奇速英语阅读理解：今天奇速英语和广大英语阅读爱好者分享的主题是中国学生为什么总是对辩论情有独钟？当中国政府在19世纪末首次派遣学生到美国时，还没有明确他们的目标应该是获得特定的技术知识，还是吸收新的思维方式。

　　Debating contests teach Chinese students an argument has two sides

　　辩论比赛让中国学生懂得论点有正反两面

　　Many hope to carry on the discussion overseas

　　许多人希望到国外进一步探究

　　WHEN THE Chinese government first sent students to America in the late 19th century,it could not decide whether their goal should be to acquire specific technical knowledge or to absorb new ways of thinking.More than a century later,a third of a million Chinese students are enrolled at American schools and universities.Yet folks back home remain divided about what an American degree means.

　　acquire/əˈkwaɪə/|CET4 TEM4

　　V-T If you acquire something such as a skill or a habit,you learn it,or develop it through your daily life or experience.习得

　　technical/ˈtɛknɪkəl/|CET4 TEM4

　　ADJ Technical means involving the sorts of machines,processes,and materials that are used in industry,transportation,and communications.技术的;工艺的

　　enrol/ɪnˈrəʊl|CET4 TEM4

　　V-T/V-I If you enrol or are enrolled at an institution or in a class,you officially join it.注册；录取

　　当中国政府在19世纪末首次派遣学生到美国时，还没有明确他们的目标应该是获得特定的技术知识，还是吸收新的思维方式。一个多世纪后，有三分之一的中国学生进入了美国的中小学和大学。然而，对于美国学位意味着什么，海归们仍然对此存在分歧。

　　Attending an American university is a good career move.It is also scorned as a soft option for well-off kids,scared of the gaokao,China’s brutal university-entrance exams.Yet many bright Chinese youngsters explain the appeal of an American education in remarkably idealistic terms.

　　scorn/skɔːn/|CET6 TEM4

　　N-UNCOUNT If you treat someone or something with scorn,you show contempt for them.轻蔑;鄙视

　　V-T If you scorn someone or something,you feel or show contempt for them.鄙视;看不起

　　appeal/əˈpiːl/|CET4 TEM4

　　N-UNCOUNT The appeal of something is a quality that people find attractive or interesting.吸引力

　　idealistic/aɪˌdɪəlˈɪstɪk/

　　ADJ If you describe someone as idealistic,you mean that they have ideals,and base their behaviour on these ideals,even though this may be impractical.理想主义的

　　去美国读大学是一种良好的职业发展。对于害怕高考(中国残酷的大学入学考试)的富裕家庭的孩子来说，出国也被嘲讽为一种软性选择。然而，许多聪明的中国年轻人用非常理想化的语言解释了美国教育的吸引力。

　　One place to hear such dreams,on a recent smoggy Saturday morning,is an English-language debating tournament in the central city of Wuhan.It follows a format popular at high schools across America,known as“Public Forum Debate”.On this occasion 182 teenagers are taking part.

　　最近在一个大雾弥漫的周六上午，中部城市武汉举行了一场英语辩论赛，比赛中就能听到这样的梦想。它遵循了一种在全美高中很流行的模式，即“公共论坛制辩论”。182名青少年参加了这次活动。

　　【搭配与表达】

　　take part

　　参加，参与

　　&If you want knowledge,you must take part in the practice of changing reality.

　　你要有知识，你就得参加变革现实的实践。

　　【拓展理解】

　　Public Forum Debate

　　公共论坛辩论是美国乃至世界最为通行的学术辩论中的一种，以二对二的形式进行。两队可分别以正、反方立场各辩一场，也可根据NSDA的规则抛硬币决定正反方与发言顺序。一轮公共论坛式辩论总时长约为40钟。

　　公共论坛式辩论要求辩手对辩题的内涵及外延进行深入的研究，既注重逻辑分析能力，也注重辩手的演讲口才和观众感受。在辩题的选择上，以当前较受关注的政治经济等时事问题为多。全国中学生学术辩论与演讲联赛将为辩手提供长期的、系统的比赛机会和积分系统，真正做到“以赛代练”。

