Premier Wen back to Chengdu from Beichuan to oversee epicenter relief

BEIJING, May 15 -- Premier Wen Jiabao has been in the disaster area since Monday. He has been coordinating various relief efforts to save the lives of the injured. Premier Wen has been coordinating various relief efforts to save the lives of the injured.(Photo: CCTV.com) Photo Gallery>>>     On Wednesday, the premier returned to Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, after overseeing rescue work in the counties of Beichuan and the worst-hit Wenchuan.     The premier extended his condolences to the victims and has ordered all the rescuers to do everything possible to save lives. The latest earthquake death toll has risen to nearly 15,000. Premier Wen Jiabao has been in the disaster area since Monday. (Photo: CCTV.com) Photo Gallery>>>     Premier Wen said, "Saving lives is the key of our rescue work. We must dispatch rescuers to every affected county, village and scene. You must use the right methods in your work and make sure you have the right equipment." Premier Wen has been coordinating various relief efforts to save the lives of the injured.(Photo: CCTV.com) Photo Gallery>>>     (Source: CCTV.com)

Roundup: Help rushes to quake-hit areas in Sichuan     BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers are fighting against time to save lives and relieve impact of Monday's 7.8-magnitude quake in southwest China's Sichuan Province.     More than 50,000 people are feared dead as the confirmed death toll in Sichuan has reached 19,509 by 4 p.m. Thursday.     A total of 4.15 million houses in 17 of Sichuan's cities and prefectures were damaged during the quake, while 216,000 have collapsed. The province has 21 cities and prefectures in total. Rescuers transport injured from the quake-stricken Yingxiu Town of Wenchuan County to Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 14, 2008. Helicopters took relief teams from various circles to Wenchuan and then transport the injured to Chengdu on the way back.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>     60,000 RESCUED     By Thursday morning, over 60,000 people trapped and injured during the quake have been rescued by army, armed police personnel, policemen, medical teams and local civilians.     A total of seven schools, including two kindergartens, in Mianzhu, north of the provincial capital of Sichuan, collapsed during the quake burying 1,700 people under the ruins. Over 300 of the buried have been rescued, with another 1,300 bodies found so far. Rescue personnel are also engaging in the rescue mission of some 700 students buried under the ruins of the Dongqi Middle School in the Hanwang township of Deyang city. Rescuers Guo Degao (1st R) and Luo bing (1st L) take care of Wu Jingyi, a pupil injured in the earthquake aboard a helicopter at the quake-stricken Yingxiu Town of Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 14, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>       As of 12 p.m. Thursday, 360 students have been rescued from the ruins of the Beichuan Middle School in the Beichuan county, with another 700 more still buried under ruins of the school's main mansion.     By 4 p.m. Thursday, emergency relief teams from the China Seismological Bureau (CSB) and more than ten provinces and municipalities had saved 157 survivors in quake-affected areas in Sichuan.     MORE SOLDIERS, POLICE ARRIVE     The number of Chinese army and armed police personnel dispatched to quake-hit areas by Thursday has reached a record 95,553, with 148 military and civilian aircraft used for disaster relief.     A total of 72 medical teams consisted of more than 2,160 military medical staff have arrived at quake-hit regions and engaged in disaster relief work.     As of 6:50 p.m. Thursday, Chinese army and armed police personnel have reached all 58 counties and townships severely damaged in Monday's quake, including Wenchuan county, the epicenter, Maoxian county and Lixian county.     RESTORATION OF TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATION IN PROGRESS     Rescuers finished rush repair on the quake-damaged road from Lixian County to Wenchuan at 9 p.m. on Thursday.     The road was part of the national highway No. 317, which runs from Nagqu. in Tibet Autonomous Region, to Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu, with Maerkang, Lixian, Wenchuan, and Dujiangyan along the route.     Four temporary bridges had also been built Thursday over the Zipingpu reservoir in Dujiangyan City, connecting the city with Yingxiu township of Wenchuan.     Large-sized rescue equipments, including heavy-lifting gear, excavators, and bulldozers, and large number of troops would be sent into the epicenter, an officer with the Chengdu Military Area said.     On the rails, most of the damaged bridges and railways of the Baoji-Chengdu Raiway had been repaired by Thursday, although there was no further detail as to when the Railway would resume function. Traffic on other railways linking Chengdu to the rest of the country had all resumed as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.     The Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport located near the tourist attraction of Jiuzhaigou also resumed function Thursday, taking about 4,000 travelers stranded at the airport since Monday off from the airport.     By Thursday, power supply had been basically resumed in most parts of Sichuan. However, Beichuan County and Aba Prefecture, where power supply facilities suffer huge damages in the quake, were still in blackout.     In addition, all seven worst-stricken counties in the Sichuan quake including Wenchuan, Lixian, Maoxian, Qingchuan, Mianzhu, Pingwu, and Heishui, have resumed communication with rescue authorities through cellphones, land-line telephones or satellite telephones respectively.     RELIEF GOODS     The Ministry of Civil Affairs has allocated 127,580 tents, 220,000 quilts, and 170,000 cotton-padded clothes to the quake-hit areas.     The civil affairs and finance ministries have also initiated an emergency purchase plan aiming to provide more tents, clothes, flashlights and other relief goods needed by the quake-hit areas.     By 3 p.m. Thursday, 37,700 tents and 50,000 quilts has already arrived at Sichuan.     As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, the Chengdu Military Area Command has airdropped 33.3 tons of food, medicine and tents to quake-hit Wenchuan, Lixian, Maoxian counties, and carried 156 injured people in critical conditions to hospitals.     Six military transport aircraft were launched on Thursday to airdrop food, medicines and other relief goods to quake-hit areas, along with a total of 28 helicopters transporting 106 army personnel to Beichuan county, and carrying 124 injured people to hospitals.     DOMESTIC DONATIONS HIT 1.34 BLN YUAN     Domestic donations in both cash and goods to the quake-hit areas had risen to 1.34 billion yuan (192 million U.S. dollars) on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA).     The MCA had received donations of 58 million yuan, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has received 624 million yuan, and the China Charity Federation has received about 220 million yuan.     A chartered freight flight of the Taiwan-based China Airlines also arrived in Chengdu Thursday loaded with relief materials to quake-hit regions in Sichuan.     It carried 110 tonnes of blankets, tents, clothes, first aid packets and other materials donated by Taiwan's charity institutions.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao greets local people during an inspection in Muyu Township of Qingchuan County, one of the worst-hit area of Guangyuan City in southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 15, 2008. Wen is here to oversee rescue work and visit survivors.(Xinhua/Tao Ming) Photo Gallery>>>

