TOEFL 托福 听力原创模拟题 8

NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between a student and a professor. STUDENT: Hi, Professor. Thanks for meeting with me today during your office hours. I really appreciate your time. PROFESSOR: Of course, Aisha. How can I help you with your Environmental Studies course? STUDENT: Well, I am working on the research proposal draft. It is due soon, but, uh, I am having a really hard time with the topic. I wanted to write about solar energy in cities, but when I started reading, I realized there is just too much information out there. PROFESSOR: Ah, yes. Solar energy in urban areas is a huge subject. Remember, this proposal has a strict limit. It can only be three pages long. If your topic is too broad, you simply cannot cover it well in three pages. STUDENT: Right, three pages is not very long. I was afraid I would write too much and go over the limit. So, how can I make it smaller... I mean, narrower? PROFESSOR: Well, you should focus on a specific, local project. For example, did you know our campus library recently installed solar panels on its roof? It is part of the new university green roof initiative. STUDENT: Oh, really? I did not know that! I study in that library almost every day, but I never noticed. PROFESSOR: Yes, it was finished just last month. You could write your proposal about measuring the energy savings of the library's solar panels over the next academic year. STUDENT: That is a great idea! It is very specific, and I can easily write a three-page proposal about that. It makes the project feel much more real. PROFESSOR: I agree. It is much easier to write a proposal when you have a concrete example. Now, remember the deadline. The online submission portal closes this Friday at five p.m. Exactly five p.m. Late submissions lose points automatically. STUDENT: I understand. Friday at five p.m. is the hard deadline. I will focus my draft on the library solar project and submit it online on time. Thank you so much for your help! PROFESSOR: You are very welcome, Aisha. I look forward to reading your proposal. [Q1] Why does the student go to see the professor?

中文翻译

旁白：听一段学生和教授之间的对话。 学生：您好，教授。谢谢您今天在答疑时间抽空见我。非常感谢您能抽出时间。 教授：没关系，艾莎。在环境研究这门课上，有什么我可以帮你的吗？ 学生：是这样的，我正在写研究提案的草稿。很快就要交了，但是，呃，我选定题目时遇到了很大的困难。我原本想写城市中的太阳能，但当我开始阅读文献时，我发现网上的信息实在太多了。 教授：啊，是的。城市地区的太阳能是一个非常宏大的课题。记住，这个提案有严格的字数限制，只能写三页。如果你的选题太宽泛，在三页纸里是根本无法写透彻的。 学生：对，三页确实不长。我很担心自己会写得太多而超页数。那么，我该如何让它变小……我是说，让选题更聚焦呢？ 教授：嗯，你应该专注于一个具体的本地项目。例如，你知道我们学校的图书馆最近在屋顶上安装了太阳能电池板吗？这是学校新的绿色屋顶倡议的一部分。 学生：哦，真的吗？我都不知道！我几乎每天都在那个图书馆学习，但从来没有注意到。 教授：是的，上个月才刚刚完工。你的提案可以写关于如何测量该图书馆太阳能电池板在下一个学年的节能效果。 学生：这是个好主意！这个选题非常具体，我很容易就能写出一篇三页的提案。这让项目感觉真实多了。 教授：我同意。当有一个具体的实例时，写提案会容易得多。现在，记住截止日期。网上提交系统将在本周五下午五点关闭。准确地说是下午五点整。迟交会自动扣分。 学生：我明白了。周五下午五点是截止时间。我会把草稿聚焦在图书馆的太阳能项目上，并准时在网上提交。非常感谢您的帮助！ 教授：不客气，艾莎。我很期待阅读你的提案。

(Shared with Q1.) [Q2] According to the professor, what is a strict requirement for the research proposal?

中文翻译

（与第1题共用）[第2题] 根据教授的说法，研究提案的严格要求是什么？

(Shared with Q1.) [Q3] What local project does the professor suggest the student write about?

中文翻译

（与第1题共用音频。）[第3题] 教授建议学生写关于哪个本地项目的文章？

(Shared with Q1.) [Q4] What can be inferred about the student's preparation before the meeting?

