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Experiments have proved that children can be instructed in swimming at a very early age.
实验证明，儿童可以在很小的时候就接受游泳训练。
have proved 引出科学结论。
At a special swimming pool in Los Angeles, children become expert at holding their breath under water even before they can walk.
在洛杉矶的一个特设的游泳池里，孩子们甚至在还没有学会走路时就已经能熟练地在水下屏住呼吸了。
Babies of two months old do not appear to be reluctant to enter the water.
两个月大的婴儿似乎并不抗拒下水。
do not appear to be... 是较委婉的观察判断。
It is not long before they are so accustomed to swimming that they can pick up weights from the floor of the pool.
他们很快便适应了游泳，以致能捡起池底的物品。
A game that is very popular with these young swimmers is the underwater tricycle race.
这些小游泳者最喜欢的游戏之一是水下三轮车比赛。
underwater tricycle race 是整课最有画面的细节。
Tricycles are lined up on the floor of the pool seven feet under water.
三轮车并排放在7英尺深的游泳池底上。
The children compete against each other to reach the other end of the pool.
孩子们比赛看谁先到达游泳池的另一端。
Many pedal their tricycles, but most of them prefer to push or drag them.
很多孩子用脚蹬车，但多数孩子更愿意推或是拉着三轮车。
Some children can cover the whole length of the pool without coming up for breath even once.
有些孩子能游完整个泳池长度而一次都不用浮出水面换气。
without coming up for breath... 是很强的能力展示。
Whether they will ever become future Olympic champions, only time will tell.
他们将来是否会成为奥运冠军，只能由时间来证明。
only time will tell 是很经典的总结表达。
Meanwhile, they should encourage those among us who cannot swim five yards before they are gasping for air.
与此同时，他们也该鼓舞一下我们这些游不到五码就喘不过气来的大人。
结尾轻松地把孩子与大人形成对比，带一点幽默。
单元概要
本课写婴幼儿在特制泳池中很早就开始学习潜水和水下活动，甚至举行水下三轮车比赛。重点是实验结果、孩子们惊人的适应力，以及结尾把他们和普通不会游泳的大人作对比的幽默鼓励。
精读导图 1. 先写实验结论：孩子很早就能学游泳。 2. 再写他们在水中表现出的惊人能力。 3. 最后由“未来冠军”转向对普通成年人的幽默对比。 精读关注 - be expert at / be accustomed to - only time will tell
单词表
| 单词 | 音标 | 释义 | 精讲 |
|---|---|---|---|
| instruct | /ɪnˈstrʌkt/ | 指导；教授 |
|
| reluctant | /rɪˈlʌktənt/ | 不情愿的 |
|
| underwater | /ˌʌndəˈwɔːtə(r)/ | 水下的 |
|
| tricycle | /ˈtraɪsɪkl/ | 三轮车 |
|
| compete | /kəmˈpiːt/ | 比赛 |
|
| yard | /jɑːd/ | 码 |
|
| gasp | /ɡɑːsp/ | 喘气 |
|
短语
| 短语 | 意思 |
|---|---|
| be expert at | 擅长于 |
| hold one's breath | 屏住呼吸 |
| be accustomed to | 习惯于 |
| compete against each other | 彼此竞赛 |
| only time will tell | 只有时间能证明 |
语法点
have proved that...
Experiments have proved that... 是典型“研究结果表明”结构。
相似句：
- Studies have proved that exercise helps.
- Experience has proved that he was right.
so ... that ...
so accustomed to swimming that... 用结果从句强调能力发展程度。
相似句：
- He was so tired that he fell asleep.
- She was so careful that she noticed every detail.
Whether ... only time will tell
这是对未来结果保持开放判断的经典写法。
相似句：
- Whether it will succeed, only time will tell.
- Whether they will agree, only time will tell.
读写提示
- 这课要抓“实验结论 - 能力细节 - 未来可能”三步。
- underwater tricycle race 一定要写，最有辨识度。
- 结尾对比大人不会游泳，是轻松味道来源。
- 科普文里也会带一点鼓励和幽默。
考点
4
考点
4第 1 / 4 题
文章为什么先写 experiments？