    CHENGDU, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Rescue operation and disaster relief for victims in the worst earthquake over decades are of top priority of the nation, and thus require concerted efforts from the whole country, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Thursday night.

    Monday's 7.8-magnitude earthquake that ravaged southwestern Sichuan Province and was felt in most parts of the country was the "most destructive" tremor and had the "most wide-spreading impact" since New China was founded in 1949, Wen said on a meeting of the rescue headquarters under the State Council headed by himself.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) comforts local people in Muyu Township, Qingchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province May 15, 2008. Qingchuan County is one of the worst-hit areas in Sichuan Province. Premier Wen is here to oversee rescue work and visit survivors. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Photo Gallery>>>

    It was even more powerful than the Tangshan earthquake in 1976,Wen said. The catastrophe in northern Hebei Province claimed about240,000 lives three decades ago.

    He hailed the efficiency and order the country has maintained for the past 80 hours as the country focused its resources on saving lives and disaster relief work for quake victims.

    He said the government will stick to its "people-first" policy in its future rescue operations and reconstruction works.

A mother deadly cries after knowing her child lost life in the devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province May 15, 2008. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Photo Gallery>>>

    "Saving lives is still our top priority, as long as hope of survival still exists," Wen said, urging that social stability to be maintained.

    He warned relevant authorities to pay special attention to the prevention of plagues.

    He said supplies of food, medicines, and tents must be ensured.

    More than 50,000 people are feared dead in Sichuan alone after Monday's earthquake, with confirmed death toll in the province hitting 19,509 by Thursday afternoon.

Emotional premier moves Chinese amid quake effort

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Few things other than stories of victims rescued following China's most deadly earthquake in 32 years would touch the Chinese heart now. But the emotional Premier Wen Jiabao did. Full Story

Premier continues inspection in quake-hit Guangyuan

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived at Guangyuan City in southwest China's Sichuan Province here Thursday morning. Wen spent three hours by ship to go to Muyu Township, Qingchuan County, one of the worst-hit area of Guangyuan City to oversee rescue work and visit survivors. Full Story

Premier orders deployment of 90 more helicopters for quake relief

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered the armed forces and civil aviation department to deploy 90 more helicopters for rescue missions in quake-hit Sichuan province. Full Story

经过一年多的筹备，中国商用飞机有限责任公司在上海国际会议中心正式挂牌，该公司注册资本人民币190亿元。总经理金壮龙表示，将充分利用全球资源和欢迎外国同行参与研制大型客机，不会对欧洲空中客车和美国波音等世界著名飞机制造商构成威胁。

请看《中国日报》的报道：

A company to build large passenger aircraft was unveiled, a key step forward in the country's ambitious project to produce homemade jumbo jets. Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (CACC) will be responsible for researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing the aircraft.

大型客机制造公司正式揭牌成立，这是中国制造本土大型客机项目中的关键一步。中国商用飞机有限责任公司将负责大型客机的研制、开发、生产以及市场推广工作。

该报道中，large passenger aircraft就是“大型客机”，jumbo jet指的是“大型喷气式客机”，所谓大型客机（在中国又称“大飞机”）是指重量超过100吨、拥有150座以上的干线喷气式客机。commercial aircraft就是“商用飞机”，其他类型用途的飞机有： “民用飞机”（civil aircraft），“军用飞机”（military aircraft），“运输飞机”或“货运飞机”（cargo plane）。

Earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter scale hits SW China

A major earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted Wenchuan County of Southwest China's Sichuan province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. The quake was also felt in the capital city of Beijing and Xinhua reporters in Zhengzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing also reported major tremors at around 2 p.m. Monday.(Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday, the State Seismological Bureau (SSB) said, revising its previous figure of 7.6.