中文翻译

（与第1题共用音频。）[Q4] 关于学生在会面之前的准备情况，可以推断出什么？

(Shared with Q1.) [Replay: "Oh, really? I did not know that! I study in that library almost every day, but I never noticed."] [Q5] Why does the student say this:

中文翻译

（重放：“噢，真的吗？我都不知道！我几乎每天都在那个图书馆自习，但我从来没注意到。”）

NARRATOR: Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class. PROFESSOR: Okay, everyone, let's get started. In our last session on plant ecology, we discussed how plants utilize abiotic factors like wind and water to disperse their seeds. Today, we're going to focus on a fascinating biotic partnership, specifically, seed dispersal by ants. This symbiotic relationship is known as myrmecochory—which simply means seed dispersal facilitated by ants. PROFESSOR: Now, why would a plant rely on ants? Well, plants have evolved a clever incentive to recruit these tiny helpers: a specialized structure called an elaiosome. An elaiosome is a fleshy, nutrient-rich appendage attached to the outside of the seed. Actually, let me rephrase that—it's not just fatty; it's a precise mixture of lipids, proteins, and essential vitamins that represents a significant energy investment for the plant. PROFESSOR: When an ant encounters one of these seeds, it doesn't eat the seed itself. Instead, it grips the elaiosome with its mandibles and carries the entire package back to its underground colony. Once inside, the ants feed the nutritious elaiosome to their developing larvae. The seed itself, which is tough and undamaged, is then discarded. But here is the brilliant part: the ants don't just throw it outside. They discard it in their nest's refuse chamber—basically, the colony's underground garbage dump. STUDENT: Excuse me, Professor? Why is being thrown into an ant garbage dump a good thing for a plant? It sounds... well, a bit counterproductive if the seed wants to grow. PROFESSOR: Ah, great question, Lukas. It might sound unappealing to us, but think about what a colony's refuse chamber contains. It's packed with decomposed organic waste, dead insects, and soil rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. In other words, it is an extremely high-quality fertilizer! By being 'thrown away' there, the seed is essentially planted in nutrient-dense, moist soil, protected from seed-eating birds and rodents, and even shielded from surface wildfires. It's the ultimate subterranean nursery. PROFESSOR: But how do plants ensure that only ants—and not, say, larger seed-eating insects or birds—find these seeds first? This is where chemical mimicry comes in. Chemical mimicry is when an organism produces chemical compounds that copy the scent of another organism to influence its behavior. The elaiosomes release specific fatty acids, like oleic acid. To an ant, oleic acid is the exact chemical signature of a dead insect, which is their primary food source. This chemical trick triggers the ant's hardwired retrieval behavior. A beetle might just ignore the seed, but to an ant, it's an irresistible call to bring the item home. So, the plant exploits the ant's natural foraging instincts to secure safe transport for its offspring. [Q6] What is the lecture mainly about?

