Adults and children are frequently confronted with statements about the alarming rate of loss of tropical rainforests. For example, one graphic illustration to which children might readily relate is the estimate that rainforests are being destroyed at a rate equivalent to one thousand football fields every forty minutes – about the duration of a normal classroom period. In the face of the frequent and often vivid media coverage, it is likely that children will have formed ideas about rainforests – what and where they are, why they are important, what endangers them –independent of these ideas will be mistaken.
adult
tropical
adj. adj. 成熟的 热带的
成年人的 graphic
n. adj.
成年人
绘画的,图标的 frequently
形象的,生动的
adv.
illustration
频繁的,屡次的
n. confront
图标,图案 vt.
例证,实例
勇敢的面对
readily
confront with
adv.
使面对
乐意的,容易的
statement
relate
n. v. 声明,陈述 联系起来 报表
vt. alarming
讲述
adj.
estimate
使人害怕的,扰乱人心的
n. rate
估计 n. 报价 比率 v 速度 评估,估计
费用 destroyed
v
被毁
认为,把…算作
equivalent
loss
adj. n. 相等的,相当
丧失 football field
损耗 足球场
损失
about
prep. 在…周围 对于 由于 关于 adv. 大约 附近
duration
n.
持续的时间
period
n. 时期,时代 学时,课时 句号
normal period
标准周期
in the face of
面对
vivid
adj. 鲜艳的 栩栩如生
coverage
n. 新闻报道 覆盖范围
media coverage
媒体报道
likely
adj.
可能,有希望的
适合的 adv. 可能
form
n. 组成,结构 表格
音乐和文学作品的形式 v. 形成,产生
idea
n. 想法,主意 思想,概念 了解
endanger
vt.
危及,使遭受危险
independent
adj.
独立的,自主的 无关的
independent of
不依赖… 与…无关
formal
adj. 正式的
礼仪上得,形式上的
tuition
n. 学费 课程讲授
also
1
adv. 也,同样,并且
也许(会发生)的 可接受的,合适的
误解,误会 v 弄错
possible
adj.
可能的,潜在的
mistake
n. 错误,过失
Many studies have shown that children harbour misconceptions about 'pure', curriculum science. These misconceptions do not remain isolated but become incorporated into a multifaceted, but organised, conceptual framework, making it and the component ideas, some of which are erroneous, more robust but also accessible to modification. These ideas may be developed by children absorbing ideas through the popular media. Sometimes this information may be erroneous. It seems schools may not be providing an opportunity for children to re-express their ideas and so have them tested and refined by teachers and their peers.
studies
研究者
n. 总课程
把…合并 组成
robust
adj.
强壮的,健全的
show
v. 说明,表明 给…看,显示 n. 表演 展览 显示
science
n. 科学 学科
incorporate into
成为…一部分
but also
并且
multifaceted
adj. 多方面
accessible
adj.
容易取得/获得/达到的 容易接近,进入 平易近人,易相处的 可理解的,容易懂的
remain
n. 剩余物 遗体 遗迹 vi. 留下 剩下 link
仍然是,依旧是
organized
adj. 有组织的
harbour
n. 港口 vt. 藏匿 怀有(想法)
conceptual
adj. 概念的
modification
n. 缓和,减轻 修改,改变
framework
n. 结构 making n. 制造
成功改进的手段
absorbing
adj.
吸引人的,非常有趣的 vt. 吸收
misconception
n.
误解,错误想法
isolate
vt.
使孤立,使隔离
pure
adj.
纯洁的,纯净的 纯种的 纯理论的 仅仅的,单纯的
isolated
adj.
孤立的,单独的 隔离的
component
n.
成分,组成部分,部件
through
adv. 通过
incorporate
vt. 包含,加上
erroneous
adj.
错误的,不正确的
popular
adj. 流行的
curriculum
2
公众的
express
vt. 表达 快递 n. 快递 adj.
特快的,高速的 明确的 adv. 用快递方式
test
n. 测验 考验 vt. 测试 探测
peer
vi.
