Something That Helps You Concentrate on Work or Study

Part 3 追问

这些是考官在该题卡之后提出的讨论题，已编写范文的题目附有参考答案。

1. 1. Could machines do most jobs better than humans because of people's inability to concentrate?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The two short sentences 'But a good design decision...' and 'So machines are better...' state the contrast and conclusion plainly, one after another.两个短句'But a good design decision...'和'So machines are better...'依次平铺直叙地陈述了对比和结论。

   I think machines can do some jobs better than humans, but not most jobs, because most jobs don't only need concentration. For example, the software that checks our app screens for errors never gets tired, and it does this better than any human because the task just needs constant attention. But a good design decision I once made came to me while I was distracted, looking out of a window. So machines are better at simple, repeated tasks, but humans are better at jobs that need judgement and creativity.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为机器在某些工作上确实能比人类做得更好,但并非大多数工作,因为大多数工作不仅仅需要专注力。比如,检测我们应用界面错误的软件从不会疲倦,而且它在这方面做得比任何人都好,因为这项任务只需要持续的注意力。但我曾经做出的一个很好的设计决定,却是在我走神、望向窗外时想到的。所以,机器更擅长简单、重复性的任务,而人类更擅长需要判断力和创造力的工作。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“So machines are better at simple, repeated tasks, but humans are better at jobs that need judgement and creativity.” — 'So' introduces the final conclusion directly after the examples, a clear but basic device. The 7.5 answer instead splits this same contrast into two separate, parallel sentences without needing a connector at all.'So'紧跟在例子之后直接引出最终结论,这是一种清晰但基础的手法。7.5分的回答则把同样的对比拆分成两个独立的平行句子,完全不需要连接词。
   • LR“never gets tired” — A simple, literal phrase. The 7.5 answer's 'never blinks' is a more vivid, idiomatic image for the same constant vigilance.一个简单、字面化的短语。7.5分回答中的'never blinks'是同样表达'持续警觉'这一概念时更生动、更地道的意象。
   • GRA“But a good design decision I once made came to me while I was distracted, looking out of a window.” — A single sentence with one participle clause ('looking out of a window') — controlled and clear, but simpler than the 7.5 version, which adds 'on a break' as a further detail within the same structure.一个带有一个分词从句('looking out of a window')的单句——克制而清晰,但比7.5分版本更简单,后者在同样的结构中又加上了'on a break'这一细节。

   7.0 分

   'human minds wander, and that wandering is often where ideas actually happen' reflects on the point rather than just stating it.'human minds wander, and that wandering is often where ideas actually happen'是对观点的反思,而不只是单纯陈述。

   Honestly, I'd say some jobs, yes, for exactly that reason, but most jobs, no, because concentration isn't really what most jobs depend on. The software that checks our app screens for errors never gets distracted, and it's better at that than any human, since the task is pure, unbroken attention. But a good design decision I made once came to me while I was distracted, staring out of a window on a break — human minds wander, and that wandering is often where ideas actually happen. To be fair, machines win at fixed, rule-based tasks, while humans win at anything needing judgement and context.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为有些工作,是的,正是出于这个原因;但大多数工作,不是,因为大多数工作真正依赖的并不是专注力。检测我们应用界面错误的软件从不会分心,而且它在这方面比任何人都做得更好,因为这项任务需要的是纯粹、不间断的注意力。但我曾经做出的一个好的设计决定,却是在我走神、休息时望着窗外发呆时想到的——人的思维会游走,而这种游走往往正是想法真正诞生的地方。平心而论,机器在固定的、基于规则的任务上更胜一筹,而人类则在任何需要判断力和背景理解的事情上更胜一筹。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, machines win at fixed, rule-based tasks, while humans win at anything needing judgement and context.” — 'To be fair' signals a balanced final summary, a more developed cohesive move than the plain 'So' used at 6.5, though it's a single sentence rather than the fully parallel two-sentence structure used at 7.5.'To be fair'传递出一种平衡的最终总结,这比6.5分中平实的'So'更具连贯性上的发展;不过它仍是一个单句,而不是7.5分中完全平行的两句式结构。
   • LR“since the task is pure, unbroken attention” — 'Pure, unbroken attention' is a more precise, almost technical pairing than the plain 'tired' vocabulary at 6.5, though it's a shade less punchy than the 7.5 phrase 'pure sustained attention' used with a harder-hitting follow-up.'Pure, unbroken attention'是一个比6.5分中平实的'tired'更精确、近乎技术性的搭配;不过它比7.5分中'pure sustained attention'这个短语稍逊一筹,后者后面还跟着更有力的补充说明。
   • GRA“human minds wander, and that wandering is often where ideas actually happen” — This sentence reuses 'wander/wandering' deliberately across the clause, a controlled repetition-for-effect device more ambitious than the plain vocabulary of 6.5, though less compact than the semicolon-free parallel structure used at 7.5.这个句子在从句中刻意重复使用'wander/wandering',这是一种有控制的、为达到修辞效果而重复的手法,比6.5分平实的词汇更有野心;不过它不如7.5分中不用分号的平行结构那样紧凑。

   7.5 分

   The colon-free parallel closing 'Machines win at... Humans win at...' repeats the same sentence frame twice for rhetorical balance.结尾这个不用冒号的平行句'Machines win at... Humans win at...',把同样的句式重复了两次,以达到修辞上的平衡。

   Some jobs, for exactly that reason; most jobs, no, because concentration simply isn't what they run on. The software checking our app screens for errors never blinks, and it's better at that than any human ever could be, since the task is pure sustained attention. Yet the decision about what those screens should actually say came to me at a window, distracted, on a break — human minds wander, and the wandering is precisely where connections happen. Machines win at tasks needing unbroken attention to fixed rules: monitoring, checking, counting. Humans win at judgement, context, and noticing the irrelevant detail that turns out to matter. Our inability to concentrate is a weakness for the first kind of work, and oddly, a strength for the second.

   查看中文翻译

   有些工作,正是出于这个原因;大多数工作,不行,因为专注力根本不是这些工作运转所依赖的东西。检测我们应用界面错误的软件从不眨眼,而且它在这方面比任何人都做得更好,因为这项任务需要的是纯粹的持续专注。然而,那些界面上到底该写什么内容的决定,却是我在窗边走神、休息时想到的——人的思维会游走,而这种游走正是灵感联结产生的地方。机器在需要对固定规则保持不间断关注的任务上更胜一筹:监测、检查、计数。人类则在判断力、背景理解,以及察觉那些看似无关紧要、结果却至关重要的细节上更胜一筹。我们无法专注,对第一种工作来说是一种弱点,而说来也怪,对第二种工作而言,却是一种优势。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Machines win at tasks needing unbroken attention to fixed rules: monitoring, checking, counting. Humans win at judgement, context, and noticing the irrelevant detail that turns out to matter.” — Two parallel sentences, each opening with 'Machines/Humans win at', create a rhetorical balance that does more cohesive work than the single 'So' conclusion at 6.5 or the 'To be fair' summary at 7.0.两个平行的句子,分别以'Machines/Humans win at'开头,营造出一种修辞上的平衡,其连贯效果超过了6.5分中单一的'So'式结论,或7.0分中'To be fair'式的总结。
   • LR“the wandering is precisely where connections happen” — 'Precisely where connections happen' is a compact, abstract phrase that captures the value of distraction more sharply than the plainer 'often where ideas actually happen' at 7.0.'Precisely where connections happen'是一个紧凑、抽象的短语,比7.0分中较平实的'often where ideas actually happen'更犀利地捕捉到了走神的价值。
   • GRA“Our inability to concentrate is a weakness for the first kind of work, and oddly, a strength for the second.” — The inserted aside 'oddly' interrupts the parallel structure for emphasis, a more flexible, higher-risk placement than the plain coordination used in the 6.5 and 7.0 closings.插入的'oddly'打断了平行结构以达到强调效果,这种放置方式比6.5分和7.0分结尾所用的平铺并列更灵活,也风险更高。

2. 2. What types of jobs is being able to concentrate particularly important for?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The list of jobs (surgeon, pilot, bus driver) is joined simply with commas and 'and', without further comment on what links them.外科医生、飞行员、公交司机这个职业列表,只是用逗号和'and'简单连接,没有进一步说明它们之间的共同点。

