p??z]v. 組成、組成；創作(詩歌等)、作曲記法：com（全部、配合、一起）+pos→“把所有工具全部放在一起”→v. 組成、組成；創作、作曲（也來自于放在一起）component [k?m?p??n?nt]n. 組成身分記法：上詞compose的名詞→n. 組成身分critical [?kr?t?kl]a. 品評的；關鍵的、重要的記法：詞根crit=cris=criticize（v. 品評、挑剔）+ic（a.）+al（a.）→a.品評的→因為此事重要，做欠好就得受品評，延伸出→a. 關鍵的、重要的擴展：crucial=cruc（=crit）+ial（a.）；上詞critical的同源近意詞→a.關鍵的、極其重要的句子剖析：在that引導的賓語從句中，包羅由but毗連的兩個分句，but前的分句中主干結構很明晰，but后的分句中省略了主語traditional tests；句末的components...做creativity and practical knowledge的同位語，形容詞結構also critical...做components的后置定語。英語中形容詞做后置定語的情況比力多，當形容詞自身帶有狀語而使定語過長時，該形容詞通常做后置定語。參考譯文：S注意到傳統測試能夠最好地評估分析能力和語言能力，但無法權衡締造力和實踐能力，而這些也是解決問題和獲得樂成的關鍵因素。

9、Just as bosses and boards have finally sorted out their worst accounting and compliance troubles, and improved their feeble corporation governance, a new problem threatens to earn them.焦點詞匯詳解：board [b?:d]n. 板、甲板（黑板：blackboard）；重點關注僻意“董事會”account [??ka?nt] n. 賬戶、賬目記法accounting [??ka?nt??]n.會計、會計學comply [k?m?pla?] v. 遵從、順從compliance [k?m?pla??ns]n. 遵從、順從improve [?m?pru:v]v. 提高、改善feeble [?fi:bl]a.虛弱的、衰弱的、無力的threat [θret]n. 威脅、嚇唬擴展：threaten [?θretn] v. 威脅、嚇唬短語：sort out 解決、處置懲罰句子剖析：本句句首是just as引導的時間狀語從句，在該從句中，謂語為and毗連的并列結構，have finally sorted out和improved；主句結構很是簡樸。參考譯文：當老板們和董事會終于解決了最糟糕的財政和執行力問題并改善了單薄的企業治理力度后，一個新的問題正威脅著他們。

10、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.焦點詞匯詳解：campaign [k?m'pe?n]n. 戰役、（政治或商業）運動 v.到場[提倡]運動，參戰account [??ka?nt]n. 賬戶、賬目；短語：saving-account 儲蓄賬戶model ['m?dl]n. 模特、模型v. 塑造retire [r?'ta??]v. 退休、脫離擴展：retiree n. 退休者guarantee [?g?r?n?ti:] n.保證、保證書 v.保證、擔保invest [?n'v?st]v./n. 投資、入股短語：campaign to do sth 努力做某事、致力于做某事social security 社會保險、社會保障句子剖析：“with+名詞+現在分詞”結構組成獨立主格結構，在本句中做陪同狀語。第二個payments之后的分詞短語depending on investment returns做后置定語，對其做進一步的解釋說明。參考譯文：去年很長一段時間，布什總統努力將社會保障模式轉換成儲蓄賬戶模式，這使得退休人員將自己大部門或全部有保障的收入轉換成了依靠投資回報的收入。

11、Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the autoindustry 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.焦點詞匯詳解：auto [??:t??]n. 汽車 做前綴表現“self 自己”industry ['?nd?str?]n. 工業、工業interest [??ntr?st]n. 興趣；（重點關注僻意）利息interest rate 利息率store [st?:(r)]n. 商店、存貨 v. 存儲stock [st?k]n.股票、股份 v.儲存短語：stock market 股票市場fluctuate [?fl?kt?ue?t]v. 顛簸擴展：fluctuation n. 顛簸reality [ri??l?ti] n. 現實、真實性、實體outlive [?a?t?l?v]v. 比...長壽retire [r?'ta??]擴展：retirement n. 退休、脫離句子剖析：families之后為who引導的定語從句，對其舉行說明；在該定語從句中，謂語是worry about，有三個并列賓語是interest rate，stockmarket fluctuation和harshreality；在harsh reality之后是由that引導的同位語從句（that they may outlive their retirement money），對其前面的抽象名詞reality做進一步的解釋說明。參考譯文：鋼鐵制造業工人、航空公司職員、以及現在身處汽車工業的工人，他們和數百萬的家庭一樣，都在擔憂利率、股市顛簸以及壽命可能會超出退休金領取期限的殘酷事實。

