课程还有一周多就要到期了，眼看达标日将近，学时和效率都还未达标，于是不得不在近期开启了临时抱佛脚模式。

学到level6的时候遇上了瓶颈，因为到了level6的时候，新增阅读理解部分，这项内容比起听力和对话要耗时的多，也出现了不熟悉的单词。所以虽然能勉强刷完level6全部课程后，还是有部分无法达到三星。回想一下，当时就是因为这个level开始完成的不像之前那么轻松，就导致了学习进度的停滞。

两个多月没用app, 临到快过期了才被迫又上来刷效率和学时。

游戏部分没达到合格的话，归根结底是主课没学精，我的主要问题还是新增的阅读部分，所以开始精读level 6阅读理解。

以下是部分笔记：

Level 6 Unit2 Part2  Reading Passage 1

How we communicate with our romantic partners can have a strong impact on the quality of our relationships. Psychologists John and Julie Gottman run the "Love Lab", where thousands of couples have been studied over the last 30 years. The purpose of their research is to determine the factors that lead to happy and unhappy relationships. From their data, they have concluded that contempt,criticism, defensiveness, and stonewalling are the most significant factors that can hurt a marriage or relationship.

Among these, contempt is the biggest predictor of divorce. People who feel contempt for their partner often convey disapproval without addressing the issue. They sometimes label their partner with insulting words such as "lazy" "stupid" or "emotional", which is particularly damaging.

Many couples try to address issues by criticizing their partner's flaws or mistakes directly. Being too direct with criticism can hurt your partner's self-esteem. Some people may react to criticism by becoming defensive and focused on winning the argument, rather than on improving themselves. Others may react to criticism by stonewalling, where they refuse to acknowledge and respond to their partner for a period of time.

Unfortunately, fighting back or ignoring your partner can make it difficult to determine the root of your problems. If your partner feels that they aren't valued, it may lead to increased dissatisfaction with the relationship.

The Gottmans maintain that being aware of these factors in communication is the first step to improving a relationship. It is important to acknowledge that all relationships have issues. The goal shouldn't be to avoid these issues, but to learn to resolve them.In particular, we should avoid communicating in ways that hurt our partner's self-esteem. It is better to discuss problems in a way that is less confrontational and can better help your partner sympathize with your perspective. For example, rather than saying "Why are you ignoring me? It's rude!" one could say "l feel hurt and undervalued when I don't get a response from you." By being conscious of how we communicate with our partner, we can begin to build a healthier relationship.

contempt 轻视

criticism 指责

defensiveness 防御

stonewalling

n.慎打，阻碍或妨碍议程，石墙;

v.（用冗长发言或拒绝回答问题等） 拖延[阻碍]议事，设置障碍( stonewall的现在分词 ); 拒绝执行命令，拒绝服从命令; （板球中） 打守势球，小心地打慢球;

flaws 缺点

confrontational 对抗的，挑衅的

sympathize  同情，共鸣

Level 6 Unit2 Part2  Reading Passage 2

Machu Picchu is one of the world's most impressive historical sites. It was built around 1450 by the Incas, who ruled most of South America at that time. They called themselves children of the Sun, the powerful god they worshipped as the source of light and life.

Located in the Andes Mountains of Peru, at 8,000 feet above sea level, the "City of the Incas" was mysteriously abandoned just 100 years after its construction. This was when the Spanish were beginning their conquest of the Inca Empire, in the 1530's. There is no evidence that the Spanish invaders ever attacked or even reached the mountaintop city, so many believe that the city's inhabitants deserted the site because of a smallpox epidemic.

The city was almost forgotten until 1911 when it was discovered by an American historian, Hiram Bingham, after he heard rumors of its existence. Bingham was led to the site by local farmers and was amazed by what he saw, which seemed like an unbelievable dream. He wondered if anyone would believe what he had found. Though the surrounding jungle had overgrown the site, what remained was impressive.

The city had been built on a remote and nearly inaccessible mountaintop, often shrouded in clouds. Forty rows of farming terraces hugged the steep mountainside, each over 10 feet high and linked together by over 3000 stone steps. Among the city were what appeared to be neighborhoods of  homes and exquisite stone buildings that are thought to be temples. Even today, the mystery remains as to the purpose of these temples, how the city was used and what its citizens did.