中文翻译

旁白：听一段生物课上的讲座片段。 教授：好，同学们，我们现在开始上课。在上次关于植物生态学的课上，我们讨论了植物如何利用风和水等非生物因素来传播种子。今天，我们将重点关注一种奇妙的生物合作关系，具体来说，就是蚂蚁传播种子。这种共生关系被称为蚁媒传播（myrmecochory）——简单来说，就是由蚂蚁协助进行的种子传播。 教授：那么，植物为什么要依赖蚂蚁呢？其实，植物演化出了一种聪明的奖励机制来招募这些微小的帮手：一种被称为油质体（elaiosome）的特殊结构。油质体是附着在种子外部的、肉质且富含营养的附属物。准确地说——它不仅仅是多脂，它是脂质、蛋白质和必需维生素的精密混合物，代表了植物投入的巨大能量。 教授：当蚂蚁遇到这种种子时，它不会吃掉种子本身。相反，它会用上颚咬住油质体，并将整个包裹带回其地下巢群。进入巢穴后，蚂蚁会把营养丰富的油质体喂给它们发育中的幼虫。而坚硬且完好无损的种子本身则会被丢弃。但最精妙的地方就在于：蚂蚁并不会直接把它扔到外面。它们会把它丢弃在蚁巢的垃圾室里——基本上就是巢群的地下垃圾堆。 学生：打扰一下，教授？被扔进蚂蚁的垃圾堆对植物来说为什么是一件好事呢？听起来……嗯，如果种子想要生长的话，这似乎有点适得其反。 教授：啊，问得好，卢卡斯。对我们来说，这听起来可能没什么吸引力，但想想蚁巢的垃圾室里都有什么。那里堆满了分解的有机废物、昆虫尸体，以及富含氮和磷的土壤。换句话说，那是极高品质的肥料！通过被“丢弃”在那个地方，种子实际上被种植在了营养密集、潮湿的土壤中，不仅免受食子鸟类和啮齿动物的侵害，甚至还能免受地表山火的影响。这简直是终极的地下育婴室。 教授：但植物如何确保只有蚂蚁——而不是，比如说，更大的食子昆虫或鸟类——先找到这些种子呢？这就是化学拟态发挥作用的地方。化学拟态是指一种生物产生模仿另一种生物气味的化学化合物，以此来影响其行为。油质体会释放特定的脂肪酸，比如油酸。对蚂蚁来说，油酸正是昆虫尸体的特有化学特征，而昆虫尸体是它们的主要食物来源。这种化学骗局激发了蚂蚁本能的回收行为。甲虫可能会忽略这种种子，但对蚂蚁来说，这是无法抗拒的带回家的呼唤。因此，植物利用蚂蚁天生的觅食本能，为其后代确保了安全的运输。

(Shared with Q6.) [Q7] According to the professor, what is an elaiosome?

中文翻译

（与第6题共用音频。）[第7题] 根据教授的说法，什么是油质体？

(Shared with Q6.) [Q8] According to the professor, what are two benefits that seeds gain from being discarded in an ant colony's refuse chamber? Choose 2 answers.

中文翻译

（与第6题共享。）[第8题] 根据教授的说法，种子被遗弃在蚁群的垃圾室中可以获得哪两个好处？请选择2个答案。

(Shared with Q6.) [Q9] Why does the professor mention oleic acid?

中文翻译

（与第6题共用听力材料。）[Q9] 教授为什么提到油酸？

(Shared with Q6.) [Q10] According to the lecture, how do ants respond to the chemical compounds released by elaiosomes?

中文翻译

（与第6题共享。）[第10题] 根据讲座内容，蚂蚁对油质体释放的化学物质会做出怎样的反应？

(Shared with Q6.) [Replay: "Actually, let me rephrase that—it's not just fatty; it's a precise mixture of lipids, proteins, and essential vitamins that represents a significant energy investment for the plant."] [Q11] Why does the speaker say this:

中文翻译

（与第6题共用音频）[重放：“实际上，让我换个说法——它不仅含有脂肪，而是脂质、蛋白质和必需维生素的精准混合物，代表了植物巨大的能量投入。”][第11题] 说话者为什么要说这句话？

NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between a student and a registrar's office administrator. STUDENT: Hi there. I'm hoping you can help me with a credit transfer issue. I did a summer study abroad program in Spain, at the University of Salamanca, and I need to get those credits applied to my degree here before, you know, my graduation audit next semester. I want to make sure I'm fully on track to graduate in the spring. STAFF: Sure, I can help with that. Did you already fill out the external transfer credit petition? STUDENT: Yes, I have the form right here. But my problem is with the official transcript from Salamanca. The program coordinator there told me they sent it out last week, but it hasn't arrived in your system yet. And I know the absolute deadline to submit everything to avoid the late processing fee is October fifteenth. STAFF: Ah, yes. The fifteen-day grace period after the start of the semester ends on October fifteenth. If the official transcript isn't on file by then, there is a fifty-dollar late fee to process external credits. Let me check our database to see if it's pending in our digital mailroom... No, nothing has shown up under your student ID yet. STUDENT: Oh, that's what I feared. Mail from overseas can take forever. I mean, I did my part and requested it weeks ago. It feels a bit unfair to be charged fifty dollars just because of international shipping delays. STAFF: I completely understand. It's a common issue with summer programs. Fortunately, there is a workaround. We have a form called the 'Pending Transcript Waiver.' Have you heard of it? STUDENT: No, I haven't. What does that do? STAFF: Essentially, it's a placeholder. You submit the Waiver form along with your transfer petition before the October fifteenth deadline. It officially logs your intent to transfer the credits on time. Once we receive that waiver, we waive—well, we put a hold on the fifty-dollar late fee, giving the host institution in Spain until November first to get the official transcript to us. STUDENT: That sounds perfect! Do I need any proof that the transcript was actually sent? STAFF: Yes, you do. You'll need to attach some sort of confirmation, like an email receipt from the university in Spain showing that you requested and paid for the transcript delivery. As long as that receipt is dated before October fifteenth, you're good. STUDENT: Oh, I definitely have that. I have the confirmation email right here on my phone. I can print it out at the library and bring it back. STAFF: Actually, you don't even need to print it. You can upload the PDF of the receipt directly through the student portal when you submit the waiver form online. It's much faster. STUDENT: Wow, that's incredibly convenient. I'll go ahead and do that right now. Thank you so much for your help! STAFF: My pleasure. Just make sure you get it submitted before five p.m. on the fifteenth, or the system locks the standard waiver option. [Q12] Why does the student go to the registrar's office?

中文翻译

旁白：听一段学生和教务处老师之间的对话。 学生：您好。我想请您帮我解决一个转学分的问题。我暑假在西班牙的萨拉曼卡大学参加了海外学习项目，我需要赶在下学期毕业审核之前，把这些学分转到这边的学位里。我想确保自己能在春季顺利毕业。 老师：没问题，我可以帮您。您填好外部转学分申请表了吗？ 学生：填了，表格就在我这儿。但我的问题出在萨拉曼卡大学的官方成绩单上。那边的项目协调员告诉我他们上周就寄出了，但你们的系统里还没收到。而且我知道，为了避免产生延期处理费，提交所有材料的绝对截止日期是10月15日。 老师：啊，是的。开学后的15天宽限期到10月15日截止。如果到那时官方成绩单还没有归档，处理外部学分就要收取50美元的延期费。让我查一下我们的数据库，看看它是不是还在我们的电子收件系统里挂着……没有，您的学生ID下还没有任何记录。 学生：唉，这就是我担心的。国外的邮件可能要寄很久。我是说，我已经尽到了我的责任，几周前就申请了。仅仅因为国际邮寄延迟就要被收50美元，感觉有点不公平。 老师：我完全理解。这是暑期项目常见的问题。幸运的是，有一个解决办法。我们有一个叫作“成绩单待交豁免”的表格。您听过吗？ 学生：没有，我没听过。那是干什么用的？ 老师：基本上，它起一个占位符的作用。您在10月15日截止日期之前，将豁免表与您的转学分申请表一起提交。这在官方层面记录了您按时转学分的意向。一旦我们收到该豁免表，我们就会免除——确切地说是暂缓收取50美元的延期费，给西班牙的学校宽限到11月1日，让他们把官方成绩单寄给我们。 学生：听起来太棒了！我需要提供成绩单确实已经寄出的证明吗？ 老师：需要的。您需要附上某种确认件，比如西班牙大学发给您的电子邮件回执，证明您已经申请并支付了成绩单寄送费用。只要那张回执的日期在10月15日之前，就可以了。 学生：哦，这个我肯定有。我的手机上就有这封确认邮件。我可以去图书馆打印出来然后拿过来。 老师：其实，您甚至不需要打印。您在线提交豁免表时，可以直接通过学生门户网站上传回执的PDF文件。这样快得多。 学生：哇，那真是太方便了。我这就去办。非常感谢您的帮助！ 老师：不客气。一定要确保在15日下午5点之前提交，否则系统就会锁定常规豁免选项。

(Shared with Q12.) [Q13] According to the administrator, what is the purpose of the "Pending Transcript Waiver" form?

中文翻译

（与第12题共用音频。）[第13题] 根据教务人员的说法，“成绩单暂缓提交豁免表”（"Pending Transcript Waiver"）的目的是什么？

(Shared with Q12.) [Q14] What can be inferred about the student's situation regarding the confirmation receipt?