12、Legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person.焦點詞匯詳解：legal ['li?g(?)l]a. 正當的、執法的擴展：illegal（il=in 為否認前綴）（legal的反義詞）legal learning 執法學習institute [??nst?tju:t]n. 學院、 （教育、專業等）機構 v. 建設、建立institution [??nst??tju:?n] n. 機構；制度、劃定preseive [pr??z?:v]v. 保持、生存、保鮮 n. 獨占的事物、專利intellect [??nt?lekt]n. 智力、智慧、知識分子擴展：intellectual [??nt??lekt?u?l] a. 智力的、有才智的equipment [??kw?pm?nt]n. 裝備、設備短語：be viewed as 被視為rather than 而不是、而非an educated person 受過教育的人參考譯文：執法學習在這些機構被視為狀師們的專利，而不是一個受過教育的人所具備才智的須要組成部門。13、The theft of information about some 40 million credit-card accounts in America, disclosed on June 17th, overshadowed a hugely important decision a day earlier by America’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC).焦點詞匯詳解：account [??ka?nt]n. 賬戶、賬目；disclose [d?s?kl??z]v. 泄露、袒露overshadow [???v????d??]v. 使失色、使陰暗decision [di?si??n]n. 決議短語：credit card 信用卡句子剖析：主語the theft of information之后的兩個后置定語是在修飾主語，賓語decision后的a day earlier by...（FTC）做其定語，對賓語的詳細情況做出說明。參考譯文：6月17日袒露的美國約四千萬信用卡賬戶信息失竊事件使得前一日美國FTC做出的重大決議黯然失色。

14、It should be obvious to the dimmest executive that trust, that most valuable of economic assets, is easily destroyed and hugely expensive to restore.焦點詞匯詳解：obvious ['?bv??s]a. 顯著的dim [d?m]a. 昏暗的、昏暗的、看不清的executive [?g'zekj?t?v; eg-]n. 執行者、執行力 a. 執行的助記：首席執行官CEO：Chief Executive Officervaluable [?v?lju?bl]a. 有價值的、珍貴的asset ['?set]n. 資產，產業assess [?'ses] v. (為征稅)評估(產業、收入)destroy [d??str??]v.破壞、摧毀、消滅huge [hju:d?]a.龐大的、龐大的restore [r??st?:(r)]v. 恢復句子剖析：It做形式主語，真正的主語是后面that引導的主語從句；在該從句中，trust做主語，其后的that most valuable of economic assets做其同位語，is做謂語，easily destroyed and hugely expensive to restore這兩個并列劃分做表語。參考譯文：就連最愚笨的治理者也必須清楚地知道：信任，經濟資產中最有價值的工具，它很容易被損壞而且恢復起來價格很高。15、Seen as a concern only of data-rich industries such as banking, telecoms and air travel, information protection is now high on the boss’s agenda in businesses of every variety.焦點詞匯詳解：concern [k?n?s?:n]v.n. 使體貼、擔憂、關系到agenda [??d?end?]n. 行程、日程、議程variety [v??ra??ti]n. 多樣、多樣性；種類擴展：various=詞根var（=vary v. 變化）+ous（a.）→a.種種各樣的、多方面的句子剖析：concern之后的only of data-rich industries ... and air travel做后置定語，對concern舉行說明。

參考譯文：信息掩護已往被看做是只有諸如銀行、電信、航空這類擁有大量數據的行業才關注的問題，而現在卻高居各種行業老板的日程表。16、While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments.焦點詞匯詳解：comment [?k?ment] v.n. 評論react [ri??kt] vi. 反映、反作用、影響（to）擴展：reaction n. 反映、反作用、影響enhance [?n?ha:ns] v. 提高、增加、增強prefer [pr??f?:(r)] v. 更喜歡、傾向prefer A to B 相對于B更喜歡Apreferable [?prefr?bl] a. 更喜歡的、更好的notion [?n???n] n. 觀點、看法、意見短語：rely on 依靠、依賴句子剖析：while引導讓步狀語從句，表達前后為轉折關系；主句用了形式主語，真正的主語因為較長所以放在了后面，以免頭重腳輕。參考譯文：只管狀師的評論和反映會提高新聞報道的質量，但記者最好還是依靠自己對重要性的看法明白并做出自己的判斷。

