Our autumn series of evening talks returns this October, and this year the whole programme focuses on the natural world. Six speakers will share recent research in simple, everyday language; no scientific background is required. Each talk starts at 7.30 pm in the Garden Room and lasts about an hour, followed by twenty minutes of questions. Tea and coffee are provided free of charge. The centre is grateful to the Highland Science Trust for supporting the series.
Talk Two: Ice That Remembers
High in the mountains of Tibet, researchers have found ancient ice that may be more than 128,000 years old. It holds a rarerecord of the Earth's climate which scientists once believed had been lost forever. In this illustrated talk, Dr Lhamo Tsering explains how glaciers survive dramatic changes in temperature, and why this discovery may reshape the way we understand the last ice age. Photographs from the research site will be on display in the hall afterwards. The talk is suitable for anyone aged 14 and over.
Tickets and Booking
Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for students and over-60s. Members of the centre pay £4. Places are limited to 60, so early booking is recommended. Book online at www.highlandcentre.org/talks or by phone on 01632 480 221. Tickets are also available at the front desk during office hours (9 am – 5 pm, Monday to Friday). Group bookings of eight or more receive a 10% discount; please contact the office to arrange this. Refunds are available only if a talk is cancelled by the centre; tickets cannot be exchanged for another date.
Visitor Notes
Doors open at 7.00 pm. Please arrive at least ten minutes before the talk begins, as latecomers cannot be admitted once the doors have closed. The Garden Room is on the first floor; a lift is available. Photography is not permitted during the talk, although you are welcome to take pictures of the exhibition afterwards. A small café on the ground floor stays open until 9.30 pm on talk evenings. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
It holds a rare record of the Earth's climate which scientists once believed had been lost forever.
「主语 + holds a … record of + 名词 + which 从句（含被动 had been done）」结构，用来描述某事物保存了珍贵信息。雅思写作 Task 2 谈历史建筑、博物馆、传统技艺的价值时非常好用。套用示例：The museum holds a rare record of local traditions which many people once believed had been lost forever.
❌ The museum hold a rare record of local traditions which many people once believed had been lost forever. ✅ The museum holds a rare record of local traditions which many people once believed had been lost forever.
This discovery may reshape the way we understand the last ice age.
「X may reshape the way we understand / think about + 名词」表示某事物可能改变我们看待某事的方式。写作 Task 2 讨论科技、教育、全球化的影响时是高频框架。注意 the way 后面直接跟从句，不要再加 about。套用示例：The Internet has changed the way we understand the world.
❌ The Internet has changed the way we understand about the world. ✅ The Internet has changed the way we understand the world.
Latecomers cannot be admitted once the doors have closed, as the talk begins promptly at 7.30 pm.
「主句（含被动语态）+ as + 原因从句」，用被动说明规定、用 as 给出理由。写作 Task 2 解释政策原因时很实用。套用示例：Visitors cannot be admitted after 9 pm, as the gallery closes at that time. 注意被动是 be + 过去分词，admit 的过去分词是 admitted。
❌ Visitors cannot admit after 9 pm, as the gallery closes at that time. ✅ Visitors cannot be admitted after 9 pm, as the gallery closes at that time.
Photography is not permitted during the talk, although you are welcome to take pictures of the exhibition afterwards.
「… is not permitted …, although …」先否定后让步，语气礼貌。写作 Task 2 表达让步（承认另一方观点）时非常常用；口语中也可用它委婉说明规定。套用示例：Mobile phones are not permitted in the exam room, although candidates are welcome to leave them at reception.
❌ Mobile phones are not permitted in the exam room, although candidates were welcome to leave them at reception. ✅ Mobile phones are not permitted in the exam room, although candidates are welcome to leave them at reception.
5病句诊所 Grammar Clinic · 每天 3 句
每句只有 1 处错误，类型已提示。先自己改，再对答案——这些类型就是你写作和口语里最常丢分的地方。
1. The ancient ice hold a rare record of the Earth's climate that scientists once thought had been lost.
🕵️ 错误类型提示：主谓一致
2. This discovery may reshape way we understand the last ice age.
🕵️ 错误类型提示：冠词
3. If the talk will be cancelled by the centre, you will receive a full refund.
🕵️ 错误类型提示：时态
自己改完再看：参考答案 ▾
1. The ancient ice holds a rare record of the Earth's climate that scientists once thought had been lost. — 主语 the ancient ice 是不可数名词，视为单数，一般现在时动词要加 -s，写成 holds。 2. This discovery may reshape the way we understand the last ice age. — the way 是固定说法，表示「……的方式」，这里必须加定冠词 the，不能省略。 3. If the talk is cancelled by the centre, you will receive a full refund. — 英语条件状语从句中，主句用将来时，if 从句要用一般现在时，所以是 is cancelled，不能用 will be cancelled。