中文翻译

（与第12题共用音频。）[第14题] 关于该学生的确认收据，可以推断出什么？

(Shared with Q12.) [Q15] Why does the administrator mention the "five p.m." deadline on October fifteenth?

中文翻译

（与第12题共用音频。）[Q15] 管理人员为什么要提到10月15日“下午五点”这一截止时间？

(Shared with Q12.) [Replay: "I mean, I did my part and requested it weeks ago. It feels a bit unfair to be charged fifty dollars just because of international shipping delays."] [Q16] Why does the student say this:

中文翻译

（与第12题共用。）【重放：“我是说，我已经尽了我的本分，在几周前就提交了申请。仅仅因为国际邮寄延误就要被收取50美元，这感觉有点不公平。”】

NARRATOR: Listen to part of a lecture in a geology class. PROFESSOR: Good morning, everyone. Today, we're exploring a geological phenomenon that's often mistaken for a minor earthquake, though its origin is atmospheric rather than tectonic. I'm talking about cryoseisms—sometimes colloquially called "frost quakes." A cryoseism is a non-tectonic seismic event, meaning it doesn't involve the movement of tectonic plates. Instead, it's caused by a sudden, rapid freezing of water-saturated soil or rock. Now, how does this happen? PROFESSOR: First, we need specific environmental conditions. It begins with saturated ground—soil that's completely soaked with water. If we have a sudden, extreme drop in temperature, what we call a flash freeze, the water in the soil rapidly freezes. As we know from basic chemistry, when water freezes, it expands. But because the surface soil freezes first, it forms an impermeable, rigid icy crust. This crust traps the liquid water beneath it. As that sub-surface water continues to freeze, it has nowhere to expand, creating immense hydrostatic pressure—that's the force exerted by a fluid at rest due to the force of gravity, or in this case, confined expansion. PROFESSOR: When this hydrostatic pressure exceeds the strength of the surrounding frozen soil and rock, the ground literally ruptures. This sudden cracking releases a burst of seismic energy, producing a loud booming sound and localized ground shaking. To those nearby, it feels like an earthquake or even a localized explosion. STUDENT: Professor, does this happen every time there's a cold snap? I mean, shouldn't we hear these booms all winter in cold climates? PROFESSOR: That's a fair question, Tomas. And the answer is no, cryoseisms are actually quite rare because they require a very precise sequence of events. One critical factor is the absence of snow cover. You see, snow acts as an insulating blanket. A thick layer of snow prevents the ambient air temperature from rapidly penetrating deep into the soil. If there is snow on the ground, the soil temperature drops gradually, allowing the pressure to dissipate slowly without a sudden rupture. So, we need bare, saturated ground followed by a drastic temperature plunge—typically a drop of at least fifteen to twenty degrees Celsius within a single day. PROFESSOR: Let’s look at a documented event from a few years ago in a northern temperate region to illustrate this. In early December, the area experienced heavy, persistent rainfall, which thoroughly saturated the clay-rich soil. Now, clay is important because it retains moisture exceptionally well. The next day, a powerful cold front swept through. The temperature plummeted from five degrees above freezing to minus twenty-two degrees Celsius in less than eighteen hours. And because it was early winter, there was absolutely no snow cover to insulate the ground. PROFESSOR: In the middle of the night, residents reported hearing explosive cracks that sounded like trees snapping or heavy objects falling on their roofs. Some even felt their houses shake. Seismographs in the region recorded high-frequency waves, but the source was extremely shallow—less than a few meters deep. This shallow depth is another key difference; tectonic earthquakes originate miles beneath the surface, whereas cryoseisms are strictly surficial, occurring right at the boundary between the frozen crust and the saturated layer. PROFESSOR: Wait, let me clarify one thing about the energy release. Unlike tectonic quakes, which can devastate vast regions, the seismic waves from a cryoseism decay—or lose energy—very quickly. This means the structural vibrations are highly localized. If a cryoseism occurs in your backyard, you will definitely feel it and hear it, but your neighbor down the street might not experience a thing. This high rate of attenuation, which refers to the rapid reduction in the intensity of a wave as it travels through a medium, is why cryoseisms rarely cause significant structural damage beyond minor cracks in driveways or foundations. [Q17] What is the lecture mainly about?