   I think concentration is very important for jobs where a small mistake can be dangerous or costly. For example, a surgeon, a pilot, and a bus driver on a mountain road all need to focus completely, because one second of inattention could be very dangerous. It's also important for jobs like accounting or programming, where small errors are expensive to fix. And it matters in creative jobs like writing or design, which need long periods of focus. Jobs that involve a lot of interruptions, like customer service, need a different skill instead.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为专注力对那些一个小失误就可能造成危险或高昂代价的工作来说非常重要。比如,外科医生、飞行员,以及在山路上开车的公交司机,都需要完全专注,因为哪怕一秒钟的走神都可能非常危险。对会计或编程这类工作来说也同样重要,因为一个小错误的修复成本很高。而在写作或设计这类创意工作中,专注力也很重要,因为它们需要长时间的专注。而像客服这类充满打断的工作,则需要一种不同的技能。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“It's also important for jobs like accounting or programming, where small errors are expensive to fix.” — 'Also' introduces a new category directly, a basic listing device. The 7.5 answer instead links its categories with 'Beyond safety, there's precision work —', letting one category flow into the next without a plain connector.'Also'直接引出一个新类别,这是一种基础的列举手法。7.5分的回答则用'Beyond safety, there's precision work —'来连接类别,让一个类别自然过渡到下一个,而不需要平实的连接词。
   • LR“one second of inattention could be very dangerous” — 'Very dangerous' is a generic intensifier-adjective pairing. The 7.5 answer's 'the difference between the road and a cliff' is a far more vivid, specific image of the same danger.'Very dangerous'是一个通用的强调词加形容词的组合。7.5分回答中的'the difference between the road and a cliff'则是对同样危险性更生动、更具体的意象刻画。
   • GRA“For example, a surgeon, a pilot, and a bus driver on a mountain road all need to focus completely, because one second of inattention could be very dangerous.” — A single sentence with a coordinated subject list and one 'because' clause — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer instead gives each job its own short fragment separated by semicolons, a considerably more flexible structure.一个带有并列主语列表和一个'because'从句的单句——稳妥而清晰。7.5分的回答则给每个职业各自一个用分号隔开的短片段,结构灵活得多。

   7.0 分

   'these all need unbroken focus' generalises the list with a short punchy clause rather than a full new sentence.'these all need unbroken focus'用一个简短有力的从句来概括整个列表,而不是用一个完整的新句子。

   Honestly, I'd say it matters most in jobs where a lapse costs more than just time. A surgeon, a pilot, or a bus driver on a mountain road, where a second's inattention could mean a cliff — these all need unbroken focus. Beyond safety, there's precision work too, like accounting, programming or editing, where small mistakes end up being expensive. And creative work, like writing or design, needs long stretches of attention just to get anywhere at all. To be fair, jobs built from constant interruptions, like customer service, actually need a different skill — the ability to switch quickly — which is almost the opposite.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为它在那些一次失误代价远不止损失时间的工作中最为重要。外科医生、飞行员,或者在山路上开车的公交司机,一秒钟的走神都可能意味着坠崖——这些都需要不间断的专注。除了安全性之外,还有精密性工作,比如会计、编程或编辑,一个小错误最后都会变得代价高昂。而创意工作,比如写作或设计,则需要长时间的专注才能有所进展。平心而论,像客服这类由不断打断构成的工作,实际上需要一种不同的技能——快速切换的能力——这几乎是完全相反的。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Beyond safety, there's precision work too, like accounting, programming or editing, where small mistakes end up being expensive.” — 'Beyond safety' signals a shift to a new category more fluidly than the plain 'It's also important for' used at 6.5, though it's still a fresh sentence rather than integrated into a single flowing list like the 7.5 version.'Beyond safety'比6.5分中平实的'It's also important for'更流畅地传递出向新类别的过渡;不过它仍是一个新的句子,而不像7.5分版本那样融入一个流畅的列表中。
   • LR“a second's inattention could mean a cliff” — 'Could mean a cliff' is a vivid, economical image, a step up from the plain 'very dangerous' at 6.5, though it's slightly less integrated than the 7.5 phrase 'the difference between the road and a cliff'.'Could mean a cliff'是一个生动、精炼的意象,比6.5分平实的'very dangerous'更进一步;不过它比7.5分中的'the difference between the road and a cliff'整合度稍低。
   • GRA“A surgeon, a pilot, or a bus driver on a mountain road, where a second's inattention could mean a cliff — these all need unbroken focus.” — An embedded 'where' clause interrupts the list before a dash sums it up, a more layered structure than the simple 'because' clause at 6.5, though still less densely packed than the semicolon list at 7.5.一个嵌入的'where'从句打断了列表,随后用破折号加以总结,这比6.5分简单的'because'从句更有层次;不过仍不如7.5分中的分号列表那样密集。

   7.5 分

   The semicolon-separated fragments 'A surgeon, obviously; a pilot; a bus driver...' list examples without repeating a verb, a compact structure unique to this band.用分号隔开的片段'A surgeon, obviously; a pilot; a bus driver...'在列举例子时不重复动词,这是这个分数段独有的紧凑结构。

   Anywhere a lapse costs more than time, I'd say. A surgeon, obviously; a pilot; a bus driver on a mountain road, where a second's inattention is the difference between the road and a cliff; an interpreter on a live call, holding two languages in her head at once. Beyond safety, there's precision work — accountants, programmers, editors — anyone whose errors are small and expensive. And there's creative work too, which needs long, unbroken stretches of attention to get anywhere: writing, design, research. What these all share is that the work can't be done in fragments. Jobs built from interruptions, like customer service or management, need a different skill entirely — the ability to switch — which is almost the opposite.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为,是任何一次失误代价超过单纯损失时间的地方。外科医生,这不用说;飞行员;在山路上开车的公交司机,一秒钟的走神就是马路和悬崖之间的区别;同声传译员在一次现场通话中,脑子里要同时装着两种语言。除了安全性之外,还有精密性工作——会计、程序员、编辑——任何一个错误都很小却代价高昂的人。此外还有创意工作,需要长时间、不间断的专注才能有所进展:写作、设计、研究。这些工作的共同点在于,这类工作无法被拆成碎片来完成。而像客服或管理这类由打断构成的工作,则完全需要一种不同的技能——切换的能力——几乎是完全相反的。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Beyond safety, there's precision work — accountants, programmers, editors — anyone whose errors are small and expensive.” — Two dashes set off an appositive list mid-sentence, letting the category and its examples flow as one unit rather than the separate listing sentences used at 6.5 and 7.0.两个破折号在句中划出一个同位语列表,让类别和它的例子作为一个整体流畅地呈现出来,而不是像6.5分和7.0分那样用独立的列举句。
   • LR“a second's inattention is the difference between the road and a cliff” — This is a considerably more vivid, spatial image than the plain 'very dangerous' at 6.5, and more integrated than the 7.0 phrase 'could mean a cliff'.这是一个比6.5分平实的'very dangerous'生动得多的空间意象,也比7.0分中的'could mean a cliff'整合得更好。
   • GRA“A surgeon, obviously; a pilot; a bus driver on a mountain road, where a second's inattention is the difference between the road and a cliff; an interpreter on a live call, holding two languages in her head at once.” — Four semicolon-separated fragments build a list without repeating the main verb each time, a considerably higher-risk and more compact structure than the coordinated subject list at 6.5 or the single 'where' clause at 7.0.四个用分号隔开的片段构建出一个列表,而不必每次都重复主要动词,这是一种风险高得多、也紧凑得多的结构,超过6.5分并列主语列表或7.0分单一的'where'从句。

3. 3. What impact does having to concentrate for long periods have on people nowadays?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The two examples (headache, colleague's twelve-hour days) sit in separate sentences joined only by 'A colleague of mine'.头痛和同事连续十二小时工作这两个例子分别放在独立的句子中,仅靠'A colleague of mine'来连接。

   I think concentrating for a long time is tiring, and it happens less often than before. For example, after doing four rounds of focused work with a timer, I usually get a mild headache and need to look at something far away. A colleague of mine does twelve-hour focus days before big launches, and afterwards she can't even hold a normal conversation. Concentration uses energy just like physical work does. Modern life makes long focus both more valuable and harder to keep up, because everything around us is designed to interrupt us.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为长时间专注是很累人的,而且这种情况比以前更少发生了。比如,用计时器完成四轮专注工作之后,我通常会有点头痛,需要看看远处的东西。我的一位同事在大型发布会之前会连续专注工作十二个小时,结束之后她甚至没办法正常聊天。专注和体力劳动一样,会消耗能量。现代生活让长时间专注变得既更有价值,又更难维持,因为我们周围的一切都是被设计出来打断我们的。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Concentration uses energy just like physical work does.” — A short, standalone comparison sentence. The 7.5 answer instead folds a similar comparison into a longer sentence using 'rather like', integrating it with the following clause about modern life.一个简短、独立的比较句。7.5分的回答则用'rather like'把类似的比较融入一个更长的句子中,与后面关于现代生活的从句整合在一起。
   • LR“I usually get a mild headache and need to look at something far away” — Plain, literal description. The 7.5 answer's 'a strong need to look at something far away' keeps similar wording but embeds it in a semicolon-joined sentence with a second, parallel example.平实、字面化的描述。7.5分回答中的'a strong need to look at something far away'保留了类似的措辞,但把它嵌入一个用分号连接、带有第二个平行例子的句子中。
   • GRA“A colleague of mine does twelve-hour focus days before big launches, and afterwards she can't even hold a normal conversation.” — Two clauses joined by 'and... afterwards' — a standard compound sentence. The 7.5 answer instead uses a semicolon to fuse a very similar pair of examples into one tighter unit.两个用'and... afterwards'连接的从句——一个标准的并列复合句。7.5分的回答则用分号把一对非常相似的例子融合成一个更紧凑的整体。