17、Infact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp ofthe basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.焦點詞匯詳解：feature [?fi:t??(r)] n. 特征、特點；容貌、面目 v. 以...為特征constitute ['k?nst?tju?t] v. 組成、組成擴展：constitution n. 組成、組成；憲法、體制Canadian Constitution 加拿大憲法competent [?k?mp?t?nt] a. 有能力的、能勝任的句子剖析：在真正的主語中，how....political stories是how引導的賓語從句，做see 的賓語；在此賓語從句中，主干為journalistscan do a competent job，who引導的定語從句who... Canadian Constitution修飾journalists。參考譯文：事實上，很難想象那些對加拿大憲法的基本特征缺乏清楚明白的新聞記者如何能勝任政治新聞的報道事情。

18、Butthe idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media.焦點詞匯詳解：journalist [?d??:n?l?st] n. 新聞記者profound [pr??fa?nd] a. 深刻的、深遠的citizen [?s?t?zn] n.公民、市民ordinary citizen 普通公民、普通人establish [?'st?bl??] v. 建設、建立convention [k?n?ven?n] n. 開會、集會；老例、習俗media [?mi:di?] n. 媒體；前言短語：rest on=depend on 依靠、依賴句子剖析：本句主干為the idea... restson an understanding...；that引導的同位語從句解釋說明主語the idea；of引導的介詞短語做后置定語修飾an understanding。參考譯文：可是，新聞記者必須比普通公民更深刻地明白執法，這種看法是基于對新聞媒體已經確立的老例和特殊責任的明白。

19、On the other hand, it linksthese concept to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news.焦點詞匯詳解：concept ['k?nsept] n. 觀點、想法擴展：conception n. 觀點、想法reality [ri??l?ti] n. 現實、真實性、實體parallel [?p?r?lel] n. 平行線 a. 平行的、類似的be parallel to 與...平行、類似journalist [?d??:n?l?st] n. 新聞記者forge [f?:d?] v.鑄造、偽造base [be?s] n. 基礎、憑據 v. 基于、把...建設在base A on B 把B作為A的基礎basis [?be?s?s] n. 基礎on the basis of 以...為基礎、憑據comment [?k?ment] v.n. 評論短語：on the other hand 另一方面link A to B 把A和B聯系起來句子剖析：which引導的定語從句修飾說明manner，此定語從句中嵌套著另一個省略了關系代詞的定語從句journalists forge... on the news，此定語從句修飾links，形成嵌套式定語從句；在which引導的大定語從句中，又包羅一個由as引導的時間狀語從句。參考譯文：另一方面，它把這些觀點同逐日現實聯系起來，其方式與新聞記者天天報道和評論新聞時的做法是一樣的。20、His argument is that the unusual history ofthese people has subjected them to unique evolutionary pressures that have resulted in this paradoxical state of affairs.焦點詞匯詳解：argument [?ɑ:gjum?nt] n. 爭執、爭吵、論據unusual [?n?ju:?u?l] a. 不常見的、不普通的、異乎尋常的usual的反義詞subject [?s?bd??kt] a. 易遭受...、易聽從... v. 使經受、遭受 n. 主題、主觀、主語、科目unique [ju:'ni:k] a. 唯一的、奇特的evolve [i?v?lv] v. 進化、生長擴展：evolution；上詞evolve的名詞=n. 進化、生長、演變paradox ['p?r?d?ks] n. 錯誤看法，矛盾理論擴展：paradoxical；上詞的形容詞→a. 矛盾的、反常的短語：result in 引起、導致句子剖析：在表語從句中，主語為the unusual history ofthese people，謂語為hassubjected，賓語為them，介詞短語to unique evolutionarypressures為賓語補足語，說明賓語所處的狀態；后面另有一個that引導的定語從句，修飾先行詞pressures。參考譯文：他的論據是：這些人差別尋常的歷史使他們遭受了唯一無二的進化壓力，正是這種壓力導致了這種矛盾狀態。