Despite its remote location, Machu Picchu has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Every year, thousands of people travel to Peru to admire its magnificent stonework and breathtaking design. What they see is a wonderful harmony between the city and the landscape around it that is captivating.

worshipped

崇拜，做礼拜

conquest

征服击败

smallpox

天花

epidemic

n.流行病; 迅速的传播、生长或发展; 风尚等的流行;

adj.流行性的; 极为盛行的;

inhabitants

居民

terraces

台阶

exquisite

精致的

stonework

石雕工艺

breathtaking

惊人的，非常激动的，惊险的

shrouded

shroud的过去式，隐瞒，保密

fascination

n.魅力; 迷恋;

Level 6 Unit2 Part3  Reading Passage 1

Should a good leader be loved or feared? This question is as relevant to leaders today as it was to Julius Caesar when he took control of Rome in 44 BC. How Caesar treated his enemies is a valuable lesson on forgiveness, arrogance, and absolute power.

After Caesar seized power, he had to decide how to handle those who opposed him. Roman politics had always been bloody. The previous dictator had murdered 5,0000 of his rivals and confiscated their property after coming to power. Caesar’s enemies expected a similar punishment.

But Caesar was determined not to rule through fear. If he were to reform the government, he would need the support of the people. So he made a fateful decision: rather than punish or kill his enemies, he offered them mercy and incentives. He didn’t seize their property, and he even rewarded some of them with high-ranking government positions.

However, not all of his enemies wanted to be forgiven. Caesar’s rivals came from the aristocracy. Many had held power in the Senate for centuries. By expanding and reforming the Senate, Caesar had shifted power away from the aristocracy and taken it for himself. The high-ranking positions he had given as rewards had no real authority. For the aristocracy,  to live without power was not forgiveness, but humiliation.

Caesar should have know that many senators hated him, but his arrogance seems to have blinded him. After he made himself dictator for life, he proclaimed himself a god and consolidated more power. These actions infuriated his enemies and even his allies. However, he still considered many senators to be his loyal friends. He even dismissed his personal security force. Ironically, when he was assassinated, it was his good friend, Brutus, who led the plot.

Perhaps it is better for a leader to be feared. If Caesar hadn’t let his rivals live, he might not have been murdered. But was forgiveness the problem? Caesar’s reforms took power from the aristocracy, and his arrogance angered both friends and enemies. Perhaps if he hadn’t been so arrogant, or acted like a god, he world have survived.

proclaimed 正式宣布

infuriated 使愤怒

plot 密谋.

confiscated 没收，充公

aristocracy 贵族

Ironically  adv.嘲讽地，挖苦地;

Level 6 Unit2 Part3  Reading Passage 2

Lack of adequate care for senior citizens is a real issue in India that cuts across economic and social strata. Many of us have personally lived through and experienced it with our parents and elders. Most senior citizens, especially those who live independently, are unable to get the care and trusted support they need. As a result, they compromise on their needs and lifestyle. Their children or caregivers are forced to spend disproportionate time, and/or resources to support them. So much so, that many women are forced to stay away from the workforce to take care of elders at home.

The imminent  demographic ， economic, and social changes that accompany the growing population of senior citizens, together with the rising aspirations of the young, leading to more women in the workforce, are rapidly driving the magnitude of this problem.

If we look at numbers, India is home to 115 million elderly, which is more than 8% of  the population. Many of us don’t realise it, but  that puts India into the category of “aging” countries. "While India’s overall population will grow by about 40% from 2006-2050, the population of the oldest elderly, 80 plus, will grow 500% over the same period.This should be enough to make one take notice. Engaging with the elderly will become one of the biggest areas of  work in the country. Some may see this as a challenge and some as a huge opportunity.

Businesses have attempted to address this only sporadically, with emotional advertising that features apoignant conversation involving elderly grandparent. But there has been very little effort to provide products and services.

The reason for such apathy, especially among entrepreneurs, are not difficult to guess. Many feel that the elderly are cynical, not open to experiment  and not willing to spend. Investors see bigger opportunities for exponential growth in addressing young,upwardly mobile consumers

Still, I’m left with the question of why aren’t more products and services designed for the elderly?

I sense a problem looking for a solution.

imminent 迫在眉睫，迫切的

demographic 人口统计

poignant 心酸的

sporadically 偶发的，零星地

apathy 冷漠

cynical 愤世嫉俗，冷嘲的

aspirations 强烈的愿望

experiment 尝试

exponential 指数

upwardly 向上的

life expendancy 平均寿命

suspect 怀疑过 有推测的意思

disproportionate amount of time/ disproportionate time  指不该再这个事情上花太长时间

imminent event : about to happen

sporadic 时有时无地

engaging

adj.迷人的; 吸引人的;

v.雇佣(engage的ing形式); 预订;

后续会陆续分享我精读过的文章，与大家共勉。

不知道为什么这篇会被锁掉