中文翻译

旁白：听一段地质学课上的讲座。 教授：大家早上好。今天，我们要探讨一种经常被误认为是轻微地震的地质现象，尽管它的成因是气象因素而非地质构造运动。我指的是冰震（cryoseisms）——有时俗称为“霜冻地震”。冰震是一种非构造性地震事件，这意味着它不涉及地壳板块的运动。相反，它是由含水饱和的土壤或岩石突然、快速冻结引起的。那么，这是如何发生的呢？ 教授：首先，我们需要特定的环境条件。这一切始于饱和的地面——也就是完全被水浸透的土壤。如果气温突然急剧下降，也就是我们所说的“骤冻”，土壤中的水就会迅速结冰。我们从基础化学中知道，水结冰时会膨胀。但由于表层土壤先结冰，它会形成一层不透水的坚硬冰壳。这层冰壳将下面的液态水困住。随着地下深处的水继续结冰，它无处膨胀，从而产生巨大的静水压力——这是静止流体由于重力或在当前情况下因受限膨胀而产生的力。 教授：当这种静水压力超过周围冻土和岩石的强度时，地面就会发生破裂。这种突然的破裂会释放出爆发性的地震能量，产生巨大的轰鸣声和局部的地面震动。对于附近的人来说，感觉就像是地震，甚至是局部的爆炸。 学生：教授，每次寒潮来袭都会发生这种情况吗？我的意思是，在寒冷的气候里，我们整个冬天不都应该听到这种轰鸣声吗？ 教授：问得好，托马斯。答案是否定的，冰震实际上非常罕见，因为它们需要非常精准的事件发生顺序。一个关键因素是缺少积雪覆盖。你看，雪起到了保温毯的作用。厚厚的雪层会阻止周围的空气温度迅速渗透到土壤深处。如果地面上有积雪，土壤温度就会逐渐下降，从而使压力缓慢释放，而不会发生突然的破裂。因此，我们需要裸露且饱含水分的地面，紧接着出现剧烈的降温——通常是在一天之内气温骤降至少15到20摄氏度。 教授：让我们来看看几年前在北部温带地区记录的一次事件来具体说明。12月初，该地区经历了持续的强降雨，使富含粘土的土壤彻底饱和。粘土非常重要，因为它的保水性能特别好。第二天，一股强冷空气席卷而来。在不到18小时的时间里，气温从零上5摄氏度骤降至零下22摄氏度。而且因为是初冬，地表完全没有积雪来为土壤保温。 教授：半夜里，居民报告听到爆炸般的噼啪声，听起来像树木折断或重物砸在屋顶上。有些人甚至感觉到房子在摇晃。该地区的地震仪记录到了高频波，但震源非常浅——深度不足几米。这种极浅的深度是另一个关键区别；地质构造地震源于地下数英里深处，而冰震则完全是地表的，发生在冻结的冰壳与饱和土壤层之间的交界处。 教授：等等，让我澄清一下关于能量释放的一点。与可以摧毁广大区域的构造地震不同，冰震产生的地震波衰减——或者说能量流失——非常快。这意味着地表震动是高度局限在局部区域的。如果你家后院发生冰震，你肯定能感觉到并听到，但住在同条街那头的邻居可能什么也感觉不到。这种高衰减率（指波在介质中传播时强度的迅速减弱），正是冰震除了在车道或地基上造成轻微裂缝外，极少引起重大结构性损坏的原因。

(Shared with Q17.) [Q18] According to the professor, what role does clay play in the occurrence of a cryoseism?

中文翻译

（与第17题共享音频。）[第18题] 根据教授的说法，黏土在冰冻地震的发生中起到了什么作用？

(Shared with Q17.) [Q19] Why does the professor discuss snow cover?