People gather on a street in Zhengzhou, capital of north China's Henan Province, after an earthquake occurred on May 12, 2008. A major earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted Wenchuan County of Southwest China's Sichuan province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. Earthquake was felt in Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu and Beijing. (Xinhua Photo)

    The epicenter of the quake was located 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude, the bureau said.

    With a population of 111,800, Wenchuan lies in the southeast part of the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba, 146 kilometers northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan.

    Wenchuan is home to the Wolong Nature Reserve, China's leading research and breeding base for endangered giant pandas.

    Minutes later, at 2:35 p.m., an earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale jolted Tongzhou District in east Beijing. That quake's epicenter was 39.8 north latitude and 116.8 east longitude, according to the SSB.

People gather on a street in Zhengzhou, capital of north China's Henan Province, after an earthquake occurred on May 12, 2008. A major earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted Wenchuan County of Southwest China's Sichuan province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. Earthquake was felt in Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu and Beijing. (Xinhua Photo)

    Xinhua reporters in many other parts of China also reported tremors. Reporters in Chengdu said they saw cracks on the walls of some residential buildings in the downtown area, but no building collapsed.

    Telecom networks in the cities of Chengdu, Chongqing and Zhengzhou paralyzed after the quake. People complained they were unable to complete calls on either fixed lines or cell phones.

    The water fountain at Xinhua's Chengdu Bureau toppled, TVs and bookshelves rocked, and books and documents spread on the floor.

    An underground water pipe was broken underneath a viaduct close to Chengdu's southern railway station, and the downtown Changshou Road was drowned. No emergency repairs vehicle has arrived by press time.

    The mobile telecommunications network remains in failure in Chengdu and Chongqing Municipality.

    Xinhua reporter Hai Mingwei said his apartment was in a mess, with the water pipe in the washing machine broken and water flooded the floor. "Bottles of drinks were also broken and the liquid was everywhere," he said. He and his parents escaped from home and joined crowds of people on the street.

    When the quake hit, Hai said the ground became uneven. "For a moment I thought I was dizzy and dared not walk."

    Many parts of China, even the remote southern island province of Hainan, and Bangkok of Thailand, felt the quake.

    In Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan Province, people rushed out of homes and offices.

    Many said they felt dizzy and saw the ceiling light fixtures swinging back and forth.

    In Lanzhou, capital of the northwestern Gansu Province, the quake set off alarms of many parked cars by the roadside.

    Xinhua reporters in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said they felt their office building rocking back and forth for about four minutes.

    A retiree in Leshan City, Sichuan Province, said in a telephone interview that a wall in her garden had collapsed, while a repairman in Chongqing saw the ceiling of his factory crumble and raised the alarm among the staff, who quickly left the building.

    In Shanghai, people were evacuated from office buildings in Hongqiao and Nanjing Road.

    No casualties have been reported yet.

    Maowen, a neighboring county of Wenchuan, was hit by an quake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale in 1933, which claimed more than 9,000 lives. Songpan and Pingwu in the northwest of Sichuan Province were hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 in 1976.

　　1.我告诉他别乱动，否则照片没法拍了。

　　I told him to stay put long enough for the photo to be taken.

　　2.晚会结束后，女孩子们留下来帮助清扫。

　　Girls stayed behind after the party to help clean up.

　　3.我一心只想帮忙，忘记了人多反而误事。

　　I only wished to help, forgetting that it might turn out to be a case of too many cooks.

　　4.食堂的饭菜多得令人眼花缭乱，都不知道选什么好了。

　　There are always a large varieties of food and dishes at our dining hall. We are spoiled for choice.

　　5.在众人面前发言总是令我紧张不堪。Speaking in front of a lot of people always gets on my nerves.

　　6.你会发现他这人一言九鼎。

　　You’ll find that he is just as good as his word.

　　7.我没那样讲过。我搞不懂他为什么硬说我讲过了。

　　I didn’t say that. I couldn’t understand why he put words in my mouth.)

　　8.点龙虾呢还是要牛排呢，我吃不准。

　　I can’t decide between the lobster and the steak.

　　9.那件事最终促使我离职。

　　That decided me to leave my job.

　　10.我本想当画家的，但命运却为我另作了安排。

　　I had wanted to be a painter, but destiny decided otherwise.

　　11.他不会去的：他在这一点上相当坚决。

　　He won’t go: he’s quite decided about it.

　　12.他脸上流露着明显的内疚。

　　Guilt was written all over his face.

　　13.他的英语并没什么了不起的。

　　His English is nothing much to write home about.

　　14.司机在车祸中只受了轻伤，幸免于难，但汽车却完全报废了。

　　The driver survived the crash with minor injuries, but the car was completely written off.

