Integrated task 1
Reading passage
Altruism is a type of behavior in which an animal sacrifices its own interest for that of another animal or group of animals. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness; individuals performing altruistic acts gain nothing for themselves.
Examples of altruism abound, both among humans and among other mammals. Unselfish acts among humans range from the sharing of food with strangers to the donation of body organs to family members, and even to strangers. Such acts are altruistic in that they benefit another, yet provide little reward to the one performing the act.
In fact, many species of animals appear willing to sacrifice food, or even their life, to assist other members of their group. The meerkat, which is a mammal that dwells in burrows in grassland areas of Africa, is often cited as an example. In groups of meerkats, an individual acts as a sentinel, standing guard and looking out for predators while the others hunt for food or eat food they have obtained. If the sentinel meerkat sees a predator such as a hawk approaching the group, it gives an alarm cry alerting the other meerkats to run and seek shelter. By standing guard, the sentinel meerkat gains nothing—it goes without food while the others eat, and it places itself in grave danger. After it issues an alarm, it has to flee alone, which might make it more at risk to a predator, since animals in groups are often able to work together to fend off a predator. So the altruistic sentinel behavior helps ensure the survival of other members of the meerkat｡ｯs group.
Listening: Please listen to ｡ｰog-integrated test 1.mp3｡ｱ
Sample answer｣ｺ
The lecture completely refutes the passage. It is said in the lecture that, the perceived acts of altruism are nothing more than sneaky methods of gaining advantage for one｡ｯs self, contrary to the belief in the passage that sentinels risk their lives for the cause of the whole group.
The professor says that the meerkat sentinels are in fact less prone to outside threats. The alarm sentinels give off causes group to move rashly which draws the predators｡ｯ attention towards them, thus drawing away the attention from the sentinels. The lecture refutes the fact that these meerkats are altruistic in the sense that they gain nothing in exchange of their services. In fact, researches have shown that they have a full stomach as they perform this ｡ｰaltruistic｡ｱ duty and have a better chance of escaping from danger because they witness it first.
The professor also offers a different underlying motivation that causes people to believe that acts such as donating an organ or sharing food with someone in need are altruistic. She says that people gain appreciation as a result of such acts, which may be deemed by some much more important than materialistic gains.
一、阅读听力要点概括
Reading Passage
Theme: Altruism means one will sacrifice its interest for others even without return
Key point 1: Humans’sharing of food and donation of body organs can be regarded as altruism
Key point 2: By sentinel guarding, meerkats will benefit others without gaining food
Key point 3: After giving alarms, the guarding one cannot ensure its own survival
Lecture
Theme: Re-examine, a recent study
Key words 1: Before, stand guard, first, predator, most likely, escape, greater danger
Key words 2: Alarm, draw, attention away from, increasing, chances of survival
Key words 3: Donates a kidney, stranger, appreciation, approval, society, self-worth, valuable.
二、范文逐段欣赏
Paragraph 1
The lecture completely refutes the passage. It is said in the lecture that, the perceived acts of altruism are nothing more than sneaky methods of gaining advantage for one’s self, contrary to the belief in the passage that sentinels risk their lives for the cause of the whole group.
此段功能
首段第一句指出讲座与文章观点相悖，然后分别用一句话陈述讲座里的观点和文章中的观点，为接下来的论述做好了准备。
此段结构
本段为总分结构，先指出讲座完全否定了文章的观点，然后用一个长难句分别陈述各方观点。
Paragraph 2
The professor says that the meerkat sentinels are in fact less prone to outside threats. The alarm sentinels give off causes group to move rashly which draws the predators’ attention towards them, thus drawing away the attention from the sentinels. The lecture refutes the fact that these meerkats are altruistic in the sense that they gain nothing in exchange of their services. In fact, researches have shown that they have a full stomach as they perform this “altruistic” duty and have a better chance of escaping from danger because they witness it first.
此段功能
此段演讲者一一反驳了文中两个观点，认为哨兵放哨并没有更危险而是事实上减少了自身的危险，同时哨兵放哨时并不是腹中空空而是已经好饱了。由此反驳了文章认为这些哨兵的行为是无私的这一观点。
此段结构
此段为并列结构，演讲者分两个方面对文章观点进行了反驳。
Paragraph 3
The professor also offers a different underlying motivation that causes people to believe that acts such as donating an organ or sharing food with someone in need are altruistic. She says that people gain appreciation as a result of such acts, which may be deemed by some much more important than materialistic gains.
此段功能
此段反驳了文中第二个观点，演讲者认为捐献器官等行为事实上会获得精神满足，这也是一种回报的形式。
此段结构
此段总分结构，阐述了演讲者对于文中第二个观点的反驳。
三、范文全篇总评
1、逻辑结构
全文采用了总分的结构，在首段提出了文章与演讲争论的焦点，在接下来的两段一一用演讲者的论据反驳了文章观点。
2、语言表达
文章首段的一个长句值得学习借鉴。
It is said in the lecture that, the perceived acts of altruism are nothing more than sneaky methods of gaining advantage for one’s self, contrary to the belief in the passage that sentinels risk their lives for the cause of the whole group.
在这个句子中，contrary to这个短语串联起来前后两种观点，同时还有效地表达了对比的关系，言简意赅，值得在今后的作文中借鉴。