凝视,盯着看 n. 同龄人 贵族
provide
v. 提供,供给 vt. 规定
opportunity
n. 机会,时机
refine
vt. 使完善 提炼,使纯净
re-express
重新表达
Despite the extensive coverage in the popular media of the destruction of rainforests, little formal information is available about children's ideas in this area. The aim of the present study is to start to provide such information, to help teachers design their educational strategies to build upon correct ideas and to displace misconceptions and to plan programmes in environmental studies in their schools.
despite
prep. 尽管
存在的,含有的 n. 现在,目前 礼物,赠品 vt. 出现,出席 介绍 赠与
educational
adj. 教育的
平面图 v. 计划,打算
extensive
adj.
广阔的,广泛的
strategies
n. 策略,计谋
programme
n. 节目
计划,规划,项目 vt. 计划,安排
destruction
n. 破坏
upon
prep. 当…时候 在…上面
such
adj.
这样的,这些的 非常的 pron. 这样的事(人)
little
adv. 几乎没有
environmental
adj. 环境的
correct
adj. 正确的 vt. 改正,纠正
available
adj. 可用的
design
v. 设计,策划 n. 图样 设计 打算,目的
in this area
这方面
displace
vt. 替换,取代
present
adj.
出席的,到场的 现在的,目前的
plan
n. 计划,方案
3
The study surveys children's scientific knowledge and attitudes to rainforests. Secondary school children were asked to complete a questionnaire containing five open-form questions. The most frequent responses to the first question were descriptions which are self-evident from the term 'rainforest'. Some children described them as damp, wet or hot. The second question concerned the geographical location of rainforests, The commonest responses were continents or countries; Africa (given by 43% of children). South America (30%), Brazil (25%). Some children also gave more general locations, such as being near the Equator
survey
questionnaire
vt. vt. n.
把…称为
眺望 调查表,问卷
describe
调查
contain
vt. scientific
vt. 描述,叙述
adj. 包含,容纳 damp
科学的
控制
adj. scientific knowledge open-form
潮湿的 科学认识
开放式
n. attitude
response
潮湿 n. n.
vt. 态度,看法 respond
使潮湿 姿态,姿势
v. 减弱
secondary school
回答,答复 wet
中学
反应,响应
adj. asked
description
湿的 v. n. 多雨的 问 描述,形容
n. 要求 self-evident
雨天 邀请
adj. 湿地
complete
不言而喻的
concern
adj. term
n. 完成的 n.
忧虑,焦虑
完整的 专门用语,术语 重要的,感兴趣的事 彻底的 期限 企业 vt. 学期 vt.
完成
条款
使担忧,烦恼
4
于…有关,关系到 关心,关注
geographical
adj. 地理的
location
n. 位置,场所
common
adj.
普遍的,常见的 公有得,共同的
commonest
最常见的
continent
n. 洲,大陆
general
adj. 普通的 一般的
such as
例如
equator
n. 赤道
Responses to question three concerned the importance of rainforests. The dominant idea, raised by 64% of the pupils, was that rainforests provide animals with habitats. Fewer students responded that rainforests provide plant habitats, and even fewer mentioned the indigenous populations of rainforests. More girls (70%) than boys (60%) raised the idea of rainforest as animal habitats.
dominant
adj. 占优势的 主导的,同志的
(工资,薪金)提升,增加
较少的
indigenous
adj. 土生土长的
provide with
给A提供B
even
adj. 甚至,即使 更加
habitat
n.
栖息地,住处
population
n. 人口 全体居民
raise
vt. 提起,举起 增加,提升 抚养,饲养 n.
mention
vt. 提到,说起 n. 提及
few
adj. 不多的,很少
fewer
Similarly, but at a lower level, more girls (13%) than boys [5%) said that rainforests provided human habitats. These observations are generally consistent with our previous studies of pupils' views about the use and conservation of rainforests, in which girls were shown to be more sympathetic to animals and expressed views which seem to place an intrinsic value on non-human animal life.
similarly
adv.
相似地,类似的 也,同样
human habitats
人类生活环境
adj.
一致的,符合的
对环境的保护
in which
在其中
observation
n. 主意,观察 言论,评论,意见 观察力
consistent with
与某物一致
shown
被证明
level
n.
水平线,水平面 水平,等级 adj. 平的,平坦的 同高度的
previous
adj.
先前的,以前的 过早的,过急的
sympathetic
adj. 同情
generally
adv.
一般的,普遍的,大体上
conservation
n. 保护,保存
seem
似乎
consistent
5
place on