　　15.他是一个乐呵呵的人，但周一早上却是一副可怜相。

　　He’s a cheerful guy, but Monday morning found him miserable.

　　16.黄浦江在崇明岛附近汇入东海。

　　The Huangpu River finds its way to the East Sea at around Chongming Island.

　　17.那一击正好打中了他的下巴。

　　The blow found his chin.

　　18.这小孩刚刚开始学会走路。

　　The baby is just starting to find its feet.

　　19.我气得都说不出话来了。

　　I was so angry that I couldn’t find my tongue.

　　20.我来到这家公司才一星期的时间，所以一切还在摸索。

　　I’ve only joined the firm for only a week, so I’m still finding my feet.

　　21.告诉我你把我的小狗怎么着了！你哑巴了吗？

　　Say what you have done to my puppy! Have you lost your tongue?

　　22.我对你的根本要求就是要诚实。

　　All I request of you is to be honest with me.

　　23.他再三请求帮助。

　　He has made repeated requests for help.

　　24.应他本人要求，他被调到了另外一个部门。

　　He was transferred to another department at his own request.

　　25.这里是公交车招呼站。

　　Buses stop here by request.

　　“听力应该怎么提高？有没有什么好的方法?”很多学生问过我这样的问题。我的回答是：“要想练好听力，就得先爱上听力！要想爱上听力，听歌是最好的方法。” 音乐人人都爱听，在轻松愉快的状态下学习提高听力，能够事半功倍。那听歌练听力到底拥有哪些其他方式无可比拟的好处呢？

　　第一，英文歌是学习发音技巧的最佳素材。如连读，不完全或完全失去爆破，元音的弱化，同化等。

　　第二，能加强对部分俚语或常用口语的了解，歌词里常出现如gonna, wanna, ain’t等。

　　第三，歌曲也是学习常用词汇和语法的很好的资料，歌曲中常出现如完成时态，从句，虚拟语气等较难掌握的语法点，通过听歌学习，效果更加明显，印象也更加深刻。

　　第四，听歌也是扩展背景文化知识的很好的途径。听不同国家不同曲风的歌曲，能欣赏西方文化独特的魅力，能体会到东西方文化的差异。

　　但是我发现，很多学生听歌是非常盲目的，仅仅作为一种休闲娱乐，而没有把它当作提高听力水平的有效途径。听歌不仅仅是听听旋律，应该从发音上学习连读技巧，从歌词上理解其内涵。不过，并不是所有类型所有曲风的歌曲都适合练习听力。对于不同层次不同水平的学生，如何正确选择适合自己的歌曲进行听力练习显得尤为重要。因为如果选择了不当的材料，很可能会起反作用。

　　接下来，我给大家推荐一首来自westlife的歌曲。Westlife是一个来自爱尔兰的合唱组合，在中国极具人气，相信他们的这首you raise me up会得到学生的喜爱。这首歌的节奏舒缓，歌词简短，是英语初学者练习听力极好的素材。

　　很多学生都反应这些单词都会，但听就是听不懂。到底是什么原因呢？其实，是演唱者使用了一些特殊的发音技巧，加入了连读等，所以发音上产生了一些变化。这首歌完美地展现了这些发音的技巧，这对于英语初学者来说是提高听力首先要攻破的难题。

　　第一，完全或不完全失去爆破音。

　　1.完全失去爆破：前词尾和后词头都是爆破音，在词，词组或句子中朗读时，第一个只摆姿势不送气，第二个才真正爆破发音。该情形由6个爆破音组成：[p] [t] [d] [k] [g],任何两个相邻时，便遵循以上原则。“假前真后”。

　　如：burdened be

　　2.不完全爆破：在词，词组或句子中朗读时，爆破音[p] [t] [d] [k] [g],中任一个音与其他辅音(摩擦音、破擦音、鼻辅音、舌边音)相邻时前一音摆姿势，稍作停顿，只能听到一点轻微的爆破声，“轻前重后”。

　　如：and wait here

　　第二，连读

　　1.词末辅音+词首元音的连读

　　如：when I读为 [nai]

　　More than I 读为 [nai]

　　2.字尾元音+字首元音，加入[w]或[j]

　　首先，在词尾以 [u:] 等接元音时可以加 [w]

　　如：so I can stand on mountains 读为 [wai]

　　其次，在词尾以 [i:] [ai] [ei] 等接元音时可以加 [j]

　　如：me up

　　另外，摩擦音[r]与其后面的首元音连读

　　如：wait here in the silence 读为 [rin]

　　第三，新式浊化：有时单词词尾的辅音连缀可以和后面的某个元音开头的单词形成一种新的浊化现象。

　　如：Sit awhile 读为 [dail]

　　要听懂这些特殊的发音，就要先会读，所以读熟歌词练习发音技巧是相当有效的。

　　另外，这首歌里有些用词也是值得学习的。

　　1. down : low in spirits; depressed(情绪低落的，沮丧的)；如：I am feeling down today.(我今天情绪低落。)

　　2. still: free from disturbance, agitation, or commotion(安宁的，不受干扰的)

　　3. more than I can be: more than 在这里相当于over(超过，超越)；如I love you more than I can say.(爱你在心口难开。)

　　4. raise up: 原指lift (举起)，不过在这里用其connotation: encourage or inspire.