6理解自测 Comprehension · 3 题 · 真题型
判断题 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN
1. People who go to the Tibetan ice talk will be able to see pictures taken where the research took place.
判断题 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN
2. If a ticket holder cannot attend, the centre will move the booking to a later talk.
判断题 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN
3. Dr Tsering has been studying the ice in Tibet for more than ten years.
查看答案 ▾
1. TRUE — 原文说讲座结束后大厅会展示研究地点的照片，题目中的 pictures taken where the research took place 与原文 Photographs from the research site 对应，故为 TRUE。 📖 原文依据：Photographs from the research site will be on display in the hall afterwards. 2. FALSE — 原文明确说门票不能换到其他日期（tickets cannot be exchanged for another date），只有中心取消讲座时才退款，与题目说法矛盾，故为 FALSE。 📖 原文依据：Refunds are available only if a talk is cancelled by the centre; tickets cannot be exchanged for another date. 3. NOT GIVEN — 原文只介绍她将在讲座中讲解冰川如何在气温剧变中存活，完全没有提到她研究这块冰的时间长短，故为 NOT GIVEN。 📖 原文依据：In this illustrated talk, Dr Lhamo Tsering explains how glaciers survive dramatic changes in temperature.
💡 动手作答并提交判分，请到下方第 8 节「学习打卡」。这里先自己作答，再展开答案核对。
7今日写作任务 Task 1 书信 · 半正式（写给房东/同事/教练等熟人）
📮 题目：你上周四参加了 Highland 社区中心的秋季讲座（藏区古冰那一场），觉得非常好。你打算给讲座项目负责人 Ms Bennett 写一封信（你在活动现场和她简单聊过，算是认识的熟人）。信中要提到你参加的那场讲座、建议一个未来的讲座主题，并表示愿意帮忙。
say which talk you attended and what you thought of it
suggest a topic for a future talk and explain why local people would find it interesting
offer to help the centre with the next series of talks
✍️ 要求：写一封信，字数不少于 150 词，覆盖全部 3 个要点，建议用时 20 分钟。
🧰 口吻要点：这是半正式书信：写给认识但不算亲近的人，称呼用 Dear Ms Bennett（知道姓氏就写姓氏），结尾用 Best regards 或 Yours sincerely。语气要礼貌、自然、有温度，但不能像朋友聊天那样用缩写和俚语，也不要堆砌法律式的生硬套话。提出建议时用 I was wondering whether… 这类委婉句式，比 You should… 更符合半正式口吻。
框架句包（写作时直接套用）：
I am writing to suggest a topic for the centre's autumn talks programme.
开头第一句直接说明写信目的，半正式书信的标准写法。可替换为 I am writing to ask about / to thank you for …。
I recently attended the talk on Tibetan ice, which I found extremely interesting.
交代背景，用 which 引导的定语从句补充评价，比单独写一句 I liked it very much 更成熟。
I was wondering whether the centre might consider a talk on local weather records.
委婉提出建议，适合写给房东、同事、教练等半熟人，避免祈使句带来的命令感。
I think such a talk would attract not only the usual audience but also families.
说明建议的理由，用 not only … but also … 结构让论证更有层次，写作口语都能用。
I would be happy to help with the posters if that would be useful.
主动提供帮助，条件句 if that would be useful 让语气更客气，不显得强加于人。
Please let me know if you need any further information.
结尾常用句，礼貌收尾并给对方回复的理由。
✅ 写完自查：
字数是否达到 150 词以上（建议写到 170–190 词）
三个要点是否都写到了：参加的是哪场讲座及感受、建议的未来主题及理由、愿意帮忙
称呼和结尾是否与半正式口吻一致（Dear Ms Bennett + Best regards / Yours sincerely）
是否分段清晰：开头说明目的、中间两个主体段、结尾客套收尾
建议和请求是否用了委婉句式（I was wondering…, I would be happy to…），避免命令口吻
📄 写完再看：参考范文（Band 7，199词）
Dear Ms Bennett,
I am writing to suggest a topic for the centre's autumn talks programme, following the excellent evening on Tibetan ice last Thursday.
I have been coming to the series for two years now, and I have to say that Dr Tsering's talk was the most interesting so far.
The photographs of the research site were fascinating, and the way she explained how glaciers survive dramatic changes in temperature made the science very easy to follow.
I was wondering whether the centre might consider a talk on local weather records.
Several people in the village have kept diaries going back many decades, and these hold a rare record of how our own climate has changed.
I think such a talk would attract not only the usual audience but also families and older residents.
If it would be useful, I would be happy to help contact possible speakers or put up posters around the area.
I have some experience of organising events at my workplace, so I could also lend a hand on the evening itself.
Thank you again for a wonderful series.
Please let me know if you need any further information.