Who’s Afraid of Maths Anyway?

Para 1

* What kind of explanation have scientists offered as to the difference between girls and boys?

* What does the “general picture” refer to?* What makes it difficult to understand how boys and girls choose their subjects

* What kind of explanation have scientists offered as to the difference between girls and boys?

They have come up with biological

explanations for the difference.

* What does the “general picture” refer to?

The universal difference boys and

girls show while choosing subjects.

* What makes it difficult to understand

how boys and girls choose their subjects

Besides genetic differences, there

are many other important factors

that may influence their choices.

Language Points

Who’s afraid of maths anyway?

anyway: at any rate, in any case

I know you don’t like it, but I don’t care.

I’m buying it anyway.

“Anyway,” said Bob, changing the

subject, “please do it right next

time.”

Scientists have tried to come up with biological explanations for the difference between boys and girls.

come up with: find or offer (an answer, a solution, etc.)

他想出了一个提高销量的新点子。

He came up with a new idea for increasing sales.

他找到了开会迟到的好借口。

He came up with a good excuse for being late for the meeting.

However, none were convincing enough to explain the general picture.

convincing: persuasive

那可不是个有说服力的迟到的理由。

That’s not a convincing excuse for

being late.

convince: make someone believe that something is true or right; persuade

convince sb. of sth.

这使我相信他是诚实的。

This convinced me of his honesty.

This convinced me that he is honest.

As one scientist points out ...

point out: indicate

我想指出，你迟到了三十分钟。

I would like to point out that you

are thirty minutes late.

There are slight genetic differences between the sexes at birth which may influence the subjects boys and girls choose.

influence: have an effect on

这是你自己的选择，不要让其他任何人影响你。

It’s your choice, so don’t let anyone

else influence you.

… or whether they’ve been brought up to think of these subjects as boys’ ‘territory’.

bring sb. up: raise, rear or educate sb.

她靠自己把儿子抚养长大。

She brought up her son on her own.

territory: the area of knowledge

他的科学调查覆盖了一个很大的范围。

His scientific investigations cover

a wide territory.

Para 2

* What do statistics show about girl’s mathematical competence?

* What prevents girls from further study of math according to a recent report?

* What is still acceptable for women now according to one of the report’s authors?

* What do statistics show about girl’s

mathematical competence?

Girl’s mathematical competence is just

as good as that of boy’s.

* What prevents girls from further

study of math according to a recent

report?

Social attitudes should take the blame.

* What is still acceptable for women now

according to one of the report’s authors?It is still acceptable for women to show

incapability in math today.

Language Points

Statistics show that in mathematics, at least, girls are equal to boys.

equal: of the same in size, number, value, etc.

n. equality

* racial equality

* equality between sexes

妇女们要求同工同酬。

Women demand equal pay for equal

work.

你的成就和他相等。

Your achievement is equal to his.

三三得九。

Three times three equals nine.

While it is socially unacceptable for people not to read and write, it is still acceptable for women to say that they are “hopeless” at maths.

Although in a modern society it is unthinkable that people are unable to read and write, it seems to be acceptable for women to claim that they are very bad at maths.

... they have not been encouraged to do so. encourage: give someone the

courage or confidence to do something

adj. encouraging

n. encouragement

徐老师鼓励我们在学校要好好学习。

Mr. Shreer encouraged us to work

hard in school.

Para 3

* When does the difference become

obvious?

* When does the difference begin to form?

* What effect do the different social

attitudes have in nursery school?

* When does the difference become

obvious?

It is apparent during the teenage years.

* When does the difference begin to form?

It begins to form as early as the nursery

school days.

* What effect do the different social

attitudes have in nursery school?

Only boys, not girls, are encouraged to

work on their own and complete tasks.

Language Points

The explanation for the difference, which is apparent during the teenage years, goes as far back as early childhood experiences.

apparent: easily seen or understood

事故的起因对每个人来说都是显而易见的。

The cause of the accident was apparent to everyone.

很明显，他会投票反对这项提议的。

It's quite apparent that he would vote against the proposal.

go back (to): have one’s origins in (an earlier time)

这个节日可以追溯到罗马时期。

This festival goes back to Roman times.

The explanation for the difference, which is apparent during the teenage years, goes as far back as early childhood experiences.The explanation for the difference, which is apparent during the teenage years, could be found in some of the early experiences of childhood.

This encouragement leads to a way of learning how to solve problems later on in life.

lead to: result in

太多工作、太少休息常常会导致生病。

Too much work and too little rest

often leads to illness.

later on: at a later time

起初事情进展顺利，但后来我们遇到了麻烦。

At first things went well, but later

on we ran into trouble.

Evidence shows that exceptional mathematicians and scientists did not have teachers ….

exceptional: unusually good, outstanding

那个杰出的网球运动员赢得了冠军。

The exceptional tennis player won the championship.

这个女孩有作为钢琴家的杰出才能。

The girl has exceptional abilities

as a pianist.

Para 4

* What does the report on math teaching reveal?

* What’s the difference in teachers’ expectations for boys and girls?

* What do the teachers’ different expectations lead to?

* What does the report on math teaching

reveal?

It reveals that teachers pay more attention

to boys than to girls.

* What’s the difference in teachers’

expectations for boys and girls?

Teachers tend to expect higher marks of

boys in science subjects.

* What do the teachers’ different

expectations lead to?

They lead to boys’ harder work, strong

confidence and hence better performance

in science subjects.

Language Points

A further report on maths teaching reveals that teachers seem to give more attention to boys.…

reveal: make known; show

他所说的揭开了一个天大的秘密。

What he said revealed a top secret.

Most teachers who took part in the study claimed that they expect their male students...

claim: state or declare something as a fact

Don’t claim to know what you don’t

know.

科学家们声称，已研究出解决这个问题更好

的方法。

The scientists claimed to have

worked out a better solution to the

problem.

面试者称他有一个大学文凭。

The interviewee claimed he

had a college degree.

All of this tends to encourage boys to

work harder in these subjects...

tend to: be likely to do something

抽烟的人往往比不抽烟的人死亡率要高。

Cigarette smokers tend to have higher death rates than nonsmokers.在炎热的天气如果不浇水，植物往往会死。

Plants tend to die in hot weather if you don’t water them.

Para 5

* In what way do boys and girls appear to

be the same?* Why do girls avoid mathematics courses?* Why don’t boys stop learning math?

* In what way do boys and girls appear to

be the same?

They both think math and science are

difficult.

* Why do girls avoid mathematics courses?

They avoid such courses mainly for social

reasons rather than being afraid of the

difficulty.

* Why don’t boys stop learning math?

They are strongly encouraged and pushed

by social attitudes to challenge the difficulty.

Para 6

* Why don’t girls want to take up math

and science when they become teenagers?

* Why don’t girls want to compete

with and do better than boys?

* Why don’t girls want to take up math

and science when they become teenagers?

Because these subjects are supposed

to be masculine.

* Why don’t girls want to compete

with and do better than boys?

They don’t want to appear masculine

and so less attractive.

Language Points

...they are less likely to take them up

be likely to: tend to do something

Are you likely to be in London this year?

Speakers who focus exclusively on their

notes are likely to lose their audiences.

take up: begin to do or learn

He has taken up photography as a hobby.

He took up painting at the age of five.