   7.0 分

   'I'd say the healthy pattern is intense bursts with real breaks in between' closes with a personal recommendation rather than a flat fact.'I'd say the healthy pattern is intense bursts with real breaks in between'以个人建议收尾,而不是一个平淡的事实陈述。

   Honestly, it's more tiring than people tend to admit, and it's become rarer than it used to be. After four rounds with my timer, I usually get a mild headache and a strong urge to look at something far away, while a colleague who does twelve-hour focus days before big launches finishes them barely able to hold a conversation. To be fair, concentration burns energy in a way that's a lot like physical work, and modern life has made long stretches of it both more valuable and harder to sustain, since everything around us seems designed to interrupt. I'd say the healthy pattern is intense bursts with real breaks in between.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,这比人们通常愿意承认的更累人,而且这种情况也比以前更少见了。用计时器完成四轮之后,我通常会有点头痛,还会很想看看远处的东西,而我的一位同事在大型发布会之前会连续专注工作十二个小时,结束时几乎没办法好好聊天。平心而论,专注消耗能量的方式和体力劳动很像,而现代生活让长时间的专注既变得更有价值,也更难维持,因为我们周围的一切似乎都是被设计出来打断我们的。我想说,健康的模式应该是高强度的短时冲刺,中间穿插真正的休息。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, concentration burns energy in a way that's a lot like physical work” — 'To be fair' introduces the comparison as a considered concession, a more developed move than the flat standalone sentence used at 6.5.'To be fair'把这个比较作为一种经过深思熟虑的让步引出,这比6.5分中平淡独立的句子更具发展性。
   • LR“a strong urge to look at something far away” — 'Urge' is a slightly more precise, evaluative noun than the plain 'need' at 6.5, capturing the involuntary pull more accurately.'Urge'比6.5分中平实的'need'是一个更精确、更具评价性的名词,更准确地捕捉到了那种不由自主的冲动。
   • GRA“After four rounds with my timer, I usually get a mild headache and a strong urge to look at something far away, while a colleague who does twelve-hour focus days before big launches finishes them barely able to hold a conversation.” — This sentence links the writer's own example to the colleague's with a 'while' clause inside one long sentence, more ambitious than the two separate sentences at 6.5, though slightly less compact than the semicolon version at 7.5.这个句子用一个'while'从句,在一个长句中把作者自己的例子和同事的例子连接起来,比6.5分中两个独立的句子更有野心;不过比7.5分中用分号的版本稍逊紧凑。

   7.5 分

   The semicolon linking 'my mild headache' to the colleague's 'twelve-hour focus days' places the two examples in direct, unhedged parallel.分号把'my mild headache'和同事的'twelve-hour focus days'连接起来,让这两个例子形成直接、不加修饰的平行关系。

   It's tiring in a way people tend to underestimate, and honestly, it's rarer than it used to be. After four rounds of my timer I have a mild headache and a strong need to look at something far away; a colleague who does twelve-hour focus days before launches finishes them unable to hold a proper conversation. Concentration burns energy rather like physical work does, and modern life has made long stretches of it both more valuable and harder to sustain, since everything around us seems engineered to interrupt. People who manage it well report real satisfaction and better output; people forced into it for too long report burnout and a life with no space left in it. The healthy pattern, I suspect, is intense periods with genuine breaks — which is exactly what my timer enforces and most workplaces simply don't.

   查看中文翻译

   这是一种人们往往低估的疲惫,而且说实话,这种情况也比以前更少见了。用我的计时器完成四轮之后,我会有点头痛,也很想看看远处的东西;而一位在发布会前连续专注工作十二个小时的同事,结束时几乎没办法好好聊天。专注消耗能量的方式和体力劳动颇为相似,而现代生活让长时间的专注既变得更有价值,也更难维持,因为我们周围的一切似乎都是被精心设计出来打断我们的。能够很好地驾驭专注的人,会感受到真正的满足感和更好的产出;而被迫长时间专注的人,则会感受到倦怠,以及一种毫无喘息空间的生活。我猜,健康的模式应该是高强度的时段,中间穿插真正的休息——这正是我的计时器所强制执行的,而大多数职场却完全做不到。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“People who manage it well report real satisfaction and better output; people forced into it for too long report burnout and a life with no space left in it.” — A semicolon balances two contrasting outcomes in one sentence, a tighter and more symmetrical structure than the separate sentences the lower bands use to make similar points.一个分号在一个句子里平衡了两种形成对比的结果,这比低分段用独立句子表达类似观点的方式更紧凑、更对称。
   • LR“Concentration burns energy rather like physical work does” — 'Rather like' is a more natural, slightly understated hedge than the plainer comparison at 6.5, giving the same claim a more considered, idiomatic tone.'Rather like'是一种比6.5分更平实的比较更自然、略带含蓄的缓和表达,让同样的论断带上更为深思熟虑、地道的语气。
   • GRA“After four rounds of my timer I have a mild headache and a strong need to look at something far away; a colleague who does twelve-hour focus days before launches finishes them unable to hold a proper conversation.” — A semicolon fuses the writer's own example directly to the colleague's without any connecting word, a more compact and confident structure than the 'while' clause used at 7.0 or the separate sentences at 6.5.一个分号把作者自己的例子和同事的例子直接融合在一起,不用任何连接词,这比7.0分中用的'while'从句,或6.5分中的独立句子,更紧凑、更自信。

4. 4. How valuable is the ability to concentrate in modern society?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'It also matters for learning and for relationships' adds a final point as a short, separate sentence.'It also matters for learning and for relationships'把最后一点作为一个简短、独立的句子加了进来。

   I think concentration is becoming more valuable every year, because it is getting harder to find. For me, two focused hours usually produce more work than the other six hours combined, and I think this is common for many people. In an economy where most work involves thinking, someone who can focus for a long time has a real advantage. Everything around us competes for our attention, like phones and notifications, so being able to ignore them has become valuable. It also matters for learning and for relationships, since attention shows people we care.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为专注力正变得一年比一年更有价值,因为它变得越来越难得。对我来说,两个小时的专注工作产出的成果,通常比其余六个小时加起来还要多,而我认为这对很多人来说都是普遍现象。在一个大多数工作都需要动脑的经济体中,能够长时间专注的人拥有真正的优势。我们周围的一切都在争夺我们的注意力,比如手机和各种通知,所以能够无视它们就变得很有价值。它对学习和人际关系也很重要,因为专注能向人们表明我们在乎他们。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“It also matters for learning and for relationships, since attention shows people we care.” — 'Also' tacks on a final point directly, a basic listing device. The 7.5 answer instead links two such points with 'and it matters for... since', building them into one continuous sentence.'Also'直接附加上最后一点,这是一种基础的列举手法。7.5分的回答则用'and it matters for... since'把两个类似的点连接起来,构建成一个连贯的句子。
   • LR“someone who can focus for a long time has a real advantage” — Plain and literal. The 7.5 answer's 'an advantage that used to be ordinary and is now unusual' adds a historical contrast that makes the same point far more precise.平实、字面化。7.5分回答中的'an advantage that used to be ordinary and is now unusual'加入了一种历史性的对比,使同样的观点表达得精确得多。
   • GRA“Everything around us competes for our attention, like phones and notifications, so being able to ignore them has become valuable.” — A single 'so' clause states cause and effect directly. The 7.5 answer instead uses a dash-set list before drawing the same conclusion, a more layered structure.一个单独的'so'从句直接陈述了因果关系。7.5分的回答则在得出同样结论之前,先用破折号划出一个列表,结构更有层次。

   7.0 分

   'I suspect that ratio is fairly common' hedges the personal statistic before generalising from it.'I suspect that ratio is fairly common'在从个人的这一数据进行概括之前,先用缓和语气加以修饰。

