剑桥考官范文(篇一)

Research using twins

To biomedical researchers all over the world, twins offer a precious opportunity to untangle the influence of genes and the environment — of nature and nurture. Because identical twins come from a single fertilized egg that splits into two, they share virtually the same genetic code. Any differences between them — one twin having younger looking skin, for example — must be due to environmental factors such as less time spent in the sun.

Alternatively, by comparing the experiences of identical twins with those of fraternal twins, who come from separate eggs and share on average half their DNA, researchers can quantify the extent to which our genes affect our lives. If identical twins are more similar to each other with respect to an ailment than fraternal twins are, then vulnerability to the disease must be rooted at least in part in heredity.

These two lines of research — studying the differences between identical twins to pinpoint the influence of environment, and comparing identical twins with fraternal ones to measure the role of inheritance — have been crucial to understanding the interplay of nature and nurture in determining our personalities, behavior, and vulnerability to disease.

The idea of using twins to measure the influence of heredity dates back to 1875, when the English scientist Francis Galton first suggested the approach (and coined the phrase ‘nature and nurture’). But twin studies took a surprising twist in the 1980s, with the arrival of studies into identical twins who had been separated at birth and reunited as adults. Over two decades 137 sets of twins eventually visited Thomas Bouchard’s lab in what became known as the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart. Numerous tests were carried out on the twins, and they were each asked more than 15,000 questions.

Bouchard and his colleagues used this mountain of data to identify how far twins were affected by their genetic makeup. The key to their approach was a statistical concept called heritability. In broad terms, the heritability of a trait measures the extent to which differences among members of a population can be explained by differences in their genetics. And wherever Bouchard and other scientists looked, it seemed, they found the invisible hand of genetic influence helping to shape our lives.

Lately, however, twin studies have helped lead scientists to a radical new conclusion: that nature and nurture are not the only elemental forces at work. According to a recent field called epigenetics, there is a third factor also in play, one that in some cases serves as a bridge between the environment and our genes, and in others operates on its own to shape who we are.

Epigenetic processes are chemical reactions tied to neither nature nor nurture but representing what researchers have called a ‘third component’. These reactions influence how our genetic code is expressed: how each gene is strengthened or weakened, even turned on or off, to build our bones, brains and all the other parts of our bodies.

If you think of our DNA as an immense piano keyboard and our genes as the keys — each key symbolizing a segment of DNA responsible for a particular note, or trait, and all the keys combining to make us who we are — then epigenetic processes determine when and how each key can be struck, changing the tune being played.

One way the study of epigenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of biology is by revealing a mechanism by which the environment directly impacts on genes. Studies of animals, for example, have shown that when a rat experiences stress during pregnancy, it can cause epigenetic changes in a fetus that lead to behavioral problems as the rodent grows up. Other epigenetic processes appear to occur randomly, while others are normal, such as those that guide embryonic cells as they become heart, brain, or liver cells, for example.

Geneticist Danielle Reed has worked with many twins over the years and thought deeply about what twin studies have taught us. ‘It’s very clear when you look at twins that much of what they share is hardwired,’ she says. ‘Many things about them are absolutely the same and unalterable. But it’s also clear, when you get to know them, that other things about them are different. Epigenetics is the origin of a lot of those differences, in my view.’

Reed credits Thomas Bouchard’s work for today’s surge in twin studies. ‘He was the trailblazer,’ she says. ‘We forget that 50 years ago things like heart disease were thought to be caused entirely by lifestyle. Schizophrenia was thought to be due to poor mothering. Twin studies have allowed us to be more reflective about what people are actually born with and what’s caused by experience.’

Having said that, Reed adds, the latest work in epigenetics promises to take our understanding even further. ‘What I like to say is that nature writes some things in pencil and some things in pen,’ she says. Things written in pen you can’t change. That’s DNA. But things written in pencil you can. That’s epigenetics. Now that we’re actually able to look at the DNA and see where the pencil writings are, it’s sort of a whole new world.’

剑桥考官范文(篇二)

The charts below show the results of a survey of adult education. The first chart shows the reasons why adults decide to study. The pie chart shows how people think the costs of adult education should be a report for a university lecturer, describing the information shown at least 150 Words.

Model Answer:

The summary of a survey on adult education is presented in the 2 charts. The bar chart summarizes the factors that caused adults to continue their education, while the pie chart shows the public opinion regarding the funding of adult education.

According to the bar chart, 40% of the respondents mentioned “interest in the subject” as the reason they decided to go back to school. This factor was followed closely by the aim to gain qualification at 38%. On the other hand, only 9% of the survey participants said that they went to school in order to meet more people. This is the least popular reason among the 7 given.