　　5. Sit awhile: sit for a while or moment

　　6. burdened: bearing a heavy burden of work or difficulties or responsibilities

　　听力绝不是一天两天就能练成的，它需要的是耐心和毅力。没有量变，是不可能达到质变的。歌曲是大家比较容易接受和喜欢的素材，但是并不是听几首歌就能提高听力的。只有选择适合你的歌曲，使用正确的方法，精听和泛听结合，我相信成为听力高手绝不是一个遥不可及的梦想。

　　一直想写一下自己的备考历程和心得，希望对后来的战友有所启发。无奈天公不作美，第一次考试砸在了作文上了，总分6，听力6.5，阅读7，作文5，口语6。时间一晃到了三月底，原本说不用再考英语的未来的港大的老板说学院要我提供符合条件的英语成绩才可以给正式的offer，没办法，匆忙报了启德雅思班，上了两个礼拜的课，然后自己又准备了五天，就上战场了。前天，忐忑不安的查到了自己的成绩，总分6.5，听力6，阅读7，作文6.5，口语6，当时可谓真的是狂喜。心情平静下来，还是决定把这段时间的心路历程写一下。

　　1. 关于自己英语水平的定位的问题。给自己一个正确的定位对于接下来的备考以及预估自己的成绩相当关键的。事实上，论坛上发帖者的英语水平可谓是参差不齐，很难找到一个真正的参照。记得第一次考雅思的时候，看到大家的发言，真有点被吓住的感觉，不知道自己的水平到底能考多少，也不知道六分到底是何种要求，往往是越看论坛越把自己搞得紧张兮兮的。考了第一次雅思之后，自己才有切身体会，知道了五分或者六分的标准，这样自己心里自然就有底了。考过一次有经验固然是好，那么对那些从来没有考过雅思的人该怎么办呢？我觉得最好是找个考过的人问问参照以下，或者上一下辅导班听听老师怎么说(这一部分我下文还会着重说一下)。当然，对大牛就另当别论了。

　　2. 该如何准备复习呢？第一次考试自己准备了有一个多月的时间，前半段的时间我犯了一个方向性的问题，导致后面的全盘皆输。在此期间，我花了很大的时间用来背单词，还有做听力跟写，可是大半个月过去了，发现提高真的是可谓微乎其微。单词固然重要，但是要在一个月之内扩大自己的词汇量真的很难。背下来很快就忘记了，而且即使在单词书上背下来，在文章里根本就不认识，又何况在作文里用呢？我很赞同启德高老师的话，只要有高中基础的词汇量，对于考雅思就足够了。正是由于前期没有好好协调听说读写四方面的关系，搞得后期很是狼狈。所以，我建议大家准备的时候，听说读写四方面保证齐头并进，这才可以。因为在雅思考试中，每门的比重是相同的。

　　3. 关于听力。说实话，听力之前真的不算好，刚刚做剑桥的时候，一般只能做对二十个。有人建议要做听写，我个人看来，真的是完全没有必要，既浪费了大量的时间，又没有好的进展。和我水平相当的同学，我觉得只要把剑桥系列的听力完全仔细的听过，考试考6到7应该没有问题。如果水平不怎么好的同学，我觉得临考前一个礼拜背一下机经还是很有用的，毕竟现在每次都有旧的题目出现。有时候，5.5和6分的差距可能就是一个空。

　　4. 关于阅读。阅读是我的强项，一直没有担心过，而且对于自己没有拿到8一直觉得耿耿于怀。我觉得雅思的阅读要容易过中国人出的考试题目的阅读。雅思考试中，只要定到位了就可以找到答案，而在中国人的试卷里面，即使你看懂了，可还是不知道答案。

　　5. 关于作文。对于作文，我觉得网上有些宣传带有很大的误导，要大家用大词，用不常见的词，用复杂的句式，好像只有这样才会拿到高分。我第一次考试的时候就深受其害，不知道到底何谓大词，何谓复杂句式。还有当时自己买了一本《雅思八分作文》，看了几页之后，发现，天啊，雅思的要求这么高啊！说实话，那些文章我看都要费点精力才可以看懂。后来参加启德雅思培训，Jennifer老师就很反对上面的观点，在此，我也深表同意。现在想想，在两三百字的作文中把道理讲清楚才是最重要的。在这个的基础上，可以稍微用一些倒装句啊，从句啊，拿六分应该足够了。另外说一下模板。对于非大牛的同学，我觉得针对不同的问题准备两三个模板是很有必要的。这样在考试中就省去了考虑如何开头，如何过渡，如何结尾的问题，从而把时间和精力完全放在文章的主体上面，而这些内容也是文章的核心。