中文翻译

（与第17题共用音频。）[Q19] 教授为什么要讨论积雪？

(Shared with Q17.) [Q20] In the case study discussed by the professor, what sequence of events led to the cryoseism?

中文翻译

（与第17题共享。）[第20题] 在教授讨论的案例中，是什么样的事件顺序导致了冰震的发生？

(Shared with Q17.) [Q21] What can be inferred about the seismic waves produced by a cryoseism compared to those produced by a tectonic earthquake?

中文翻译

（与第17题共用材料。）[第21题] 与构造地震产生的地震波相比，关于冰震产生的地震波可以推断出什么？

(Shared with Q17.) [Replay: "Wait, let me clarify one thing about the energy release."] [Q22] Why does the speaker say this:

中文翻译

等等，让我澄清一下关于能量释放的一点。

NARRATOR: Listen to part of a lecture in a linguistics class. PROFESSOR: Good morning, everyone. Today we're exploring psycholinguistics, specifically how the language we speak influences our internal representation of time... a concept known as spatial-temporal mapping. Now, we all know—well, we assume that time is abstract, right? We can't physically see it or touch it. So, to think about it, our brains borrow spatial concepts. PROFESSOR: In most, uh, familiar languages, we use what's called 'ego-centered temporal mapping.' This means we organize time relative to our own physical bodies. The future is typically 'in front' of us—think of phrases like 'looking forward to next week'—while the past is 'behind' us, as in 'leaving the past behind.' PROFESSOR: But is this bodily coordinate, um, system universal? Actually, no. Some linguistic communities rely on what researchers call 'absolute temporal mapping.' Instead of using their own bodies as the reference point, these speakers organize time using fixed, external environmental coordinates, such as cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west. PROFESSOR: Let's look at a fascinating experiment that highlights this difference. Researchers gave participants a set of photographs showing a person at different stages of life—from childhood to old age. The task was simple: arrange the photos in chronological order. PROFESSOR: Now, when speakers of an ego-centered language, like English or Swedish, did this task, they almost always arranged the photos from left to right. Why? Because in their writing systems, reading progresses from left to right, which reinforces a horizontal, body-relative timeline. PROFESSOR: But when speakers of an absolute-frame language did the same task, their behavior was completely different. They didn't care about left or right. Instead, their arrangement depended entirely on which direction they were facing! If they were facing south, they laid the photos out from left to right—which happens to be east to west. If they were facing north, they laid them out from right to left—which is still east to west. And if they faced east, they laid the photos toward their body. In other words, for them, time always flows from east—where the sun rises—to west, where it sets. Their cognitive map of time is anchored to the Earth, not to their own shoulders. STUDENT: Wait, Professor, does that mean they have to constantly keep track of where north or east is, just to talk about yesterday or tomorrow? PROFESSOR: Precisely, Yuki. To speak these languages, you must possess an incredibly sharp, almost automatic sense of orientation. If you don't know which way is east, you can't grammatically construct sentences about time, or even space for that matter. PROFESSOR: This brings us to 'co-speech gestures'—the spontaneous hand movements we make while talking. When English speakers talk about the future, they might gesture forward. But when absolute-frame speakers talk about yesterday or tomorrow, their hand movements track the actual physical path of the sun, regardless of which way they are currently facing. If they say 'yesterday' while facing north, they might point to their right—toward the east. If they turn around to face south, and say 'yesterday' again, their hand will swing to their left, still pointing east. PROFESSOR: So, what does this tell us? It suggests that language isn't just a tool for translating fully formed thoughts into sound. Instead, the specific grammatical structures and vocabulary of our language actually shape how we construct our basic cognitive reality—including our fundamental perception of time itself. [Q23] What is the lecture mainly about?