Among all the people surveyed regarding the funding, 40% of them felt that this adult education should be the responsibility of the individual. Although 35% of them thought that the employers should lend the helping hand, only 25% agreed that the taxpayers should share the burden.

In summary, the survey showed a mixed opinion regarding the reasons and the funding for adults education.

剑桥考官范文(篇三)

The first diagram shows that there are four main stages in the life of the silkworm. First of all, eggs are produced by the moth and it takes ten days for each egg to become a silkworm larva that feeds on mulberry leaves. This article is from Laokaoya website. This stage lasts for up to six weeks until the larva produces a cocoon of silk thread around itself. After a period of about three weeks, the adult moths eventually emerge from these cocoons and the life cycle begins again.

The cocoons are the raw material used for the production of silk cloth. Once selected, they are boiled in water and the threads can be separated in the unwinding stage. Each thread is between 300 and 900 meters long, which means they can be twisted together, dyed and then used to produce cloth in the weaving stage.

Overall, the diagrams show that the cocoon stage of the silkworm can be used to produce silk cloth through a very simple process.

剑桥考官范文(篇四)

Topic: You recently started work in a new company.

Write a letter to your friend.

In your letter: Explain why you changed jobs Describe your new job

Tell him/her your other news

剑桥雅思小作文范文

Dear Jenny,

I hope this finds you and your family well, and I am sorry I have not been in touch recently. I am writing now to let you know about my new job.

You remember that I was working for that construction company a few miles outside the city? Well, I just got so fed up with it- I was working really long hours and, to be honest, the pay was not great. So basically I applied for a job at a new international company that was looking for

admin staff for a new branch in the city centre.

I was a bit nervous in the interview, but in the end I got a job as one of the senior administrators. I am so happy! The pay is better, the working conditions are great and I do not have to drive to work anymore.

Anyway, I have to stop now because my sister is staying with me and has brought my baby nephew to meet me. She sends you lots of love and is asking when we can all meet up. Soon, I hope.

With love, Tina

剑桥考官范文(篇五)

You do not need to write any addresses

Begin your letter as follows

Dear…………

Dear Sam,

Last week I received your letter asking me whether you should seek out employment opportunities or enroll in a full-time college program. In my opinion, trying to find a job is a better choice for you.

My concerns about your financial situation account for my conviction that you will enjoy working more than attending college. Without adequate financial resources, you will not be able to cover tuition fees, not to mention the costs of food and on-campus accommodations.

Additionally, working will allow you to make your car payment. If I remember correctly, you bought an expensive SUV two months ago, and you will lose it if you do not have sufficient income to make the monthly payment.

I think you should send your resume and cover letter to PBL Inc., a company I know is looking for construction estimators. I believe you will have a strong competitive edge since you have worked as a part-time laborer on construction sites in the past. The company also provides new employees with a comprehensive training course once they are hired.

If you need any further assistance, please give me a ring and let me know.

Best wishes,

Peter

剑桥考官范文(篇六)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

University graduates receive higher salaries than those who have a lower education. Therefore, some people say such students should pay for all their tuition fees. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You should write at least 250 words

You should use your own ideas of knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

Some people assert that government should be responsible for the full tuition of college students because they are the cream of society and contribute much to the society. This argument is true to some degree. Nevertheless, there are more reasons why university students should support themselves for the full tuition of their tertiary education.

First of all, it can ensure the quality of college education. Compared with the elementary and secondary education, the college education is operating in a quite different system, which covers a great variety of researching fields and involves numerous distinguished professors and projects. In other words, it needs a great sum of money. If this complicated system is supported by the nation without much income from the beneficiaries (the college students), it will exert very heavy pressure on the country’s economy. If the government is unable to invest enough money on university education because of the limited budget, the quality of education will be undermined.

In the second place, it is a quite fair practice. Most of the countries in the world are supporting the elementary and secondary education, which is reasonable since the citizens should be encouraged to receive basic education and which is advantageous for the development of the nation. However, it is unnecessary that all the citizens go to colleges. Some high school leavers give up their further study because they have their own life aim. That is to say, going to university is a totally personal choice. Therefore it is not unreasonable that the people who make such choice pay for it.