　　6. 关于口语。口语的准备主要放在第二部分的话题上面。说实话，我觉得这部分也是最变态的，因为有些topic真的是完全都不了解，也不知道该怎么说。两次考试我都有没有准备到的topic，不过运气还算好，都没有被抽中。对于第二部分的口语，我建议大家只要写几个答题要点在题目旁边就好，然后自己根据要点串着讲出来。因为考试的时候也只有一分钟的准备，这样最贴近实战。尽量不要写一大段话去背，费时费力。对于拿分重点的第三部分，平时对于这些问题多思考一下，多想想该从那几个方面去说，别到时候被问的不知道怎么回答就好了。最后再说一下发音的问题。比较惭愧，我的发音真的是很烂，但发音对六分到真的是影响不大，所以大家不用过于担心。对于此问题，我还特地去问过Simon老师，而且我的经验证实也是这样的。

　　7. 最后来说一下培训班。说实话，在此之前，我一直反对报类似的培训班，因为我觉得英语考试实际上就是考得个人的英语能力，看得懂就是看得懂，说不出来就是说不出来，而且语言又是个积累的过程，怎么会通过两个礼拜或者一个月的培训有突飞猛进呢？我之所以选择报了培训班，是因为当时实在不知道该怎么准备作文了，才硬着头皮去报的，有点狗急跳墙的感觉。但是，两个礼拜下来，自己确实感觉收获颇多。分析其中的原因，我想主要是因为雅思考试题目类型、出题思路、考试模式、评分要点、备考策略等等真的不同于我们以前英语考试，所以绝大多数考生都没有足够的的经验来应对。而好的培训班老师却有很多经验可以和大家分享，我觉得这很重要，知己知彼，百战不殆。最后还要赞一下启德的老师。呵呵，首先声明，绝对不是做广告。两个礼拜下来，我和好多同学深深的感受到启德老师的负责与敬业，像花花(听力)，高老师(阅读)，Simon(口语)，Jennifer(作文)真的可谓良师益友，谢谢他们。同时也要感谢雅思精品班的同学们，大家聚在一起讨论作文论点的情景仍然历历在目。

　　罗嗦了这么多，希望能给大家带来点启发，那我也很知足了。雅思是个和运气有比较大关系的考试，希望大家都有个好运气，取得自己心仪的成绩。

　　1. Someone you know well is applying to a university abroad. Write a recommendation letter for him, say how you got to know him and why he is worth your recommendation.(推荐信) 

　　亲爱的先生/女士： 

　　我写信是向您推荐罗伯特•蒋先生的超凡个性与超强学习能力的。 

　　Dear Sir or Madam, 

　　I’m writing to recommend to you the outstanding personality and the super ability for learning of Mr. Robert Jiang. 

　　我是几年前在给一个英语专业班级讲授英国文学时认识蒋先生的，那时他是班里的一名学生。他在比如分组讨论和公开辩论数个场合上的极佳表现确实让我暗自称奇。我从未遇到过英语讲得如此流利、准确的年青学生。他对英国文学整体的见解以及他对文学人物分析所切入的视角激起了我对他那一流的独特研究能力的好奇心。后来，在他完成学士学位的学习后，他继续在同一领域开始攻读硕士学位，我有幸成为他的导师。蒋先生历来诚实可信，对人友善，容易相处。他的很多同学在不同的场合提到过他的乐于助人，对此，我深表赞同。 

　　I got to know Mr. Jiang a few years ago while I was teaching British literature to a class of English majors in which he was a student. His excellent performances on several occasions such as group discussions and open debate really took me by great surprise. Never had I met a young student speaking English so fluently and accurately. His insight into British literature as a whole as well as the perspectives he cut into the analysis of characters in the literature aroused my great curiosity about his first-class and unique capability of doing research work. Later on, upon his completion of the Bachelor degree, he moved on to pursue his study for a Master’s degree in the same field of study and I was very lucky to be his supervisor. Mr. Jiang has always been an honest person. He is very friendly to people and is very easy-going. Many of his classmates have mentioned on different occasions about how helpful he was to them and to which I simply cannot agree more. 

　　现在，蒋先生正在向贵校提出申请，希望能够有机会前往从事他的博士学位研究。我希望您会发现他正如我所举荐他的那样好。如果您还有任何问题，请随时与我联系，我的电子邮箱是：onlytoya@hotmail.com。 

　　您真诚的 

　　Kenny Gao 

　　昂立托雅大学英语教授 

　　Now Mr. Jiang is applying to your prestigious university for a chance to continue his Ph.D research. I hope you’ll find he is just as good as I’m now recommending him to be. And should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at the following e-mail address: 

　　onlytoya@hotmail.com 

　　Truly yours 

　　Kenny Gao 

　　English professor of Onlytoya University

我有一个梦想——马丁·路德·金

100年前，一位伟大的美国人——今天我们就站在他象征性的身影下——签署了《解放宣言》。这项重要法令的颁布，对于千百万灼烤于非正义残焰中的黑奴，犹如带来希望之光的硕大灯塔，恰似结束漫漫长夜禁锢的欢畅黎明。