中文翻译

旁白：请听一段语言学课堂上的讲座。 教授：大家早上好。今天我们将探讨心理语言学，特别是我们所说的语言如何影响我们对时间的内部表征……这一概念被称为“时空映射”。我们都知道——或者说我们认为，时间是抽象的，对吧？我们无法在物理上看到或触摸它。因此，为了思考时间，我们的大脑会借用空间概念。 教授：在大多数我们熟悉的语言中，我们使用的是所谓的“以自我为中心的时间映射”。这意味着我们根据自己的身体来规划时间。未来通常在我们“前面”——想想“展望下周”（looking forward to next week）这样的短语——而过去则在我们的“后面”，比如“把过去抛在脑后”（leaving the past behind）。 教授：但是，这种以身体为基准的坐标系统是普遍存在的吗？其实不然。一些语言社群依赖于研究人员所说的“绝对时间映射”。这些语言的使用者不以自己的身体为参照点，而是利用固定的外部环境坐标（如东、南、西、北等基本方向）来规划时间。 教授：让我们来看一个突显这一差异的有趣实验。研究人员向受试者提供了一组展示一个人不同生命阶段（从童年到老年）的照片。任务很简单：按时间顺序排列这些照片。 教授：当使用“以自我为中心”语言（如英语或瑞典语）的人做这个任务时，他们几乎总是从左到右排列照片。为什么呢？因为在他们的书写系统中，阅读是从左到右进行的，这强化了一条横向的、以身体为参照的时间线。 教授：但是，当使用“绝对坐标系”语言的人做同样任务时，他们的行为完全不同。他们不在乎左或右。相反，他们的排列方式完全取决于他们面朝哪个方向！如果他们面朝南，他们会从左到右摆放照片——这刚好是自东向西。如果他们面朝北，他们会从右到左摆放——这仍然是自东向西。而如果他们面朝东，他们会朝向自己的身体方向摆放照片。换句话说，对他们来说，时间总是从太阳升起的东方流向太阳落下的西方。他们对时间的认知地图是锚定在地球上的，而不是他们自己的双肩。 学生：等等，教授，这是否意味着他们仅仅为了谈论昨天或明天，就必须时刻留意北或东在哪里？ 教授：没错，由纪（Yuki）。要说这些语言，你必须拥有极其敏锐、几乎是下意识的方向感。如果你不知道哪边是东，你就无法在语法上构建关于时间甚至空间的句子。 教授：这就把我们引向了“伴随言语的手势”——即我们在说话时做出的下意识的手部动作。当英语使用者谈论未来时，他们可能会向前指。但是，当“绝对坐标系”语言的使用者谈论昨天或明天时，无论他们当前面朝哪个方向，他们的手势都会追踪太阳实际的物理运行轨迹。如果他们在面朝北时说“昨天”，他们可能会指向右边——即东方。如果他们转过身面朝南，再次说“昨天”，他们的手会挥向左边，但依然指向东方。 教授：那么，这告诉了我们什么呢？它表明，语言不仅仅是将成熟的想法转化为声音的工具。相反，我们语言的具体语法结构和词汇实际上塑造了我们构建基本认知现实的方式——包括我们对时间本身的基本感知。

(Shared with Q23.) [Q24] According to the professor, what determines the direction in which speakers of an absolute-frame language arrange chronological photos?

中文翻译

（与第23题共用文本）[第24题] 根据教授的说法，是什么决定了使用绝对参照系语言的人排列时间顺序照片的方向？

(Shared with Q23.) [Q25] According to the lecture, which of the following are characteristic of speakers of absolute-frame languages? Choose 2 answers.

中文翻译

（与第23题共用。）[第25题] 根据讲座内容，以下哪两项是使用绝对参照系语言的说话者的特征？请选择2个答案。

(Shared with Q23.) [Q26] Why does the professor mention the direction of writing systems, such as reading from left to right?

中文翻译

（与第23题共用音频。）[第26题] 教授为什么要提到书写系统的方向，例如从左往右阅读？

(Shared with Q23.) [Q27] What does the professor imply about the relationship between language and cognitive reality?

中文翻译

（与第23题共用。）[Q27] 关于语言与认知现实之间的关系，教授暗示了什么？

(Shared with Q23.) [Replay: "If you don't know which way is east, you can't grammatically construct sentences about time, or even space for that matter."] [Q28] Why does the speaker say this:

中文翻译

如果你分不清哪边是东方，你就无法在语法上组织关于时间的句子，甚至连关于空间的句子也无从谈起。