   Honestly, I'd say it's becoming more valuable every year, precisely because it's getting rarer. My two focused hours with a timer usually produce more than the other six hours of my day combined, and I suspect that ratio is fairly common — in an economy where most work is thinking, someone who can hold a thought for an hour has an advantage that used to be ordinary and is now unusual. Everything competes for attention these days — phones, notifications, open-plan offices — so the ability to withdraw from all that has become a kind of wealth. To be fair, it matters for relationships too, since attention is often what people actually feel as care.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为它正变得一年比一年更有价值,恰恰因为它变得越来越稀缺。我用计时器专注的两个小时,产出通常比我一天里其余六个小时加起来还多,我猜这个比例对很多人来说都相当普遍——在一个大多数工作都是脑力劳动的经济体中,一个能把一个念头保持一个小时的人,拥有一种曾经稀松平常、如今却不同寻常的优势。如今一切都在争夺我们的注意力——手机、通知、开放式办公室——所以能够从这一切中抽身而出的能力,已经变成了一种财富。平心而论,它对人际关系也同样重要,因为注意力往往正是人们真正感受到被关心的方式。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, it matters for relationships too, since attention is often what people actually feel as care.” — 'To be fair' introduces a further point as a genuine addition to the argument, a more developed move than the plain 'also' used at 6.5.'To be fair'把这一点作为论证的真正补充引出,这比6.5分平实的'also'更有发展性。
   • LR“an advantage that used to be ordinary and is now unusual” — This historical contrast is a precise, reflective phrase that goes beyond the plain 'real advantage' at 6.5, though it's slightly less compact than the parallel 7.5 version of the same idea.这种历史性的对比是一个精确、反思性的短语,超越了6.5分平实的'real advantage';不过它比7.5分中同一想法的平行版本稍显不够紧凑。
   • GRA“Everything competes for attention these days — phones, notifications, open-plan offices — so the ability to withdraw from all that has become a kind of wealth.” — A dash-set list sits between subject and verb before the 'so' clause, a more ambitious structure than the plain 'so' sentence at 6.5, though it stays slightly shorter than the equivalent 7.5 sentence.一个用破折号划出的列表插在主语和动词之间,随后接上'so'从句,这比6.5分平实的'so'句更有野心;不过它比7.5分中对应的句子略短。

   7.5 分

   'has quietly become a kind of wealth' closes the sentence with a compact metaphor rather than a literal statement.'has quietly become a kind of wealth'用一个紧凑的隐喻而不是字面陈述来结束这个句子。

   More valuable every year, I'd say, precisely because it's getting rarer. My two timer hours produce more than the other six in my day, and I suspect that ratio is fairly common: in an economy where most work is thinking, the person who can hold a thought for an hour has an advantage that used to be ordinary and is now unusual. Everything competes for attention — phones, notifications, open-plan offices — so the ability to withdraw from that competition has quietly become a kind of wealth. It matters for learning, since nothing complex gets learned in fragments, and it matters for relationships, since attention is often what people feel as care. Societies are starting to notice, with 'deep work' books and phone-free schools cropping up everywhere. The skill was never more needed, and never less practised.

   查看中文翻译

   我想说,是一年比一年更有价值,恰恰因为它变得越来越稀缺。我用计时器专注的两个小时,产出比我一天里其余六个小时还多,我猜这个比例相当普遍:在一个大多数工作都是脑力劳动的经济体中,一个能把一个念头保持一个小时的人,拥有一种曾经稀松平常、如今却不同寻常的优势。一切都在争夺注意力——手机、通知、开放式办公室——所以能够从这场争夺中抽身而出的能力,已经悄然变成了一种财富。它对学习很重要,因为复杂的东西无法靠碎片化的方式学会;它对人际关系也很重要,因为注意力往往正是人们感受到被关心的方式。整个社会已经开始注意到这一点,'深度工作'类书籍和禁用手机的学校在各处不断涌现。这项技能从未如此被需要,却也从未被如此少地践行。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“It matters for learning, since nothing complex gets learned in fragments, and it matters for relationships, since attention is often what people feel as care.” — Two parallel 'it matters for... since...' clauses are joined by 'and' into one continuous sentence, a tighter structure than the separate 'also' sentence used at 6.5 or the single point added at 7.0.两个平行的'it matters for... since...'从句用'and'连接成一个连贯的句子,这比6.5分中独立的'also'句,或7.0分中添加的单一观点,结构更紧凑。
   • LR“has quietly become a kind of wealth” — 'A kind of wealth' is a genuinely idiomatic metaphor for scarce attention, more figurative than the literal 'has become valuable' at 6.5 and folded here into a tighter, more economical sentence than the 7.0 version of the same phrase.'A kind of wealth'是一个真正地道的隐喻,用来形容稀缺的注意力,比6.5分中字面化的'has become valuable'更具比喻色彩,并且这里被融入一个比7.0分同一短语版本更紧凑、更精炼的句子中。
   • GRA“Everything competes for attention — phones, notifications, open-plan offices — so the ability to withdraw from that competition has quietly become a kind of wealth.” — The dash-set list is immediately followed by a 'so' clause built on the earlier word 'competes' repeated as 'competition', a deliberate lexical echo that neither lower band attempts.破折号列表之后紧接着一个'so'从句,该从句建立在前面出现过的词'competes'之上,并重复为'competition',这是一种刻意的词汇呼应,两个较低分段都没有尝试过。

5. 5. Why may people find it difficult to concentrate at work?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The list of interruptions ('a conversation behind me, a chat message... a colleague with a quick question') is joined only by commas.打断因素的列表('a conversation behind me, a chat message... a colleague with a quick question')仅靠逗号连接。

   I think the workplace itself often makes it hard to concentrate. At ten in the morning in my open-plan office, there is usually a conversation behind me, a chat message on my screen, and a colleague with a quick question, all before I've even started real work. Offices often reward people who reply quickly instead of people who focus deeply. Meetings also break the day into small pieces that are too short for real work. Tiredness and stress outside work make it harder too. I think most people aren't bad at concentrating — they just work somewhere that never lets them try.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为往往是工作场所本身让人难以专注。在我那间开放式办公室里,早上十点通常会有:身后的谈话声、屏幕上弹出的聊天消息,还有一位带着'小问题'来找我的同事——这一切都发生在我真正开始工作之前。办公室往往奖励那些快速回复的人,而不是那些能深度专注的人。会议也会把一天切割成一个个太短、不足以完成真正工作的碎片。工作之外的疲惫和压力也让专注变得更难。我认为大多数人并不是不擅长专注——他们只是恰好在一个从不给他们机会去尝试专注的地方工作。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“I think most people aren't bad at concentrating — they just work somewhere that never lets them try.” — The closing sentence restates the main idea plainly with a dash. The 7.5 answer extends the identical idea further by adding a relative clause about design failure, giving the conclusion an extra layer.结尾句用一个破折号平实地重申了主要观点。7.5分的回答则通过加入一个关于'设计失败'的定语从句,把同样的想法进一步延伸,让结论多了一层含义。
   • LR“a colleague with a quick question” — A plain, literal phrase. The 7.5 answer adds quotation marks around 'quick question', giving it a slightly ironic, reported tone that this version lacks.一个平实、字面化的短语。7.5分的回答在'quick question'周围加上引号,赋予它一种略带讽刺、转述式的语气,而这个版本没有这种效果。
   • GRA“At ten in the morning in my open-plan office, there is usually a conversation behind me, a chat message on my screen, and a colleague with a quick question, all before I've even started real work.” — A three-item list closes with 'all before I've even started', a fairly standard structure. The 7.5 answer adds a fourth item (the phone) and closes instead with a compact evaluative phrase, showing more range.一个三项列表以'all before I've even started'收尾,结构相当标准。7.5分的回答增加了第四项(手机),并改用一个紧凑的评价性短语收尾,展现出更宽的表达范围。

   7.0 分

   'the person who replies instantly looks engaged, while the person with the door shut looks difficult' balances two contrasting images in one sentence.'the person who replies instantly looks engaged, while the person with the door shut looks difficult'在一个句子里平衡了两个形成对比的画面。