然而，100年后，黑人依然没有获得自由。100年后，黑人依然悲惨地蹒跚于种族隔离和种族歧视的枷锁之下。100年后，黑人依然生活在物质繁荣翰海的贫困孤岛上。100年后，黑人依然在美国社会中向隅而泣，依然感到自己在国土家园中流离漂泊。所以，我们今天来到这里，要把这骇人听闻的情况公诸于众。

从某种意义上说，我们来到国家的首都是为了兑现一张支票。我们共和国的缔造者在拟写宪法和独立宣言的辉煌篇章时，就签署了一张每一个美国人都能继承的期票。这张期票向所有人承诺——不论白人还是黑人——都享有不可让渡的生存权、自由权和追求幸福权。

然而，今天美国显然对她的有色公民拖欠着这张期票。美国没有承兑这笔神圣的债务，而是开始给黑人一张空头支票——一张盖着“资金不足”的印戳被退回的支票。但是，我们决不相信正义的银行会破产。我们决不相信这个国家巨大的机会宝库会资金不足。

因此，我们来兑现这张支票。这张支票将给我们以宝贵的自由和正义的保障。

我们来到这块圣地还为了提醒美国：现在正是万分紧急的时刻。现在不是从容不迫悠然行事或服用渐进主义镇静剂的时候。现在是实现民主诺言的时候。现在是走出幽暗荒凉的种族隔离深谷，踏上种族平等阳关大道的时候。现在是使我们国家走出种族不平等的流沙，踏上充满手足之情的磐石的时候。现在是让上帝所有的孩子真正享有公正的时候。

忽视这一时刻的紧迫性，对于国家将会是致命的。自由平等的朗朗秋日不到来，黑人顺情合理哀怨的酷暑就不会过去。1963年不是一个结束，而是一个开端。

如果国家依然我行我素，那些希望黑人只需出出气就会心满意足的人将大失所望。在黑人得到公民权之前，美国既不会安宁，也不会平静。反抗的旋风将继续震撼我们国家的基石，直至光辉灿烂的正义之日来临。

但是，对于站在通向正义之宫艰险门槛上的人们，有一些话我必须要说。在我们争取合法地位的过程中，切不要错误行事导致犯罪。我们切不要吞饮仇恨辛酸的苦酒，来解除对于自由的饮渴。

我们应该永远得体地、纪律严明地进行斗争。我们不能容许我们富有创造性的抗议沦为暴力行动。我们应该不断升华到用灵魂力量对付肉体力量的崇高境界。

席卷黑人社会的新的奇迹般的战斗精神，不应导致我们对所有白人的不信任——因为许多白人兄弟已经认识到：他们的命运同我们的命运紧密相连，他们的自由同我们的自由休戚相关。他们今天来到这里参加集会就是明证。我们不能单独行动。

当我们行动时，我们必须保证勇往直前。我们不能后退。有人问热心民权运动的人：“你们什么时候会感到满意？”只要黑人依然是不堪形容的警察暴行恐怖的牺牲品，我们就决不会满意。只要我们在旅途劳顿后，却被公路旁汽车游客旅社和城市旅馆拒之门外，我们就决不会满意。只要黑人的基本活动范围只限于从狭小的黑人居住区到较大的黑人居住区，我们就决不会满意。只要我们的孩子被“仅供白人”的牌子剥夺个性，损毁尊严，我们就决不会满意。只要密西西比州的黑人不能参加选举，纽约州的黑人认为他们与选举毫不相干，我们就决不会满意。不，不，我们不会满意，直至公正似水奔流，正义如泉喷涌。

我并非没有注意到你们有些人历尽艰难困苦来到这里。你们有些人刚刚走出狭小的牢房。有些人来自因追求自由而遭受迫害风暴袭击和警察暴虐狂飙摧残的地区。你们饱经风霜，历尽苦难。继续努力吧，要相信：无辜受苦终得拯救。

回到密西西比去吧；回到亚拉巴马去吧；回到南卡罗来纳去吧；回到佐治亚去吧；回到路易斯安那去吧；回到我们北方城市中的贫民窟和黑人居住区去吧。要知道，这种情况能够而且将会改变。我们切不要在绝望的深渊里沉沦。

朋友们，今天我要对你们说，尽管眼下困难重重，但我依然怀有一个梦。这个梦深深植根于美国梦之中。

我梦想有一天，这个国家将会奋起，实现其立国信条的真谛：“我们认为这些真理不言而喻：人人生而平等。”

我梦想有一天，在佐治亚州的红色山岗上，昔日奴隶的儿子能够同昔日奴隶主的儿子同席而坐，亲如手足。

我梦想有一天，甚至连密西西比州——一个非正义和压迫的热浪逼人的荒漠之州，也会改造成为自由和公正的青青绿洲。

我梦想有一天，我的四个小女儿将生活在一个不是以皮肤的颜色，而是以品格的优劣作为评判标准的国家里。

我今天怀有一个梦。

我梦想有一天，亚拉巴马州会有所改变——尽管该州州长现在仍滔滔不绝地说什么要对联邦法令提出异议和拒绝执行——在那里，黑人儿童能够和白人儿童兄弟姐妹般地携手并行。

我今天怀有一个梦。

我梦想有一天，深谷弥合，高山夷平，歧路化坦途，曲径成通衢，上帝的光华再现，普天下生灵共谒。

这是我们的希望。这是我将带回南方去的信念。有了这个信念，我们就能绝望之山开采出希望之石。有了这个信念，我们就能把这个国家的嘈杂刺耳的争吵声，变为充满手足之情的悦耳交响曲。有了这个信念，我们就能一同工作，一同祈祷，一同斗争，一同入狱，一同维护自由，因为我们知道，我们终有一天会获得自由。