　　At first sight,the event reeks of privilege.It uses the classrooms at a bilingual private boarding school in Wuhan with its own golf course and an ice-hockey team coached by imported Russians.But the debate is not for big-city elites.

　　reek/riːk/

　　V-I If you say that something reeks of unpleasant ideas,feelings,or practices,you disapprove of it because it gives a strong impression that it involves those ideas,feelings,or practices.明显带有(令人不快的特性)

　　bilingual/baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/|CET6 TEM4

　　ADJ Bilingual means involving or using two languages.双语的

　　privilege/ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ/|CET4 TEM4

　　N-COUNT A privilege is a special right or advantage that only one person or group has.(某人、某团体拥有的)特权

　　elite/ɪˈliːt,eɪ-/|CET6 TEM8

　　N-COUNT You can refer to the most powerful,rich,or talented people within a particular group,place,or society as the elite.精英

　　乍一看，整个活动弥漫着高高在上的氛围。活动场地在武汉一所双语私立寄宿学校的教室，该学校拥有自己的高尔夫球场和一支由俄罗斯人执教的冰球队。但这场辩论并不是针对大城市的精英而创办。

　　It is run by the National High School Debate League of China,a company founded by two young Americans in 2011.It stages contests in dozens of Chinese cities each year.This one has drawn pupils,aged 13-18,from nine cities.Many will never study overseas.

　　这场辩论由中国高中生美式辩论联赛作为主办方承办，该公司由两名美国年轻人于2011年创建。它每年在中国几十个城市举办比赛。这此活动吸引了来自9个城市的13-18岁学生。但当中的许多学生并不会出国留学。

　　【搭配与表达】

　　dozens of

　　几十；许多

　　&Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard-but only one variety of ketchup?

　　为何会有这种芥末几十个品种，但只有一个品种的番茄酱？

　　【拓展理解】

　　National High School Debate League of China

　　NHSDLC，即中国高中生美式辩论联赛(全称:National High School Debate League of China)。联赛成立于2012年7月，至今，每年在全国各个城市举办了比赛超过50场，为中国高中生提供了优质的课外英语类比赛平台。美式辩论的辩题:美式辩论的辩题每月更新一次(NHSDLC的辩题一般每学期或学年更新一次)，主要题材为新近发生的具有争议性的社会热点事件。美式辩论的流程:两人组成一队进行辩论。每轮辩论开赛前双方辩手需通过投掷硬币的方式来决定发言顺序或挑选立场。

　　The proposition is:“Countries should prioritise climate-change adaptation over mitigation.”Teams have had three weeks to prepare.An early round is won by a pair of 17-year-old girls who attend the international section(a bilingual school-within-a-school)of a state-run high school in Shenyang.

　　proposition/ˌprɒpəˈzɪʃən/|CET6 TEM8

　　N-COUNT A proposition is a statement or an idea that people can consider or discuss to decide whether it is true.主张;观点；议题

　　mitigation/ˈmɪtɪˌgeɪʃən/

　　N-UNCOUNT Mitigation is a reduction in the unpleasantness,seriousness,or painfulness of something.减轻;缓和

　　其活动议题是:“各国应优先考虑适应气候变化，而不是减缓气候变化。“参赛队伍有三周的准备时间。在第一轮比赛中，沈阳一所公立高中国际部的一组17岁女孩获胜。

　　【搭配与表达】

　　state-run

　　公立的，国营的

　　&The state-run mine was founded in 1939 but relies on medieval technology.

　　这个国营煤矿建立于1939年，却依赖于中世纪的技术。

　　In confident,rapid-fire English the duo argue that climate change should be treated with realism.They praise a sea wall being built in Jakarta and note the political lessons to be drawn from French gilets jaunes protests against a proposed fuel tax.The pair also had speeches arguing the opposite ready,in case the coin-toss had gone the other way.

　　rapid-fire

　　ADJ A rapid-fire conversation or speech is one in which people talk or reply very quickly.(对话或演讲)语速极快的;连珠炮似的

　　在充满自信、快语速的英语中，这两位学生认为，应对气候变化应采取实事求是的态度。他们赞扬雅加达正在修建的海堤，并指出可以从反对拟议燃油税的法国“黄背心”运动的抗议中可以吸取政治教训。两人还准备了相反观点的演讲，以防抛硬币的时候被抽到反方观点。

　　【长难句分析】

　　They praise a sea wall being built in Jakarta and note the political lessons to be drawn from French gilets jaunes protests against a proposed fuel tax.