   Honestly, I think it's because the workplace itself is built against it. At ten in the morning in our open-plan studio there's usually a conversation behind me, a chat pinging on my screen, and a colleague with a 'quick question' — all before I've properly started. To be fair, modern offices tend to reward availability over depth: the person who replies instantly looks engaged, while the person with the door shut looks difficult. Meetings fragment the day into pieces too short for any real work, and tiredness or stress outside work take their share too. Honestly, I don't think most people are bad at concentrating — they're just working somewhere that never lets them try.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为是工作场所本身的构建方式就与专注为敌。在我们这间开放式工作室里,早上十点通常会有:身后的谈话声、屏幕上叮的一声弹出的聊天消息,还有一位带着'小问题'来找我的同事——这一切都发生在我真正开始工作之前。平心而论,现代办公室往往奖励'随叫随到'而不是'深度专注':那个秒回消息的人看起来很敬业,而那个关上门的人却显得不好相处。会议也会把一天切割成碎片,短得根本无法完成任何真正的工作,工作之外的疲惫和压力也占了一份责任。说实话,我不认为大多数人不擅长专注——他们只是恰好在一个从不给他们机会去尝试的地方工作。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, modern offices tend to reward availability over depth” — 'To be fair' introduces a generalisation as a considered claim rather than a flat statement, a step up from the plain listing style at 6.5.'To be fair'把这个概括性的观点作为经过深思熟虑的论断引出,而不是一个平淡的陈述,这比6.5分平实的列举风格更进一步。
   • LR“a colleague with a 'quick question'” — The quotation marks around 'quick question' give the phrase a knowing, slightly ironic tone that the plain equivalent at 6.5 lacks, though it's used more extensively in the 7.5 version's four-item list.'quick question'周围的引号给这个短语增添了一种心照不宣、略带讽刺的语气,而6.5分的平实版本没有这种效果;不过在7.5分版本的四项列表中,这种用法运用得更为广泛。
   • GRA“the person who replies instantly looks engaged, while the person with the door shut looks difficult” — A 'while' clause balances two contrasting images in one sentence, more ambitious than the simple listing sentences at 6.5, though the 7.5 version manages a similar contrast without any connector at all.一个'while'从句在一个句子里平衡了两个形成对比的画面,这比6.5分简单的列举句更有野心;不过7.5分版本完全不用任何连接词就实现了类似的对比效果。

   7.5 分

   The four-item list ending in 'my own phone face-up on the desk' closes with 'none of them unusual', a compact evaluative tag.以'my own phone face-up on the desk'结尾的四项列表,后面接上'none of them unusual',这是一个紧凑的评价性尾句。

   Because the workplace, honestly, is built against it. At ten in the morning in our open-plan studio there's a conversation behind me, a chat pinging on my screen, a colleague with a 'quick question', and my own phone face-up on the desk — four interruptions before I've even started, none of them unusual. Modern offices reward availability over depth: the person who answers instantly looks engaged, the person with the door shut looks difficult. Meetings fragment the day into pieces too short for real work, and tiredness, stress and worries from outside take their own share too. Most people, I suspect, aren't actually bad at concentrating — they're simply working somewhere that never once lets them try, which is a design failure, not a personal one.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,是因为工作场所本身的构建方式就与专注为敌。在我们这间开放式工作室里,早上十点会有:身后的谈话声、屏幕上叮的一声弹出的聊天消息、一位带着'小问题'来找我的同事,还有我自己那台正面朝上放在桌上的手机——四种打扰,发生在我甚至还没开始工作之前,而且没有一样是不寻常的。现代办公室奖励的是'随叫随到',而不是'深度专注':秒回消息的人显得很敬业,关上门的人却显得不好相处。会议把一天切割成碎片,短得无法完成真正的工作,而工作之外的疲惫、压力和烦恼也占了它们自己的一份。我猜,大多数人其实并不是不擅长专注——他们只是恰好在一个从来不给他们机会去尝试的地方工作,而这是设计上的失败,不是个人的失败。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Most people, I suspect, aren't actually bad at concentrating — they're simply working somewhere that never once lets them try, which is a design failure, not a personal one.” — The closing dash is extended with a further relative clause ('which is a design failure...'), giving the conclusion an extra layer of judgement beyond the plainer closing sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.结尾的破折号又延伸出一个定语从句('which is a design failure...'),给结论增添了一层6.5分和7.0分更平实的结尾句所没有的评判意味。
   • LR“a colleague with a 'quick question'” — This exact phrase, in scare quotes, also appears in the 7.0 answer, but here it's folded into a longer four-item asyndetic list rather than standing as its own clause, showing more compact integration.这个带引号的确切短语也出现在7.0分的回答中,但这里它被融入一个更长的、不用连接词的四项列表中,而不是单独成句,展现出更紧凑的整合方式。
   • GRA“a conversation behind me, a chat pinging on my screen, a colleague with a 'quick question', and my own phone face-up on the desk — four interruptions before I've even started, none of them unusual” — A four-item list is followed by a dash and a compact summary noun phrase rather than a full new sentence, a more economical structure than the three-item list and full closing sentence used at 6.5.一个四项列表后面接的是一个破折号和一个紧凑的总结性名词短语,而不是一整个新句子,这比6.5分中三项列表加完整结尾句的结构更精炼。

6. 6. Why do children have to concentrate when doing sports?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The story and the lesson are told in two separate simple sentences, joined only by 'and the coach just said'.故事和教训分别用两个独立的简单句讲述,仅靠'and the coach just said'连接。

   I think children need to concentrate in sport because things happen quickly and they need to react. At my nephew's football match last month, he was watching a butterfly when the ball rolled past him into the goal, and the coach just said 'eyes on the ball'. Children need to concentrate for safety, because a moment of inattention in swimming or cycling can be dangerous. They also need it for skill, because catching, kicking and balancing all need focus. Team sports also need attention to other players. Sport is a good teacher because the feedback is instant.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为孩子在运动中需要专注,因为事情发生得很快,他们需要及时做出反应。上个月我侄子的足球比赛中,他正盯着一只蝴蝶看,球就从他身边滚过、进了球门,教练只说了一句'眼睛盯着球'。孩子需要专注以确保安全,因为游泳或骑车时一瞬间的走神都可能很危险。他们也需要专注来掌握技能,因为接球、踢球和保持平衡都需要专注力。团体运动也需要留意其他球员。运动是一位好老师,因为它的反馈是即时的。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Sport is a good teacher because the feedback is instant.” — A short final sentence states the lesson directly. The 7.5 answer instead builds a similar idea into a longer sentence ending with 'no lecture required', a more compact and idiomatic closing.一个简短的结尾句直接陈述了教训。7.5分的回答则把类似的想法构建进一个更长的句子中,以'no lecture required'收尾,结尾更紧凑、更地道。
   • LR“he was watching a butterfly when the ball rolled past him into the goal” — Plain, literal description. The 7.5 answer adds 'straight past him', a small intensifying detail that sharpens the same image.平实、字面化的描述。7.5分的回答加上了'straight past him',这个小小的强调细节让同样的画面更加鲜明。
   • GRA“Children need to concentrate for safety, because a moment of inattention in swimming or cycling can be dangerous.” — A single 'because' clause — clear and safe. The 7.5 answer instead uses 'since', embedded inside a much longer sentence with a second parallel 'since' clause for skill.一个单独的'because'从句——清晰而稳妥。7.5分的回答则用'since',嵌入一个长得多的句子中,并带有第二个平行的、关于技能的'since'从句。

   7.0 分

   'which is basically what sport teaches about attention' reflects on the coach's comment rather than just reporting it.'which is basically what sport teaches about attention'是对教练评论的反思,而不只是单纯转述。

   Honestly, I think it's because the ball simply doesn't wait for anyone. At my nephew's football match last month, he was watching a butterfly when the ball rolled straight past him into the goal, and the coach's only comment was 'eyes on the ball', which is basically what sport teaches about attention. Children need to concentrate in sport for safety — a moment's inattention in swimming or cycling can be genuinely dangerous — and for skill, since catching, kicking and balancing all depend on the mind being on the body. To be fair, team sports add another layer too, like reading other players and remembering a plan.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为是因为球根本不会等任何人。上个月我侄子的足球比赛中,他正盯着一只蝴蝶看,球就直接从他身边滚过、进了球门,教练唯一的评价是'眼睛盯着球',而这基本上就是运动教给我们关于专注力的一切。孩子在运动中需要专注,一方面是为了安全——游泳或骑车时一瞬间的走神真的可能很危险——另一方面是为了技能,因为接球、踢球和保持平衡都依赖于心思落在身体上。平心而论,团体运动还增添了另一层要求,比如解读其他球员的动作、记住战术安排。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, team sports add another layer too, like reading other players and remembering a plan.” — 'To be fair' introduces a further point as a genuine addition, a more developed cohesive move than the flat listing at 6.5.'To be fair'把这一点作为真正的补充引出,这比6.5分平淡的列举更具连贯性上的发展。
   • LR“the ball rolled straight past him into the goal” — 'Straight past him' adds a small intensifier that sharpens the image slightly beyond the plain 6.5 version, though the 7.5 answer pushes further still by calling the coach's four words a lesson 'in four words'.'Straight past him'加入了一个小小的强调语,让画面比6.5分平实的版本更鲜明一点;不过7.5分的回答更进一步,把教练的这几个字称为'用四个词'讲完的一课。
   • GRA“and the coach's only comment was 'eyes on the ball', which is basically what sport teaches about attention” — A non-defining relative clause ('which is basically what...') extends the sentence with a generalisation, a more integrated structure than the separate closing sentence used at 6.5.一个非限定性定语从句('which is basically what...')用一个概括性的说法延伸了句子,这比6.5分中独立的结尾句结构更整合。

   7.5 分

   'which is more or less what sport teaches about attention in four words' turns the coach's own phrase into the answer's closing joke.'which is more or less what sport teaches about attention in four words'把教练自己说的那句话变成了整个回答结尾的一个小玩笑。

   Because the ball, quite simply, doesn't wait. At my nephew's football match last month he was watching a butterfly when the ball rolled straight past him into the goal, and the coach's only comment was 'eyes on the ball' — which is more or less what sport teaches about attention in four words. Children have to concentrate in sport for safety, since a moment's inattention in swimming or cycling can be genuinely dangerous, and for skill, since catching, kicking and balancing all demand the mind stay on the body. Team sports layer on reading other players and remembering a plan. What makes sport such a good teacher of concentration is that the feedback is instant: lose focus and you lose the ball, no lecture required.

