Приветствую вас в TOEFL.cafe.
Сегодня вашему вниманию много – но не слишком – интересного: новые достижения в лечении breast cancer, хороший listening (и даже watching) от основателей Инстаграма, а также немного грамматики для улучшения writing technics.
READING
An international team of researchers has used a combination of genomic and gene expression analyses to identify 10 subtypes of breast cancer, each of which is typified by certain genetic aberrations. The classification of cancers can help researchers and doctors better understand patients’ responses to different therapeutics as well as prioritize drug design efforts for the most deadly of molecular disruptions.
The largely Canadian and UK team studied nearly 2000 breast tumor specimens from patients whose medical conditions were tracked for as many as 20 years after the specimens were taken. The researchers analyzed the genome sequences and gene expression levels of the tumors using DNA hybridization technology to examine changes in chromosomal architecture known as “copy number aberrations.” Breast cancer exhibits many of these structural changes--abnormal repetitions of chunks of chromosomes that can greatly alter the molecular landscape of a cell.
The researchers also identified molecular changes within some of the subtypes that could one day help doctors decide how to best treat an individual’s particular tumor type. Some clinics are already using DNA analysis to “personalize” cancer treatments and studies like this can focus doctors and drug companies on the most effective molecular targets for treatment or R&D.
The team is currently sequencing the genomes of some of the specimens, says Samuel Aparicio, a physician and cancer geneticist the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre in Vancouver. “We need the full mutational framework for breast cancers,” he says, referring to the more complete picture that whole-genome sequencing will provide. What the team learned in this study could help “shortcut some of the framework building by directing our attention to specific groups,” he says.
VOCABULARY
gene, n. : a pattern of chemicals within a cell that carries information about the qualities passed to a living thing from its parents
gene for: a gene for breast cancer (=that makes you likely to get it)
in the genes (=passed through the genes):
He believes that shyness is in the genes.
aberration, n. /ˌæbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ : something that is not normal or not what you would usually expect
a genetic aberration
therapeutics, n., un: technical the part of medical science relating to the treatment and cure of illness
disruption, n. /dɪsˈrʌpʃ(ə)n/: a situation in which something cannot continue because of a problem
disruption to: The train strikes caused major disruption to thousands of commuters.
a problem or action that interrupts something and prevents it from continuing
specimen, n, /ˈspesəmɪn/ : a small amount or piece that is taken from something, so that it can be tested or examined: a blood specimen
track, v: to follow or study the development or progress of something
exhibit, v, /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/: to clearly show a particular quality, emotion, or ability
exhibit signs/symptoms/behaviour etc
a patient who is exhibiting classic symptoms of mental illness
abnormal, adj: very different from usual in a way that seems strange, worrying, wrong, or dangerous [≠ normal]
abnormal behaviour
chunk, n: a large thick piece of something
alter, v, /ˈɔːltə(r)/ [transitive] to make something or someone different
He altered his appearance with surgery.
This doesn’t alter the fact that what you did was wrong.
focus, v, /ˈfəʊkəs/ : to concentrate on something and pay particular attention to it
He needs to focus more on his career.
R&D: research and development
framework, n: a set of ideas, rules, or beliefs from which something is developed, or on which decisions are based
Einstein’s research provided much of the theoretical framework for particle physics.
shortcut, n.: a quicker and more direct way of getting somewhere than the usual one:
Carlos decided to take a short-cut home.
a quicker way of doing something
There aren't really any shortcuts to learning English.
LISTENING. INSTAGRAM.
Если ты – счастливый обладатель iPhone, то тебе уже давно известно, что это такое, этот Инстаграм. Относительно давно, с октября 2010 года. Ну я для владельцев мобильных устройств, которые живут и работают на Android, Инстаграм стал available только 3 апреля 2012, меньше, чем месяц назад. Но больше всего шума вызвала все же recent aquisition of Instagram by Facebook.
Итак, предлагаю вашему вниманию рецепт успешного startup, Instagram, from the horse's mouth, i.e. Instagram cofounders (заимствовано с Standford e-corner)
Надеюсь, вас вдохновил разговор!
WRITING. QUOTATIONS.
У большинства из нас есть любимые quotations. Приписаны известным людям или не очень, мудрые или шутливые, они обычно ярко и точно выражают определенную мысль или идею.
Умело использованная цитата может служить хорошим аргументом в вашем independant writing. Такие аргументы очень нравятся оценщикам, однако стоит научиться их употреблять.
Что же значит умело и правильно использовать цитату?
Во-первых, она должна быть уместной, чтобы тебе не пришлось еще абзац объяснять, почему именно ее ты используешь.
Во-вторых, ты должен знать правильное английское написание имени автора. С этим пунктом все может быть ооочень весело, и тем, кто в голове держит имена знаменитых древнегреческих мудрецов и т.д., советую проверить не только написание их имен, но и звучание тех имен: есть вероятность крупных открытий :)
Так вот, Аристотель становится Aristotle, Платон превращается в Plato, Энштейн turns into Einstein.
Кстати, то же самое могу сказать о большей части названий книг, фильмов etc. Так, например, «Князь» или «Государь» Макиавелли на английском приобретает форму The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli. А вспомнилось именно это произведение, потому что, говоря о многих вещах, можно вспомнить его «цель оправдывает средства» or in English "the end justifies the means."
Итак, как правильно оформить цитату?
1. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks.
2. Question marks should be placed inside the quotation marks if a quote is a question. If a sentance is a question, then the question mark should be placed aoutside the quotqtion mark.
Note that we don't use an additional full stop after the question mark, that is we use only one punctuation mark in the end of a sentance. And if both a narration and a quotation are questions, use only one question mark inside the quotation.
3. Use quotation marks for direct quotes. If you cannot quote directly, you may use indirect speech.
Ну, и вот несколько цитат, которые мне пригодились при написании тех или иных essays.
И не забываем о том, что часто цитаты могут быть замечательными эпиграфами. Да-да. Теми заимствованными фразами, которые авторы вставляют перед собственно своими произведениями.
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde
"There's no way to happiness. Happiness is the way." Buddha
"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." Albert Einstein
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Sigmund Freud
Go and play with it. Think of what quotations may be used to support any topic offered for the INDEPENDENT WRITING.
Albert Einstein
На этом все. TOEFL.cafe уходит в отпуск, но как всегда на связи по адресу [email protected].
Предыдущие посты:
TOEFL.cafe: BACTERIA. QUESTIONS:
- using questions in Independant Writing tasks,
- Ken Robinson on how school kills creativity
- and smething about bacteria
- expressing contrast ideas in Writing task
- Elizabeth Gilbert about Eat. Love. Pray.
- being belingual is good for your health
- linking words to organize your writing,
- what is toxicity in chemistry?
TOEFL.cafe: some phrasals and economics:
- integrated writing: economics,
- phrasal verbs in English
TOEFL.cafe: prepare for free!
обзор бесплатных материалов для подготовки к TOEFL, доступных онлайн
TOEFL cafe: try some new dishes
- independent writing: reading and listening. Strategies.
- speaking strategies,
- how cannabis influences your driving
- useful phrases to organize your writing: expressing opinion and drawing a conclusion
- советы по speaking
- listening: a piece of lecture from MIT
- and something about energy in Africa
TOEFL cafe
общий обзор TOEFL: типы задач, принципы оценивания и тому подобное.
М. ПЛОЩАДЬ УКРАИНСКИХ ГЕРОЕВ,