　　此句中，“being built in Jakarta”是sea wall的后置定语；“to be drawn from French gilets jaunes”是political lessons的后置定语；“protests against a proposed fuel tax.”解释“gilets jaunes”所做的事情。

　　【拓展理解】

　　a sea wall being built in Jakarta

　　雅加达修建海堤

　　印尼国家发展规划部部长班邦说，雅加达陆地逐年下沉，如果不立即兴建雅加达大海堤及采取相关挽救措施，雅加达将于2030年沉没。世界银行也曾警告，雅加达正在下沉，如果印尼当局再不采取行动，这个拥有1200万人口的沿海城市，将于2025年后逐渐被海水淹没。

　　French gilets jaunes法国“黄背心”

　　2018年11月17日，巴黎黄背心抗议运动风起云涌到现在为止，黄背心运动已经持续了四周多，黄背心运动发展为了暴力活动，甚至接近起义了。这是自1968年以来，范围最大，影响最深，打砸程度最恶的一次抗议运动。

　　马克龙上台之后，不断取消法国富人税，家庭资产超过130万欧元的家庭，甚至停止了征收特别税。正是因为如此，法国的中下层国民对马克龙非常不满。燃油税的增加被法国民众看作是，马克龙剥削穷人补贴富人的举措，这也是黄背心抗议运动如此激烈的深层次原因。

　　在黄背心和马克龙政府的对峙中，最终还是马克龙败下阵来。据海外网报道，在法国当地时间2018年12月10日，法国总统马克龙通过公开讲话，对巴黎的黄马甲运动举了白旗。马克龙当众宣布，引起黄背心运动的燃油费将取消征收。除了取消燃油税，法国政府还将大幅度还财于民，还为下层民众送上超级大礼包，法国的最低薪水将达到每月1498欧元，比之前上调了100多欧元。并且从2019年1月1日开始，法国月收入2000欧元以下的国民，免除税务，底层工人的加班费以及年底奖金也不再额外交税。

　　Chinese pupils are pushed to study relentlessly,says one.But American-style debate forces students to“brainstorm a lot of ideas in a short time”.Unlike America,where debating clubs are dominated by shouty,self-assured boys,most contestants in the Chinese league are girls.Of its 20 highest-ranked debaters,16 are female.

　　relentless/rɪˈlɛntlɪs/|CET6+TEM8

　　ADJ Something bad that is relentless never stops or never becomes less intense.毫不留情的

　　ADJ Someone who is relentless is determined to do something and refuses to give up,even if what they are doing is unpleasant or cruel.坚持不懈的

　　brainstorm/ˈbreɪnˌstɔːm/

　　V-T/V-I If a group of people brainstorm,they have a meeting in which they all put forward as many ideas and suggestions as they can think of.头脑风暴

　　self-assured|TEM4

　　ADJ Someone who is self-assured shows confidence in what they say and do because they are sure of their own abilities.自信的

　　一位学生说，中国学生被无情地逼着学习。但美式辩论迫使学生“在短时间内集思广益”。在美国，辩论俱乐部主要由吵闹而自信的男孩组成，而与之不同的是，中国联赛的大多数选手都是女孩。在20名排名最高的辩手中，有16名是女性。

　　In a still-chauvinist society,the chance to argue forcefully and be applauded for it has a rare appeal,suggests Liam Mather,the league’s 20-something executive director.The winners in Wuhan are Joyce Yi and Erica Chen,from a state school in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen.

　　20多岁的联盟执行董事利亚姆•马瑟表示，在一个仍然奉行沙文主义的社会里，有机会进行有力的辩论，并因此受到称赞，这是一种罕见的吸引力。武汉辩论赛的获奖者是来自南方新兴城市深圳一所公立学校的Joyce Yi和Erica Chen。

　　【长难句分析】

　　In a still-chauvinist society,the chance to argue forcefully and be applauded for it has a rare appeal,suggests Liam Mather,the league’s 20-something executive director.