从到了这一天，上帝的所有孩子都能以新的含义高唱这首歌：

我的祖国，可爱的自由之邦，我为您歌唱。这是我祖先终老的地方，这是早期移民自豪的地方，让自由之声，响彻每一座山岗。

如果美国要成为伟大的国家，这一点必须实现。因此，让自由之声响彻新罕布什尔州的巍峨高峰！

让自由之声响彻纽约州的崇山峻岭！

让自由之声响彻宾夕法尼亚州的阿勒格尼高峰！

让自由之声响彻科罗拉多州冰雪皑皑的洛基山！

让自由之声响彻加利福尼亚州的婀娜群峰！

不，不仅如此；让自由之声响彻佐治亚州的石山！

让自由之声响彻田纳西州的望山！

让自由之声响彻密西西比州的一座座山峰，一个个土丘！

让自由之声响彻每一个山岗！

当我们让自由之声轰响，当我们让自由之声响彻每一个大村小庄，每一个州府城镇，我们就能加速这一天的到来。那时，上帝的所有孩子，黑人和白人，犹太教徒和非犹太教徒，耶稣教徒和天主教徒，将能携手同唱那首古老的黑人灵歌：“终于自由了！终于自由了！感谢全能的上帝，我们终于自由了！”

Listen to the speech 

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.

Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

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A new smoking ban introduced in Beijing since May 1 that covers public places including hotels and parks has cut the number of fires in the city sparked by cigarette butts by more than half, fire authorities have said.

In the first week of this month, the Beijing fire brigade put out eight cigarette-related fires, an average of 1.14 per day, the Beijing Fire Control Bureau said in a press release on Saturday.

The new daily average was less than half of what was reported in the first four months of this year, when the city's firefighters had to put out 325 fires caused by cigarette butts, or 2.7 per day, it said.

The bureau said fewer people have been seen smoking in public after the new ban took effect. The risk of fires caused by randomly discarded cigarette butts has been reduced, it said.

The new smoking ban, a follow-up to a 1996 regulation, has designated more public places smoke-free areas, including fitness centers, cultural relic sites, offices, meeting rooms, dining halls, toilets, and aisles and lifts in buildings belonging to government or private institutions.

Restaurants, Internet cafes, parks, waiting halls at airports, railway stations and coach stations are also required to provide separate smoking and non-smoking areas.

Individuals caught lighting up in non-smoking areas will be fined 10 yuan ($1.4), while enterprises and institutions that violate the rule face fines ranging between 1,000 yuan and 5,000 yuan.

The ban is China's latest effort to honor its commitment of having a smoke-free Games in August, and part of the country's long-term campaign to promote its citizens' health.

有特色、高水平的奥运会 unique, well-run Olympic Games

加强国际合作，创造良好环境 to strengthen cooperation with the international community and create an excellent environment

促进中国经济社会发展 to promote China's economic and social development

增进中国人民同世界各国人民的友谊与合作 to increase friendship and cooperation between Chinese and the peoples of other countries

粮食总产量 grain output

第三大贸易国 the third largest trading nation

世界第四大经济体 world's fourth largest economy

国家税收 government revenue

外汇储备 foreign exchange reserves

更加开放的经济体more open economy

加快发展债券市场 to accelerate development of the bond market

稳步发展期货市场 to steadily develop the futures market

创业板市场 growth enterprise market

中小企业板 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) board

市值 market capitalization（指已发行股票的总值）

印花税 stamp tax

国家开发银行 China Development Bank

创业板块市场 market for growth enterprises

债券市场 bond market

期货市场 futures market

提高上市公司质量 improve the performance of listed companies

维护公开公平公正的市场秩序 to maintain an open, fair and equitable market environment

医疗保障 medical insurance

公共卫生服务 health care

医疗改革 healthcare reform

社会保障体系 social security system

医疗改革初步方案 preliminary plan on the health care reform

公开征求意见 to solicit opinions from the general public

基本医疗保险 basic medical insurance

安全、有效、方便、价廉的基本医疗卫生服务 safe, effective, convenient and affordable basic medical and health service

人人享有基本医疗卫生服务 to provide everyone with access to basic medical and health services

扩大城镇居民基本医疗保险试点 to extend the trial of basic medical insurance for urban residents

新型农村合作医疗制度 new type of rural cooperative medical care system

药品价格上涨 surging drug prices

免费的九年义务教育 free, nine-year compulsory education

免费义务教育 free compulsory education

学杂费 miscellaneous fees