From the above views, I hold the opinion that college students should pay for the full tuition, which can both guarantee the quality of higher education and be a reasonable practice. (291 words)

剑桥考官范文(篇七)

是的，所有剑桥后面的考官范文都是雅思写作最好的作文范本

范文如下：happiness is very difficult to define,because it means so many different things to different some people link happiness to wealth and material success,others think it lies in emotions and loving personal others think that spiritual paths,rather than either the material world or relationships with people,are the only way to true people interpret happiness for themselves in so many differen ways,it is difficult to give any definition that is ture for there are different kinds of happiness for different individuals then the first step in achieving it would be to have a degree of person needs to know who he or she is before being able to know what it is that makes him or her course,factors such as loving relationships,good health,the skill to earn a living and a peaceful environment all contribute to our happiness this does not mean that people without these conditions cannot be think an ability to keep clear perspectives in life is a more essential factor in achieving that i mean an ability to have a clear sense of what is important in our lives(the welfare of our families,the quality of our relationships,making other people happy,etc.)and what is not(a problem at work,getting annoyed about trivial things,etc.).全是手工输入的哦，希望对你有所帮助

剑桥考官范文(篇八)

Topic: Your neigbours have recently written to you to complain about the noise from your house/flat.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: Explain the reasons for the noise Apologise Describe what action you will take

剑桥雅思小作文范文

Dear James,

I was very shocked to get your letter saying that the noise from my flat has been spoiling your evenings and causing you some distress. I am really, really sorry about that. I had no idea that you would be able to hear so much, so I hope you will accept my apologies.

As you may have guessed, I am trying to refit my kitchen in the evenings when I get home from work. Unfortunately it is all taking longer than expected and I have been having problems with getting things to fit properly. This has meant a lot of banging and hammering.

As the kitchen is still not finished, I have decided to call in a professional builder who will finish the work in the next day or two. He will work only during daytime hours, so you won’t be disturbed in the evenings again, I promise.

Sorry to have caused these problems.

Bill.

剑桥考官范文(篇九)

Task：Some people say that playing computer games is bad for children in every aspect. Others say that playing computer games can have positive effects on the way children develop. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Sample answer：

In recent years, the prevalence of computer games has exerted a significant effect on children's life. As to whether they affect children negatively, there is an endless debate. Despite the fact that playing computer games is an effective way to relieve pressure, the problems associated with study and health cannot be neglected.

Clearly, playing computer games is regarded as a main factor leading to poor academic performance. With the entertaining nature, computer games will easily distract children from their studious pursuits. With the passage of time, children will probably fall behind their peers in academic development. In addition, when children spend too much time playing computer games, they are less likely to participate in physical activities, which is one reason why many children suffer from obesity. As a result, these overweight children’s confidence may be undermined and their health may be negatively influenced as well.

Despite these disadvantages, the advantages can still not be ignored. First of all, the latest research shows that game-playing helps children to hone their communication and interpersonal skills. In many cases, players work together in teams to achieve goals, competing against other players. Therefore, their social skills and teamwork spirit are put to the test. Also, computer games can have positive and therapeutic effects on players. Games provide an opportunity for children to decompress and tune out of strains and stresses of everyday life. Giving their mind time to rest is critical for emotional and mental well-being.

In conclusion, it is not advisable for children to play computer games, for the reasons that it not only has a negative impact on their study, but also makes them lose confidence, although computer games provide a form of relaxation.

剑桥考官范文(篇十)

The bar chart shows the percentage of services arriving on time from 1999 to 2003. From the chart, one pattern shows that the actual percentage exceeded target percentage only in 2003, and the highest actual percentage occurred 1999 and lowest occurred 2000. In 5 years the tendency of target percentage was decreasing while the actual percentage fluctuated.

According to the first chart, the year 2000 had about difference between actual and target which is the highest disparity, and the year 2003 had the lowest gap of about the actual over target. From the second chart we can see that there were 40 thousand more complaints between the year with the highest number of complaints and year with the lowest number complaints. But if we consider the connection between both charts, in the year 1999 we had the lowest complaints in the bar and highest in 2003, which was dramatically strange since the year 2003 had the most complaints but it was the only year the actual percentage surpassed the target percentage.

剑桥考官范文(篇十一)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Is Stress A Bad Thing?

You should write at least 250 words. You should use your own ideas of knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

“I can’t understand the pressure and competition,” explained one friend of mine when asked why he decided to quit his highly-paid but demanding position in his company recently. My friend may have his own reasons, but I don’t think his decision is wise in reality.

It’s true that my friend’s case is not unique. In the last few years quite a number of men and women have chosen to do something less competitive at the cost of a comfortable, easy life a highly-paid job can obtain. They are afraid that the stresses and strains of work will rob them of joy and happiness and do them harm both physically and mentally. In fact, however, stress isn’t the bad thing it is often supposed to be. Unless it gets out of control, a certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and challenge, and to give purpose and significance to an otherwise meaningless, idle life. People under stress tend to express their full range of potential and to actualize their own personal worth— the very aim of a human life.

Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. What we can do is to develop our adaptive abilities to deal with it rather than to escape from it. (216 words)!