　　此句中，“In a still-chauvinist society”作状语；主干是“has a rare appeal”，“to argue forcefully and be applauded for it”则是不定式作同位语，解释chance的内涵。“the league’s 20-something executive director.”是Liam Mather的同位语。

　　【拓展理解】

　　Chauvinist

　　沙文主义是资产阶级侵略性的民族主义。18世纪末、19世纪初产生于法国，因法国士兵沙文(Nicolas chauvin)狂热拥护拿破仑一世的侵略扩张政策，主张用暴力建立法兰西帝国而得名。它鼓吹法兰西民族是世界上最优秀的民族，宣扬本民族利益高于一切，煽动民族仇恨，主张征服和奴役其他民族。在帝国主义时代，沙文主义是帝国主义侵略和压迫其他国家和民族的舆论工具。

　　Their swaggering first-round performance leaves two ill-prepared boys open-mouthed like fish.Ms Chen initially relished debating in English because“I’m kind of an argumentative person.”Then she realised the subtle effects of having to research both sides of an argument.Chinese education emphasises one correct answer to a question,she says.

　　swagger/ˈswæɡə/|TEM8

　　V-I If you swagger,you walk in a very proud,confident way,holding your body upright and swinging your hips.大摇大摆地走（此处“swaggering”是adj.表示“自信张扬的”）

　　ill-prepared

　　ADJ If you are ill-prepared for something,you have not made the correct preparations for it,for example,because you are not expecting it to happen.准备不足的;措手不及的

　　subtle/ˈsʌtəl/|CET4 TEM4

　　ADJ Something that is subtle is not immediately obvious or noticeable.不易察觉的

　　他们在第一轮比赛中自信张扬的表现让两个准备不足的男孩目瞪口呆。小陈同学说她最初喜欢用英语辩论，是因为“我是一个爱争论的人。”然后她开始意识到必须研究争论双方间的微妙影响。然而中国教育强调一个问题只有一个正确答案，她说。

　　The debaters are not starry-eyed about America.They talk of gun violence,inequality and crumbling cities.At a practice camp some call the American way of arguing“very chaotic.”

　　inequality/ˌɪnɪˈkwɒlɪtɪ/|TEM4

　　N-VAR Inequality is the difference in social status,wealth,or opportunity between people or groups.不平等;不公平

　　crumble/ˈkrʌmbəl/|CET6 TEM4

　　V-T/V-I If something crumbles,or if you crumble it,it breaks into a lot of small pieces.碎裂;弄碎

　　V-I If an old building or piece of land is crumbling,parts of it keep breaking off.崩塌

　　chaotic/keɪˈɒtɪk/|CET4 TEM4

　　ADJ Something that is chaotic is in a state of complete disorder and confusion.混乱的

　　辩手们对美国并非过分乐观。他们也谈论枪支暴力、不平等和那些破碎崩离的城市。在训练营里，一些人称美国人的辩论方式“非常混乱”。

　　But debate can prevent“huge mistakes”because competing perspectives are heard,notes Angela Pan,a teenager from Beijing.The young Chinese assert—perhaps a little optimistically—that American college students are diverse,free and informed about the world.They long to cross the Pacific and meet some.

　　assert/əˈsɜːt/|CET4 TEM4

　　V-T If someone asserts a fact or belief,they state it firmly.坚定地陈述

　　但是，来自北京的青少年安吉拉·潘指出，辩论可以避免“巨大的错误”，因为彼此可以听到相互竞争的观点。年轻的中国学生断言——也许有点乐观——美国大学生总是多元和自由，对世界充满认知。他们渴望跨越太平洋，与一些美国学生见面。

　　为中国高中生提供了优质的课外英语类比赛平台。美式辩论的辩题:美式辩论的辩题每月更新一次(NHSDLC的辩题一般每学期或学年更新一次)，主要题材为新近发生的具有争议性的社会热点事件。更多奇速英语阅读资讯，请持续关注奇速英语：www.qisuabc.com