   查看中文翻译

   因为球,说白了,根本不会等人。上个月我侄子的足球比赛中,他正盯着一只蝴蝶看,球就直接从他身边滚过、进了球门,教练唯一的评价是'眼睛盯着球'——这几乎就是运动用四个字讲完的、关于专注力的全部道理。孩子在运动中必须专注,一方面是为了安全——游泳或骑车时一瞬间的走神真的可能很危险——另一方面是为了技能,因为接球、踢球和保持平衡都要求心思始终落在身体上。团体运动还叠加了解读其他球员动作、记住战术安排这些要求。运动之所以是一位教专注力的好老师,是因为它的反馈是即时的:一走神就丢球,根本不需要长篇大论的说教。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“which is more or less what sport teaches about attention in four words” — This closing clause counts the coach's own words ('eyes on the ball') as exactly four, a self-aware, witty piece of cohesion that neither lower band attempts.这个结尾从句把教练自己说的话('eyes on the ball')精确地数成四个词,这是一种自觉、机智的连贯手法,两个较低分段都没有尝试过。
   • LR“the ball rolled straight past him into the goal” — This shares the same intensifier as the 7.0 version but sits inside a longer, more rhythmic opening sentence, showing the phrase reused with more surrounding control.这里用了和7.0分版本相同的强调语,但被放进一个更长、更有节奏感的开头句中,展现出这个短语被再次使用时,周围的驾驭能力更强。
   • GRA“What makes sport such a good teacher of concentration is that the feedback is instant: lose focus and you lose the ball, no lecture required.” — A cleft sentence ('What makes... is that...') leads into a colon and a compact conditional clause without 'if', a considerably more sophisticated structure than the plain 'because' sentence at 6.5 or the simple relative clause at 7.0.一个强调句('What makes... is that...')引出一个冒号,以及一个不用'if'的紧凑条件从句,这比6.5分平实的'because'句或7.0分简单的定语从句要复杂精致得多。

7. 7. What can employers do to help their staff concentrate?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The list of employer actions is simply joined with 'also... also...', repeating the same connector three times.雇主行动的列表只是简单地用'also... also...'连接,同一个连接词重复了三次。

   I think employers can help by protecting people's time, and it doesn't cost anything. My studio introduced 'quiet mornings', with no meetings or chat messages before eleven, and the amount of real work done almost doubled. Employers can also have fewer meetings, give people a quiet place to work, and stop treating instant replies as a sign of commitment. They can also set clear priorities, because a lot of poor concentration comes from not knowing what matters most. Managers should also lead by example, instead of sending messages late at night.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为雇主可以通过保护员工的时间来提供帮助,而且这不需要任何成本。我们工作室推行了'安静的早晨'制度,十一点之前不开会、不发聊天消息,真正完成的工作量几乎翻了一倍。雇主也可以减少会议数量、为员工提供安静的工作空间,并且不再把'秒回消息'当作敬业的标志。他们还可以设定清晰的优先级,因为很多专注力不足的问题,其实源于不清楚什么才是最重要的事情。管理者也应该以身作则,而不是深夜还发消息。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Employers can also have fewer meetings, give people a quiet place to work, and stop treating instant replies as a sign of commitment.” — Repeating 'also' as the main connector across several sentences is a basic, slightly repetitive cohesive pattern. The 7.5 answer varies its connectors more, using plain coordination within one sentence instead of repeated 'also's.把'also'当作主要连接词在几个句子中反复使用,这是一种基础、略显重复的连贯模式。7.5分的回答连接词变化更多,在一个句子内使用简单的并列结构,而不是反复使用'also'。
   • LR“the amount of real work done almost doubled” — A plain quantifier phrase. The 7.5 answer's 'roughly doubled, with no other change whatsoever' adds an intensifying final clause that sharpens the same claim.一个平实的数量短语。7.5分回答中的'roughly doubled, with no other change whatsoever'加上了一个强调性的结尾从句,让同样的论断更加犀利。
   • GRA“My studio introduced 'quiet mornings', with no meetings or chat messages before eleven, and the amount of real work done almost doubled.” — A single sentence with one added prepositional phrase — clear and controlled. The 7.5 answer instead sets the same detail off with dashes as a self-contained aside, a more flexible structure.一个带有一个附加介词短语的单句——清晰而克制。7.5分的回答则用破折号把同样的细节划出来,作为一个独立的插入语,结构更灵活。

   7.0 分

   'with no other change at all' emphasises the result more than the plain statement at 6.5 does.'with no other change at all'比6.5分平实的陈述更强调这一结果。

   Honestly, I'd say protecting people's time is the main thing, and it costs nothing to do. Our studio introduced 'quiet mornings' — no meetings and no chat messages before eleven — and the amount of real work done roughly doubled, with no other change at all. To be fair, employers can also reduce meetings, give people somewhere with a door, and stop treating instant replies as a measure of commitment. They can set clearer priorities too, since half of poor concentration is really just not knowing what matters. And honestly, a manager who messages at midnight is training everyone else to check their phone at midnight too.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为保护员工的时间才是最重要的事情,而且这不需要任何成本。我们工作室推行了'安静的早晨'——十一点之前不开会、不发聊天消息——真正完成的工作量大约翻了一倍,而没有做任何其他改动。平心而论,雇主也可以减少会议数量,给员工一个有门可关的空间,并且不再把'秒回消息'当作衡量敬业度的标准。他们还可以设定更清晰的优先级,因为专注力不足的问题,有一半其实只是源于不知道什么才重要。说实话,一个在半夜发消息的管理者,其实是在训练所有其他人也在半夜查看手机。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, employers can also reduce meetings, give people somewhere with a door, and stop treating instant replies as a measure of commitment.” — 'To be fair' opens this list rather than the repeated 'also' pattern at 6.5, giving the transition a more natural, spoken quality, though the list itself still runs in a fairly standard coordinated form.'To be fair'开启了这个列表,而不是像6.5分那样反复使用'also'的模式,这让过渡更具自然的口语特质;不过列表本身仍然以相当标准的并列形式呈现。
   • LR“the amount of real work done roughly doubled, with no other change at all” — 'Roughly doubled' plus the emphatic 'with no other change at all' is a more precise, confident claim than the plain 'almost doubled' at 6.5.'Roughly doubled'加上强调性的'with no other change at all',比6.5分平实的'almost doubled'是一个更精确、更自信的论断。
   • GRA“half of poor concentration is really just not knowing what matters” — This is a fairly natural clause structure with an embedded 'what' clause as complement, a moderate step up from the plain sentences at 6.5, though still simpler than the multiple coordinated clauses used at 7.5.这是一个相当自然的从句结构,内嵌一个作补语的'what'从句,比6.5分平实的句子略有进步;不过仍比7.5分中多个并列从句的结构简单。

   7.5 分

   The closing line 'decide attention is a resource, and stop wasting it' turns a practical suggestion into a short, quotable maxim.结尾句'decide attention is a resource, and stop wasting it'把一个实用的建议变成了一句简短、可引用的箴言。

   Protect time, mostly, and it costs nothing. Our studio introduced 'quiet mornings' — no meetings and no chat messages before eleven — and the amount of real work done roughly doubled, with no other change whatsoever. Employers can reduce meetings, give people somewhere with a door, and stop treating instant replies as a measure of commitment. They can set clear priorities, since half of poor concentration is really just not knowing what matters. They can allow the occasional remote day for focused work, and cut the tools that interrupt, or at least the expectation that people watch them constantly. A manager who messages at midnight, after all, is training everyone to check their phone at midnight. The best thing an employer can do is decide attention is a resource, and stop wasting it.

   查看中文翻译

   主要就是保护员工的时间,而且这不需要任何成本。我们工作室推行了'安静的早晨'——十一点之前不开会、不发聊天消息——真正完成的工作量大约翻了一倍,而完全没有做任何其他改动。雇主可以减少会议数量,给员工一个有门可关的空间,并且不再把'秒回消息'当作衡量敬业度的标准。他们可以设定清晰的优先级,因为专注力不足的问题,有一半其实只是源于不知道什么才重要。他们可以偶尔允许远程办公的专注工作日,并砍掉那些容易打断人的工具,或者至少不再要求员工随时盯着这些工具。毕竟,一个在半夜发消息的管理者,其实是在训练所有人也在半夜查看手机。雇主能做的最好的事情,就是把注意力视为一种资源,不再去浪费它。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“The best thing an employer can do is decide attention is a resource, and stop wasting it.” — This closing sentence uses a cleft-like structure ('The best thing... is decide...') to land the whole answer's argument in one compact maxim, a more polished piece of cohesion than the plainer closing sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.这个结尾句用一种类似强调句的结构('The best thing... is decide...'),把整个回答的论点落脚在一句紧凑的箴言上,这比6.5分和7.0分更平实的结尾句在连贯手法上更为精致。
   • LR“roughly doubled, with no other change whatsoever” — 'Whatsoever' is a stronger, more emphatic intensifier than the plain 'at all' used at 7.0, adding extra rhetorical force to the same claim.'Whatsoever'是一个比7.0分平实的'at all'更强烈、更具强调效果的加强词,给同样的论断增添了额外的修辞力度。
   • GRA“They can allow the occasional remote day for focused work, and cut the tools that interrupt, or at least the expectation that people watch them constantly.” — This sentence coordinates three separate suggestions with varying structures (a noun phrase, a verb phrase, and an 'or at least' qualification), a more flexible pattern than the repeated 'also' listing used at 6.5.这个句子用不同的结构(一个名词短语、一个动词短语,以及一个'or at least'限定语)把三个独立的建议并列起来,这比6.5分中反复使用'also'的列举方式更灵活。

8. 8. Why is it important for children to learn to concentrate?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'This gap has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention' is the most complex sentence in this answer, using a simple parallel structure.'This gap has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention'是这个回答中最复杂的句子,使用了一个简单的平行结构。

   I think it is important because everything else children learn depends on it. My niece read a whole book in one sitting at nine years old, while a classmate just as clever couldn't finish one page without looking up. This gap has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention. Concentration helps children finish hard things, like a maths problem or learning an instrument. It is also the base of self-control, which affects a person's whole life. Children today grow up in a very distracting world, so this skill is harder to learn but more important than ever.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为这很重要,因为孩子学的其他一切都要依赖于它。我侄女九岁时能一口气读完一整本书,而一位同样聪明的同学却连一页都读不完,总要抬头张望。这种差距和智力毫无关系,却和专注力息息相关。专注力能帮助孩子完成困难的事情,比如一道数学题,或者学习一件乐器。它也是自控力的基础,而自控力会影响人的一生。如今的孩子成长在一个充满干扰的世界里,所以这项技能变得更难学会,却也比以往任何时候都更重要。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Concentration helps children finish hard things, like a maths problem or learning an instrument.” — 'Like' introduces a plain example list. The 7.5 answer instead uses a dash before a three-item list, giving the same kind of example more rhetorical weight.'Like'引出一个平实的例子列表。7.5分的回答则在一个三项列表前用破折号,给同样的例子增添了更多修辞分量。
   • LR“everything else children learn depends on it” — Plain and functional. The higher bands keep very similar wording here, but the 7.5 version extends it with a parallel closing sentence about tools, adding precision through structure rather than new vocabulary.平实、功能性。较高分段在这里保留了非常相似的措辞,但7.5分版本又加上一个关于'工具'的平行结尾句,通过结构而不是新词汇来增添精确度。
   • GRA“This gap has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention.” — A neat 'nothing to do with... everything to do with' parallel structure — genuinely effective, and reused almost unchanged at higher bands, showing this particular pattern is accessible even at 6.5.一个巧妙的'nothing to do with... everything to do with'平行结构——确实很有效,并且在更高的分数段中几乎原样被沿用,说明这一特定句式即使在6.5分也能掌握。

   7.0 分

   'the gap between them at school had nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention' embeds the same parallel structure inside a longer sentence.'the gap between them at school had nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention'把同样的平行结构嵌入一个更长的句子中。

   Honestly, I think it's because everything else children learn depends on it. My niece read a whole book in one sitting at nine, while a classmate of hers, just as bright, couldn't finish a page without looking up — and the gap between them at school had nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention. To be fair, concentration is really how children get from the start of a hard thing to the end, whether that's a maths problem or a piece of music. It's also the foundation of self-control, which predicts a lot about adult life. And honestly, it's harder to learn later, especially since children now grow up in the most distracting environment in history.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为这是因为孩子学的其他一切都要依赖于它。我侄女九岁时能一口气读完一整本书,而她一位同样聪明的同学,却连一页都读不完,总要抬头张望——而他们在学校里的这种差距,和智力毫无关系,却和专注力息息相关。平心而论,专注力其实就是孩子从一件难事的开头坚持到结尾的方式,无论那是一道数学题,还是一首乐曲。它也是自控力的基础,而自控力对成年后的生活有很大的预示作用。说实话,专注力越晚学习就越难,尤其是现在的孩子成长在历史上最容易分心的环境里。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, concentration is really how children get from the start of a hard thing to the end, whether that's a maths problem or a piece of music.” — 'To be fair' introduces a generalisation drawn from the example, a more developed move than the plain listing at 6.5, though the sentence stays a single unit rather than the tri-partite list used at 7.5.'To be fair'引出了一个从例子中得出的概括性观点,这比6.5分平实的列举更有发展性;不过这个句子仍是一个单一整体,而不是7.5分中三部分的列表。
   • LR“it's harder to learn later, especially since children now grow up in the most distracting environment in history” — 'The most distracting environment in history' is a precise, slightly dramatic superlative that neither the 6.5 answer nor a plainer register would reach.'The most distracting environment in history'是一个精确、略带戏剧性的最高级表达,6.5分的回答或更平实的语域都达不到这种效果。
   • GRA“My niece read a whole book in one sitting at nine, while a classmate of hers, just as bright, couldn't finish a page without looking up” — A 'while' clause embeds the contrast within one sentence rather than two, a more integrated structure than the separated sentences at 6.5, though the 7.5 version fuses the same contrast even more tightly with a semicolon.一个'while'从句把对比嵌入一个句子中,而不是拆成两句,这比6.5分中分开的句子结构更整合;不过7.5分版本用分号把同样的对比融合得更紧密。

   7.5 分

   The closing antithesis 'has a tool for every subject; one who doesn't struggles in all of them' uses a semicolon to complete the parallel without a connector.结尾的对仗句'has a tool for every subject; one who doesn't struggles in all of them'用一个分号完成了平行结构,而不用连接词。

   Because everything else they learn depends on it. My niece read a whole book in one sitting at nine; a classmate of hers, just as bright, can't finish a page without looking up, and the gap between them at school has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention. Concentration is how children get from the start of a hard thing to the end — a maths problem, a piece of music, a friendship in difficulty. It's the foundation of self-control, which predicts almost everything about adult life. It's harder to learn later, too, and children now grow up in the most distracting environment in history. A child who learns to hold attention has a tool for every subject; one who doesn't struggles in all of them.

   查看中文翻译

   因为孩子学的其他一切都要依赖于它。我侄女九岁时能一口气读完一整本书;她一位同样聪明的同学,却连一页都读不完,总要抬头张望,而他们在学校里的这种差距,和智力毫无关系,却和专注力息息相关。专注力是孩子从一件难事的开头坚持到结尾的方式——一道数学题、一首乐曲,一段陷入困境的友情。它是自控力的基础,而自控力几乎能预示一个人成年后生活的方方面面。专注力也是越晚学习就越难,而如今的孩子正成长在历史上最容易分心的环境里。一个学会了保持专注的孩子,等于拥有了适用于每一门学科的工具;而一个没学会的孩子,则会在所有学科上都举步维艰。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“A child who learns to hold attention has a tool for every subject; one who doesn't struggles in all of them.” — A semicolon links two parallel independent clauses without any connecting word, the most economical version of the contrast used across all three bands — 6.5 states it as one plain sentence, 7.0 develops it with 'while', and this compresses it further still.一个分号连接了两个平行的独立分句,不用任何连接词,这是三个分数段中对该对比最精炼的表达方式——6.5分用一个平实的句子陈述,7.0分用'while'加以发展,而这里则进一步压缩。
   • LR“a maths problem, a piece of music, a friendship in difficulty” — A three-item asyndetic list (no 'and' before the last item, no verb repeated) is a more compact, rhythmic structure than the 'like' list at 6.5 or the 'whether that's' phrasing at 7.0.一个不用连接词的三项列表(最后一项前不加'and',也不重复动词)比6.5分中的'like'列表或7.0分中的'whether that's'表达结构更紧凑、更有节奏感。
   • GRA“My niece read a whole book in one sitting at nine; a classmate of hers, just as bright, can't finish a page without looking up, and the gap between them at school has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with attention.” — A semicolon fuses the two examples into one sentence before the parallel 'nothing to do with... everything to do with' clause closes it, a denser structure than the separate sentences at 6.5 or the 'while' clause at 7.0.一个分号把两个例子融合进一个句子里,随后用平行的'nothing to do with... everything to do with'从句收尾,这比6.5分中独立的句子,或7.0分中的'while'从句,结构更密集。

9. 9. Is technology bad for children's concentration?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'it captured it, and trained him to expect a reward every few seconds' is the most developed clause in an otherwise plain answer.'it captured it, and trained him to expect a reward every few seconds'是这个原本平实的回答中最有发展性的从句。

   I think some technology is bad for children's concentration, and my own family shows this. My nephew can focus for two hours on a building game, but only two minutes on anything without a screen. I don't think technology destroyed his attention — it captured it, and trained him to expect a reward every few seconds. Short videos and endless games teach children that attention should be constantly refreshed, which is the opposite of real concentration. But technology used well, like long games with goals or reading on a screen, can actually build concentration. I think the problem is the design, not the device itself.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为有些科技对孩子的专注力是有害的,我自己家里的情况就能说明这一点。我侄子能在一个建造类游戏上专注两个小时,但对任何没有屏幕的事情,只能专注两分钟。我不认为是科技摧毁了他的注意力——而是科技'俘获'了它,并训练他每隔几秒钟就期待一次奖励。短视频和无穷无尽的游戏,教会孩子们注意力应该不断被刷新,而这恰恰是真正专注力的反面。但如果使用得当,比如带有目标的长时间游戏,或者在屏幕上阅读,科技其实是能培养专注力的。我认为问题出在设计上,而不是设备本身。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“I don't think technology destroyed his attention — it captured it, and trained him to expect a reward every few seconds.” — The dash introduces a correction to the first idea, a clear but simple cohesive device. The 7.5 answer builds nearly the same correction into a longer, more integrated sentence using the same dash but adding a further clause about design.破折号引出对第一个想法的修正,这是一种清晰但简单的连贯手法。7.5分的回答用同样的破折号,把几乎相同的修正构建进一个更长、更整合的句子里,并加上一个关于'设计'的从句。
   • LR“trained him to expect a reward every few seconds” — Plain and functional description. The 7.5 answer keeps this phrase almost identical but pairs it with 'captured it' inside a tighter structure, showing the same vocabulary used with more surrounding precision.平实、功能性的描述。7.5分的回答几乎原样保留了这个短语,但把它和'captured it'搭配在一个更紧凑的结构里,展现出同样的词汇被用得更精确。
   • GRA“But technology used well, like long games with goals or reading on a screen, can actually build concentration.” — A single sentence with one inserted 'like' example list — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer extends a similar list to three items and adds a further contrastive clause about consuming versus making.一个插入了'like'例子列表的单句——稳妥而清晰。7.5分的回答把类似的列表扩展到三项,并加上一个关于'消费'与'创造'对比的从句。

   7.0 分

   'more or less the opposite of concentration' softens the claim with a hedge rather than stating it flatly.'more or less the opposite of concentration'用一个缓和语来软化论断,而不是平铺直叙地陈述。

   Honestly, I'd say some technology is bad for it, and the evidence is right there in my own family. My nephew can focus for two hours on a building game and lasts about two minutes at anything without a screen — the technology hasn't really destroyed his attention, it's captured it, and trained it to expect a reward every few seconds. To be fair, short videos, notifications and games designed to be endless teach children that attention should be constantly refreshed, which is more or less the opposite of concentration. But technology used well can build it too — long games with goals, reading on a screen, tools that let a child actually make something.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我认为有些科技对专注力是有害的,而证据就摆在我自己家里。我侄子能在一个建造类游戏上专注两个小时,但对任何没有屏幕的事情,大约只能坚持两分钟——科技并没有真正摧毁他的注意力,而是'俘获'了它,并训练它每隔几秒钟就期待一次奖励。平心而论,短视频、通知,以及那些被设计成无穷无尽的游戏,教会孩子们注意力应该不断被刷新,而这几乎正是专注力的反面。但如果使用得当,科技其实也能培养专注力——比如带有目标的长时间游戏、在屏幕上阅读,以及那些能让孩子真正创造出些什么的工具。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, short videos, notifications and games designed to be endless teach children that attention should be constantly refreshed” — 'To be fair' introduces this generalisation as a considered claim, a more developed move than the plain listing pattern at 6.5.'To be fair'把这个概括性的观点作为经过深思熟虑的论断引出,这比6.5分平实的列举模式更有发展性。
   • LR“it's captured it, and trained it to expect a reward every few seconds” — This near-repetition of 'captured' and 'trained' across the sentence is a deliberate rhetorical device, slightly more polished than the plain equivalent at 6.5, though the 7.5 answer uses the identical phrase with even tighter surrounding structure.这个句子中'captured'和'trained'的近乎重复,是一种刻意的修辞手法,比6.5分平实的对应表达略显精致;不过7.5分的回答用了完全相同的短语,周围的结构更紧凑。
   • GRA“the technology hasn't really destroyed his attention, it's captured it, and trained it to expect a reward every few seconds” — Three short coordinated clauses build momentum through repetition of 'it', a moderately ambitious structure, though less symmetrical than the 7.5 version's near-identical sentence used without the softening 'really'.三个简短的并列从句通过重复'it'来积累动势,这是一个中等野心的结构;不过比7.5分版本几乎相同、但去掉了缓和词'really'的句子对称性稍差。

   7.5 分

   The closing pair 'The problem is design, not devices' uses a stark two-word contrast instead of a full explanatory sentence.结尾这一对'The problem is design, not devices'用一个简洁的两词对比,而不是一整句解释性的话。

   Some technology, badly, and the evidence is in my own family. My nephew can focus for two hours on a building game and lasts two minutes at anything without a screen — the technology hasn't destroyed his attention, it's captured it, and trained it to expect a reward every few seconds. Short videos, notifications and games designed to be endless teach children that attention should be constantly refreshed, and that's more or less the opposite of concentration. But technology used well can build it: long games with real goals, reading on a screen, tools that let a child actually make something rather than just consume it. The problem is design, not devices. Most of what children use today is built to hold them, not to help them, and telling the difference is increasingly a parent's job.

   查看中文翻译

   有些科技,是的,危害不小,证据就在我自己家里。我侄子能在一个建造类游戏上专注两个小时,但对任何没有屏幕的事情,只能坚持两分钟——科技并没有摧毁他的注意力,而是'俘获'了它,并训练它每隔几秒钟就期待一次奖励。短视频、通知,以及那些被设计成无穷无尽的游戏,教会孩子们注意力应该不断被刷新,而这几乎正是专注力的反面。但如果使用得当,科技也能培养专注力:带有真实目标的长时间游戏、在屏幕上阅读,以及那些能让孩子真正去创造些什么、而不只是消费内容的工具。问题出在设计上,而不是设备本身。如今孩子们所使用的大多数东西,都是被设计来'抓住'他们的,而不是来'帮助'他们的,分辨这两者之间的区别,也越来越成为家长的责任。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“The problem is design, not devices.” — This four-word closing sentence compresses the whole argument into a single opposition, a far more economical piece of cohesion than the fuller explanatory sentences used to make the same point at 6.5 and 7.0.这个四词结尾句把整个论证压缩成一个单一的对立,这比6.5分和7.0分用来表达同样观点的更完整的解释性句子,在连贯手法上精炼得多。
   • LR“reading on a screen, tools that let a child actually make something rather than just consume it” — The added contrast 'make something rather than just consume it' is a more precise, evaluative distinction than the plainer list of examples at 6.5, which stops at 'reading on a screen' without this extra layer.加入的对比'make something rather than just consume it'是一个比6.5分更平实的例子列表更精确、更具评价性的区分,后者仅止于'reading on a screen',没有这层额外的含义。
   • GRA“Most of what children use today is built to hold them, not to help them, and telling the difference is increasingly a parent's job.” — A parallel 'not to help them' clause is followed by a gerund-subject clause ('telling the difference is...'), a more varied and layered sentence than the simpler coordinated sentences used at 6.5 and 7.0.一个平行的'not to help them'从句后面接一个以动名词作主语的从句('telling the difference is...'),这比6.5分和7.0分中更简单的并列句更富变化、更有层次。